Mark 1: 21-28
Interestingly, at least to me, one of the first publically to call Jesus Son of God or Holy One of God was a man possessed by a demon. The demon possessed, those we would call crazy, in some way recognized in the man Jesus a threat. The threat to the demons was their very existence and so they cried out. How can we as 21st century people understand these encounters?
In this story, and there are other similar occurrences, a “man with an unclean spirit” confronts Jesus in the synagogue, yelling, “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.” Jesus answers the demon “Be silent, and come out of him.” And with great commotion the demon leaves the man. Those there at the time, according to the gospel writer, were amazed and so are we, but perhaps differently. The Palestinians around Jesus responded to his authority and teaching which extended even to demons. We, I suspect, who no longer believe in demons, are amazed and confused by the event. Again, what can we as postmoderns make of this event?
Shall we ignore it completely as primitive superstition? Many of us will and do.
Shall we believe it literally? If we do where are the demons Jesus exorcizes today?
Can we accept the revelations of modern science and assume the man was mentally ill and Jesus calmed him? That’s a credible explanation most follow.
But the question still remains:
The recognition of Jesus as Son of God, the Holy One, by the demon, what does that mean for us today? Does it take evil, mental instability, to know God?
Jesus apparently didn’t want that sort of recognition, for he silenced the demon. Often he wished to be known for his proclamation of the nearness of the kingdom, than for his miraculous acts of healing and exorcism. And yet the stories of such are recorded and obviously made an impression at the time and I would think still do now.
Perhaps free your imagination to find recognition of the Holy One in the strange, the unclean, the frightening.
Lord Jesus, what would you wish us to know about you from your exorcisms? What does it mean that the demons knew you better than the Pharisees and the crowds? Let us see your truth today. Amen.
Blessings, Caroline
Interestingly, at least to me, one of the first publically to call Jesus Son of God or Holy One of God was a man possessed by a demon. The demon possessed, those we would call crazy, in some way recognized in the man Jesus a threat. The threat to the demons was their very existence and so they cried out. How can we as 21st century people understand these encounters?
In this story, and there are other similar occurrences, a “man with an unclean spirit” confronts Jesus in the synagogue, yelling, “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.” Jesus answers the demon “Be silent, and come out of him.” And with great commotion the demon leaves the man. Those there at the time, according to the gospel writer, were amazed and so are we, but perhaps differently. The Palestinians around Jesus responded to his authority and teaching which extended even to demons. We, I suspect, who no longer believe in demons, are amazed and confused by the event. Again, what can we as postmoderns make of this event?
Shall we ignore it completely as primitive superstition? Many of us will and do.
Shall we believe it literally? If we do where are the demons Jesus exorcizes today?
Can we accept the revelations of modern science and assume the man was mentally ill and Jesus calmed him? That’s a credible explanation most follow.
But the question still remains:
The recognition of Jesus as Son of God, the Holy One, by the demon, what does that mean for us today? Does it take evil, mental instability, to know God?
Jesus apparently didn’t want that sort of recognition, for he silenced the demon. Often he wished to be known for his proclamation of the nearness of the kingdom, than for his miraculous acts of healing and exorcism. And yet the stories of such are recorded and obviously made an impression at the time and I would think still do now.
Perhaps free your imagination to find recognition of the Holy One in the strange, the unclean, the frightening.
Lord Jesus, what would you wish us to know about you from your exorcisms? What does it mean that the demons knew you better than the Pharisees and the crowds? Let us see your truth today. Amen.
Blessings, Caroline
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