Lukas 4:41

PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW AND MANY OTHERS, HEALED. (Luk 4:38-41) suffered them not to speak--The marginal reading ("to say that they knew him to be Christ") here is wrong. Our Lord ever refused testimony from devils, for the very reason why they were eager to give it, because He and they would thus seem to be one interest, as His enemies actually alleged. (See on Mat 12:24, &c.; see also Act 16:16-18.)

We left Christ newly baptized, and owned by a voice from heaven and the descent of the Holy Ghost upon him. Now, in this chapter, we have, I. A further preparation of him for his public ministry by his being tempted in the wilderness, of which we had the same account before in Matthew as we have here (Luk 4:1-13). II. His entrance upon his public work in Galilee (Luk 4:14, Luk 4:15), particularly, 1. At Nazareth, the city where he had been bred up (Luk 4:16-30), which we had no account of before in Matthew. 2. At Capernaum, where, having preached to admiration (Luk 4:31-32), he cast the devil out of a man that was possessed (Luk 4:33-37), cured Peter's mother-in-law of a fever (Luk 4:38, Luk 4:39), and many others that were sick and possessed (Luk 4:40, Luk 4:41), and then went and did the same in other cities of Galilee (Luk 4:42-44).

4:41 You are the Son of God! This was a title for the Messiah (see 2 Sam 7:14; Pss 2:7; 89:26-27). Luke often links the titles “Christ” and “Son of God” (Luke 9:35; 22:66-71; Acts 9:20, 22). • he . . . refused to let them speak: Jesus often showed his authority over demons by silencing them. He wanted to reveal his identity in his own way, not through their announcement.