Jesus Hushing the Demons

I finally heard the answer to a question I've been wondering about for over forty years.

In Mark 1, there was that demon crabbing about Jesus being the Holy One of Israel and about not wanting to have anything to do with Jesus.  Jesus told him to shut up.  Then later in the chapter, after Jesus had been healing all sorts of people and casting out demons, we hear that He would "not allow the demons to speak because they knew Him." 

So why not let them speak?  After all, what they were saying was true: this guy was indeed the Holy One of Israel.  It was true that the demons didn't want to have anything to do with Him.  It was true that He did come to destroy them.  So what's the problem?

In the past I've been told that it would be unseemly of Jesus to have demons telling who He was.  Y'know, bad company, bad reputation, and all that.  But this is Jesus, for crying out loud.  He hung out with tax collectors and sinners.  He didn't seem to worry too much about His reputation getting sullied. 

But Pastor pointed out the answer in last week's sermon and this morning's chapel.  And it makes complete sense!

The demons always get it wrong.   They can't speak God's word without twisting it, perverting it, putting a works-righteous spin on it.   Even though they may say many true things, it's never fully true.  So Jesus orders them to shut up.