What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us?

Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!" But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, "What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

- Luke 4:31-37

In yesterday's reading, Luke's Gospel told us of Jesus' visit to His hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. So far, He has led a very successful ministry in Galilee and is well-known. But, He says, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country." He reads the prophecy of Isaiah at the synagogue, that refers to the coming of the Messiah. Clearly the reference is to Himself, when He says that this Scripture is fulfilled in their hearing. But they have known Him all their lives! He must prove Himself. Instead, He gives a warning, and states examples from the Scriptures in which it was the outsiders to whom the prophets Elijah and Elisha went. In their wrath, they wish to kill Him, but He passed through the midst of them, and went on His way. See The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.

Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. Capernaum is to become Jesus' headquarters in Galilee, although His hometown is Nazareth. But, in yesterday's reading, we read how His neighbors and kin have failed to understand or accept Him and His ministry. Jesus teaches as one with authority while holding no title, nor having studied with a famous rabbi. His authority is in Himself, it is His own. My study bible says this is "unlike the scribes and Pharisees, who claim authority because of their academic credentials as teachers of the Law." So His is a startling ministry, of something new. But they are astonished in Capernaum, and they listen.

Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!" Now here is something interesting: His neighbors and friends with whom He has grown up fail to accept Him in His messianic identity (in the previous reading), but the demons know who He is. The "us" (according to my study bible) is plural because it refers to both the demonic presence and the man himself. They are both afraid. They both know who He is, but His Nazarene "brothers" have failed to know Him. And, as with the temptations in the wilderness, Luke gives us a clear understanding of the spiritual battle into which Jesus earthly life is set. There is something else going on behind the scenes, a hidden kingdom, a battle for hearts and minds and souls, of an entirely different nature than what we understand as worldly battles or war. And yet, it is being fought here in our world, and Jesus is the one who "breaks through" into our midst to set the captives free.

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. Here is the victory: the demon that possesses this man is commanded to be quiet and to come out of him -- "and did not hurt him." This is one example of setting a captive free (as in Isaiah's prophecy in yesterday's reading), to release someone to spiritual freedom. There are all kinds of slavery in the world; Jesus is the One who comes to bind the "strong man" so that we are truly free.

Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, "What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. So, Jesus now displays another kind of authority and power: it is not just in His teaching and preaching in the synagogue, but it is also over the things which bind and enslave -- a demon that possessed a man. We note how this psychological and spiritual slavery works: the man himself was also afraid of Jesus, and highly "attached" to the thing which bound him, afraid of destruction. It is this type of authority upon which we call to help us with our own frailties in life, and to give us strength to work and live in truth - to separate us in our identity from that which harms us and binds us in fear. In this, Jesus' ministry and recognition now grows - "out into every place in the surrounding region."

Are there things which make you feel enslaved? Things to which you are bound which cause you fear of going forward, of facing truth, or of coping with problems which seem boundless and immeasurable? We should remember that Christ came to set the captives free not as a warrior in the kinds of battlegrounds we think of when we think of war, but rather a war waged for our very own spiritual and psychological health, as well as health on any other level. What is it to be truly set free? To be spiritually liberated? Christ has taught that He is here for our strength, to help us in such battles, as He said, "With God, all things are possible." But it may require us also to do the work of facing our fears, and going through the changes He asks of us. With His help, this can be done. For with God, Luke has also told us, nothing will be impossible.