the demon

May 21, 2018

Jesus heals the epileptic boy (Mt 17:17-17:18)

“Jesus answered.

‘You faithless generation!

You perverse generation!

How much longer

Must I be with you?

How much longer

Must I put up with you?

Bring him here to me!’

Jesus rebuked the demon.

The demon came out of him.

The boy was cured instantly.”

 

ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη, ἕως πότε μεθ’ ὑμῶν ἔσομαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετέ μοι αὐτὸν ὧδε.

καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τὸ δαιμόνιον, καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης.

 

Problem solved, as Jesus cured the epileptic son.  However, he also reprimanded his disciples at the same time.  The healing of the man with the uncurable epileptic son can be found in the other synoptic gospels.  Mark, chapter 9:19-27, has an extended detailed version of this story, while Luke, chapter 9:41-42, has a short version of this story.  Jesus called them out (ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν) as a faithless, corrupt, and perverse generation (Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη).  Almost in desperation, he wondered how much longer he was going to be with them (ἕως πότε μεθ’ ὑμῶν ἔσομαι) and how much longer he had to bear with or put up with them (ἕως πότε μεθ’ ὑμῶν ἔσομαι).  He told them to bring the boy to him (φέρετέ μοι αὐτὸν ὧδε).  Finally, Jesus rebuked the demon (καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς).  Once the demon came out of the boy (καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τὸ δαιμόνιον), he was cured instantly or at that hour (καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης).  There was a clear equivalence between the illness of epilepsy and demonic possession.  Once the devil or evil spirits had left the boy, he was cured of his illness.

April 10, 2018

The mute demoniac speaks (Mt 9:32-9:33)

“As they were going along,

They brought to him

A demoniac

Who was mute.

When the demon

Had been cast out,

The one who had been mute

Spoke.

The crowds were amazed.

Saying.

‘Never was anything

Like this been seen

In Israel.’”

 

Αὐτῶν δὲ ἐξερχομένων, ἰδοὺ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ κωφὸν δαιμονιζόμενον.

αὶ ἐκβληθέντος τοῦ δαιμονίου ἐλάλησεν ὁ κωφός. καὶ ἐθαύμασαν οἱ ὄχλοι λέγοντες Οὐδέποτε ἐφάνη οὕτως ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ.

 

There is something similar to this in chapter 12:22-23 of Matthew and Luke, chapter 11:14.  Once again, Jesus and his disciples were going along their way (Αὐτῶν δὲ ἐξερχομένων) when someone brought a mute or non-speaking demoniac person to Jesus (ἰδοὺ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ κωφὸν δαιμονιζόμενον).  Jesus then cast out the demon from this man (αὶ ἐκβληθέντος τοῦ δαιμονίου).  Then this mute person began to speak (ἐλάλησεν ὁ κωφός).  The crowds marveled or were amazed or in awe at this happening (καὶ ἐθαύμασαν οἱ ὄχλοι).  They said that nothing like this had ever happened in Israel (λέγοντες Οὐδέποτε ἐφάνη οὕτως ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ).  However, in chapter 8:28-33, Matthew had Jesus cast out demons from the demoniacs and send them into the pigs.