“Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Legion,’ for many demons had entered him.” – Luke 8:30
Unlike most Jews who did not venture into Gentile country, Jesus did that very thing in Luke 2:32. As soon as Jesus’ foot stepped out of the boat and onto the land, He was confronted by a demonic man who had established his dominion as the highest territorial demonic spirit in that region.
The man was living like a wild beast, seemingly naked and completely unkempt, and among the tombs, a place that the Jews considered unclean and to be avoided. Sadly, many people like him are beyond our help, and only Jesus Christ can deliver them and change their lives. His strength was superhuman because of the demonic powers controlling him. He had to be a terrifying sight – imagine a screaming naked man who has not bathed or groomed himself in a long time with superhuman strength running at you with long fingernails, crazy eyes, and no fear! None of this phased Jesus in the least. No one has authority equal to His, so He has nothing to fear. When the demoniac man fell down before Jesus, he was surrendering to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who rules over Satan and demons, and he recognized Him as “…Jesus, Son of the Most High God…” fully knowing that the demons were destined to “torment” him in eternal Hell. The authority here is clear – demons have authority over some people, but Jesus has authority over all demons. The demons in this man had so overtaken him that they had renamed him “Legion,” a military term referring to upwards of 6,000 soldiers. This may mean that he had 6,000 demons, or perhaps that was an overstatement and a lie, as demons are proud liars.
Jesus calmly, but authoritatively, commands the demons to leave the man, and they obey because He is Lord over all. Jesus then commands the demons to enter some nearby pigs, which were unclean animals for the Jews (Leviticus 11:7; Deuteronomy 14:8), and these particular pigs were likely used in pagan religious practices. Mark 5:13 says there were 2,000 pigs, and so this was a great financial loss for their pagan owner, who cared for pigs but not the suffering man.
The pagans in the region were astonished by Jesus’ miracle, but rather than converting, they cowered, asking Jesus to leave because they had fear of Him rather than faith in Him. Sadly, this scene reveals that just because someone sees a miracle from Jesus does not guarantee they will repent of their sin and receive Him as Savior and Lord. Not only was the demoniac man delivered, but he was also healed physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Once the demon left, the man’s total well-being was restored. In this instance, we learn that sometimes people cannot be helped by a doctor or a therapist because they need Jesus and deliverance.
While the man is converted, the demons are conquered. What is amazing about Jesus’ deliverance ministry is that human beings and divine beings both have sinned against God. Jesus came as a man to live without sin, die, and rise for mankind. Jesus offers us the opportunity to be saved by turning from sin and trusting in Him. However, that same gift of grace is not given to Satan or any other demon. It is given to us, though, and we should rejoice in that fact.
What are some unhealthy experiences or teachings you have had regarding the demonic? How can you have a more healthy, balanced, and biblical view of both the power of the Holy Spirit and the reality of unholy spirits?
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