demons

The elephant in the room

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“…even the dogs…feed on the children’s crumbs.” Mark 7:24-30

Mark continues his theme of who’s in and who’s out with the story of a Syrian woman who had a demon possessed daughter. Jesus had retreated with his disciples to the region near Tyre. He desired to remain incognito and go unnoticed, something that had escaped him of late. However, the people soon became aware of his presence. One of these was the Syrian woman.

She sought Jesus out and begged him for the deliverance of her daughter. Jesus explains the nature of his mission, noting that the Jews are his initial focus. Using an illustration, he says the children must be fed first, before the dogs. She responds, “Yes, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall under the table.” Jesus is impressed with her answer and tells her that her daughter is rid of the demon.

At first glance, Jesus appears to be acting differently than we’ve come to expect. He has always been available, ready to help anyone in need. Now he seems reluctant, even prejudiced against this foreign woman. He might be taken for a Pharisee, with all their rules for maintaining their acceptability before God. First and foremost of these rules was avoiding contact with non-Jews.

It may be better to evaluate the actions and attitudes of Jesus by first looking at the end of the story. The result shows us where Jesus was headed all along. He was able and willing to perform this miracle for this Syrian woman, but then as now, answers to prayer are not automatic, nor are they guaranteed to come in the exact form we expect.

Matthew’s account of this story indicates a considerable delay in responding to this woman, something Mark only hints at. But who are we to judge Jesus by the promptness of his answer? Can we abide with him still, even though he seems to be saying “not now”? Was he testing her faith? What if she failed? We need to remember that God tests what He knows to exist. No one “earns” an answer to prayer by enduring trials and tribulation faithfully. Faith comes first and brings us through whatever circumstances come our way.

Then there is the issue of the woman’s nationality. Did Jesus really hold this against her, or was he merely calling attention to something that would have been on the minds of everyone present? In the eyes of the Jews, she would have been a “dog”, a worthless mongrel to be despised. But Jesus chooses his words carefully and softens his response by using a word meaning a household pet or even “puppy”.

The woman (and the Jews hanging around) would have noticed the difference in terms. She didn’t miss a beat and picked up on his cue: “You’re right, dogs are not allowed in the house, but puppies are.” She understood where he was headed and probably took the words right out of his mouth.

Faith can be described as seeing the world through God’s eyes, as He sees things. And the thing that delights and surprises Jesus most is the presence of faith.

Copyright 2020 David J. Cooley

Chaining the unchained

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“…they came to Jesus and observed the man…” Mark 5:1-20

Jesus and his disciples go from one impossible situation directly into another. No sooner had they touched the other shore after the storm than they were accosted by an infamous demoniac.

He was beyond human help, certainly beyond the medicine of the day probably beyond that of ours today. Why? Because his was a spiritual condition and not a physical or mental ailment. His violence was unrestrained and all attempts to bind him had failed. No one was strong enough to subdue him; no chain or shackle remained unbroken. The only solution left was to ban him from society. He then roamed the wilderness and terrorized the graveyard.

Why is it that the demons are so quick to spot Jesus and recognize who he is? Why does it take people so long to come to the same conclusion? On the one hand this demonized man sees Jesus from far away, runs to him and bows before him. On the other, his rebellion asserts itself by making a scene, crying out loudly, speaking truthful things, yes, but the same sort of things that Jesus had silenced on previous occasions.

They try to take control: “You and us have nothing in common. We have no business with you – leave us alone!” Further, they attempt to prescribe their own fate by demanding first that he not drive them from the area, then that they be allowed to enter a large herd of swine.

Jesus in no way yields to them. He is in control, and they know it. He has been commanding them to leave the man, yet they are stalling. Can you imagine their gall standing in open defiance of “the Most High God,” as they themselves had addressed him? Maybe the fact that they were not just one demon, but a great many, emboldened them. They demand that Jesus send them into the pigs. Perhaps the best sense of Jesus’ response is that Jesus did not hinder them from going. His main purpose is to save this man from the demons’ destructive influence and to keep them from harming the man, the disciples and any bystanders. At any rate, as soon as the demons gain control of the pigs, they destroy themselves and we do not hear of them again.

The townspeople are troubled when they learn what had happened. They became frightened when the see the formerly violent and powerful man sitting calmly, clothed and in his right mind. Then they begged Jesus to depart from their shores. It is ironic that they were willing to live in the presence of such evil and terror, but could not abide the presence of God in their midst. God had come too close for comfort and they sent him away.

In effect, they picked up the chains thrown down by the demoniac and bound them around themselves. Freedom was unknown to these Gerasenes. Bondage was at least familiar.

Jesus dutifully climbed back in the boat, for he forces himself on no one. But in his stead he left a mighty witness, who would not fail to boldly proclaim the mercy of the Lord and the great things that God had done for him.

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley

Out of his mind

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“…the multitude gathered again…” Mark 3:20-30

Enough is enough. Who does he think he is, bringing all these people into town? He’s out of control – he can’t even eat a meal without being interrupted! He must be out of his mind.

The experts chimed in, “And if he’s vacated the premises, someone else must have moved in. Do you really think God is behind this? He is possessed by the prince of demons! How else can he cast out evil spirits?”

Jesus must have shuddered at their lack of faith and even simple logic. A nation is never stronger during a civil war. And if Satan’s demons are being cast out, there must be a greater power present, and that could only be the power of the Holy Spirit. To credit that power to anything else was blasphemy – and there was no worse form!

The people were at least open to the idea that Jesus was the coming Messiah. Open enough to travel far in the hopes of being healed. Jesus’ friends and family were afraid for his safety and well-being. The religious leaders were not so ready to believe. Things were not happening the way they thought they should.

It is ironic that the ones charged with preserving and propagating the faith would be so blind as to miss the very things they had hoped for and proclaimed for so long. In fact, the ones who were so skilled at identifying blasphemy were now committing it themselves. May God guard our minds and souls against making those same errors!

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley

A great multitude

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“…for he had healed many” Mark 3:7-12

Jesus withdrew from the city to the sea with his disciples. What a change of scene! It’s hard to imagine what this must have been like from Mark’s brief description, especially to our present generation accustomed to the ever-present news camera bringing sights and sounds from every event imaginable.

Mark says Jesus “withdrew,” but to a casual viewer it must have looked like Jesus was leading an invasion. People from Galilee followed him, and from around Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and Tyre and Sidon. (What? No Pharisees?) The crowds were huge, so big that Mark refers to them as a multitude and then twice again as a “great” multitude.

What drew them was what they heard Jesus was doing, and they flocked to him hoping he could do the same for them. They crowded in closer and closer, trying to touch him and thereby be healed, for he had healed many people. The press was so great that Jesus had the disciples keep a boat ready, whether for the safety of a quick escape or to use as a convenient preaching platform we are not told.

Also caught up in the crowd were those with unclean spirits. They might have come on their own, but more likely were dragged to Jesus by desperate friends and family. These would fall down before Jesus crying, “You are the Son of God!” Jesus would always silence them and warn them to say no more. This was not the time for that, though that day will come.

The realization that Jesus is God does not come by swaying with the movement of the crowd or getting caught up in a thousand voices. He will make Himself known to each of us in his own time. We do not need to worry about missing him or being too late. He is coming in time, at the right time. Are you ready?

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley

The fever left

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“And he healed many…” Mark 1:29-34

What is our normal response when someone is ill? Isn’t it something like “take some medicine” or “you ought to see a doctor” or “get some rest”? What gave these people the idea to come to Jesus for healing?

After the synagogue service, Jesus went to Simon and Andrew’s house right away. There didn’t seem to be any sense of urgency, it was just the next item on the list. When they got there, though, they told Jesus that Peter’s mother-in-law was ill. Mark doesn’t mention any plea for healing, just a statement of fact. Jesus immediately responds by going to her.

His manner is not remarkable: no waving of arms, special words or an imploring gaze toward heaven. He simply goes to her, takes her hand and has her get up. The fever left her and she began waiting on them. A completely normal response for a completely well person. After all, she had guests in the house!

Later, when the sun had set (signifying the end of the Sabbath and its prohibition on working) people began showing up at their door. They had brought their ill friends and loved ones and even some who were possessed by demons. How did they know to do this? Word travels fast, even without electronic devices. I remember when Mount Saint Helens erupted that a study was done to find out how people had heard about it. The answer? word of mouth. That’s how I heard.

Mark tells us the news traveled to all parts of Galilee immediately following the synagogue service. No doubt a second bulletin swiftly followed after this woman’s healing, though it was not done so publicly.

What was Jesus’ response to the gathered crowd? Did he tell them they should set aside any ideas of being healed until they had submitted to God’s will? Did he explain this really wasn’t why he came, but instead for a greater spiritual purpose? No. In fact Mark records no words of Jesus, just his behavior. He healed many and cast out many demons (while making sure they kept quiet).

The people needed to see and decide for themselves who this Jesus was and why he had such authority and power. Is there anything or anyone that we need to come to Jesus for? Do we trust him to act, to help us?

Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley