Mark 1:25

Rebuked. Gr. epitimad, literally, “to lay a value on,” in the NT, “to tax with fault,” “to chide,” “to admonish,” “to censure.” Jesus “censured” the evil spirit without, however, bringing a “railing accusation” against him (see Jude 9). The rebuke appears to have been administered because the spirit addressed Him as the Messiah. Jesus well knew that an open claim to the Messiahship at this time would only prejudice many minds against Him. Furthermore, the turbulent political situation in Palestine produced many false messiahs, who proposed to lead their countrymen in revolt against Rome (see Acts 5:36, 37; cf. DA 30, 733), and Jesus sought to avoid being considered a political messiah in the popular sense. This would have blinded the people to the true nature of His mission and have offered the authorities a pretext for silencing His labors.

A further reason why Jesus avoided claiming to be the Messiah was that He desired that men should recognize Him as such through personal experience — by observing His perfect life, by listening to His words of truth, by witnessing His mighty works, and by recognizing in all of this the fulfillment of OT prophecy. It was evidently with this thought in mind that He answered the disciples of John the Baptist as He did (Matt. 11:2–6).

Hold thy peace. Literally, “be muzzled.”