Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.–Mark 23-26
Demons fascinate people. Books on demonic possession become best sellers. Movies starring zombies and vampires and evil spirits set box office records.
Funny to say, even some facets of Christianity are possessed by obsessive thoughts of demons duking it out with the angelic armies of God. Um–let’s see—don’t we believe that Christ’s death and resurrection overcomes evil? So why would we perpetuate the idea that evil just might win in the end if we don’t mind our p’s and q’s? Evil is stronger than God–or equally strong, or almost as strong? I don’t think so.
Perhaps there are demon imps running around my living room–fortunately, if they’re there, I’ve never met any of them. (My son would like to blame them for the mysterious pink spots in the carpet, but I know that came from a spilled container of body wash in his gym bag.)
I do wonder, however, by what scriptural authority anyone thinks spiritual warfare is a subject we should lay awake at night worrying about? Focus on evil, and all you’re going to going to see evil. Is that what Jesus taught?
Take this passage from Mark. Jesus doesn’t engage in an argument with the evil that stumbles into the synagogue. He doesn’t launch into a long sermon to convert evil to good.
He doesn’t even break a sweat. ”Be quiet, and leave that man alone.”
The evil fights hard to hang around. The evil doesn’t want to let go. But there’s no epic battle of good versus evil going on in this passage. Good isn’t threatened. Good can’t be intimidated. Good can’t be goaded into an argument.
Good–Jesus, God–just gives a command and evil has to leave. End of story.
Perhaps there are demons, but I think human beings are plenty capable of causing all kinds of chaos on their own, without any help. The demons I’m familiar with are man-made demons–addictions, tightly held grudges regularly fertilized with self-justification, prejudices, past hurts, fears, bad attitudes. They grip us tightly and we can’t shake them. We focus on them. We nurture them and allow them to grow. We use them to challenge God to leave us alone.
We can trust the authority of Christ to banish evil. Starting not with outside forces, but the evil that lurks within us.
(For more information on the image of Satan included in this post, look here.)
3 comments
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January 31, 2009 at 3:46 am
Des
Ok, follow me on this one. I think people who blame everything on demons are lazy Christians. I’ve heard a mother in all seriousness blame the fact that her son couldn’t sit still in church on the fact he had a demon in him. It’s a quick fix if we can just pray and the demon will leave instead of trying to find out why he’s fidgeting or has an angry streak. Praying should automatically bring about good behavior; right?
January 31, 2009 at 4:05 am
seekhispurpose
I couldn’t agree more. I know it’s trite to quote Flip Wilson, but “the devil made me do it” is just an excuse to pass off blame for our own sins on some “uncontrollable” force, rather than repenting of our sins and turning our life to Christ. Fact is, we just don’t want to change all that much.
I do admit to being bothered by Biblical scholarship that explains demonic possessions as undiagnosed first century mental illness. Jesus likely did heal some people who were mentally ill . . . but I’m always concerned that people don’t turn around and judge someone with a mental illness as being weak in faith or character because they can’t “cure” themselves through prayer. We pray about healing for all kinds of diseases, but we also seek medical treatment, and don’t judge someone if they can’t “cure” themselves of cancer through prayer.
February 1, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Christian Beyer
We surely are using the same lectionary
Today our minister, Heather, pointed out that perhaps the ‘demonized’ was articulating something that was on the minds of others in the room at the time:
“Have you come to destroy us?”
Jesus speaks with authority from above, but certainly does not reassure those of us who are religious. So many of us feel that life is good because we are good Christians, and not maybe because we were born into good circumstances, which might include health, wealth, gender, skin color or neighborhoos. And those who do not enjoy these things, well….perhaps they just don’t have enough faith.Or maybe their faith is in the wrong god. It couldn’t have anything to do with our choices, our actions, our self satisfied complacency. Right?