convulsed

March 6, 2019

A spirit seized him (Lk 9:39-9:39)

“Suddenly,

A spirit seized

The boy.

All at once,

He cried out.

This evil spirit

Convulsed him

Until he was foaming.

It bruised him.

It would scarcely

Leave him.”

 

καὶ ἰδοὺ πνεῦμα λαμβάνει αὐτόν, καὶ ἐξαίφνης κράζει καὶ σπαράσσει αὐτὸν μετὰ ἀφροῦ, καὶ μόλις ἀποχωρεῖ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ συντρῖβον αὐτόν

 

Luke said that, a spirit seized this young boy (καὶ ἰδοὺ πνεῦμα λαμβάνει αὐτόν).  All at once (καὶ ἐξαίφνης), he shrieked or cried out (κράζει).  This evil spirit convulsed him (καὶ σπαράσσει αὐτὸν) until he was foaming (μετὰ ἀφροῦ,).  It bruised him (συντρῖβον αὐτόν), so that it would scarcely leave him alone (καὶ μόλις ἀποχωρεῖ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ).  This story of the man with the incurable epileptic son can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 17:15, Mark, chapter 9:18, and here in Luke, but there are differences in all 3 accounts.  Apparently, this man’s son was an epileptic, possessed by the devil.  This description of the young man’s suffering in Mark and Luke differed from Matthew, who had the child suffer very badly, falling into fire and water.  However, Mark had even a more descriptive narrative of what was happening to this young man.  He said that whenever the spirit seized him, it dashed or threw him down.  This young boy would foam at the mouth.  He would grind or gnash his teeth.  He would become rigid as he was wasting or withering away.  This sounded worse than Luke.  Have you ever seen a person in an epileptic seizure?

January 20, 2019

Jesus rebukes the demon (Lk 4:35-4:35)

“But Jesus rebuked him.

Saying.

‘Be silent!

Come out of him!’

The demon

Had thrown him down

Before them.

He came out of him

Without having done

Any harm.”

 

καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων Φιμώθητι καὶ ἔξελθε ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ. καὶ ῥίψαν αὐτὸν τὸ δαιμόνιον εἰς τὸ μέσον ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ μηδὲν βλάψαν αὐτόν.

 

This is very similar, almost word for word, to Mark, chapter 1:25-26.  Luke said that Jesus rebuked the evil spirit (καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς).  Rebuking was a common Hebrew term used in exorcisms, while in Greek it has a more English sense of warning, chiding, or admonishing.  Jesus told him to be silent (λέγων Φιμώθητι), so that the unclean or evil spirit could come out of that person (καὶ ἔξελθε ἀπ’αὐτοῦ).  Then Luke had an explanation about how the unclean spirit left this person unharmed.  The demon threw him down (καὶ ῥίψαν αὐτὸν τὸ δαιμόνιον) in the midst (εἰς τὸ μέσον) of everyone there.  Then the evil spirit came out of him (ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ) without having done any harm to him (μηδὲν βλάψαν αὐτόν).  Mark said that the unclean spirit convulsed this person, so that crying with a great loud voice, he came out of that one person.  Thus, the exorcism was complete

October 1, 2018

The convulsion of the boy (Mk 9:20-9:20)

“They brought

The boy

To Jesus.

When the spirit

Saw Jesus,

Immediately,

It convulsed

The boy.

He fell

On the ground.

He rolled around,

Foaming

At the mouth.”

 

καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν τὸ πνεῦμα εὐθὺς συνεσπάραξεν αὐτόν, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκυλίετο ἀφρίζων.

 

Only Luke, chapter 9:42, has a summary of this statement from Mark, who said that they brought the boy to Jesus (καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν.).  When the spirit saw Jesus (καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν τὸ πνεῦμα), immediately (εὐθὺς), it convulsed the boy (συνεσπάραξεν αὐτόν).  He fell on the ground (καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς).  He began to roll around (ἐκυλίετο), foaming at the mouth (ἀφρίζων).  In fact, Jesus got to see what the father had described earlier.

 

August 16, 2018

Jesus rebukes the man with the unclean spirit (Mk 1:25-1:26)

“But Jesus rebuked him.

He said.

‘Be silent!

Come out of him!’

The unclean spirit

Convulsed him.

Crying

With a loud voice,

He came out of him.”

 

καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Φιμώθητι καὶ ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ.

καὶ σπαράξαν αὐτὸν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἀκάθαρτον καὶ φωνῆσαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἐξῆλθεν ἐξ αὐτοῦ.

 

This is very similar, almost word for word, to Luke, chapter 4:35, but as usual, Luke had more details.  Both Mark and Luke said that Jesus rebuked him (καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς).  Rebuking was a common Hebrew term used in exorcisms, while in Greek it has a more English sense of warning, chiding, or admonishing.  Jesus told him to be silent or muzzled (Φιμώθητι), so that the unclean or evil spirit could come out of that person (καὶ ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ).  Then Luke had an explanation about how the unclean spirit left these people unharmed.  Luke continued to have two persons, while Mark only had one person.  Here Mark said that that the unclean spirit convulsed this person (καὶ σπαράξαν αὐτὸν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἀκάθαρτον), so that crying with a great loud voice (καὶ φωνῆσαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ) he came out of that one person (ἐξῆλθεν ἐξ αὐτοῦ).  Thus, the exorcism was complete.