What Have We to Do with You Jesus? - Mark 1:24

Mark wrote how Jesus, “on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out”, and in chapter one and verse twenty-four of his book, Mark wrote how the “man with the unclean spirit” said to Jesus, “let us alone; what have we to do with you” where we read:

Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with you, you Jesus of Nazareth?

are you come to destroy us? I know you who thou are, the Holy One of God.

The verse reads, “Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with you, you Jesus of Nazareth?” Mark began words, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “let us alone” which is an “interjection expressive of indignation, or of wonder mixed with fear, ha! ah!”; “what have we to do with you” or “indeed what do the evil spirits within the man have to do with Jesus”, “you Jesus” which refers to “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation” “of Nazareth” or “pertaining to the city of Nazareth where Jesus was raised”? Mark shared how the man with the “unclean spirit” cried aloud to Jesus the question, “what have we to do with you”?

The verse goes on to say “ are you come to destroy us? I know you who thou are, the Holy One of God.” Mark continued with the words, “are you come” which means “have you Jesus arisen and appeared” “to destroy us” or “to abolish, render useless, put to and end and ruin the spirits within the man”? “I know who you are” which means “the man perceived, observed, ascertained and understood who Jesus was”, “the Holy One” or “the most Holy, pure, blameless and religiously and ceremonially consecrated One” “of God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. Mark shared how the “evil spirits” within the man in the synagogue not only “knew” who Jesus was, but also wondered if He was there to “destroy” them.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we notice a couple things right away. First, the man had “evil spirits” plural within him, and rather than being “one” “unclean spirit”, there were many. Secondly, these “evil spirits” were fearful of Jesus because they wondered if He was there to “destroy” them. The knew the “power” of Jesus, and rather than attempting to attack Jesus, they were afraid. God is “omnipotent”, and His Son Jesus is more powerful than any “unclean spirit”. Those who believe and trust in Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” align themselves with the greatest power in the universe, and there is no need to fear regardless of how many “unclean spirits” reveal themselves.

Next time Mark tells how Jesus, “rebuked him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".