Mark 1:32–34 meaning

The parallel Gospel accounts for Mark 1:32-34 are Matthew 8:16, Luke 4:40-41.

When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed (v 32). 

The pronoun—they—likely refers to those who saw or heard about Jesus’s exorcism of an unclean spirit from a man that took place in the synagogue sometime before sundown. That event is told by Mark and Luke (Mark 1:21-27, Luke 4:31-36). 

The people who saw Jesus’s miracle in the synagogue were astonished. They shared their astonishment with everyone as they returned to their homes,

“Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee.”
(Mark 1:28)

This miracle, and Jesus’s healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, both occurred on the Sabbath (Mark 1:21-31, Luke 4:31-39).

The opening phrase of verse 32—when evening came—is Mark’s way of indicating that the Sabbath had ended. 

Jewish days begin and end at sunset. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all point out how evening came as a way to express that the day of the Sabbath had ended before everyone began bringing all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed (Matthew 8:16, Luke 4:40).

God’s people were commanded to rest from their labor on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15). The legalistic Pharisees, who were revered leaders and cultural guardians of Jewish customs, twisted God’s good command into an extreme and harsh level of observance. The Pharisees were meticulous about forbidding even the smallest of actions on the Sabbath (Matthew 23:23-24, Luke 11:42). 

This legalism explains why they waited until evening came. They could not bring to Him all who were ill and demon-possessed while it was still the Sabbath, even though they were likely eager to have their family members and friends healed of their suffering. They had to wait until after the sun had set before they lawfully (in the eyes of the Pharisees) could bring their hurting loved ones to Jesus. 

Mark reports the overwhelming response: the whole city had gathered at the door (v 33). 

The expression the whole city means “all of Capernaum.” Capernaum was the city where Jesus healed the demon-possessed man in the synagogue the day before. Simon Peter’s house was located in the city of Capernaum as well, where Jesus was staying that night. 

It makes sense that Peter, who was the authoritative witness sponsoring Mark’s Gospel, would vividly remember this night when the whole city of Capernaum had gathered and crowded at his door so they could see Jesus and seek His miraculous help. Moreover, it seems from Peter’s personal perspective, this night was essentially the beginning of when Jesus’s ministry began to take off—and it happened at his own door!

And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons (v 34a). 

Jesus’s healing of many who were ill with various diseases and His casting out of many demons further demonstrated His immense power. The day before, He had cast out one demon (Mark 1:23-26) and healed one person from a fever (Mark 1:29-31). Now Jesus was healing many people and casting out many demons. Jesus seemed to have unlimited power. Indeed, He did.

Many is not a specific term, but it likely means a half dozen or more. The expression various diseases in this context could include any type of physical sickness, fever, or physical debilities. Jesus healed many people who were suffering from various types of diseases. 

Luke describes the manner in which Jesus was healing these people: “He was laying His hands on them” (Luke 4:40). Jesus was healing them with His touch, as a physician might lay hands on a patient in order to comfort them.

At this time, Jesus also cast out many demons from the people they were tormenting.

Demons are malevolent supernatural entities. They are the fallen angels who joined Lucifer, the archangel, in his rebellion against God. In describing this event, (Revelation 12:4) says that one third of the angels fell with Lucifer—Satan—the devil.

The world we inhabit encompasses both physical (natural) and spiritual (supernatural) realms. There is a connection between these two dimensions. Both the physical and spiritual realms were created by God. 

The Bible confirms the reality of both the physical and spiritual worlds. The physical realm is more perceptible to our bodies and senses. It can, to some extent, be quantified and measured by human art and science. However, the supernatural realm, though largely unseen by us, is equally real. As human beings possessing both a body and a spirit, we have a dual nature that is both physical and spiritual. 

Angels and demons possess only a spiritual nature, but they are able to have some interaction with the physical world, and it seems they can inhabit the bodies and control the minds of people and animals.

The typical way Satan accomplishes his evil intentions is by tempting people to disobey God, reject His good order, and, like him, rebel against our Creator. The devil also harms people by gaining significant control over their minds or bodies. This is called “demonic possession.”

As God, Jesus has authority over all things — including demons. 

Here at Simon Peter’s home, Jesus demonstrated His authority over the demons by casting many of them out of the people they were influencing. Jesus further demonstrated His authority over the demons by silencing them:

and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was (v 34b).

The demons knew who He was. They recognized their Creator. They knew Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah. 

These demons were responding the same way to Jesus as the unclean spirit did in the synagogue the day before. That demon said:

“What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 
(Mark 1:24)

Luke describes this similarity when he recounts how Jesus cast these demons out, “Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ” (Luke 4:41).

And just as Jesus rebuked and quieted that demon (Mark 1:25), so too was He not permitting these demons to speak about Him either.

Jesus rejected and refused to accept the demons’ true testimony about Him. He did not permit them to speak for or about Him. The probable reason He silenced the demons was to avoid any misconception that He and the demons were working together. God and the demons are absolute enemies. God is infinitely stronger than all the demons and will soon crush Satan underneath our feet (Romans 16:20).