Luke 4:35

Hold thy peace Literally, "Be muzzled," as in 1 Corinthians 9:9. See Matthew 22:34; Mark 1:25, &c.

had thrown him St Mark uses the stronger word "tearing him." It was the convulsion which became a spasm of visible deliverance. It is most instructive to contrast the simple sobriety of the narratives of the Evangelists with the credulous absurdities of even so able, polished and cosmopolitan a historian as Josephus, who describes an exorcism wrought in the presence of Vespasian by a certain Eleazar. It was achieved by means of a ring and the -root of Solomon," and the demon in proof of his exit was ordered to upset a bason of water! (Jos. B. J.vii. 6, § 3; Antt.viii. 2, § 5.) As this is the earliest of our Lord's miracles recorded by St Luke, we may notice that the terms used for miracles in the Gospels are teras-prodigy," and thaumasion-wonderful" (Matthew 21:15 only), from the effect on men's minds; paradoxon(Luke 5:26 only), from their strangeness; sçmeia-signs," and dunameis-powers," from their being indications of God's power; endoxa-glorious deeds" (Luke 13:17 only), as shewing His glory; and in St John erga-works," as the natural actions of One who was divine. See Trench, On Miracles, i. 9. "Miracles, it should be observed, are not contrary tonature, but beyondand aboveit." Mozley.