Jesus casts out demons

Jesus casts out demons

16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.

And again, we see that Jesus has power over sickness as well as over evil spirits. Now our text says many came to him who were oppressed by demons, which can also be translated as possessed. We are not sure what kinds of possession these were. Later in the chapter, we learn of two other men who had hordes of demons residing in them, which were cast out by Jesus. In verse 16 it states that they brought MANY to him who were oppressed. So, yet again, we see Jesus’ power and compassion on display. He had compassion on people, and He helped them. He didn’t shout and scream, as many people who attempt to cast out demons do today. In many meetings today, pastors and individuals do all sorts of tricks and theatrical manoeuvres to cast out a supposed demon. Whether these are genuine exorcisms only God knows.
What we do know is this, that when Jesus cast out demons, he did not shout, scream, or do any sort of performance. Our text says, “with a word” He cast them out. Christ had real power. He was and is God. He didn’t have to perform. The devils were afraid of him. He had only to say a word, as the centurion asked of him. Jesus did his miracles by speaking words like, “Go” “Be healed” “Be cleansed”. No theatrical performances, only raw power. Never, in the history of the world, was there a man like him. Never, in the history of the world, was there a man who could do such things.
When we hear of healing crusades and faith healers, we often hear that there are people who screen those who request healing and ‘select’ suitable candidates. In other words, not all can go to the podium to be prayed for. The reason for this is that the so-called healings, in many cases, have been previously arranged so that the difficult/serious cases are eliminated, to cause no embarrassment to the faith healer. Often money is involved in the form of an offering.
What we see in the gospels is something different. We read that Jesus healed ALL those who came to him. Nobody who came to Jesus was not healed. Their healings were not dependent on the faith of the recipient. When the servant of the centurion was healed, the servant didn’t exercise any faith. But the centurion did. When Jesus came to heal Peter’s mother-in-law, the text doesn’t tell us that she even believed. Jesus came to her, touched her and she was healed. The same is true in the exorcisms. Those people who were possessed by demons couldn’t exercise faith – they were possessed. People brought them to Jesus who overpowered the devils and cast them out! This without anyone’s permission! Jesus demonstrated that the Kingdom of God had come.
Jesus came to demonstrate that He had power over every sickness and all demons.