THE DEMONIAC AND CHRIST

THE DEMONIAC

Matt 8:28-34

Mark 5:1-20

Luke 8:26-39

 

        This is the one instance, in our present series of articles, in which our Lord is seen in contact and dealing with a demoniac. We shall have a glimpse of the same matter again when we come to the account of the boy in the valley; but there this subject will be of secondary interest. Here it is the principal matter. The whole subject of demon possession is often considered to be a difficult one, and it is important therefore that we give careful consideration to it as it appears here.

        Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell this account, but Mark most in detail. There are glimpses of light, however, in the narratives of the other evangelists, which are all of value in a careful consideration.

        Subject of demon possession constantly recurs in the Gospel narratives.      In approaching this subject it is necessary that we remember the fact that the testimony of the sacred writings to the existence of spiritual beings, who yet have dealings with men, is unmistakable. That applies equally to the Old and the New Testaments. The writers of the old, and the writers of the new testament all quite evidently took for granted this existence of spiritual beings having access to human life.

        It is notably evident in the Gospel narratives, and they consistently bear testimony to the fact that our Lord in the course of His earthly ministry, exercised authority over these demons, and again and again cast them out of human life.

        We are living in an age when all these things are called in question. I am not attempting to deal with the objections raised to these stories of demon possession. There are those who take up the attitude that our Lord was working within such human limitations that He accepted the views of His time. I do not propose to argue that position, as it involves our Christology; and any interpretation of Him which lowers the New Testament presentation of Him as God of God, and God's Son, involves a prior argument with which I am not now concerned. There are still others who do not deny His knowledge, but declare that He adapted His language to meet the low level of the intellect of those to whom He addressed Himself. Such a view would charge with divine countenance to superstition, in the interests of truth. This again is a misconception.

        Once more, we are told that the language of the New Testament is really that of the recorders, who are giving their own explanation of things which Jesus did which they at the time could understand in no other way. It is said that these people called demoniacs, were not in any way possessed demons, but had lost their mental balance. That view destroys the authority of the writings in every particular, and if it is accepted, as the interpretation in this case, it may be applied to many other matters.

        In any attempt to understand the matter, we should be careful to make an important distinction between a devil and a demon. This distinction is never revealed in the Authorized Version. Neither is it made in the text of the Revised, but constantly in the margin, in places where the text reads "devils," the word demons is substituted. The American Revisers have put the word "demon" in the text, and relegated the word "devil" to the margin. There is, however, a very distinct difference between the two. The devil is referred to thirty times in the New Testament, and in every case where the substantive is used; it is employed of the one who is head and front of the entire spiritual underworld. The word demons is often used, and synonymous terms, "evil spirits," "unclean spirits."

        The whole question of demons is too large for us to enter into at all fully. Enough for us to recognize that the New Testament refers to them as actually existing. The Greeks believed they were the spirits of departed men, and some of them good, and therefore in demonology, in Greek culture, was the worship of evil and of good in that sense. Even so remarkable a scholar as George Pember in a past couple of generations, believed that these demons were pre-Adamic men. The older theology looked upon them as the angels that fell from their high estate under Lucifer, the light bearer, when he rebelled against heaven's high rule. That view is the most satisfactory. However, realizing that the final word cannot be said on this subject, the fact remains that their existence is recognized throughout the Scriptures, and that they have access to men.

        The question may be asked, and indeed sometimes it is asked as to why we are not conscious of demon possession at the present time. The first reply to that is to ask another question, as to whether we are quite sure it does not exist today. Once again, we will not stay to debate the matter. To those interested and desiring to investigate more fully, I would recommend an old book, an American publication, on "Demon Possession, and allied themes," by Dr. Nevius. It is equally certain that missionaries in contact with pagan peoples bear constant testimony to the fact that they have to do with this experience in a very definite way. Moreover, returning to something hinted at a little earlier, cannot personally read my newspaper today without believing that there are still demon-possessed men in the world.

        Turning to the subject as it is presented in the New Testament, I may say that I have already used an expression more than once, which may be permissible in a certain way, but which the New Testament never does use. I refer to the expression, demon possessed. The New Testament never speaks of a man as being demon-possessed. It does speak of men as being demonized, as being demoniacs. I am not arguing that demon-possession is inaccurate, but simply pointing this out as a simple fact.

        What is meant then by demon-possessed, or demonized, or demoniac, is that a man may be completely under the power and influence of an evil spirit. This fact, as we have said, is constantly recognized in the New Testament. Bernard, in his "Progress of Christian Doctrine," says that Mark seems to have been especially impressed with the matter.

        We are told that out of Mary of Magdala our Lord had cast seven demons. The man in the account under consideration was asked, "What is thy name?" In his answer, in an arresting way he used first the singular and then the plural number. as he said: "My name is Legion, for we are many."

        As to how such mastery is gained over a man is a question open to some amount of speculation, because we have no definite information on the matter. It would appear that an evil spirit seduces a man, and the man yields, and that repeatedly, until presently he becomes completely mastered by evil spirit. In that sense he is possessed by it. His thinking is under its mastery; His emotion responds to its impulses; and his will is dominated by the demon.

        Here again we are in the presence of something, which is suggestive and yet perhaps difficult of explanation. It is quite evident that to these evil spirits, human beings become instruments. They are eager not to be dismissed from a man, but if they be, they choose swine, rather than no material instrument. The instrument is one through which they can exert an evil influence, beyond the being thus mastered or possessed. There is no illustration in the Old or the New Testament of any spirit taking repossession of a man except it is an evil spirit, except only the Holy Spirit of God. They are all unclean. They suggest evil courses. They create the ill. The effect of their mastery of any human being is that of the destruction of his personality, and so the complete ruin of the one possessed.

        Much more might be said on the subject, and perhaps profitably. A remarkable fact, however, emerges, and it is that wherever the evangel has been widely preached, and peoples have passed under its influence, even apart from obedience to it, these manifestations seem largely to have ceased. This also may be a method of the arch-enemy, who now deceives men far more in the form of an angel of light, than in the form in which our fathers portrayed him, with hoofs and horns. Marie Corelli in her book, "The Sorrows of Satan," presents him as finally appearing as a cultured person, coming out of the House of Commons. Necessarily we are glad he was coming out!

        The case of the man before us we have one of the worst it is possible for us to imagine. Demon possession had brought him into the place of complete isolation from his fellow-men. He was dwelling among the tombs, as far away from his fellows as he knew how to get.

        He is seen also in his appalling lawlessness, breaking through every attempt made by others to restrain him. They put chains upon him, they put fetters upon him. He snapped the chains, and tore the shackles. He refused to be governed.

        Added to this isolation and lawlessness, he is seen cursed by a fearful restlessness, crying out night and day.

        And yet, once more, and as a result, he is seen suffering, lacerating himself with stones, and so being a menace to others, for none could pass that way.

        All these things reveal the result of mastery by evil spirits. Somehow, somewhere, at some point, we know not how, or where, or when, he had listened to the voice of evil, had submitted to the domination of its suggestions, and continuing so to yield, had come to the hour when he had neither will nor choice of his own, no emotion moved him towards higher things, and there was no clarity in the realm of the intellect. This is the man who is seen coming into contact with our Lord.

        As we observe this we first of all notice the fact that the man is presented, the man as possessed. The man himself spoke, and yet as he uttered words in human language, the evil spirits were speaking. That is the force of the fact already referred to. He began by saying "My," and continued by saying "we."

        Then we see this very arresting thing that when he saw Jesus he made towards Him, and fell down and worshipped Him. Admittedly the phrase here may merely mean that he made obeisance in His presence; but it is significant that he did that.

        In reply to the command of Jesus that the evil spirit should come forth, the man said: "What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the Most High God, I adjure Thee by God, torment me not." Now there is a sense in which no language of mine can interpret the horrible and terrible significance of that cry. It is the cry of the man. But it is evidently the cry of the demon through the lips of the man. He knew Who it was, Who was confronting him. He knew His name, "Jesus." He knew His nature. He was "The Son of the Most High God." He was conscious that the only thing that befitted his own being was torment. He knew moreover that there was a time fixed for that final experience, for Matthew records the fact that the demon said: "Art Thou come hither to-torment us before the time?"

        As we read these Gospel narratives we see how constantly these evil spirits said that which revealed their knowledge of the deepest truths concerning the personality of our Lord. They spoke through human lips, but their language was demon language. Here they besought Him that if they must leave this man, they might find some material instrument, if they were only swine. Thus we see the merging of a man with evil spirits, and hear these evil spirits speaking through the man. The man's language had become their language His thought had become their thought. He was mastered by them, and this master was revealing it in these strangely amazing words.

        In turning our attention to our Lord, and the method with this man, we notice that even before the evil spirits spoke at all, He had spoken. That is made clear by the way in which Mark tells the account: "Crying out with a loud voice, he saith, What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure Thee by God, torment me not. For He said unto him, Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of the man."

        The word of Jesus was the word of authority, a command that brooked no argument, "Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of the man."

        In this connection we need to recognize the remarkable and arresting fact that after the temptation in the wilderness, the Lord is never recorded as having entered into any argument with evil spirits, or as having spoken in any other way than of full and august authority. In the wilderness He had answered the repeated temptations that came to Him, and had gained complete victory over them. Luke in recording this temptation ends by saying, "When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from Him for a season."

        That phrase "for a season" is in itself very suggestive. We have a more literal translation in the margin, which would make the statement read, "leaveth Him until." We ask naturally, Until when? A reference to the apostolic writings reveals the fact that in the hour of His Cross the principalities and powers of the unseen world of evil came up against Him, and in that connection it is declared that He triumphed over them openly, making a show of them in it, that is, in His Cross. It was until then that the devil departed from Him. Demons never came into His presence if they could escape Him. Whenever they did, they recognized His authority, and He exercised that authority by casting them out from their possession of human beings.

        Addressing the man, the Lord asked him, "What is thy name?" As I read it I am convinced there was a great tenderness in His question. In answer to His authoritative command, the man was being dispossessed, and so was coming back to a sense of personality. The Lord asked him for his own name, but the evil spirits gave the name of "Legion," for they said, "We are many." To their request that they might enter into the herd of swine, our Lord consented. Matthew graphically says that in response to their appeal He said "Go." Mark and Luke both say "He gave them leave."

        There is an old controversy on the subject of the destruction of those pigs thus permitted by the Lord. Some fifty or sixty years ago there was a great controversy between Gladstone and Huxley over this matter. There is one simple fact, which seems to have been entirely missed in the discussion. It is that the Lord was in the first place a Jewish Messiah, and was exercising His ministry among Jewish people. If Josephus was right that this took place in a Greek city that does not for a moment affect the fact that He was dealing with a people under Hebrew law. No Hebrew had any right to the possession of two thousand swines. It was a strictly forbidden traffic. By this very permission then, our Lord not only set the man free from demon possession, but cleansed a people from an unholy traffic.

        The account ends so far as the man is concerned, with the wonderful picture of him sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. It closes, however, with a very dark and sinister kind of action of those who had owned the swine. We are told they besought Him that He would depart from their borders, and Matthew says He entered into a boat and crossed over.

        What a revelation of the condition of the community. Our Lord had landed on their shore, had taken hold of a man who was the curse of the countryside, and had restored him to his right mind, had given him back to society, a blessing rather than a menace. Nevertheless they besought Jesus to go away, and He went away.

        If we should travel through that district today, we should find it desert, and inhabited by people called troglodytes. Troglodytes are dwellers in tombs, a wild and savage people. The old Persian proverb is indeed true, "If the mills of God grind slowly, they grind exceeding small."

        Why did these people ask Him to leave them? We have a remarkable revelation of the truth in an incidental word in Matthew's record. It says: "They that fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, and what was befallen to them that were possessed with demons."

        That statement is an amazing one as it says that "they told everything, and." Is it possible to tell everything, and something else?

        What, then, we ask, did they mean by everything? Quite evidently they were referring to the fact that their pigs were destroyed. Then the "And," and that referred to the man freed from possession, clothed, and in his right mind. How many a person there is in the world today would welcome Jesus but for the fact of the pigs, some illegal, illicit vested interest.

        When we ask what value such a consideration has for us, we reply that the incorporation of this account and other similar accounts in the records has indeed great value. They unveil for us the fact of the underworld of evil spirits, which still exists. It unveils for us, moreover, the Lord's authority and power over that underworld.

        It may be objected, as we have said before, that there are no such cases now; and I repeat that such a statement needs very careful consideration. Admitting, however, that in some senses it may be true, that we have around us no such manifestations as thus described in the Gospels, it remains true until this hour as the apostle declared, "Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

        But it is equally true today that "Jesus is stronger than Satan or sin, And Satan to Jesus must bow. Therefore we triumph without and within, For Jesus is saving us now."

        In view of the existence of these evil forces, sometimes hidden, arid largely camouflaged by the false culture of a decadent age, it behooves us to: "Put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, and having done all, to stand."