Wednesday
Evening Bible Study
December 6, 2000
Introduction
Jesus is gaining a reputation as the “friend of sinners” (Luke 7:34). We’ve seen how He treated the woman who wept
over Him, anointing Him with oil. He
forgave her.
:1-3 Those following Jesus
:1 And it came to pass afterward,
that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad
tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
he went throughout – diodeuo –
to pass or travel through; to travel here and there, go about
preaching – kerusso – to
be a herald, to officiate as a herald; to publish, proclaim openly: something
which has been done; used of the public proclamation of the gospel and matters
pertaining to it, made by John the Baptist, by Jesus, by the apostles and other
Christian teachers
showing the glad tidings – euaggelizo
– to bring good news, to announce glad tidings
This is Jesus’ second “tour” of Galilee, this time the twelve are with Him.
:2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and
infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
had been healed – therapeuo –
to serve, do service; to heal, cure, restore to health. The verb is a “perfect” tense, meaning that
the healing took place in the past, with the results continuing on into the
present. These women weren’t healed on
this “tour” of Galilee, they had already been healed.
This word is actually used quite a few times in relation to demonic
spirits.
Mt 4:24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and
they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and
torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which
were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
Mt 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed
with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the
blind and dumb both spake and saw.
Mt 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he
departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Mr 6:13 And they (the disciples) cast out many devils, and anointed with
oil many that were sick, and healed [them].
Lu 6:18 And they that were vexed with unclean
spirits: and they were healed.
Lu 7:21 And in that same hour he cured many
of [their] infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many
[that were] blind he gave sight.
It seems that demonic spirits can have a hand in illness.
evil – poneros – full of
labours, annoyances, hardships; bad, of a bad nature or condition
spirits – pneuma – spirit;
can refer to God the Holy Spirit, to created spirit beings like angels or
demons; can refer to the human spirit, attitude
infirmities – astheneia –
want of strength, weakness, infirmity
Magdalene – Magdalene – “a
tower”; a name given to Mary Magdalene, identifying her as from Magdala; a
place on the western shore of the Lake of Galilee, about 3 miles (5 km) south
of Tiberias
This gal was the first person to whom Jesus appeared after His resurrection
(John 20:1-18)
devils – daimonion – the
divine power, deity, divinity; a spirit, a being inferior to God, superior to
men; evil spirits or the messengers and ministers of the devil
went – exerchomai – to go
or come forth of
I think it’s interesting that this Mary had “seven” demons cast out of her.
(Luke 11:14-26 KJV) And he was casting out a devil, and it was
dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the
people wondered. {15} But some of them said, He casteth out devils through
Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
These people were claiming that Jesus was casting out demons through the
power of Satan.
{16} And others, tempting
him, sought of him a sign from heaven. {17} But he, knowing their thoughts,
said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation;
and a house divided against a house falleth. {18} If Satan also be divided
against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out
devils through Beelzebub.
Jesus is simply saying that their arguments don’t make sense. Why would Satan fight himself?
{19} And if I by Beelzebub
cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be
your judges.
The Jews had exorcists. They had
developed some methods of casting out demons, though not always successful.
{20} But if I with the
finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
{21} When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
Satan is a “strong man” who is able to take control of people’s lives and
run them. There is a sense of “peace”
when Satan is in control.
Satan will use different things to try and gain entrance into your life.
He will use things that are attached to the occult, like Ouija boards,
tarot cards, astrology, etc.
He will use drugs. There is a word
“sorceries” in the New Testament, the Greek word is pharmakeia, the
use or the administering of drugs; poisoning; sorcery, magical arts, often
found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it; metaph. the deceptions
and seductions of idolatry. It seems
that demonic powers are able to use drugs to gain entrance into a person’s
life.
{22} But when a stronger
than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his
armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
Jesus is One who is stronger than Satan.
He gives us the same strength and power to overcome the Evil One.
(1 John 4:4 KJV) Ye are of God, little children, and have
overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the
world.
He gives us power through His name.
We have the authority of Jesus’ name.
It’s like having your mom’s charge card with a note from
mom saying that you have permission to use the card.
(Mark 16:17 KJV) And these signs shall follow them that
believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new
tongues;
Lu 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the
devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Ac 16:18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and
said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come
out of her. And he came out the same hour.
Ac 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to
call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We
adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Even these rogue Jewish exorcists had a taste of the power
of Jesus. But without Jesus they were
no match for the demonic powers. Don’t
mess with demons if you don’t have Jesus.
We have victory through the blood, the Word, and sacrifice.
(Rev 12:10-11 KJV) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power
of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them
before our God day and night. {11} And they overcame him by the blood of the
Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto
the death.
The blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin, the very thing
that the “accuser of the brethren” is using against us. Jesus’ blood was shed
on the cross to pay for the penalty of our sins. His blood cleanses us from sin so the “accuser” no longer has
anything to accuse us of.
The Word of God is our sword (Heb. 4:12), our weapon.
If we are willing to die for Jesus, how can Satan stop us?
{23} He that is not with me
is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. {24} When the
unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking
rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
{25} And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. {26} Then goeth he,
and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter
in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
I think that Jesus is talking about instances where one of the Jewish
exorcists had cast a demon out of a person, but eventually that demon came
back, and finding the person “uninhabited”, it moved in with seven of it’s
friends.
When a demon is cast out, the house needs to be occupied. The house needs to be occupied by someone
“stronger” than the demon. It needs to
be occupied by the Holy Spirit.
I think this may happen today when a person becomes free from something
with demonic attachments, such as drugs, but the freedom isn’t accompanied by
the person coming to a true relationship with Jesus.
Pastor Chuck:
“It is certainly important that we not go around just seeking to expel evil
spirits. Because you can actually be harming a person rather then helping a
person, by just casting forth evil spirits. If something doesn’t move into that
vacuum, if something doesn’t come in its place, the spirit will return. Finding
the house all swept, clean. He’ll go out and get 7 other spirits more wicked,
and really, you’ve done a great disservice to the person. I believe in the
expelling forth of the higher power. I believe the best way to drive out
darkness is to turn on the light. Not to go around and flail at the darkness,
scream at it, and yell at it, and try to drive it out, just turn on the light
and the darkness automatically flees. Light and darkness can not coexist. And
when Jesus Christ comes in to a persons life, when his heart and life is open
to receive, then what ever force of darkness may be there is expelled by the
power of the stronger force. The expelling forth of the stronger power. And a
man is saved. He doesn’t have to worry about a reoccurrence of the problem even
in a worth degree. Better, that you bring the light to men, better that you
bring them Jesus Christ, that their hearts and lives might be filled with Him,
and with His love, and through His power the forces of darkness will
automatically be dispelled.”
:3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward,
Joanna – Ioanna – “Jehovah
is a gracious giver”
Chuza – Chouzas – “the
seer”
steward – epitropos – one
to whose care or honour anything has been instructed; a curator, a guardian; a
steward or manager of a household, or of lands; overseer; one who has the care
and tutelage of children, either where the father is dead (a guardian of
minors), or where the father is still alive
Herod Antipas was a godless, immoral jerk.
But there was a woman living at the palace who was close to Jesus.
The only other thing we know of Joanna is that she was one of the women who
had gone to the tomb on Sunday morning to take care of the body of Jesus, and
who discovered that Jesus had risen.
Lu 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary
[the mother] of James, and other [women that were] with them, which told these
things unto the apostles.
:3 and Susanna,
Susanna – Sousanna – “a
lily”
This is the only time she is mentioned in Scripture.
:3 and many others
The words are feminine, meaning “many other women” whom Jesus had healed.
Lesson
Faithful women
We often think that the “band of disciples” only included the men. But we get a peek here to see that there
were a group of gals as well.
:3 which ministered unto him of
their substance.
ministered – diakoneo – to
be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon
substance – huparchonta –
possessions, goods, wealth, property
Lesson
Giving back to the Lord
These were women who had been touched by Jesus. They had either been sick or under demonic power. But now they were free.
A.T. Robertson: “This is the first
woman’s missionary society for the support of missionaries of the Gospel.”
They gave back to Jesus in gratitude.
They “served”. They “gave”.