"Satan has among his sophistries the art of capitalizing on the truth. In Luke 4:34, 35 (see verse 41
and Mark 1:24) we seen Satan been forced to confess Jesus’ true identity (see Testimonies Volume 8, pg. 208) and Jesus telling him to be quiet.
We may wonder why Jesus rebuked him for being honest about his true identity, except that we know Jesus recognized Satan’s actual motive.
A similar incident occurred during the ministry of Paul and Silas in Philippi, where a woman met them and cried out, "These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.”(Acts 16:17). For some time, the inspired record tells us, Paul had been grieved by this woman’s negative influence, which is why he eventually commanded the demon to depart from this woman (verse 18). According to Ellen White; Satan through this woman hoped to “mingle his sophistry with the truths taught by those (Paul and Silas) who were proclaiming the Word of God." (Reflecting Christ 218).
The fact is that Satan intended not to be simply honest about either Jesus’ or Paul and Silas true identity. Rather, he meant to focus on but a part of the truth as a means of thwarting God’s plans."
We may wonder why Jesus rebuked him for being honest about his true identity, except that we know Jesus recognized Satan’s actual motive.
A similar incident occurred during the ministry of Paul and Silas in Philippi, where a woman met them and cried out, "These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.”(Acts 16:17). For some time, the inspired record tells us, Paul had been grieved by this woman’s negative influence, which is why he eventually commanded the demon to depart from this woman (verse 18). According to Ellen White; Satan through this woman hoped to “mingle his sophistry with the truths taught by those (Paul and Silas) who were proclaiming the Word of God." (Reflecting Christ 218).
The fact is that Satan intended not to be simply honest about either Jesus’ or Paul and Silas true identity. Rather, he meant to focus on but a part of the truth as a means of thwarting God’s plans."
