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leif_erikson · Jul 15, 2010, 05:03 PM

In the first three chapters of Mark, a little more detail is given on exorcisms performed by Jesus. In all of them, he always tells the demons to not say his name so that it does not screw up his long-term goal. Why would a demon even help with that? If these demons were angels of Satan, then why didn't they just put up a large sign telling everyone that he was the Son of God so that they can ruin his plan? I am very sure that these demons were angels of Satan and not just independent antagonists. After all, when Jesus was accused of driving out demons with the power of demons, he explicitly stated that such a thing causes a division in oneself. (therefore implying that all demons that he drove out were Satanic minions)

Also in Matthew 9: 29, there's another contradiction. The demons inside of Legion asked, "Have you come to torment us before the appointed time?" How would they know that it wasn't the appointed time yet? As for signs, Jesus said that nobody but the Father knows the time or hour of judgement and he also derided Pharisees in chapter 13: 38 - 42 for asking for a sign. (also saying that they would receive no type of sign)

Can someone please clear this up? It will be appreciated.

Wondergirl · Jul 15, 2010, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by leif_erikson

The demons inside of Legion

Inside of Legion? Do you think Legion was a person?

leif_erikson · Jul 15, 2010, 05:16 PM

OK, I made a mistake. It's matt 12: 38 - 42 with the whole Pharisees wanting a sign situation.

As for the Legion being a person, I should have chosen my words a little better.

Wondergirl · Jul 15, 2010, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by leif_erikson

As for the Legion being a person, I should have chosen my words a little better.

How should you have written it?

Wondergirl · Jul 15, 2010, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by leif_erikson

Also in Matthew 9: 29, there's another contradiction. The demons inside of Legion asked, "Have you come to torment us before the appointed time?" How would they know that it wasn't the appointed time yet?

There is no contradiction. They knew in the same way you and I know the appointed time hasn't come yet. Life is still going forward, and the appointed time hasn't happened yet. We all know there's an appointed time, but no one except the Father knows exactly when it will be.

dwashbur · Jul 15, 2010, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by leif_erikson

In the first three chapters of Mark, a little more detail is given on exorcisms performed by Jesus. In all of them, he always tells the demons to not say his name so that it does not screw up his long-term goal. Why would a demon even help with that? If these demons were angels of Satan, then why didn't they just put up a large sign telling everyone that he was the Son of God so that they can ruin his plan?

In a way, that's what they were trying to do. He hushed them because he didn't want testimony from evil spirits. Partly this is because they were, well, evil, and a testimony from them wouldn't exactly go over well with the locals. And partly it was because they were generally known to be liars, so evil spirits calling him the Son of God could easily be understood in the opposite sense. Basically, allowing them to speak and tell the people who he was would open some massive cans of worms. So he told them to shut up.

JoeT777 · Jul 15, 2010, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by leif_erikson

OK, I made a mistake. It's matt 12: 38 - 42 with the whole Pharisees wanting a sign situation.

As for the Legion being a person, I should have chosen my words a little better.

Luke 8:30 explains why the name of the demon(s) is called Legion, there were so many they couldn’t all be named.

JoeT

HeadStrongBoy · Jan 15, 2011, 12:19 AM

The first paragraph of your question has a possible explanation that I have learned. It seems to fit the pattern that Jesus often told the recipients of His healings NOT to tell anyone about it. The hypothesis is that Jesus needed to make absolutely certain that His execution would occur ONLY on a very specific date. Jesus knew that the Pharisees and their allies, who were headquartered in Jerusalem, wanted Him dead from the very first day of His ministry. And He also knew that they would stop at almost nothing to get their way with Him. One of the ploys Jesus used to delay His arrest was to continue His ministry several days journey from Jerusalem. That was one means of slowing down the murderous Pharisees. The other method involves your observation. Namely to minimize the publicity surrounding His miracles. Now it is true that demons are liars, just like their leader. But in the excitement and ruckus surrounding the exorcisms, news was bound to leak out. And the demons being enemies of Christ would want to thwart His plans by any means possible. Even if that meant telling the truth momentarily so that they could broadcast the news of what had happened to them (exorcism). The spies of the Pharisees always looking for or listening for any information about the upstart Jesus. That information was useful to Christ's enemies because they could use it to accuse Him of blasphemy or any other crimes they might think of.