And he healed many that were troubled with divers diseases. And he cast out many devils: and he suffered them not to speak, because they knew him.
και εθεραπευσεν πολλους κακως εχοντας ποικιλαις νοσοις και δαιμονια πολλα εξεβαλεν και ουκ ηφιεν λαλειν τα δαιμονια οτι ηδεισαν αυτον αυτον χριστον ειναι
11 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 15 commentaries
Now in that he says many, all are to be understood according to the Scripture mode of expression.
And Luke does not contradict this, when he says, that devils came out of many, crying out and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God: (Luke 4:41) for he subjoins, And he rebuking them, suffered them not to speak; for Mark, who passes over many things for the sake of brevity, speaks about what happened subsequently to the abovementioned words.
Because the multitude thought that it was not lawful to heal on the sabbath day, they waited for the evening, to bring those who were to be healed to Jesus. Wherefore it is said, And at even, when the sun had set. There follows, and he healed many that were vexed with divers diseases.
Or he says many, because there were some faithless persons, who could not at all be cured on account of their unfaithfulness. Therefore He healed many of those who were brought, that is, all who had faith. It goes on, and cast out many devils.
Furthermore, the reason that He forbade the devils to speak, was to teach us not to believe them, even if they say true. For if once they find persons to believe them, they mingle truth with falsehood.
For the devils knew that He was the Christ, who had been promised by the Law: for they saw in Him all the signs, which had been foretold by the Prophets; but they were ignorant of His divinity, as also were their princes, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Cor. 2:8)
But the door of the kingdom, morally, is repentance and faith, which works health for various diseases; for divers are the vices, with which the city of this world is sick.
Again, in a mystical sense, the setting of the sun signifies the passion of Him, who said, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5) And when the sun was going down, more demoniacs and sick persons were healed than before: because He who living in the flesh for a time taught a few Jews, has transmitted the gifts of faith and health to all the Gentiles throughout the world.
For, Him whom the devil had known as a man, wearied by His forty days’ fast, without being able by tempting Him to prove whether He was the Son of God, he now by the power of His miracles understood or rather suspected to be the Son of God. The reason therefore why he persuaded the Jews to crucify Him, was not because he did not think that He was the Son of God, but because he did not foresee that he himself was to be condemned by Christ’s death.
On that same evening, after the Sabbath had concluded, a large crowd assembled at the entrance of Simon’s home, bringing with them the afflicted, having heard about the happenings in the synagogue. It is likely that some who had not seen daylight for a considerable time, or those who had woken up that morning uncertain of seeing the evening, were now hoping for compassion from the Lord Jesus. The gathering included individuals suffering from common ailments as well as those tormented by evil spirits. The compassionate Savior stepped outside to meet them, moving from one sick person to another, touching each with His hand and granting them restoration, commanding only those who were possessed by unclean spirits not to declare Him as the Messiah, as He had done previously. Oh, how abundantly His blessings flowed upon all, unaffected by human malice and disbelief! How remarkably He demonstrated unending love in that moment!
As recounted by all three Gospel writers, on the evening of that very day, individuals suffering from various ailments throughout the city were brought to Jesus, who laid His hands upon them and restored them to health. This event took place on the Sabbath, leading the Jewish leaders to view the act of bringing the afflicted to Jesus as a violation of the Sabbath, prompting them to wait until sunset, the commencement of the following day. In this remarkable instance of healings, Matthew recognizes a fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah regarding the Messiah's affliction for humanity's transgressions (Isaiah 53:4).
The expulsion of the unclean spirit from the man possessed in the synagogue, along with the miraculous healing of Simon's mother-in-law, left a profound impact on all who beheld these wonders. The reports of these events spread swiftly throughout Capernaum, drawing the entire town to the entrance of Simon's dwelling as evening approached. It was the Sabbath, and despite the intense longing of those with sick loved ones to seek the help of the Miracle Worker, no one dared to approach Him until sunset marked the conclusion of the Sabbath. However, everyone was eager and prepared, waiting for the day to end so that they could bring their afflicted to Him. At dusk, they brought forth all who suffered from various ailments in a multitude.
The crowd was immense, filling the area at Simon's door, and Jesus laid His hands on each sick person, healing them completely. In addition, those troubled by demons were presented to Jesus, and they were freed from their torment at His command. The demons, through the lips of the afflicted, declared that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, but Jesus, not wanting to receive testimony from unclean spirits, instructed them to be silent.
The Jews' meticulous observance of the Sabbath provided the Savior with a brief moment for rest and renewal; however, as the sun approached the horizon, a great throng of individuals, having eagerly anticipated the conclusion of the Sabbath, began to seek His assistance. People gathered from every part of the city around the entrance of His modest home, bringing those tormented by demons and the afflicted in various ways, and Christ, moved by compassion for humanity’s suffering, healed them. The influx was so overwhelming that not all the afflicted could find space within the Savior's room.
He restored numerous individuals, as many who were brought to Him experienced healing, though it is likely that some lacked the faith needed to receive their restoration. While not everyone was healed due to the unbelief of some, many of those who were brought to Him and had faith were made whole. Alternatively, the term "many" is used in place of "all." Furthermore, He silenced the demons, as referenced in Mark 1:25 and related passages.
The remarkable events that occurred in the synagogue spread rapidly throughout the town. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the hours of Sabbath observance came to a close. During this time, according to the erroneous teachings of the Pharisees, acts of kindness such as healing the ill were not allowed (Matthew 12:10; Mark 3:2; Luke 6:7; 13, 14; John 6:1; 5, 10). Consequently, the entire city of Capernaum was in a flurry: both the healthy and those ailing rushed to the entrance of the house where Jesus was present. They brought with them individuals suffering from various conditions, as well as those possessed by demons, all filled with the same hopeful anticipation of receiving healing and help.
The Lord stepped outside to address the assembled multitude, and laid His hands upon them, a testament to the healing might of God (Luke 13:13). The afflicted were healed instantly, and the demons exited those they had tormented, shouting, “You are Christ the Son of God.” However, He instructed them not to reveal His true identity as the Messiah, concerned that the pure essence of this saving revelation could be tainted by the claims of deceivers and impure mouths. In reference to the miraculous healings performed by Jesus in Capernaum, the holy Evangelist Matthew recalls the ancient words of the prophet Isaiah, who foretold the humbled condition and suffering of the Messiah, declaring: “He will bear our infirmities and diseases” (Is. 53:4; Mt. 8:17).
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THEOSIS