mIre <tmr

:'ower .of tIre

:'rea:.dring of Wesus
Luke 4:31-44
Introduction
THE NATURE OF LUKE'S
ACCOUNT OF THE GALILEAN
MINISTRY
Luke's account of Christ's
Galilean ministry is in closer and
more comprehensive agreement
with Mark's account than with
Matthew's account. Luke is
obviously dependent upon Mark for
much ofhismaterial, although Luke
is remarkably distinct from Mark at
other points.
There are three blocks of material
Luke's lack of concern for in Luke's account of the Galilean
chronological order underlines the ministryofJesuswhichareobviously
fact the he is not merely an historian dependent upon Mark's account:
or chronicler of events; Luke is an (1). Luke 4:31-44, (Mark 1:21-39);
evangelist. Luke
is not writing as
a detached
historian, but as
a passionate
evangelist, who
is preaching the
true and histor-
ical gospel to his
readers, with the
earnest desire
that they know,
believe and act
on "the exacttrnth
about the things
you have been
taught," 1:4. "As
(2). Luke 5:12-6:16, (Mark
and (3). Luke 8:4-9:17,
(Mark3:20-6:44). However, inthese
parallel passages, there are
differences, showing that Luke was
not slavishly following Mark's order.
inserts between parallel sections orie
and two, the account of the
miraC]1lous catch of fish, Luke
5:1-11. (2). There is a greater
insertiOn of material in Luke, not
included by Mark, but much of
which is included by Matthew, in
Luke 6:7-8:3. (3). Luke suddenly
and sharply leaves off paralleling
Mark, following the third parallel
section, and includes nothing inhis
Gospel corresponding to Mark
6:45-8:26.
THE POINT OF THESE PARALLELS
AND
DIFFERENCES
Wh i Ie
these diver-
gencies by
Luke from
Mark are no
real contra-
dictions
between the
two, (which
would make
impossible
the inerrancy
ofthe Bible),
they are im-
portant for
ourunderstandingofLuke'smethod
and message.
(1). Luke is usually more concise
than Mark, probably because Luke
wants to conserve space for treating
other issues and incidents that
an evangelist he q.n allow himself
considerable flexibility in the
ordering .of his materials.
Nevertheless, there is no evidence
that he is taking liberty with or
doing violence to the facts at this
point."- Stonehouse. He is not
creating a new chronological order
of the events in Jesus' life that suit
his purposes, he is choosing
incidents in the life and ministry of
Jesus which are meant to illustrate
the character of His Galilean
ministry, Lk. 4:43.
As we have seen, Luke had his own advance his theme and suit his
motif and audience, and those two audience.
THE COMPARISON OF LUKE'S AND
MARi<'s ACCOUNT OF THE
GALILEAN MINISTRY
THE PARALLELS BETWEEN
LUKE AND MARK
factors play an important role in
Luke's choice of information he (2). In placing events.in the life
would include and exclude in his of Christ in a different order from
Gospel. that of Mark, Luke is not
disregarding the original historical
setting of those events. Surely in the
teaching and preaching of Christ,
He repeated Himself often, so that a
particular sermon or parable could
have a variety of historical settings.
"'We must think of hundreds of
instructions delivered in dozens of
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LUKE
AND MARK
In addition to these parallel
sections in Luke and Mark, Luke
makes three major departures from
Mark's outline of events in the
GalileanministryofJesus. (1). Luke
4 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon July, 1995
places. So there must have been an
almost infinite repetition of
material.'" (Bunon Scott). He further
observes that, while many of the
parables and sayings would have
been repeated in the same form,
other sayings and parables would
have received different fOim and
different grouping on different
occasions.
(3). The differences in order of
various incidents are explainable, if
we constantly keep Luke's method
and message in view. Lukeincludes
nothing that he thinks is
inappropriate in a Gospel designed
fornon-jewish readers, as he tries to
make clearto them that] esus Christ
is the Divine-human Savior of the
world.
ExPOSITION:
THE AUTIfORITY AND POWER
OF THE WORD OF JESUS
(4:31-32) THE AMAZING
AUTHORITY OF THE
TEACHING OF JESUS
THE TEACHING MINISTRY
OF JESUS IN CAPERNAUM
THE LOCATION OF HIS TEACHING
MINISTRY: CAPERNAUM
Capemaum was an important
jewish city in the region of Galilee.
It was a trade-center, wheretraders
from all over the region would come
and do business. It was a strategic
location, because from this point
most of the towns and villages in
and around Galilee were easily
accessible, by land or by sea. Every
Sabbath day jesus would go to the
local synagogue and teach His
congregation the word of God and
how it was fulfilled in Him, Lk.
4:16-27; 24:44f. Capemaum was
the center of Christ's ministry, and
His headquarters during His Great
Galilean Ministry. It was here that
HecalledHisfirstdisciples,1n.l:35;
and where He called Peter, James
andJohn to be "fishers of men," Lk.
5: 10. He performed many miracles
there, LIe 4:23, 31-37, etc. It was in
Capemaum that He preached His
sermon on "the bread of life," In.
6:24f. Matthew even calls
Capemaum Christ's "own city," Mt.
9: 1. Capernaum is no longer a City,
although the ruins of its synagogue
have been unearthed and partly
restored.
Capernaum's population
remained generally impenitent and
unbelieving in spite of all the
preaching, teaching and healing of
Jesus. For this reason Jesus
prophetically condemned it in Luke
10: 15. His prophecy soon came
true.
THE NATURE OF HIS TEACHING
MINISTRY IN CAPERNAUM
THE SCHEDULE OF CHRIST'S
TEACHING
Jesus would teach in the local
synagogues every Sabbath day,
because of: (ll. His desire for
congregational worship and the
word of God, (2). That was where a
ready-made audience for His
teaching would be gathered; and
(3). The Lord of the church came to
visit His church to call her to
repentance. Luke, and Jesus, had a
great love for the Sabbath as is
evident from 4:31-37, 38-41;
6:6-22; 13:10-27; 14:1-6.
THE NATURE OF CHRIST'S
TEACHING
(ll. Teaching, (DIDASKO in
Greek), is one ofthe main aspects of
Jesus' saving mission to the world,
Mt. 4:23; 9:35; 11:1.
(2). The style of His teachingwas
that of a typical Jewish rabbi or
teacher of His age. He would stand
to read the Scripture, then sit down
and expound the passage, Lk. 4: 16f;
Mt.5:lf.
(3). The material from which
Jesus taught was typical for aJewish
teacher of that day: It was the Old
Testament, Lk. 4:16f; Mat. 5:2lf.
He orders all of life in terms oflove
for God and neighbor, Mt. 22:37f.
He calls for a decision for or against
God. He sees the Scripture as the
absolute and final revelation of God's
character and will for man, Mat.
5: 17f. But, as over against all other
rabbis, the difference in His teaching
was His own self-awareness as the
Messiah and Son of God, which
moved Him to apply the Scriptures
to Himself as their fulfillment.
(4). His teaching was devoid of
the cold and arrogant intellectualism
and empty but eloquent rhetoric
that was typical of Greek orators of
His day, and which style was
developed by Hebrew teachers "in
an effon to check the disintegrating
force of Hellenism, so that in some
circles studying the law can be
ranked higher than doing it."-
Theological Dictional) of the New
Testament.
(5). The content and power of
His teaching indicated direct Divine
inspiration and Divine revelation,
John 8:28; 14:26; I John 2:27.
"Similarly in Luke 11:1 DIDASKEIN
expresses the thought of a readiness
for total subjection to the direction
of Jesus and is thus parallel to the
confession in Matthew 16:13f and
John 6:60f."- Theological Dictionary
of the New Testament
(6). jesus taught absolute truth,
whereas the sermons of the scribes
and Phalisees were characterized
by dishonest and evasive reasoning,
In. 14:6; Mat. 5:2lf.
(7). jesus' teaching was
concerned with issues of
life-and-death imponance, issues of
etemal consequence; whereas the
scribes wasted their hearers' time on
trivialities, Mat. 23:23; Lk. 11:42.
(8). jesus' teaching was
July, 1995 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 5
systematic, i.e., it was given in a
unified and orderly system, because
any word for God will manifest His
perfect rationality; while the scribes
often rambled.
(9). jesus' teaching eJ<cited
interest and curiosity by the
generous use of practical, homey
illustrations, Lk. 5:36-39; 6:39-49;
7:31-35, 40-47. The rabinical
sermons were often "as dry as dust"
and boring.
(10). jesus taught as a Lover of
human beings, as a Person
passionately concerned with the
eternal destiny and spiritual welfare
of His hearers. His love for His
hearers came through in His
teaching, which was personal,
passionate, full of compassion,
penetrating, and often inrimate;
whereas the lack oflovein the scribes
was also obvious, Lk. 20:47.
(1 l).jesus taught with authority,
for His message came straight from
the hean and mind of God the
Father, through the mouth of Him .
Who is God the Son incarnate and
empowered by the Spirit of Truth,
the Third Person of the Trinity.
Whereas, the scribes were like
people trying to draw water out of
broken cisterns.
(12). jesus said, " ... thewords that
I have spoken to you are spirit and are
life," john 6:63. Peter said tojesus,
"You have the words oj eternal life,"
john 6:68. jesus' teaching is
permeated with the enlightening,
life-giving work of the Holy Spirit.
Only as the Holy Spirit informs a
man rnay he understand the teaChing
of jesus. All of Christ's teaching
presupPbses the necessity for the
wbrkoftheSpiritwithinHishearers.
Moreover, His words are ''life," i.e.,
they are creative utterances which
bring life and which raise life from
the dead.
mE RESPONSE OF mE CROWDS
TO HIS TEACHING
The crowds of people who heard
jesus in Capernaum, "were
continually amazed at His teaching;
Jor His message was with authority,"
Lk. 4:32. The effect ofjesus' teaching
on the crowds is described by a verb
in the imperfect tense, showing
cOntinuous action in past time. The
verb Luke used is a strong one,
EKPLASSEIN, meaning "were being
dumbfounded," Mat. 7:28; 13:54;
19:i5; 22:33; Mk. 1:22; 6:2; 7:37;
10:26; 11:18; Lk. 2:48; 4:32; 9:43;
Acts 13:12. The pebple were struck
as by a blow in the face at the
teaching of jesus! What affected
them this way was not so much the
way in which jesus taught, but ''for
His message (word) was with
authority," 4:32. It was the content,
the LOGOS, of Christ's preaching
that astonished them leaving them
in shock and with smitten
consciences.
Several Greek words are used to
eJ<press the astonishment of the
crowds and the disciples at the word
and acts ofJesus: ekplessein, Mk.
1:22; 6:2; 7:37; 10:26; 11:18;
thaumadzein, Mk. 5:20; 15:5, 44;
ekthauIlladzein, Mk.12: 17;
thambeisthai, Mk.l:27; 10:24,32;
ekthampeisthai, Mk. 9: 15; existemi,
Mk.2:12; 5:42; 6:51; phobeisthai,
Mk. 4:41; 5:15, 33, 36; 6:50; 9:32;
10:32; 11:18, and ekthobos, 9:6.
"The response of jesus' words and
deeds has overtones of fear and
alarm; it reflects an awareness of the
disturbing character of His presence.
-- 'TheeJ<pressions of fear and
astonishment therefore serve to
emphasize the revelational,
content and thus the
Christo logical meaning of
numerous Synoptic scenes of
jesus."'- Lane, The Gospel
According to Mark, NICNT, pg.
72n.
6 f TIlE COUNSEL of Chalctdon f July, 1995
THE AUTHORITY OF
mE WORD OF JESUS
The authority ofjesus' teaching
was (and is) the authority of Divinely
revealed truth. 'Jesus' word,
presented withasovereignauthority
which permitted neither debate nor
theoretical retlection, confronted the
congregation with the absolute claim
of God upon their whole person."-
Lane, The Gospel According to Mark,
NICNr", pg. 72. "Never did a man
speak the way this man speaks," John
7:46. The crowds were astonished
because of the "authority,"
(EXOUSIA), with which His
"message," (LOGOS), was clothed
and invested, (''in, EN, authority").
"The teaching of Jesus came as the
Word of God which was presented
undiminished in its force by the Son
of God and went home with all its
power to the astonishment of these
jews who had never heard the like.
-- The 'word' ofjesus reached the
conscience and the heart with
unerring directness and made
shiningly clear the will of God and
Jesus' own great mission."- Lenski.
More specifically, what brought
astonishment to His hearers in
Capernaum, was probably the same
shocking message that caused His
hearers at Nazareth to "wonder at the
gracious words which were JalltngJrom
His lips," 4:22, which wonder soon
turned to murderous rage at what
He said, 4:28----The jubilant
Kingdom of God has come to earth
in the person and ministry of jesus
Himself, Who is the promised
kingly, prophetic Messiah, God in
human flesh.
THE MEANING OF "WORD, OR
MESSAGE", "LOGOS"
The Gospels constantly refer to
the sayings and sermOnS of] esus as
His "word," LOGOS. The reference
maybetoasinglesaying,Mk.lO:42,
a group of sayings, Mt. 26:1, or His
=
total message, Mt. 24:35. Whatever
the reference, the word of Jesus
carries infallible and incomparable
authority and power, I Cor. 7:10.
"The autholity is that of genuine
words that are spoken, heard, and
recounted; it is in the word made
flesh that the glory is
seen." -Theological Dictionary of the
New Testament.
The word ofjesus often arouses
displeasure and anger, Mk. 10:22.
It offends, Mt. 15: 12, not
Jesus' "authority" is not simply
the powerto decide, but to COMPEL
DECISION.
The Greek word for authority is
"exousia," which means the right
and ability to govern all social
relationships, backed with the power
to enforce that right to govern. In
the Greek Old Testament, the
Septuagint, exousia isused for God's
unrestricted sovereignty, Whose
word is omnipotent power, Dan.
person and work, exousia denotes
the divinely given right and power
to act along with the related freedom,
Mat. 28: IS; Rev. 12: 10. This is a
cosmic power but with a spedal
human reference, In. 17:2; Mat.
11:27;Jn. 1:12; 5:27. Thehistorical
Jesus clairnsexousia within the limits
of His commission, e.g., to forgive
sins, Mk. 2: 10, to expel demons,
Mk. 3: 15, and to teach, Mat. 7:29;
Mk. 11:28; Mt. 9:8; Lk. 4:36. This
just because it is hard to
swallow, In. 6:60, but
because it carries such
incomparable claims, Mk.
2: 7. It also causes
astonishment because of
its obvious authority, Mt.
7:28. Response to His
word is eternally decisive,
Mk. 8:38, because it
demands faith in Him.
The word of Jesus is
power! It brings healing,
"It is because Jesus is
the Lord's Christ and
Christ the Lord that
His word has such
awesome authority
and power."
power is inseparable from
the imminence of the
kingdom; with the
presence of him who
exerdses it, the kingdom
itself draws near."-
Theological DictionQJY of
New Testament.
Jesus' teaching has
authority because in
Him the Jubilant
Kingdom of God has
dawned upon human
history. "The authority
Mt. 8:8. It casts out demons, Mt.
8:16, raises the dead, Lk. 7: 14f, and
rules the powers of creation, Mk.
4:39. ItisbecauseJesus is the Lord's
Christ and Christ the Lord that His
word has such awesome authority
and power, In. 14:24; 6:63, 68.
The word of Jesus is on par with
Holy SCripture,]n. 2:22. TO GRASP
THE WORD OF JESUS IS TO BE
GRASPED BYIT,]n. 6:65;Mt. 19:11;
Mk. 4: 11; LIe. 9:45. The Bible keeps
inseparable the Word, Christ, and
the Word of Christ. Faith believes in
the Living Word, Christ, and believes
His spoken, written and preached
Word. Jesus Christ still speaks His
word into the minds, hearts and
lives of His people through the
faithful preaching of those called by
Him to preach His Word, Rom.
10:17.
THE MEANING OF "AUTHORITY,"
"EXOUSIA "
4: 14. In the N.T. God gives Jesus
"authority" over everything in
heaven and on earth as a reward for
His humiliation, Mat. 28: IS.
In the New Testament, exousia
has a rich significance: (1). Exousia
rests on three foundations: first the
power indicated is the power to
dedde; second, this decision takes
place in ordered relationships, all of
which reflect God's lordship; and
third, as a divinely given authority
to act, exousia implies freedom for
the community. (2). Exousia
denotes the absolute possibility of
action that is proper to God alone as
the source of all power and legality,
Lk. 12:5; Acts 1:7; Jude 25; Rom.
9:21. (3). God's "authority" may be
seen in creation, Rev. 14: 18. The
forces of creation derive their power
fromGod,Rev.6:S;9:3, 10, 19. (4).
God's will encompasses Satan's
sphere of dominion, Acts 26: IS;
Col. 1: 13. (5). "Inre1ationto Christ's
with which]esus spoke presupposes
a commission and authorization
from God inseparable from the
proclamation ofthe kingdom drawn
near. --- The gap between Jesus
and the Rabbis in respect of the
subject of teaching is to be found
not in the matter itself, but in HIS
OWN PERSON, Le., in the fact of
His self-awareness as the Son of
God. This is why His teaching,
whether in the form of exposition or
otherwise, causes astonishment
among His hearers."'- Lane, pg. 73.
(4:33-37,41) THE AMAZING
AUTHORITY AND POWER OF JESUS'
COMMAND TO DEMONS
THE CONTEXT OF THIS TEXT
After Jesus "had so decisively
repelled the devil's temptations in
the wilderness, the evil one brought
all possible manner of hellish rage
to bear on Christ and tried to oppose
the establishment of His kingdom.
July, 1995 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 7
Demon possession was one of the THE REALITY OF
means used by the kingdom of DEMON-POSSESSION
darkness in this struggle, . --- In THE REALITY AND NATURE OF
orderto be truly the Redeemer,]esus DEMONS
had also to engage in strife with
demon possession and to prove that The Bible teaches us that there is
He had indeed overcome the power one devil, diabolos, and many
of the evil one. This is the reason demons, daimonia. "A significant
why in the Gospels numerous minority of the created angels sinned
instances are described where Jesus along with Satan and together with
delivereddemon-possessedpersoI)s. him were c.ast out, II Pet.Z:4; Rev.
Luke realized the importance of this 1:4:4, thereby becoming demons
matter and therefore herelates at underthe leadership of the devil."-
this early stage. iIl his Gospel a Greg BahrtSen,"The petson,.Work
striking example of how Jesus and Present Status of Satan," iIi .The
triumphed overtheforces of demons Journal oj Christian ReconstructiOn,
by casting out an evil spirit." - I 1 .. n
Vo. ,NO.Z,WinterW74,Va edtO,
Geldenhuys. CaL.. Therefore. Satan is called
"One striking fact in bibHcal . "the. prince of .demons" in
history is that whenever God work.5 Matthew9:34, "theprince ofthe
in a urtique way to vindiCate His powers ofthe air" in Ephesians
name in the lives of His people, and 2:2 and "King over" the swarln
to fulfill His covenant promises to
them, there is a confrontation With from the abyss in Revelation 9: 11.
These. are Vlitked, unclean
spiritualistic, occult, and demo.rtic.. ..
forces, that challenge and attempt and Vidous, Mat. 8:28; 10:1; Mk.
to negate all He is doing---for 5:2f; 9:20; Act. 19:15.
example, deliverance from Egypt, When Satan is called "the prince
entrance into the promised land of of the powers of the air," Eph. 2:2,
Canaan, the Incarnation and we can learn several things about
ministry of Christ, and the demons: (1). The demonic
establishing of the church. At the controllers of sinful n:belliori
same time, Godused these situations (darkness) over whom Satan rules
to prove His authority and power are INCORPOREAL powers of
over the total creatiOn, including d kn . ( )
at ess, Eph. 6:12. 2. These
Satan.. Thus the biblical .evidence
demons fill the air or occupy the
would lead us to expect recurring
atmosphere around the earth, who
manifestations of such activity until
the final confrontation at the Second are spiritual forces WITHIN REACH:
Coming of Christ." _ F. Seth Dymess, ofus and with whom we must fight,
"Types of Satanic Intervention" in The Eph.3:lOf;6:1Z. (3). ThesedeII)OI)s
Journal of Christian Rtc011$truction, create an ethical atmosphere, or
Vol. 1, NO.2, Winter,. 1984, PERVADING OUTLOOK IN A
Vallecito, CaL, pg. 46. CULTURE, Eph. Z:Z; 4:17. --- A
As Luke teaches us these things, sodety or culture can come into an
he also impresses us, deliberately, intellectual frame of mind which is
with the authOrity and power of the properly designated 'demonic'; it
word of Jesus. It astonishes can develop an atmosphere of
audiences; casts out demons, heals opinion which is worthless, lawless
the sick, and draws multitudes of and destructive .... " - Bahnsen, pg.
people to Himself. 16f.
8 'I' TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 'I' July,
THE NATURE OF DEMON
POSSESSION IN THE BIBLEI
THE REALITY AND CHARACTER OF
DEMON-POSSESSION
(DEMONlZATION--DAIMONIDZOMAI)
There are at least 55 instances of
demonic acdvity mentioned in the
Bible, the classic examples being
Mat. 8:28f; Mat. 9:32f; Mat. 12:22f;
Mat. 15:22f; Mat. 17;14, and their
parallels. Demon posseSSion,
therefore, according to the Bible is
an occurrence, and not merely
ametaphoncal or mythological
description. It is not mental illness.
The Gospels clearly distingnish
between sickness and demon
possession as separate experiences,
although sometimes they can be
related as cause and effect, Mat.
4:24; 8:16; Mk. 1:32; Lk. 4:33f; Lk.
4:40[; 6: 17f; 9: 1. Jesus spoke to
demons as distinguishable from the
person that demon possessed, Mat.
17: 18; 8:32; Mk. 1:25. And
possession can include a large
number of demons in the same
human person, Mk. 5:9; Lk. 11:Z6.
"Demon possession could hl\ve a
profound and dominating influence
onone'sBODY,Mk. 9:17-26, WILL,
John13:2.7,WORDS,Mk.l:23,and
MIND, Mk. 5:1-18. The demoniac
could lose control over himself, and
that against his will, Lk. 9:39."2
Demon possession is "caused by
a demon being inflicted on a person
by Satan forthepurpose of distorting
or destroying that person as the
image bearer of God, and perverting
all that God has intended him to
be."- Dryness, pg. 52.
THE CHARACTERISTICS Of DEMON
POSSESSION IN THE BIBLJil
(l).Theperson possessed gives
evidence of being controlled by a
force or personality apart from his
own personality, that uses his body.
(2). The possessed person
manifests bizarre, anti-social
behavior, Mat. 8:28; Mk. 5:2; LIe
8:27.
(3).Hecanmanifestsuperhuman
strength beyond his own normal
abilt!)" Mat. 8:28; Mk. 5:3,4; Lk.
8:29.
(4).He experiences intense
convulsions, seizures and bodily
self-harm in destructive
records, "the Son of the Most High to gain control ofjesus (by magic) in
God,"Mk. 5:7. This is one of Christ's accordance with the common
names revealing His Deity, for concept of that day, that the use of
Isaiah's favorite name for Jehovah the precise name of an individual or
was "the Holy One of Israel," spirit would secure mastery over
thereforeJesusisJehovahinhuman him. --- 'The demon knows the
flesh. The demon also recognized divine purpose of)esus' coming and
the threat the presence ofjesus was the divine character of his status;
to him---He had come to destroy and by giving full expression to its
knowledge it seeks to
and distorted ways, Mat.
17:15; Mk. 1:26; 5:5;
9: 18, 20, 22, 26; Lk. 4:35;
9:39,42.
(5).He often cries out
with a loud shlieking
voice, Mk. 1 :26; 9:26; Lk.
9:39.
(6).He speaks either
coherently or incoher-
ently, (possibly in an
unknown language)
through the use of the
individual's voice.
"In the presence of the
Holy One of God, the
demon is made even
more painfully aware
that eternal destruc-
tion and punishment
await all demons."
ward off the threatened
offensive of its dangerous
opponent .... (pg. 74).
THE REBUKE AND
CASTING our OF THE
DEMON BY JESUS
THE REBUKE OF THE
DEMON BY JESUS
Jesus commanded the
demon, "Be qUiet.. .. " "The
defensive address of the
demon was powerless
before the sovereign
(7). Some demon possessed
persons confess names other than
that of the individual whom the
demons are inhabiting. Thisusually
gives some aspect of their evil
character, Mk. 5:9; Lk. 8:30.
(B).There is a recognition of and
resistance to the person of Jesus
Christ, Mat. 8:28; Mk. 1:24; 5:6, 7;
Lk. 4:34, 41; 8:28.
(9).ThedemonmustobeyChlist,
Mat. 8:16, 32; 17:18; Mk. 1:27;
5: 12, 13; 9:25, 26; Ue 4:35; 8:32,
or a command given in His name,
Acts 16:18.
THE REACTION OF THE DEMON TO
THE PRESENCE OF JESUS
"Hal What do we have to do with
You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You
come to destroy us? I know who You
are--the Holy One of God!" -Lk. 4:34.'
He recognized the physical identity
and the Deity ofjesus, as "the Holy
One of God" incarnate, or as Mark
the works of the devil and all his
demons, I John 3:8.
The demon's exclamation was
not an exclamation of surprise but
of terror and unsettling fear. In the
presence of the Holy One of God,
the demon is made even more
painfully aware that eternal
destruction and punishment await
all demons. The demon clies out
shuddering with terror. "It was not
in flattery that the evil spirit thus
addressed Him but in horror. From
the Holy One he could expect
nothing but destruction. "- Plummer.
"The final destruction of the power
of the evil one will be canied out
only at the final Consummation. In
plinciple the power of darkness has,
however, already been overcome
and convicted." - Geldenhuys.
Lane gives us his unique insight
on the testimony of the demons to
Christ's Messiahship and Deity: "The
recognition-formula is not a
confeSSion, but a defensive attempt
command of Jesus."-
Lane. In malice and terror the
demon had clearly and loudly
testified to the Deity and Messiahship
of Jesus of Nazareth, as "the Holy
One of God," and "the Son of the
Most High." Jesus did not want the
demon to speak openly about His
Messianic identity, because 0 f the
adverse effect it would have on those
whoheardthem. Theywouldaccuse
Him of being in league with Satan
and demons. Furthermore, Jesus
wanted people to discover who He
really was from His words and
works. And there were good reasons
for Jesus' strategy: (1). Other
claimants to be the Messiah would
make their appearance; (2). There
was wide-spread confusion about
the true nature of the Messiah, and
what He would accomplish. 0).
There was a deeply set cultural
pattern of Jewish thinking, and an
established mode of Messianic
expression to which Jesus was
conforming.
July, 1995 ~ tHE COUNSEL of Cilalcedon 9
"Christ did not avoid any
reference to, or acting out of, his
OWN accepted FUNCTioNS of the
Messiah, but rather He avoided the
public and open use of (and hence
the public's understanding of) the
TITLE. He apparently did so not
onlybecauseof,asiscommonlyand
correctlyrecognized, the rather stark
nationalistic hopes to which the title
itself was wedded, but also because
of the deeply set cultural
pattern of Jewish
thinking, and the
established mode of
Messianic expression. It
was in fact this particular
cultural mode of
Messianicself-expression
that provided the vehicle
for Jesus' reinterpre-
tationofthe title Messiah.
It is not until after His
suffering, indeed,
BECAUSE of His
suffeting, that HE is shown speaking
more openly of Himself as the
Messiah. Lk, 24:26, 46. By dealing
in His words and deeds with the
functiQnsof Messiahship, as
opposed to the title, 'Messiah: Jesus
was able to affirm certain individUal
aspects of contemporary Messianic
expectation .... without at the same
time supporting those elements of
Messianic expectation ... with which
the title itself was so closely
assodated." - Robert Sloan, Jr., The
Favorable Year oj the Lord, pg. 80f,
(Austin, Texas, ScholiaPress,1977).
IRE CASTING OUT OF THE DEMON
BY JESUS
Jesus did not exordse the demons
by cultie titualsand formulas, He
simply expelled, or cast them out,
(ekballo), of the possessed
individual, thus healing him, by His
powerful Word---" ... come outofhiml'
And when the demon had thrown him
down in their midst. hewentoutojhim
without doing him any harm," 4:35.
"There had been no technique, no
spells or incantations, no symbolic
act. Therehadbeenonlytheword."-
Lane. There is only one mention of
"exordsm" in the Bible, in ACts
19: 13, and there the situation
backfired, and the demon attacked
the exordsts.
Jesus muzzles the demons, who
obey Him instantly! "This was a
display of the omnipotent power of
Jesus tight in Satan's own domain.
The raising of the dead as well as
this expulsion of demons by a single
command exhibit Jesus' power in
the highest degree." - Lenski.
"In desperate rage the demon
threw the man down, but Jesus'
manifestation of power was so
perfect that He even prevented the
man from being in any way hurt."-
Gelden'huys.
THE RESPONSE OF TIlE
ON-LOOKERS
"And amazement came upon them
all, and they began discussing with one
another. al)d saying, 'What is this
message (word, LOGOS)? For with
authority and power He commands
the unclean spirits. and they came out.
And the report about Him was getting
out into every locality in the
surrounding district." Never in their
lives had the people seen such a
powerful victory over the powers of
darkness. "Amazement" in Greek is
10 THE ,COUNSEL of Chalcedon July, 1995
I
!
akin 'w "rerror." before had
they heard a person speak with such
Divine authotity, (exousia), and
Divine power, (dunamis). 'Just as
Christ's doctrine ' aniazed them in
comparison with the formalism of
the sctibes, so His authotity over
demons in comparison with the
attempts of the all the
more so, because , :i single word
sufficed for Bim, .whereas the
" exordsts, used 'incan-
tations,charms, and
much superstitiOUS
ceremonial."
As a result of this
inciderit with demon
possession. rumors
about Jesus' PQwerful
word able to cont,rol and
overcome the pOWers of
darkness began spread-
ing like, Wildfire all over
the vjcil\hy. ' "The
distUrbance oj men by
God had begun;".W-ne.Q
, IThis section is rriostJYbised on F.
SethDymess'artic1e. "1ypesofSatanic
lnierventiori' in The Journal ,'of
Christian: Reconstruction, pgs . 49f,
veil. 1', No., 2, Winter 1974,Vallecito,
Cal. ' , ",
PeTson:Work '
and.PresentStatus pg. 16, in
Thejo"rnal oj Christian ReconSt!1(ction,
VoL I, No.), Winter 1974, Vallecito,
California.
'Py"mess, pg. 50 ..
. fN"b.tice the 1l;se, of "wet "us/' and
"I: in the worqs oftbe demon In the
man. , It is "distinctly-possible the
demoniac identifieS himself with the
congregation, (in thesYnagogtlewhere
the c;Iemoniac speaks
from their perspectiye: Jesus' presence
the danger of judgment for all
present. --- ... when"theagitation of.
the demoniac is regarded in the light
oftbe dismay arid turmoilin the
SynagogLle, 'this is even the obvioLls
interpretation."'- Lane, The Gospe! of
MatliNICNT. fig. 73: '