Chapter XVIII.
MIRACLES OF JESUS AT CAPHARNAUM.
[Luke 4, 31—44. Mark x, 21—39. Mat. 4, 13 — 17 and 8, 13.]
FROM Nazareth Jesus went to Capharnaum[1], and there He taught them on the Sabbath-days. The people were astonished at His doctrine, and at the wonderful force and unction of His preaching. There was, in the synagogue, a man who had an unclean spirit[2], and he[3] cried aloud, saying: “Let us[4] alone, what have we to do with Thee[5], Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us?[6] I know Thee, who Thou art, the Holy One of God.” [7]
Jesus rebuked the spirit, commanding him to be silent[8], and to go out from the man. Then the devil, throwing the man into the midst of the crowd, went out of him, and left him
- ↑ Capharnaum. Capharnaum, situated on the north-west shore of the Lake of Genesareth, was a busy commercial town, much frequented by travellers, in which many Gentiles lived. Here Jesus dwelt, not as a house-holder, but merely as a guest in the house of Simon Peter. Simon was a native of Bethesda, and had probably obtained possession of his house in Capharnaum by his marriage. From this house Jesus went forth on His many journeys for the conversion of sinners; and for this reason Capharnaum is spoken of as "his town".
- ↑ Unclean spirit. A devil had taken possession of this man, governing his senses and bodily organs. A man thus possessed was no longer his own master. His consciousness and free-will were impeded and governed by the evil spirit, under whose despotism he lived.
- ↑ lie. The possessed man uttered the words, but it was the devil who really cried out through him. The near presence of Jesus, the Most Holy One, who had overcome the tempter, filled the evil spirit with anguish and terror.
- ↑ Us. He used the plural number, because he felt sure that Jesus had come to destroy the power of all the infernal spirits.
- ↑ With Thee. We wish to have nothing to do with you: leave us in peace.
- ↑ Destroy us. To take from us the dominion of the world, and banish us to hell.
- ↑ The Holy One of God. How did the devil know this? He knew it by the irresistible authority of Jesus, which he was constrained to obey. He knew that the power which rested both in His commands and in the very touch of His Hands, was a divine power.
- ↑ To be silent. Jesus refused to receive testimony to His Godhead from the spirit of lies, who only speaks the truth with an evil intention. According to the plan of divine wisdom our Lord’s Divinity was to be revealed little by little. Men were to come to the knowledge of it by degrees, and not by the premature testimony of the devil. Thus Jesus refused to be questioned by this evil spirit, and said to him: “Be still.” Hence Spiritism is unlawful.
