What a Word is This - Luke 4:36

Luke the physician shared how Jesus, “came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days, and they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 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 you are; the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold your peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not”, and in chapter four and verse thirty-six of his book Luke shared how the people, “were all amazed … saying, What a word is this” where we read:

And they were all amazed, and spoke among themselves, saying, What a word is this!

for with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.

The verse reads, “And they were all amazed, and spoke among themselves, saying, What a word is this!” Luke began with the words, “and they were all amazed” or “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the people wondered, were stupefied and astonished”, “and spoke among themselves” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed among their own selves”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming, “What a word is this” which means “what a speech, utterance, decree and mandate is the one Jesus gave”! Luke shared how the people who saw Jesus speak to the “unclean devil” were “amazed” by His “mandate” toward him.

The verse continues, “for with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” Luke added the words, “for with authority” which means “because, since and on account that with liberty, right and rule of influence” “and power” or “and strength, miracle, might and virtue” “he commands” which means “Jesus enjoins, orders and takes charge over” “the unclean spirits” or “the impure, foul and morally lewd simple essences who are devoid of all or at least all grosser matter and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding and acting ”, “and they come out” which means “and the unclean spirits withdraw, emit and emanate”. Luke shared how the people recognized Jesus' “rule” over the “unclean devils” because He “mandated” that they withdraw from the man and they complied.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn about the effect Jesus had upon the crowd as He demonstrated His power over the “unclean devils”. There is no “devil” on earth or in hell that has more power than Jesus, and although people have been “possessed” or “influenced” by “unclean spirits”, all of them yield to His authority. God's desire is to save people from their sins, and many times they sin because they have surrendered to the power of Satan and his ministers. Jesus is able to “set at liberty the captives” who are bound by “evil spirits”, and when a person turns to Jesus in humility and willingness to change, Jesus will not only forgive their sins and promise them everlasting life, but He will also mandate “unclean spirits” to “be silent” and set them free.

Next time Luke shares how, “the fame of him went out into every place”, 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".