Jesus Casts Out A Demon

This miracle, early in Jesus' ministry, involved a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. Demon possession, as it is depicted in Scripture, is "the direct exercise of demonic power from within a person." Sometimes these possessions caused a person to become violent, to hurt themselves or others, to be thrown down in fits, and sometimes to have the ability to tell fortunes, and make predictions.

It has been suggested that the people of Jesus' day would call any unusual behavior demon possession, but in fact Jesus, and others, knew the difference. Some overlap in terminology did exist, but overall demonic possession could be detected through certain types of behavior or physical impairment.

Descriptions of demonic activity are scattered all throughout the gospels and demons are discussed in the epistles as well. In Jesus' day it was believed by some that demonic control of humans would end on the Day of the Lord, and/or in the messianic age. In His own teaching the Lord Jesus confirmed this thinking.

Jesus had already roundly defeated Satan during His forty day ordeal in the desert. Now He was proving Himself victor over Satan's minions.

The demon's question to Jesus,

"What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?" [Luke 4:34]

revealed Jesus' authority over all evil spirits, and the demons knew it. Perhaps the demon thought that Jesus could not defeat him without also causing harm to the man he possessed. But God is so much more powerful than any other force or entity in the universe!

God is Creator and Sustainor of all that is.

Whatever power or authority Satan and his fallen angels have, it is by God's permission. Their time is limited, and so is their arena, and their power.

Possibly the demon was trying to get control of the situation by calling out the Lord Jesus' true name during this supernatural confrontation, calling attention to the significance of what was happening. Satan and his demons know exactly who Jesus is, but they refuse to accept it. Jesus not only met the challenge, He
* Silenced the demon
* Neutralized his power
* Removed his presence from the man
* And prevented the man from experincing any harm (even though the demon tried, by throwing him down in convulsions)

As one commentator concluded, "Evil cannot stand up to righteousness when righteousness takes a firm stand. Any victory it may appear to have is fleeting."

The crowd was dumbstruck! "What is this teaching?" They had never seen anything like it before, even though excorcism was well-known. But it was Jesus' calm and awesome authority over the forces of evil that amazed them. Who could this man be? The demon's declaration, "I know who you are—the Holy One of God," was their only answer.

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The Power Of Miracles

Miracles were real events that gave evidence of Jesus' authority. This was the established way God endorsed and empowered His prophets all throughout the Bible beginning with Moses.

People have more and more, through the intervening centuries, questioned the actuality of miracles or have tried to explain them away with scientific reasoning. But the most spectacular miracle of all is also the easiest one to prove: the resurrection (more on this when we get to that part in the gospels).

So if something like the resurrection is possible, then the other miracles would be easy. The real question is: Is God that powerful? Is He for real? Can He and does He interact in supernatural, physically discernible ways with our world? Miracles, signs and wonders, from the burning bush to the resurrection give an emphatic "yes"!

The Lord Jesus' ability to perform such powerful signs pays testimony to His unique union with God. As Jesus Himself pointed out, if his power is not from Satan, then it must be from the "finger of God"(as witnessed by Pharaoh's magicians, Moses, the Babylonian king's court with the prophet Daniel and Luke)

Miracles are also demonstrations of a deeper reality. God doesn't cause a miracle to occur just to impress. Miracles are intended to illustrate something more important.

Casting out demons and healing the sick illustrated the reality of God's power over corruption and death. One day He will restore all things to the health and wholeness, the spiritual purity and beauty He intended.

Finally, miracles reveal "the deep cosmic struggle between the forces of evil and Jesus." In casting out demons Jesus showed His complete authority and power over evil and its forces. There is no contest! What struggle with evil are you involved in right now? How willing are you to trust the Lord Jesus with it and ask Him to demonstrate His power over your situation?

By overcoming evil and restoring those who were sick, Jesus proved He has the key to life. He has the authority and the awesome, supernatural power to speak confidently about God's rule, and of His kingdom.

The gathering crowds already knew that Jesus was an amazing teacher, that He taught with authority, unlike the other scribes and teachers of the law. He did not rely on past interpretations. Jesus spoke directly about God and His will. And there was more to Jesus' authority than His ability to preach the Word; He could show the presence of God's power.

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Blended Gospels: Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

And they went into Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

And immediately there was in their synagogue a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out, "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God."

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!"

And the unclean spirit, when he had thrown him down in their midst, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority and power! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him and come out."

And at once reports about him went out into every place, and his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

[Mark 1:21-28, Luke 4:31b-37 ESV]

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