Legion and the Little Girl
And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!” Mark 5:7 · Berean Standard Bible
The man shouts at the top of his lungs, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!' Even the demons know exactly who Jesus is.
It's striking: the evil spirits can see what the religious leaders and even the disciples are still figuring out. They know Jesus has ultimate authority over them.
The demon speaks through the man, crying out to Jesus in fear.
The demon's confession is both terrifying and revealing. Even forces of darkness tremble before Jesus and must declare who he really is. They know the power they're dealing with.
The demon's cry uses a formal adjuration formula: 'What do you want with me?' (ti emoi kai soi) plus the divine title 'Son of the Most High God' (huie tou theou tou hypsistou). The plea 'not to torture me' acknowledges Jesus' eschatological authority.
The title 'Most High God' (El Elyon) is characteristically used by non-Israelites in the OT (Gen 14:18-22; Dan 3:26), fitting the Gentile setting. Demons consistently recognize Jesus' identity in Mark before humans do.
The unclean spirit speaks through the man, addressing Jesus with a supernaturally informed confession.
The demon shouts Jesus' true identity — Son of the Most High God — and begs not to be tormented. Ironically, the demonic world recognizes who Jesus is while the human world remains blind.
5Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones.
6When the man saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before Him.
7And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!”
8For Jesus had already declared, “Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!”
9“What is your name?” Jesus asked.
Read all of Mark 5 — A man possessed by a thousand demons, a woman who has bled for twelve years, a father whose daughter has just died — all healed in a single chapter.
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