Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed here is that the miracle wasn't just about removing a demon; it was about restoring speech, the very tool for human connection and praise. The demon's nature as "mute" highlights that spiritual oppression often silences us, preventing us from speaking truth, offering thanks, or connecting with God and others. When Jesus liberates, the immediate result is a voice restored, a powerful sign that points to God's restoring work.
Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is in the midst of healing people, and this particular act involves casting out a demon that caused muteness. As soon as the demon leaves, the man can speak, astonishing the onlookers. This miracle immediately triggers a hostile reaction from the Pharisees, who accuse Jesus of using demonic power to perform his healings, setting up a confrontation about the source of his authority.
Jesus performs a powerful, visible miracle, restoring both speech and likely hearing to a man possessed by a demon. This wasn't subtle; it was a dramatic display of divine authority.
A Tangible Victory
This wasn't just any healing. The demon specifically caused muteness, silencing the man completely. When Jesus casts it out, the immediate and visible result is the man's ability to speak. This highlights a direct confrontation between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.
The people's reaction is immediate awe, but the religious leaders twist the very same evidence into an accusation. How can the same event spark such opposite responses?
Two Views of God's Power
The crowd's response is one of simple, astonished wonder. They see a miracle and are moved to question Jesus' identity, even asking, 'Is not this the son of David?' (Matthew 12:23).
However, the religious elite, particularly the Pharisees, refuse to acknowledge the divine hand at work. Instead, they accuse Jesus of using demonic power ('Beelzebub') to cast out demons. This is a deliberate misinterpretation, a 'diabolical venom' as Calvin notes, blinding them to the obvious glory of God.
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The scribes' accusation reveals more than just their disagreement with Jesus; it shows a profound spiritual blindness that perverts God's glory into an occasion for slander.
Rejecting the Light
This event wasn't just about a mute man being healed; it was a critical moment where Jesus' identity was starkly contrasted with the spiritual state of those who opposed Him.
Calvin points out that the Pharisees' reaction demonstrates the 'blindness of the human mind' when confronted with God's glory. Their familiarity with Scripture should have led them to recognize the Messiah, but their hearts were hardened. They saw the power of the Holy Spirit but refused to attribute it to God, instead attributing it to Satan.
Understand the original words
daimonion · Greek Noun
A spiritual being, often malevolent, subject to Satan, that seeks to inhabit or influence human beings and oppose the purposes of God.
This event occurred during Jesus' public ministry when his growing popularity and miraculous power, including exorcisms, attracted intense scrutiny from religious authorities and even concern from his own family.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching, healing, and casting out demons, gaining a large following.
c. AD 29
Pharisees and Scribes Observe Jesus
Religious leaders, including scribes sent from Jerusalem, began closely monitoring Jesus' ministry, seeking reasons to discredit him.
c. AD 29
Accusation of Demonic Power
After Jesus cast out a demon from a mute man, the Pharisees accused him of working with Beelzebul, the prince of demons.
c. AD 29
Jesus' Relatives' Concern
Some of Jesus' relatives, concerned about the opposition and potential danger he faced, sought to restrain him, believing he might be out of his mind.
This passage describes a very similar event where Jesus casts out a demon from a man who was blind and mute, directly highlighting the connection between Jesus' power over demonic forces and the restoration of speech and sight.
Mark 3:22This verse presents the accusation from the scribes that Jesus casts out demons by Beelzebub, directly following the account of Jesus performing miracles, and showing the same kind of opposition and disbelief faced in Luke 11:14.
Isaiah 35:5-6This prophecy foretells signs of the Messiah's coming, including the opening of the eyes of the blind and the unstopping of the ears of the deaf, and that the mute will sing for joy, directly aligning with the miraculous healing described in Luke 11:14.
John 10:20-21This passage discusses the reactions to Jesus' works, with some saying he is demon-possessed and others questioning how a demon-possessed person could perform such acts, mirroring the division and wonder seen in Luke 11:14 among the people and the accusations from religious leaders.
calvinLuke 11:14-15: "And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered."
- Then was brought to him one who was tormented by a devil, blind and dumb; and he cured him, so that the blind and dumb person both spoke and saw. 23. And all the multitudes were astonished, and said, Is not this the son of David? 24. But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub prince of…
clarkeLuke 11:14: "And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered."
Casting out a devil - See on Matthew 12:22 (note).
What's easily missed here is that the miracle wasn't just about removing a demon; it was about restoring speech, the very tool for human connection and praise. The demon's nature as "mute" highlights that spiritual oppression often silences us, preventing us from speaking truth, offering thanks, or connecting with God and others. When Jesus liberates, the immediate result is a voice restored, a powerful sign that points to God's restoring work.
Jesus is in the midst of healing people, and this particular act involves casting out a demon that caused muteness. As soon as the demon leaves, the man can speak, astonishing the onlookers. This miracle immediately triggers a hostile reaction from the Pharisees, who accuse Jesus of using demonic power to perform his healings, setting up a confrontation about the source of his authority.
Jesus is in the midst of healing people, and this particular act involves casting out a demon that caused muteness. As soon as the demon leaves, the man can speak, astonishing the onlookers. This miracle immediately triggers a hostile reaction from the Pharisees, who accuse Jesus of using demonic power to perform his healings, setting up a confrontation about the source of his authority.
"Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled." — What's easily missed here is that the miracle wasn't just about removing a demon; it was about restoring speech, the very tool for human connection and praise. The demon's nature as "mute" highlights…
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Last reviewed October 2026