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We have just seen two blind men in agreement. We are now introduced to two devils in diversity. Here is the dumb devil. Here also is the devil muttering blasphemy.

I. HERE IS A COMPARISON OF TWO SAD CASES.

1. The dumb demoniac.

(1) Here is a man bodily in the hands of a demon. So completely is he in the power of the evil spirit that his self-control is lost. What an emblem of the helplessness of those who are morally "carried captive by the devil at his will" !

(2) He is "dumb."

(a) He has no voice for prayer.

(b) He has no voice for praise.

(c) He has no voice for testimony.

(3) God had not opened his mouth. No other power was competent.

2. The blaspheming Pharisee.

(1) He had a voice to impeach the Holy One as a sinner.

(a) Because he did the best works on the best of days.

(b) Because he condescended to eat with publicans and sinners.

(c) Because he did not fast in deference to rabbinical tradition.

(d) Because he proved that he has power on earth to forgive sins.

(2) In all this the devil was concealed. For wherein does this voice essentially differ from that of the Gadarene demoniacs who cried, "What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God?" (Matthew 8:29). Malignity is no less devilish because masked as piety.

(3) The blasphemy of the Pharisee advanced to refer the miracles of Christ to diabolical agency.

(a) The miracles as facts could not be disputed. It is too late in the day for the modern sceptic to dispute them.

(b) The Pharisee had no other way in which to evade their evidence but to trace them to the worst possible authorship.

(c) The malignity of Beelzebub is in the libel. And how much better is the sceptic who traces the miracles of Christ to natural causes? Is not the influence of Satan still hidden under what are called natural disorders?

II. THE MORE SUBTLE PROVES THE SADDER.

1. The dumb devil is driven out.

(1) The demoniac is brought to Jesus. He cannot come of himself.

(2) He is brought in the arms of compassionate faith. The devil cannot resist the power of faith, though exercised by third parties. Let not the righteous relax the effectual fervent prayer.

(3) In response to prayer the demon is expelled. Behold, the dumb has found his voice. Saul of Tarsus in conversion found his voice in prayer (see Acts 9:11). Praise is the companion of prayer (Psalm 51:15).

2. The multitudes marvel.

(1) No wonder they should, for here were four stupendous miracles wrought in one afternoon.

(a) The healing of the profluvious woman.

(b) The restoring of Jairus's daughter to life.

(c) The imparting of vision to two blind men.

(d) And now the expulsion of the dumb devil from the demoniac.

(e) To these he immediately added many more (ver. 35).

(2) They express their admiration in the exclamation, "it was never so seen in Israel." And if not in Israel, where, then? For the Hebrews, themselves a miraculous people, were of all peoples the most favoured by the working of miracles amongst them.

3. The blaspheming devil holds his own.

(1) The Pharisees never came to Christ. They were wilfully, therefore hopelessly, wicked.

(2) By their wickedness they prevented the astonished multitude from accepting their Messiah.

(3) The bad influence of the Pharisees is seen in the apostasy of the Hebrew nation to this day. - J.A.M.

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KJV: As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

WEB: As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him.