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25. ἐπετίμησεν. In class. Grk the verb has three meanings, the second and third growing out of the first; (1) “lay a value on, rate”; (2) “lay an estimated penalty on, sentence”; (3) “chide, rebuke, rate.” In Greek there is a real connexion between the first and third meanings; but in English we have a mere accident of language, for “rate” = “value” is a word of different origin from “rate” = “scold.” Excepting 2Ti 4:2 and Jud 1:9, the verb occurs only in the Synoptists in N.T., always in the sense of “rebuke,” or “give a strict order,” and often of rebuking violence; so also in LXX., where it is rare, except in the Psalms.
Φιμώθητι καὶ ἔξελθε. The two commands show why the demon was rebuked; he had no authority to proclaim who Jesus was, and he had no right to have possession of the man. Euthymius (κολακεύων) follows Tertullian (male adulantem) in attributing the demon’s utterance to flattery, which is not probable. It is rather a confession of the power of perfect goodness. Excepting 1Co 9:9 (?) and 1Ti 5:18, where Deu 25:4 is quoted, φιμόω is always used of silencing, not of muzzling. Cf. Josephus (B.J. I. xxii. 3), ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν πεφίμωτο τοῖς ἱμέροις. It is probably colloquial rather than literary, and it is said to have been used in exorcisms. Papyri may throw light on it. In Mar 4:39 we have perf. imperat. πεφίμωσο, which is stronger than aor. imperat. Whatever may be the truth about demoniacal possession, all the evidence that we have shows that Christ, in dealing with those who were believed to be possessed, went through the form of commanding evil spirits to go out (Mar 5:8, Mar 7:29, Mar 9:25; cf. Mar 1:34; Mar 1:39, Mar 3:15; Mat 12:28; Mat 12:43; etc.). And His miracles were not wrought by uttering spells, but by speaking a word of command. He bade the demons to depart, the lepers to be cleansed (Mar 1:41), the lame to walk (Mar 2:11), the deaf to hear (Mar 7:34), the blind to see (Mar 10:52), the dead to arise (Mar 5:41), the storm to be still (Mar 4:39). With this simple ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ contrast the elaborate form of exorcism quoted by Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, pp. 251 f. Of the seven miracles wrought on the Sabbath, Mk gives three (Mar 1:25; Mar 1:31, Mar 3:5), Lk. two (Mar 13:13, Mar 14:4), and Jn two (Mar 5:9, Mar 9:14).
The command to demons not to make His Messiahship known among Jews (here and Mar 3:12), a prohibition which was not made in the case of Gentiles (Mar 5:19), is in harmony with the well-attested fact, that even the Twelve were slow in recognizing Him as the Messiah, and that the nation refused to accept Him as such. So far from proclaiming Himself as the Messiah, He was anxious that this fact should not be disclosed until men’s minds were prepared to receive it on other grounds than the fact that He worked miracles. Miracles did not prove that He was the Messiah; Prophets had healed lepers and raised the dead. And it is not irreverent to conjecture that He knew that a premature recognition of Him as the Messiah might produce a renewal of the temptations in the wilderness, temptations to gain the glory of victory without the necessary suffering (Mat 4:8-10; Mat 16:21-23).