Mark 1 · a question people ask
Why does Jesus keep people quiet in this chapter?
Three times in this chapter Jesus stops someone speaking about him. To the unclean spirit who cries, "I know who you are: the Holy One of God!" (1:24), he says, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" (1:25). At evening, "He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him" (1:34). And to the man he made clean, after he "strictly warned him" (1:43): "See that you say nothing to anybody" (1:44). For the demons Mark says only "because they knew him" (1:34). For the man, Mark tells what happened when he spoke anyway: he "began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places" (1:45). It happens again and again in Mark (3:12, 5:43, 8:30). Christians read why he said it in more than one way, and chapter 8 sets out the main readings.
The verses
“saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!””
“He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.”
“He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.”
“He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.”