WEEK THREE
Jesus and the Centurion
Read
Matthew 8:5-13
Matthew 11:2-19
Luke 7:1-50
Luke 8:1-3
Major Events
Jesus Heals the Centurion
Jesus is questioned about his identity
Jesus raises a widows son
Jesus and John the Baptist
Jesus is anointed the first time by a sinful woman
Devotional
After his time away, Jesus returned to his base of operations in Capernaum, near the Sea of Galilee. Whenever Jesus and his disciples went away, there would have been people who had come to see Jesus for healing and were disappointed he wasn't there. They would have either returned home, waited for him in Capernaum, or hired someone to come and let them know when Jesus had returned. This would have been the case with the Roman centurion, and Matthew 8 and Luke 7 share this incredible story of Jesus healing the centurion's servant. We know the centurion was a Gentile because centurions were officers in the Roman military. Most Jews under Roman occupation felt a reason to hate all centurions, yet this man still humbled himself and came to a Jewish teacher for help. Significantly, he also came to Jesus, not for a selfish reason, but on behalf of a servant he cared for deeply. It is interesting to note that whenever the New Testament mentions a centurion (at least seven), it always presents them as honorable, good men. This centurion also had an unusual attitude towards his slave. Under Roman law, a master had the right to kill his slave, and it was expected that he would do so if the slave became ill or injured to the point where he could no longer work, but that was certainly not the case here and Jesus was well aware of the anomaly.
The centurion did not make a casual or flippant request. He did not feel entitled as you would expect of someone with authority and he pleaded with Jesus on behalf of his servant. Jesus did not hesitate to go to the centurion’s house; we half wish the centurion would have allowed him. It was completely against Jewish custom for a Jew to enter a Gentile's house, yet it was not against God’s law. The centurion sensed this when he said, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof." Most Jews of the day were taught that a Gentile home was not worthy of them, and the centurion supposed that a great rabbi and teacher like Jesus might also consider his home unworthy. The centurion also showed great sensitivity to Jesus, by sparing him the awkward challenge of whether or not to enter a Gentile’s house – as well as the time and trouble of travel. He didn’t know Jesus well enough to know that he would not feel awkward in the least and break these man-made additions without hesitation. In both his concern for his servant and Jesus, this centurion was an others-centered person, and that attitude is sure to get Jesus' attention. The centurion fully understood that Jesus’ healing power was not some sort of magic trick that required a magician’s presence or a special string of words. The centurion also showed great faith in Jesus’ word. He understood that Jesus could heal with his word just as easily as with a touch. The centurion knew about the military chain of command and how the orders of one in authority were unquestionably obeyed. Under the Roman military system, a foot soldier who disobeyed would not be defying a mere centurion, but the mighty emperor and Rome itself. He knew Jesus had true authority as well and could command things to be done and completed outside his immediate presence. The man’s understanding of Jesus’ spiritual authority made Jesus marvel. His simple confidence in the ability of Jesus’ mere word to heal showed a faith free of any superstitious reliance on external things. The centurion knew it might be a problem for this prominent rabbi to come into his home, so he had his friends meet Jesus on the way to say that he didn't need to come to the home. The centurion was truly a remarkable man for many reasons. The elders said he was worthy; he said he was not worthy. They praised him for building a house of worship; he felt unworthy that Jesus would come to his house. They said he was deserving; he felt himself undeserving. This example shows that strong faith and great humility are entirely compatible, as this man displayed, even with someone who has prominence and authority in this world.
Jesus considered the faith of this Gentile centurion – a living symbol of Jewish oppression – and thought it greater than any faith he had seen among the people of Israel. Jesus only marveled on a few occasions; here, at the faith of the centurion and also at the unbelief of His own people (Mark 6:6). Jesus can be amazed at either our faith or our lack of faith. The fact that such faith was present in a Gentile caused Jesus to announce that there would be Gentiles in the kingdom of heaven and that they would even sit down to dinner with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! This was a radical idea to many of the Jewish people in Jesus’ day, who assumed that this great Messianic Banquet would have no Gentiles and that only Jews would be there. Jesus corrected both these mistaken ideas. These few words of Jesus tell us a little something about what heaven is like. It is a place of rest; we sit down in heaven. It is a place of good company to sit with; we enjoy the friendship of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in heaven. It is a place with many people; Jesus said many would come to heaven. It is a place with people from all over the earth; from east and west, they will come to heaven. There will be people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. Jesus also reminded his Jewish listeners that just as the Gentile’s racial identity was no automatic barrier to the kingdom, their racial identity was no guarantee of the kingdom either. As with just about every teaching or miracle of Jesus, everything always came back to the Kingdom of Heaven, and faith was required to spend eternity there.
Matthew 8:5-13
Matthew 11:2-19
Luke 7:1-50
Luke 8:1-3
Major Events
Jesus Heals the Centurion
Jesus is questioned about his identity
Jesus raises a widows son
Jesus and John the Baptist
Jesus is anointed the first time by a sinful woman
Devotional
After his time away, Jesus returned to his base of operations in Capernaum, near the Sea of Galilee. Whenever Jesus and his disciples went away, there would have been people who had come to see Jesus for healing and were disappointed he wasn't there. They would have either returned home, waited for him in Capernaum, or hired someone to come and let them know when Jesus had returned. This would have been the case with the Roman centurion, and Matthew 8 and Luke 7 share this incredible story of Jesus healing the centurion's servant. We know the centurion was a Gentile because centurions were officers in the Roman military. Most Jews under Roman occupation felt a reason to hate all centurions, yet this man still humbled himself and came to a Jewish teacher for help. Significantly, he also came to Jesus, not for a selfish reason, but on behalf of a servant he cared for deeply. It is interesting to note that whenever the New Testament mentions a centurion (at least seven), it always presents them as honorable, good men. This centurion also had an unusual attitude towards his slave. Under Roman law, a master had the right to kill his slave, and it was expected that he would do so if the slave became ill or injured to the point where he could no longer work, but that was certainly not the case here and Jesus was well aware of the anomaly.
The centurion did not make a casual or flippant request. He did not feel entitled as you would expect of someone with authority and he pleaded with Jesus on behalf of his servant. Jesus did not hesitate to go to the centurion’s house; we half wish the centurion would have allowed him. It was completely against Jewish custom for a Jew to enter a Gentile's house, yet it was not against God’s law. The centurion sensed this when he said, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof." Most Jews of the day were taught that a Gentile home was not worthy of them, and the centurion supposed that a great rabbi and teacher like Jesus might also consider his home unworthy. The centurion also showed great sensitivity to Jesus, by sparing him the awkward challenge of whether or not to enter a Gentile’s house – as well as the time and trouble of travel. He didn’t know Jesus well enough to know that he would not feel awkward in the least and break these man-made additions without hesitation. In both his concern for his servant and Jesus, this centurion was an others-centered person, and that attitude is sure to get Jesus' attention. The centurion fully understood that Jesus’ healing power was not some sort of magic trick that required a magician’s presence or a special string of words. The centurion also showed great faith in Jesus’ word. He understood that Jesus could heal with his word just as easily as with a touch. The centurion knew about the military chain of command and how the orders of one in authority were unquestionably obeyed. Under the Roman military system, a foot soldier who disobeyed would not be defying a mere centurion, but the mighty emperor and Rome itself. He knew Jesus had true authority as well and could command things to be done and completed outside his immediate presence. The man’s understanding of Jesus’ spiritual authority made Jesus marvel. His simple confidence in the ability of Jesus’ mere word to heal showed a faith free of any superstitious reliance on external things. The centurion knew it might be a problem for this prominent rabbi to come into his home, so he had his friends meet Jesus on the way to say that he didn't need to come to the home. The centurion was truly a remarkable man for many reasons. The elders said he was worthy; he said he was not worthy. They praised him for building a house of worship; he felt unworthy that Jesus would come to his house. They said he was deserving; he felt himself undeserving. This example shows that strong faith and great humility are entirely compatible, as this man displayed, even with someone who has prominence and authority in this world.
Jesus considered the faith of this Gentile centurion – a living symbol of Jewish oppression – and thought it greater than any faith he had seen among the people of Israel. Jesus only marveled on a few occasions; here, at the faith of the centurion and also at the unbelief of His own people (Mark 6:6). Jesus can be amazed at either our faith or our lack of faith. The fact that such faith was present in a Gentile caused Jesus to announce that there would be Gentiles in the kingdom of heaven and that they would even sit down to dinner with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! This was a radical idea to many of the Jewish people in Jesus’ day, who assumed that this great Messianic Banquet would have no Gentiles and that only Jews would be there. Jesus corrected both these mistaken ideas. These few words of Jesus tell us a little something about what heaven is like. It is a place of rest; we sit down in heaven. It is a place of good company to sit with; we enjoy the friendship of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in heaven. It is a place with many people; Jesus said many would come to heaven. It is a place with people from all over the earth; from east and west, they will come to heaven. There will be people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. Jesus also reminded his Jewish listeners that just as the Gentile’s racial identity was no automatic barrier to the kingdom, their racial identity was no guarantee of the kingdom either. As with just about every teaching or miracle of Jesus, everything always came back to the Kingdom of Heaven, and faith was required to spend eternity there.
Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees
Read
Matthew 12:22-50
Mark 3:20-35
Luke 11:14-54
Major Events
Jesus heals a demon-possessed man
Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus
Jesus addresses his mother and brothers
Jesus rebukes a group of Pharisees
Devotional
There is an interesting exchange at the end of today's reading between Jesus and a group of Pharisees who were experts and teachers of Mosaic law. Jesus accepted an invitation to eat with a certain Pharisee and though Jesus would experience increasing conflict and opposition from religious leaders, he didn’t hate them in return. Based on the words Jesus would later say in his home during the meal, it is likely the Pharisees may have regretted his invitation to Jesus. An issue arose when it was brought up that Jesus had not followed the extremely rigid requirement for washing. It wasn't that Jesus was unhygienic in his lack of washing, but rather that he had failed to follow the extremely technical requirements of ceremonial washing practiced by many pious Jews. For these ceremonial washings, historians describe how special stone vessels of water were kept because ordinary water might be ceremonially unclean. In performing ceremonial washing, a person starts with at least enough of this water to fill one and one-half eggshells. The person begins by pouring the water over the hands, starting at the fingers and running down towards the wrist. Then each palm was cleansed by rubbing the fist of the other hand into it. Water was poured over the hands again, this time from the wrist towards the fingers. A strict Jew would do this not only before the meal but also between each course of the meal. The rabbis were deadly serious about this, saying that bread eaten with unwashed hands was no better than excrement. A rabbi who once failed to do this was considered excommunicated. Another rabbi was imprisoned by the Romans and used his ration of water for ceremonial cleansing instead of drinking, nearly dying of thirst – but being regarded as a great hero. Keep in mind that none of these human additions came from God.
Confronting Jesus about his failure in this was basically an accusation of sin, though no real sin had taken place and no real command was broken. Instead of defending himself, Jesus addressed the situation by going on the offensive. If these religious leaders were as concerned about cleansing their hearts as they were about their hands, they would be more godly men. We often want to look to a ceremony or a ritual to cleanse us instead of the sacrificial work of God on our behalf. These Pharisees were careful to maintain the outward appearance of righteousness, but not the inner reality of it. Jesus spoke harshly here, and rightly so, yet this was not the language of personal irritation but of divine warning and condemnation. He seems to speak in the tone and rhythm of the Old Testament prophets (Isaiah 5:8-23, Habakkuk 2:6-19) who spoke warnings out of love, not hatred.
Jesus noted several points of hypocrisy. Their tithing was meticulous and noteworthy; but hypocritical because it served to soothe the guilt of their neglect of the justice and love of God. It is common even today to be distracted by relatively trivial matters while a lost world perishes. The Pharisees were so careful in their outward obedience that they would literally tithe from their herb gardens, counting out seeds and leaves and giving a tenth of each to God. Legalism of this sort assumes that people will only know we follow God if we do all these things associated with rules and regulations. These people thought it was no good to walk right with God if others didn’t know they walked right with God. Instead, Jesus said that the real mark of a believer is the love they have for others in God’s family. It was as if a soldier did great in marching drills and put all their emphasis there but wasn’t any good in battle. This would not be a good soldier. Being good at all the outward things of Christianity doesn’t mean you are necessarily a good Christian. Jesus did not say that their tithing was wrong, but what was wrong was what they saw as less important and left undone. Jesus then points out how they loved the best seats in the synagogues, which were up front facing the congregation where the most prominent sat. The best seats and honored greetings in the marketplaces were wonderful for religious leaders who wanted to be celebrities and thought being spiritual was a great way to become famous. Jesus severely rebuked this attitude and proclaimed woe or a warning to anyone who held it. These religious leaders loved giving the impression that they were ever so spiritual, but they defiled everyone they encountered. Walking over a grave ceremonially defiled a Jewish person, even if they didn’t know it was there. According to Numbers 19:16, everyone who touched a grave was ceremonially unclean for seven days. For this reason, the Jews sought to mark graves clearly, usually using whitewash, so everyone would know where they were and would avoid them.
One of the experts on the law spoke up. He would have done better to keep quiet, but since he drew attention to himself, Jesus addressed him also. Because of how they interpreted the law, these experts in Mosaic law laid heavy burdens on people – yet with elaborate evasions and loopholes. One example is how ancient Rabbis took the command to respect proper sanitation in the army camp of Israel (Deuteronomy 23:12-14) and applied it to Jerusalem, considering it the “camp of the Lord.” When this interpretation was combined with Sabbath travel restrictions, it resulted in a prohibition against going to the bathroom on the Sabbath and led to unnecessary burdens. Jesus showed that even today, it is possible to wrongly use scriptures as a tool of control and oppression, all while evading one’s true responsibility before God. These religious leaders professed to venerate dead prophets but rejected living prophets. In doing so they showed they were the children of those who murdered prophets in the days of old. Jesus prophesied these leaders would complete the rejection of the prophets their fathers began by persecuting His disciples, whom he would send to them. By giving the people a list of rules by which they could supposedly save themselves, they didn’t help them at all. While it is bad for someone not to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, it is far worse to hinder another person from entering. The scribes' actions regarding combining the Word of God with the traditions of men actually prevented people from encountering the revelation of God.
These experts in the law did not receive Jesus’ correction. They preferred to remain in their sinful thinking and habits rather than repent and learn from Jesus’ rebuke. They responded the way many do when faced with correction and the truth of God. Instead of humbly receiving it, they responded with outraged accusations. Proverbs tells us that those who refuse correction will do just that. First, they hate those who correct them (Proverbs 9:8, Proverbs 15:12). Second, they do not listen to the one correcting them (Proverbs 13:1). Third, they despise their own soul (Proverbs 15:32). Proverbs also tells us about the character of those who refuse correction. They are stupid (Proverbs 12:1) and they are foolish (Proverbs 15:5). Even today, Jesus will always present us with the correct path in his word, but it is up to us how we choose to respond to his correction.
Matthew 12:22-50
Mark 3:20-35
Luke 11:14-54
Major Events
Jesus heals a demon-possessed man
Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus
Jesus addresses his mother and brothers
Jesus rebukes a group of Pharisees
Devotional
There is an interesting exchange at the end of today's reading between Jesus and a group of Pharisees who were experts and teachers of Mosaic law. Jesus accepted an invitation to eat with a certain Pharisee and though Jesus would experience increasing conflict and opposition from religious leaders, he didn’t hate them in return. Based on the words Jesus would later say in his home during the meal, it is likely the Pharisees may have regretted his invitation to Jesus. An issue arose when it was brought up that Jesus had not followed the extremely rigid requirement for washing. It wasn't that Jesus was unhygienic in his lack of washing, but rather that he had failed to follow the extremely technical requirements of ceremonial washing practiced by many pious Jews. For these ceremonial washings, historians describe how special stone vessels of water were kept because ordinary water might be ceremonially unclean. In performing ceremonial washing, a person starts with at least enough of this water to fill one and one-half eggshells. The person begins by pouring the water over the hands, starting at the fingers and running down towards the wrist. Then each palm was cleansed by rubbing the fist of the other hand into it. Water was poured over the hands again, this time from the wrist towards the fingers. A strict Jew would do this not only before the meal but also between each course of the meal. The rabbis were deadly serious about this, saying that bread eaten with unwashed hands was no better than excrement. A rabbi who once failed to do this was considered excommunicated. Another rabbi was imprisoned by the Romans and used his ration of water for ceremonial cleansing instead of drinking, nearly dying of thirst – but being regarded as a great hero. Keep in mind that none of these human additions came from God.
Confronting Jesus about his failure in this was basically an accusation of sin, though no real sin had taken place and no real command was broken. Instead of defending himself, Jesus addressed the situation by going on the offensive. If these religious leaders were as concerned about cleansing their hearts as they were about their hands, they would be more godly men. We often want to look to a ceremony or a ritual to cleanse us instead of the sacrificial work of God on our behalf. These Pharisees were careful to maintain the outward appearance of righteousness, but not the inner reality of it. Jesus spoke harshly here, and rightly so, yet this was not the language of personal irritation but of divine warning and condemnation. He seems to speak in the tone and rhythm of the Old Testament prophets (Isaiah 5:8-23, Habakkuk 2:6-19) who spoke warnings out of love, not hatred.
Jesus noted several points of hypocrisy. Their tithing was meticulous and noteworthy; but hypocritical because it served to soothe the guilt of their neglect of the justice and love of God. It is common even today to be distracted by relatively trivial matters while a lost world perishes. The Pharisees were so careful in their outward obedience that they would literally tithe from their herb gardens, counting out seeds and leaves and giving a tenth of each to God. Legalism of this sort assumes that people will only know we follow God if we do all these things associated with rules and regulations. These people thought it was no good to walk right with God if others didn’t know they walked right with God. Instead, Jesus said that the real mark of a believer is the love they have for others in God’s family. It was as if a soldier did great in marching drills and put all their emphasis there but wasn’t any good in battle. This would not be a good soldier. Being good at all the outward things of Christianity doesn’t mean you are necessarily a good Christian. Jesus did not say that their tithing was wrong, but what was wrong was what they saw as less important and left undone. Jesus then points out how they loved the best seats in the synagogues, which were up front facing the congregation where the most prominent sat. The best seats and honored greetings in the marketplaces were wonderful for religious leaders who wanted to be celebrities and thought being spiritual was a great way to become famous. Jesus severely rebuked this attitude and proclaimed woe or a warning to anyone who held it. These religious leaders loved giving the impression that they were ever so spiritual, but they defiled everyone they encountered. Walking over a grave ceremonially defiled a Jewish person, even if they didn’t know it was there. According to Numbers 19:16, everyone who touched a grave was ceremonially unclean for seven days. For this reason, the Jews sought to mark graves clearly, usually using whitewash, so everyone would know where they were and would avoid them.
One of the experts on the law spoke up. He would have done better to keep quiet, but since he drew attention to himself, Jesus addressed him also. Because of how they interpreted the law, these experts in Mosaic law laid heavy burdens on people – yet with elaborate evasions and loopholes. One example is how ancient Rabbis took the command to respect proper sanitation in the army camp of Israel (Deuteronomy 23:12-14) and applied it to Jerusalem, considering it the “camp of the Lord.” When this interpretation was combined with Sabbath travel restrictions, it resulted in a prohibition against going to the bathroom on the Sabbath and led to unnecessary burdens. Jesus showed that even today, it is possible to wrongly use scriptures as a tool of control and oppression, all while evading one’s true responsibility before God. These religious leaders professed to venerate dead prophets but rejected living prophets. In doing so they showed they were the children of those who murdered prophets in the days of old. Jesus prophesied these leaders would complete the rejection of the prophets their fathers began by persecuting His disciples, whom he would send to them. By giving the people a list of rules by which they could supposedly save themselves, they didn’t help them at all. While it is bad for someone not to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, it is far worse to hinder another person from entering. The scribes' actions regarding combining the Word of God with the traditions of men actually prevented people from encountering the revelation of God.
These experts in the law did not receive Jesus’ correction. They preferred to remain in their sinful thinking and habits rather than repent and learn from Jesus’ rebuke. They responded the way many do when faced with correction and the truth of God. Instead of humbly receiving it, they responded with outraged accusations. Proverbs tells us that those who refuse correction will do just that. First, they hate those who correct them (Proverbs 9:8, Proverbs 15:12). Second, they do not listen to the one correcting them (Proverbs 13:1). Third, they despise their own soul (Proverbs 15:32). Proverbs also tells us about the character of those who refuse correction. They are stupid (Proverbs 12:1) and they are foolish (Proverbs 15:5). Even today, Jesus will always present us with the correct path in his word, but it is up to us how we choose to respond to his correction.
Jesus Teaches about Treasure
Read
Luke 12:1-59
Luke 13:1-17
Major Events
Jesus teaches his disciples
Jesus shares many parables
Jesus heals a crippled woman
Devotional
In today's reading, Jesus spends most of his time teaching a series of important wisdom principles to his disciples. These types of teachings were either private or public, as is the case here, where many others would gather around and listen in. Sometimes, depending on who was in the crowd, people might interrupt to ask genuine questions to stir up trouble, make accusations, or challenge the teachings of Jesus. One such public interruption took place in Luke 12:13, where a man demanded that Jesus tell his brother, who may have also been present, to divide the inheritance with him. According to the law of the day, the elder brother received two-thirds of the inheritance and the younger brother received one-third. This man did not ask Jesus to listen to both sides and make a righteous judgment; he demanded that Jesus take sides with him against his brother. Jesus’ previous words about the need for full commitment and God’s care for us hadn't penetrated this man’s heart. He felt he needed to fight for what he thought was his and needed influential allies. It wasn’t that Jesus was unconcerned about justice, but he was all too aware that this man’s covetousness would do him more harm than not having his share of the inheritance. We, too, may fight for what is ours by right, and in the end, having it may do us worse than if we had let it go and let God take care of the situation. Jesus did not feel it was his responsibility to judge every matter and solve every problem. There were some legal disputes and family dramas that he refused to become pulled into and entangled in.
Even today, good things can become great distractions from what is best and most important. We may also mask our covetousness by claiming we are on a righteous crusade or working toward fairness, social justice, and equality. Each of these things is good and noble, but they can also take us away from our primary role as Christians to proclaim the gospel and call the world to truth and repentance. Jesus used the man’s request to pivot and speak to him and the crowd about covetousness. Perhaps the man’s passionate request for justice had a low motive; he may have been more driven by selfish envy than by justice. We don't know the man's heart, but Jesus did, and he used the question to springboard into a parable teaching about material possessions. His main point of the teaching would be that when we live with the attitude that our life consists of what we possess, we live in a state of covetousness and that selfish desire becomes idolatry in our lives. These ideas presented by Jesus would be echoed by Paul in Colossians 3:5.
The man in Jesus’ parable was blessed with fertile ground and through that and years of hard work he had become a financial success. He was so successful that he had trouble managing his vast resources and overflowing blessings. His trouble and anxiety about the situation were reflected in the words, “What shall I do?” When we are young we think that to be rich means to be free from anxiety and worry, but this wealthy man was just as full of anxiousness as a beggar without a penny. With a wealth of resources, the man in the parable had his life confidently planned out before him and thought himself wise. He would expand and build to better manage his vast wealth and then enjoy life to the fullest as a reward. But in one night, all the man’s accomplishments and plans were ruined. He made his focus on business plans and life plans but could not control the day of his death – and all his accomplishments and plans were instantly nothing. Jesus describes the man as a fool – not because he was rich, but because he lived without awareness of and preparation for eternity. This man had set his eyes on the wrong thing. He owed his life, his livelihood, and his wealth to God; but most of all he owed his soul to God, and it would be required of him.
Everyone would think the man in the parable was a great success and full of wisdom, but God said he was a fool. Eternity proved the man a fool, and his story showed that it isn’t only sinful to give material things too high a place in your life – it is also stupid. The rich man in the parable thought it was all for him. He said, my crops, my barns, my goods, my soul. Everything was about him, and building his kingdom, and nothing was about God. It was proved in the end that nothing was his – even his soul was subject to God. He didn’t have any crops, any barns, or any goods, and his soul was dead. The man’s problem was not that he had treasure on earth; but that he was not rich toward God, and the treasure he did have was not stored or invested in the right place. A person can become rich toward God by sacrificial giving to those in need (Luke 12:33, 18:22; 1 Timothy 6:17-19). Also, by trusting in Jesus for every necessary thing (Revelation 3:17-18). We can’t hide the fact that earthly riches often prevent or distract us from going after heavenly riches as we should. Paul would again echo the words of Jesus when he said this in 1 Timothy 6:9 'But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts that drown men in destruction and perdition.' This principle of our focus and where we store our treasure is just as relevant in modern times as it was then, perhaps even more. It can be easy to set our eyes on the wrong thing and make possession, power, and position the central focus of our lives instead of God. But in the end, what good is it to gain the whole world yet forfeit our soul?
Luke 12:1-59
Luke 13:1-17
Major Events
Jesus teaches his disciples
Jesus shares many parables
Jesus heals a crippled woman
Devotional
In today's reading, Jesus spends most of his time teaching a series of important wisdom principles to his disciples. These types of teachings were either private or public, as is the case here, where many others would gather around and listen in. Sometimes, depending on who was in the crowd, people might interrupt to ask genuine questions to stir up trouble, make accusations, or challenge the teachings of Jesus. One such public interruption took place in Luke 12:13, where a man demanded that Jesus tell his brother, who may have also been present, to divide the inheritance with him. According to the law of the day, the elder brother received two-thirds of the inheritance and the younger brother received one-third. This man did not ask Jesus to listen to both sides and make a righteous judgment; he demanded that Jesus take sides with him against his brother. Jesus’ previous words about the need for full commitment and God’s care for us hadn't penetrated this man’s heart. He felt he needed to fight for what he thought was his and needed influential allies. It wasn’t that Jesus was unconcerned about justice, but he was all too aware that this man’s covetousness would do him more harm than not having his share of the inheritance. We, too, may fight for what is ours by right, and in the end, having it may do us worse than if we had let it go and let God take care of the situation. Jesus did not feel it was his responsibility to judge every matter and solve every problem. There were some legal disputes and family dramas that he refused to become pulled into and entangled in.
Even today, good things can become great distractions from what is best and most important. We may also mask our covetousness by claiming we are on a righteous crusade or working toward fairness, social justice, and equality. Each of these things is good and noble, but they can also take us away from our primary role as Christians to proclaim the gospel and call the world to truth and repentance. Jesus used the man’s request to pivot and speak to him and the crowd about covetousness. Perhaps the man’s passionate request for justice had a low motive; he may have been more driven by selfish envy than by justice. We don't know the man's heart, but Jesus did, and he used the question to springboard into a parable teaching about material possessions. His main point of the teaching would be that when we live with the attitude that our life consists of what we possess, we live in a state of covetousness and that selfish desire becomes idolatry in our lives. These ideas presented by Jesus would be echoed by Paul in Colossians 3:5.
The man in Jesus’ parable was blessed with fertile ground and through that and years of hard work he had become a financial success. He was so successful that he had trouble managing his vast resources and overflowing blessings. His trouble and anxiety about the situation were reflected in the words, “What shall I do?” When we are young we think that to be rich means to be free from anxiety and worry, but this wealthy man was just as full of anxiousness as a beggar without a penny. With a wealth of resources, the man in the parable had his life confidently planned out before him and thought himself wise. He would expand and build to better manage his vast wealth and then enjoy life to the fullest as a reward. But in one night, all the man’s accomplishments and plans were ruined. He made his focus on business plans and life plans but could not control the day of his death – and all his accomplishments and plans were instantly nothing. Jesus describes the man as a fool – not because he was rich, but because he lived without awareness of and preparation for eternity. This man had set his eyes on the wrong thing. He owed his life, his livelihood, and his wealth to God; but most of all he owed his soul to God, and it would be required of him.
Everyone would think the man in the parable was a great success and full of wisdom, but God said he was a fool. Eternity proved the man a fool, and his story showed that it isn’t only sinful to give material things too high a place in your life – it is also stupid. The rich man in the parable thought it was all for him. He said, my crops, my barns, my goods, my soul. Everything was about him, and building his kingdom, and nothing was about God. It was proved in the end that nothing was his – even his soul was subject to God. He didn’t have any crops, any barns, or any goods, and his soul was dead. The man’s problem was not that he had treasure on earth; but that he was not rich toward God, and the treasure he did have was not stored or invested in the right place. A person can become rich toward God by sacrificial giving to those in need (Luke 12:33, 18:22; 1 Timothy 6:17-19). Also, by trusting in Jesus for every necessary thing (Revelation 3:17-18). We can’t hide the fact that earthly riches often prevent or distract us from going after heavenly riches as we should. Paul would again echo the words of Jesus when he said this in 1 Timothy 6:9 'But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts that drown men in destruction and perdition.' This principle of our focus and where we store our treasure is just as relevant in modern times as it was then, perhaps even more. It can be easy to set our eyes on the wrong thing and make possession, power, and position the central focus of our lives instead of God. But in the end, what good is it to gain the whole world yet forfeit our soul?
The Parable of the Sower
Read
Matthew 13:1-52
Mark 4:1-34
Luke 8:4-21
Major Events
Jesus shares the parable of the Sower
Jesus shares parables related to the kingdom of heaven
Devotional
The Parable of the Sower appears in each of the three synoptic gospels. The idea behind the word parable is “to throw alongside of.” It is an earthly story thrown alongside the truth intended to teach a heavenly meaning or lesson. Parables have a double advantage for their hearers: first, upon their memory, people are likely to remember stories. Second, in a person's mind, they ponder the meaning for a long time afterward. A parable is not an allegory but a story in which every possible detail has an inner meaning. A parable is much simpler, with a single main point or principle the teacher is trying to get across. We can get into trouble by expecting that these stories are intricate systems of theology, with each small detail revealing hidden truths that can be interpreted in infinite ways. The disciples would later ask Jesus why he spoke in parables and Jesus explained that he used parables so that the hearts of those that rejected would not be hardened further. The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay, and so the very same gospel message that humbles the honest heart and leads to repentance may also harden the heart of the prideful listener and make their path of disobedience more resolute. The parables spoken to the crowds do not simply convey information, nor mask it, but are designed to challenge the listener. In this sense, the parables of Jesus were not illustrations to make difficult things clear to all, but they presented God’s message so only the spiritually sensitive or those wanting to understand could understand.
In this particular parable of the sower, Jesus spoke according to the agricultural customs of the day. In those days, the seed was scattered first and then it was plowed into the ground. Before a person can be a sower, they must first be an eater and a receiver. The seed represents the message Jesus shared, and the first idea is that before a person can be a sower themselves, they first need to be a receiver of the seed, which represents the Gospel message. This seed was then scattered and fell to four places, each representing various conditions of soil or the heart of how people would receive this message.
1. The wayside was the path where people walked and nothing could grow because the ground was too hard.
2. Stony places were where the soil was thin and lying upon a rocky shelf. On this ground, the seed springs up quickly because of the warmth of the soil, but the seed cannot take root because of the rocky shelf and soon dies.
3. Among thorns describes fertile soil – perhaps too fertile because thorns grow there as well as grain.
4. Good ground describes soil that is both fertile and weed-free. A good, productive crop grows on good ground.
Jesus describes how along with the hard ground, birds devoured the seed sown by the wayside. In the same way, a person who hears the gospel message with a hardened heart will have the wicked one quickly snatching it away. The word has no effect because it never penetrates the heart and is quickly taken away and forgotten. The wayside soil represents those who never really hear the word with any real understanding. The Word of God must be understood before it can truly bear fruit. One of Satan’s chief works is to keep people in darkness regarding their understanding of the gospel (2 Cor 4:3-4). Seeds falling on the thin soil on top of stony places quickly spring up and then just as quickly wither and die. In the same way, some respond to the word with immediate enthusiasm and excitement yet soon find other more exciting interests and what was there withers away. Another reason for this withering is because they are not willing to endure tribulation or persecution because of the word and represents people who look to God's message for how it could benefit them. The seed falling among the thorns grew, and the stalks of grain were soon choked out. A person may respond to the word and grow for a while but they are choked and stopped in their spiritual growth by competition from unspiritual things. This soil represents fertile ground for the Word; but their soil is too fertile because it also grows all sorts of other ideas and spiritual pursuits that choke out the Word of God; namely, it is the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the plurality of many spiritual ideas that work together to choke out the word. Even today, some people pursue everything; goals, plans, desires, positions, status, health...etc. But we can never truly pursue God if we allow everything to grow in our hearts. It is not good enough to simply love God and follow him; we also need to stop loving the world and turn our back on everything that is opposed to God and truth. Seed falling on good ground brings a good crop of grain. This represents people who respond rightly to the word and bear fruit. Those who receive the gospel message, understand it and accept it, walk in it, and then bear fruit in their soil – in differing proportions (some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty), though each has a generous harvest. The four soils aren't necessarily describing four people, but four seasons or places that hearts can be at different times. We can even see bits of all four soils in ourselves. Like the wayside, sometimes we allow the Word no room at all in our lives. Like the stony places, we sometimes have flashes of enthusiasm for receiving the Word that quickly burns out. Like the soil among thorns, the things of this world are constantly threatening to choke out what God is doing. Like good ground, the Word can bear fruit in our lives if we are diligent about keeping the conditions right. We also notice that the difference in each category is in the soil itself. The same seed was cast by the same sower. You could not blame the differences in results on the sower or the seed but only on the soil.
In a more modern telling, we can imagine what different people in the audience might have thought when they heard a parable like this. The farmer may have thought, “He’s telling me that I have to be more careful about how I cast my seed." The politician might have thought, “He’s telling me that I need to begin a farm education program to help farmers more efficiently cast their seed. This will be a big boost to my reelection campaign.” A reporter might think, “He’s telling me that there is a big story here about the bird problem and how it affects the farming community. That’s a great idea for a series in the paper.” The salesman thought, “He’s encouraging me in my fertilizer sales. I could help that farmer more than he knows if he only used my product.” But none of them could understand the true spiritual meaning until they understood the key to the parable: that the sower sows the word. The sower is Jesus, the word is his message, and the soil is the state of our hearts. If you think the seed represents money, you miss the parable. If you think the seed represents love, you miss the parable. If you think the seed represents hard work, you miss the parable. In this way, Jesus used each of his parables like a doorway. His listeners stood in the doorway and heard the story. If they were uninterested, they stepped back and stayed outside. But if they were interested, they could walk through the doorway, think about the truth behind the parable, apply what it meant to their lives, and be blessed as a result of it.
Matthew 13:1-52
Mark 4:1-34
Luke 8:4-21
Major Events
Jesus shares the parable of the Sower
Jesus shares parables related to the kingdom of heaven
Devotional
The Parable of the Sower appears in each of the three synoptic gospels. The idea behind the word parable is “to throw alongside of.” It is an earthly story thrown alongside the truth intended to teach a heavenly meaning or lesson. Parables have a double advantage for their hearers: first, upon their memory, people are likely to remember stories. Second, in a person's mind, they ponder the meaning for a long time afterward. A parable is not an allegory but a story in which every possible detail has an inner meaning. A parable is much simpler, with a single main point or principle the teacher is trying to get across. We can get into trouble by expecting that these stories are intricate systems of theology, with each small detail revealing hidden truths that can be interpreted in infinite ways. The disciples would later ask Jesus why he spoke in parables and Jesus explained that he used parables so that the hearts of those that rejected would not be hardened further. The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay, and so the very same gospel message that humbles the honest heart and leads to repentance may also harden the heart of the prideful listener and make their path of disobedience more resolute. The parables spoken to the crowds do not simply convey information, nor mask it, but are designed to challenge the listener. In this sense, the parables of Jesus were not illustrations to make difficult things clear to all, but they presented God’s message so only the spiritually sensitive or those wanting to understand could understand.
In this particular parable of the sower, Jesus spoke according to the agricultural customs of the day. In those days, the seed was scattered first and then it was plowed into the ground. Before a person can be a sower, they must first be an eater and a receiver. The seed represents the message Jesus shared, and the first idea is that before a person can be a sower themselves, they first need to be a receiver of the seed, which represents the Gospel message. This seed was then scattered and fell to four places, each representing various conditions of soil or the heart of how people would receive this message.
1. The wayside was the path where people walked and nothing could grow because the ground was too hard.
2. Stony places were where the soil was thin and lying upon a rocky shelf. On this ground, the seed springs up quickly because of the warmth of the soil, but the seed cannot take root because of the rocky shelf and soon dies.
3. Among thorns describes fertile soil – perhaps too fertile because thorns grow there as well as grain.
4. Good ground describes soil that is both fertile and weed-free. A good, productive crop grows on good ground.
Jesus describes how along with the hard ground, birds devoured the seed sown by the wayside. In the same way, a person who hears the gospel message with a hardened heart will have the wicked one quickly snatching it away. The word has no effect because it never penetrates the heart and is quickly taken away and forgotten. The wayside soil represents those who never really hear the word with any real understanding. The Word of God must be understood before it can truly bear fruit. One of Satan’s chief works is to keep people in darkness regarding their understanding of the gospel (2 Cor 4:3-4). Seeds falling on the thin soil on top of stony places quickly spring up and then just as quickly wither and die. In the same way, some respond to the word with immediate enthusiasm and excitement yet soon find other more exciting interests and what was there withers away. Another reason for this withering is because they are not willing to endure tribulation or persecution because of the word and represents people who look to God's message for how it could benefit them. The seed falling among the thorns grew, and the stalks of grain were soon choked out. A person may respond to the word and grow for a while but they are choked and stopped in their spiritual growth by competition from unspiritual things. This soil represents fertile ground for the Word; but their soil is too fertile because it also grows all sorts of other ideas and spiritual pursuits that choke out the Word of God; namely, it is the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the plurality of many spiritual ideas that work together to choke out the word. Even today, some people pursue everything; goals, plans, desires, positions, status, health...etc. But we can never truly pursue God if we allow everything to grow in our hearts. It is not good enough to simply love God and follow him; we also need to stop loving the world and turn our back on everything that is opposed to God and truth. Seed falling on good ground brings a good crop of grain. This represents people who respond rightly to the word and bear fruit. Those who receive the gospel message, understand it and accept it, walk in it, and then bear fruit in their soil – in differing proportions (some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty), though each has a generous harvest. The four soils aren't necessarily describing four people, but four seasons or places that hearts can be at different times. We can even see bits of all four soils in ourselves. Like the wayside, sometimes we allow the Word no room at all in our lives. Like the stony places, we sometimes have flashes of enthusiasm for receiving the Word that quickly burns out. Like the soil among thorns, the things of this world are constantly threatening to choke out what God is doing. Like good ground, the Word can bear fruit in our lives if we are diligent about keeping the conditions right. We also notice that the difference in each category is in the soil itself. The same seed was cast by the same sower. You could not blame the differences in results on the sower or the seed but only on the soil.
In a more modern telling, we can imagine what different people in the audience might have thought when they heard a parable like this. The farmer may have thought, “He’s telling me that I have to be more careful about how I cast my seed." The politician might have thought, “He’s telling me that I need to begin a farm education program to help farmers more efficiently cast their seed. This will be a big boost to my reelection campaign.” A reporter might think, “He’s telling me that there is a big story here about the bird problem and how it affects the farming community. That’s a great idea for a series in the paper.” The salesman thought, “He’s encouraging me in my fertilizer sales. I could help that farmer more than he knows if he only used my product.” But none of them could understand the true spiritual meaning until they understood the key to the parable: that the sower sows the word. The sower is Jesus, the word is his message, and the soil is the state of our hearts. If you think the seed represents money, you miss the parable. If you think the seed represents love, you miss the parable. If you think the seed represents hard work, you miss the parable. In this way, Jesus used each of his parables like a doorway. His listeners stood in the doorway and heard the story. If they were uninterested, they stepped back and stayed outside. But if they were interested, they could walk through the doorway, think about the truth behind the parable, apply what it meant to their lives, and be blessed as a result of it.
Jesus has Power over Darkness
Read
Matthew 8:18-34
Matthew 9:18-34
Mark 4:30-41
Mark 5:1-43
Mark 6:1-6
Luke 8:22-56
Luke 9:57-62
Luke 13:18-21
Major Events
Jesus Calms the Storm
Jesus heals a demon-possessed man
Jesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick woman
Jesus heals the blind and the mute
Jesus shares the Parable of the mustard seed.
Devotional
Today's reading contains a detailed description of an interaction between Jesus and demonic beings. The Gospels record 7 different instances where Jesus interacted with demons, but this particular story is incredibly valuable because it gives the reader a look into aspects of the spiritual realm in a way that hadn't been seen yet. While Matthew tells the story of two possessed men, Mark and Luke only focus on one character whose situation was much more severe. In many ways, it is the classic profile of demonic possession. The man wore no clothes and lived like a sub-human, like a wild animal among the decaying and dead, contrary to Jewish law and human instinct. We read that the man had been possessed for some time and now had supernatural strength and was tormented and self-destructive. Although possession gave him something desirable, like supernatural strength, it took away much more and left him in torment. This can be true of anyone who flirts with the demonic; it will always take much more than it offers. We also read that the man had lost control of himself. Some Christians think this is how the Holy Spirit works: by overwhelming the operations of the body and making one do strange and grotesque things outside their control, but this loss of bodily control is demonic and always in complete opposition to the gentle working of the Holy Spirit.
We can be sure it did not start and hadn't always been this way for this man. At one time, he lived among others in the village, but his own irrational and wild behavior convinced the villagers that he was demon-possessed or at least insane and dangerous. They bound him with chains to keep him from hurting others, but he broke the chains time and again. Finally, they drove him out of town and he lived in the village cemetery, a madman among the tombs, hurting the only person he could – himself. When this man came to Jesus (Jesus did not seek out the man), Jesus said to the demon possessing the man, “Come out of the man, unclean spirits!" The unclean spirits addressed Jesus with this full title: Jesus, Son of the Most High God. According to the superstitions of the day, this was like a round of artillery fired at Jesus. This full proper address to Jesus was not a confession of Jesus’ divinity but a desperate attempt to gain control over him or to render him harmless. The common assumption of the period was that using the precise name of an adversary gave one mastery over him. In their address to Jesus, they had the right theological facts but didn't have the right heart or intentions. These demonic beings knew the true identity of Jesus better than the religious leaders did, but they attempted to use this knowledge to display the authority they did not have.
Jesus then asked the man his name, but the demons answered. This again shows how they had taken some form of control. This was now the unclean spirits speaking, not the possessed man. Jesus asked for the name so that those observing would know the full extent of the problem, knowing that the man was filled with many demons (Legion) and not just one. A Roman legion usually consisted of 6,000 men. This does not mean that 6,000 demons inhabited the man, but that he had many. From the account as a whole, we see that Jesus was not playing into the ancient superstition about knowing a demon’s name. Jesus showed that he was not required to know the name of the demon. When they replied, “Legion,” they weren’t just saying a name, but simply trying to intimidate Jesus with a large number. Legion said, “There are a lot of us. We are organized, we are unified, we are ready to fight, and we are mighty... just like Rome.” If it was important for Jesus to know their names, he could have demanded “name, rank, and serial number” for each of the demons one by one. He had the authority to demand it. But Jesus would not play into their superstitions. These demons considered it torment to be put out of this man’s body because demons want to inhabit human bodies for the same reasons a vandal wants a spray can, or a violent man wants a gun. A human body is a weapon that a demon can use in attacking God or those made in the image of God. They attack that image by debasing the man and making him grotesque – just as they did to this man. Demons have the same goal when it comes to Christians: to wreck the image of God. But their tactics are restricted to Christians because demonic spirits were “disarmed” by Jesus’ work on the cross (Colossians 2:15). Yet demonic spirits certainly can both deceive, influence and intimidate Christians, binding them with fear, deception, and confusion.
When it comes to demons and spiritual warfare, we must never be caught up in foolish and counter-productive superstitions. According to the superstitions of the day, the onlookers probably felt that the unclean spirits had the upper hand. They knew and declared the full name of Jesus and hoped to frighten Jesus with their vast numbers. But Jesus didn’t buy into these ancient superstitions at all and easily cast the unclean spirits out of the afflicted man without any effort at all. The demons then, knowing of their defeat, switched course and begged Jesus that he would not command them to go out into the abyss where they would be left inactive. The demons couldn't even afflict pigs without the permission of God. Instead of putting these unclean spirits completely out of commission, Jesus allowed this because the time of the total demonstration of his authority over the demonic had not yet come – it would come at the cross. The nature of demonic spirits, to steal, kill and destroy, just like Satan, was shown by what they did to the pigs. The fact that the demons immediately drove the swine to destruction helps explain why Jesus allowed the demons to enter the pigs – because he wanted everyone to know what the real intentions of these demons were. Because men are made in the image of God, they could not have their way as easily as men, but their intention was just the same – to kill and destroy. These demons knew both their immediate destiny (to be cast out) and their ultimate destiny (to suffer everlasting torment). They wanted freedom to do as much damage as they could before the end came. Demonic possession is a reality today, though we must guard against either ignoring demonic activity or over-emphasizing supposed demonic activity. Jesus never placed an emphasis on casting out the demonic over his priority of preaching the gospel message. Part of the good news of the gospel is that Jesus, the son of man, even today, has power over demons.
When the people of the city saw the man in his right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus, they were afraid. Part of their fear was found in the fact that their pagan superstitions had been shattered. The demons should have had the upper hand over Jesus – but they didn’t. The people of the city, most likely under the influence of pagan ideas themselves, had a hard time accepting this demonic defeat. Before, they didn’t seem to mind having a demon-possessed, tormented man in their midst. Yet they now felt uncomfortable having Jesus around, so they asked him to leave – and He did! When people are more afraid of what Jesus will do in their lives than what Satan does at the moment, they often push Jesus away. But the man who had been set free by Jesus wanted to stay with Jesus. Jesus wouldn't allow this because he had an even more important ministry for the man to undertake, to become an evangelist and tell his story to ten cities known as the Decapolis.
Matthew 8:18-34
Matthew 9:18-34
Mark 4:30-41
Mark 5:1-43
Mark 6:1-6
Luke 8:22-56
Luke 9:57-62
Luke 13:18-21
Major Events
Jesus Calms the Storm
Jesus heals a demon-possessed man
Jesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick woman
Jesus heals the blind and the mute
Jesus shares the Parable of the mustard seed.
Devotional
Today's reading contains a detailed description of an interaction between Jesus and demonic beings. The Gospels record 7 different instances where Jesus interacted with demons, but this particular story is incredibly valuable because it gives the reader a look into aspects of the spiritual realm in a way that hadn't been seen yet. While Matthew tells the story of two possessed men, Mark and Luke only focus on one character whose situation was much more severe. In many ways, it is the classic profile of demonic possession. The man wore no clothes and lived like a sub-human, like a wild animal among the decaying and dead, contrary to Jewish law and human instinct. We read that the man had been possessed for some time and now had supernatural strength and was tormented and self-destructive. Although possession gave him something desirable, like supernatural strength, it took away much more and left him in torment. This can be true of anyone who flirts with the demonic; it will always take much more than it offers. We also read that the man had lost control of himself. Some Christians think this is how the Holy Spirit works: by overwhelming the operations of the body and making one do strange and grotesque things outside their control, but this loss of bodily control is demonic and always in complete opposition to the gentle working of the Holy Spirit.
We can be sure it did not start and hadn't always been this way for this man. At one time, he lived among others in the village, but his own irrational and wild behavior convinced the villagers that he was demon-possessed or at least insane and dangerous. They bound him with chains to keep him from hurting others, but he broke the chains time and again. Finally, they drove him out of town and he lived in the village cemetery, a madman among the tombs, hurting the only person he could – himself. When this man came to Jesus (Jesus did not seek out the man), Jesus said to the demon possessing the man, “Come out of the man, unclean spirits!" The unclean spirits addressed Jesus with this full title: Jesus, Son of the Most High God. According to the superstitions of the day, this was like a round of artillery fired at Jesus. This full proper address to Jesus was not a confession of Jesus’ divinity but a desperate attempt to gain control over him or to render him harmless. The common assumption of the period was that using the precise name of an adversary gave one mastery over him. In their address to Jesus, they had the right theological facts but didn't have the right heart or intentions. These demonic beings knew the true identity of Jesus better than the religious leaders did, but they attempted to use this knowledge to display the authority they did not have.
Jesus then asked the man his name, but the demons answered. This again shows how they had taken some form of control. This was now the unclean spirits speaking, not the possessed man. Jesus asked for the name so that those observing would know the full extent of the problem, knowing that the man was filled with many demons (Legion) and not just one. A Roman legion usually consisted of 6,000 men. This does not mean that 6,000 demons inhabited the man, but that he had many. From the account as a whole, we see that Jesus was not playing into the ancient superstition about knowing a demon’s name. Jesus showed that he was not required to know the name of the demon. When they replied, “Legion,” they weren’t just saying a name, but simply trying to intimidate Jesus with a large number. Legion said, “There are a lot of us. We are organized, we are unified, we are ready to fight, and we are mighty... just like Rome.” If it was important for Jesus to know their names, he could have demanded “name, rank, and serial number” for each of the demons one by one. He had the authority to demand it. But Jesus would not play into their superstitions. These demons considered it torment to be put out of this man’s body because demons want to inhabit human bodies for the same reasons a vandal wants a spray can, or a violent man wants a gun. A human body is a weapon that a demon can use in attacking God or those made in the image of God. They attack that image by debasing the man and making him grotesque – just as they did to this man. Demons have the same goal when it comes to Christians: to wreck the image of God. But their tactics are restricted to Christians because demonic spirits were “disarmed” by Jesus’ work on the cross (Colossians 2:15). Yet demonic spirits certainly can both deceive, influence and intimidate Christians, binding them with fear, deception, and confusion.
When it comes to demons and spiritual warfare, we must never be caught up in foolish and counter-productive superstitions. According to the superstitions of the day, the onlookers probably felt that the unclean spirits had the upper hand. They knew and declared the full name of Jesus and hoped to frighten Jesus with their vast numbers. But Jesus didn’t buy into these ancient superstitions at all and easily cast the unclean spirits out of the afflicted man without any effort at all. The demons then, knowing of their defeat, switched course and begged Jesus that he would not command them to go out into the abyss where they would be left inactive. The demons couldn't even afflict pigs without the permission of God. Instead of putting these unclean spirits completely out of commission, Jesus allowed this because the time of the total demonstration of his authority over the demonic had not yet come – it would come at the cross. The nature of demonic spirits, to steal, kill and destroy, just like Satan, was shown by what they did to the pigs. The fact that the demons immediately drove the swine to destruction helps explain why Jesus allowed the demons to enter the pigs – because he wanted everyone to know what the real intentions of these demons were. Because men are made in the image of God, they could not have their way as easily as men, but their intention was just the same – to kill and destroy. These demons knew both their immediate destiny (to be cast out) and their ultimate destiny (to suffer everlasting torment). They wanted freedom to do as much damage as they could before the end came. Demonic possession is a reality today, though we must guard against either ignoring demonic activity or over-emphasizing supposed demonic activity. Jesus never placed an emphasis on casting out the demonic over his priority of preaching the gospel message. Part of the good news of the gospel is that Jesus, the son of man, even today, has power over demons.
When the people of the city saw the man in his right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus, they were afraid. Part of their fear was found in the fact that their pagan superstitions had been shattered. The demons should have had the upper hand over Jesus – but they didn’t. The people of the city, most likely under the influence of pagan ideas themselves, had a hard time accepting this demonic defeat. Before, they didn’t seem to mind having a demon-possessed, tormented man in their midst. Yet they now felt uncomfortable having Jesus around, so they asked him to leave – and He did! When people are more afraid of what Jesus will do in their lives than what Satan does at the moment, they often push Jesus away. But the man who had been set free by Jesus wanted to stay with Jesus. Jesus wouldn't allow this because he had an even more important ministry for the man to undertake, to become an evangelist and tell his story to ten cities known as the Decapolis.