The Exorcism

Sometimes our fascination with the dramatic obscures the true power of Jesus' ministry.

The Scripture

Mark 1:21-28
as retold by Deborah

Did you hear what happened on Saturday? Some guy from Nazareth did the reading at the synagogue and it was amazing! The way he spoke, the things he said, his whole way of being made the words seem real and true and incredibly meaningful. It wasn’t another dry and dusty history lesson, or a list of rules about what we should and shouldn’t do — or some ancient prophet saying that God was angry at us again.

It was the same scriptures, but the message seemed new. Different. Interesting. Exciting, even. I know, I know; the idea of bible study being thrilling sounds pretty unbelievable. But I’m telling you: that’s how it was.

I walked away from there .... changed, somehow. I feel as if the whole world is changed; all of a sudden there’s hope, and possibility. I feel as if everything is different; as if my life can be different, as if what I do — me, a nobody who lives out here in the provinces — as if what I do can make a difference.

Just hearing this Jesus .... I can’t really describe it; I’m a new and different person. Changed, as I said. Although I’m not nearly as changed as Mattheus must be. Wow-eee.

I would never have believed it if I hadn’t seen it: Mattheus, of all the people! All at once he began shouting and demanding why this fellow had come here. Then he accused him of wanting to destroy “us” — as if he was speaking for the multitude.... It was so strange and unexpected. I had no idea he was in such a mess — he’s always seemed like a regular guy.

Anyhow, there was Matt, yelling and carrying on — just out of the blue; but Jesus wasn’t having any of it. He told him to sit down and shut up and then — get this! — he performed an exorcism on him. Yes! Mattheus ben Thaddeus: that stodgy, unexceptional, everyday guy. Who would have ever guessed that he would need an exorcism?

Anyhow, Jesus told whatever was infesting him to get the heck out — he didn’t use any magical phrases or smoke it out with incense or smack Matt on the head with the Torah scroll. No bells or whistles, nothing: he just commanded the evil to vacate the premises.

It was actually kind of scary to see. Immediately after Jesus said this, Matt started shaking, trembling as if he had a high fever and shrieking — Oh! it was a terrible sound; I don’t want to ever hear its like again. And then it was over; he went quiet and still and leaned back against the wall.

Afterwards Matt didn’t want to talk much about it. He said he couldn’t imagine what came over him, but that he felt fine; he just wanted to go home and think things over. You can’t blame him. It was really something to watch — it must have been amazing to experience!

It’s all anybody talks about now, of course; this Jesus of Nazareth who teaches with such power and can chase even the dark spirits away. You must come and see, and decide for yourself.

Photo of a flower

~ Reflection ~ by Deborah Beach Giordano
January 23, 2012

The Event in Capernaum

GhostbustersThere’s a problem with Mark’s story of Jesus at Capernaum. The problem is the exorcism — not whether it happened, but our reaction to it. We’re so dazzled by this tinge of melodrama that we miss seeing what really matters.

In those days every large town had a street-corner magician who changed walking sticks into snakes and back again, ordered ropes to uncoil and climb toward the sky, made coins disappear into thin air, and promised to drive away evil spirits (for a fee). Miracle workers were a dime a dozen.

The banishing of a banshee was not all that big a deal; most of the citizens of that city had seen something like it done before. What was astonishing, extraordinary, and truly miraculous in the synagogue that day was the effect of Jesus’ teaching on his hearers.

The power of the Lord’s words is the remarkable thing.

Everyone was Amazed

What began as just another reading of the scriptures became a life-changing, soul-renewing event — and not just for the guy with the troubled spirit. Everyone there was amazed by this “new teaching” before the shouting began. The exorcism was simply a confirmation that what Jesus’ hearers were experiencing in their minds and hearts was real; it was an outward sign of an inward grace.

We must be careful not to mistake the finger that points to the moon for the moon. Mark doesn’t want us to be transfixed by the exorcism, but transformed by the gospel. What matters is Jesus’ Message.

The teachings of Jesus are truly powerful. It isn’t just our imagination; it isn’t a trick. It is real.

He’s the One!

in CapernaumThe other problem with the exorcism is that it focuses on that one poor fellow (whom I have named “Mattheus”). There he is, sitting quietly in the congregation, listening to Jesus — undoubtedly taking the Lord’s teachings to heart — when suddenly his world is turned upside down. A voice he doesn’t recognize rises up within him, disturbing the peace and disrupting the meeting. Then, just as suddenly, it is over; he is cured of his “demon,” he is changed, renewed, different....

And we, sitting comfortably far away, nod with smug self-satisfaction. “Ah ha!” we say, “That’s the one with the problem. There’s the evil spirit, the demon seed, the cause of all the trouble.” Blame has been assigned, the cure has been effected, we can all go home, happy — and relieved; those life-changing, attitude-changing, world transforming words have nothing to do with us.

Who Said That?

JesusBut I wonder.

I’m not quite sure about the identity of the voice that demands of Jesus, “What business do you have with us?”

It may have been the angry howl of a disembodied spirit that haunted just one man a couple of millennia ago, or perhaps that “we” spoke for Everyone. Isn’t it really the question of the ages:

What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Why have you come here?

Are you really talking to me?

Knowledge and Understanding

Mark did not record which scripture the Lord read from in the synagogue at Capernaum. We do not know exactly what Jesus said that so astonished his hearers. We only know that lives were changed, and his reputation spread throughout the region from that day forward.

We do not know exactly what words were spoken to those people in that long-ago time. But we do know what the Message was: the Gospel that the Lord proclaimed throughout his life and which he bequeathed to those who follow him; the call to love God with all our hearts and minds and souls and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Virtual hugs and real-time blessings,

Deborah +

This Week's Suggested Spiritual Exercise

Reflect on this passage: “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?”