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"He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord."
Psalm 33:5
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"What Business Do We Have With Each Other?"
"What Business Do We Have With Each Other?"
“Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, ‘What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’ and Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come out of him!’” Mark 1:23-25
Mark 1:21-28 tell us how Christ entered Capernaum, entered a synagogue on the Sabbath, and ‘immediately’ started preaching the gospel of God. Verse 22 of chapter one says that those who heard Him were, “…amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority not as the scribes.” Scribes were scholars who taught, copied, and interpreted Jewish law for the people. They were a religious authority to the people and derived their knowledge from tradition. In other words, they appeared to know what they were talking about.
But what happens when Christ begins teaching in their presence? The scriptures say they were ‘amazed.’ The word here is the Greek ‘exeplēssonto’ which literally meant to be astounded, “struck out of your senses,” or overwhelmed. This wasn’t a, “Oh, this guy seems pretty clever,” kind of amazement. This was total, outright astonishment. Jesus was teaching in a way that literally overwhelmed those who heard Him. His teaching was not like that of the Jewish scholars; something about the authority He taught with was different.
Although the people were astounded by the authority of Jesus, there was one present who was not. Who was it? An unclean spirit (literally an evil spirit or demon). The scriptures so that the unclean spirit immediately (“Just then…”; Greek ‘euthys’) started to cry out. This was not a delayed reaction. The demon was not slowly listening until he could bear no more. Because of the teaching and the authority that came with it, this spirit at once began to cry out!
I love this next part. Look at what the spirit cries out after hearing the teaching,
“What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth?"
From what I understand, these words translate a Hebrew idiom that emphasizes the incompatibility of opposing forces. Think about that. The demon did not say, “We have a difference of opinion but let’s get along.” In the question he was literally saying, “We are totally incompatible, polar opposites. What could we possibly have to do with one another?” Have you ever heard somebody call themselves a Buddhist Christian? Or a New Age Christian? Or a cultural Christian? Or seen somebody claim to be a Christian on Sunday but they live like the devil and drink up sin like water during the week?
Because of the irreconcilable, extreme differences between Jesus (the ‘Holy One of God’) and himself, the demon knew there was only one reason they were together: because Jesus was going to destroy (or ruin) him. And that is exactly what Jesus did in verses 25-26.
When Christians go to the bar sections of town, we are not going to participate in the festivities. We are going to “ruin” sin and preach the gospel. Sadly, thousands of people today have bought into the lie that a Christian can participate in sin and still be a Christian. But the Bible reveals them for what they really are: a Christian by name, but not by heart.
“…for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?” 2 Corinthians 6:14-15
“If we say we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” 1 John 1:6
The only relationship light has to darkness is to shine on it, not to blend in with it. Christian, are you shining? Or are you blending? Are you ruining sin? Or are you participating in it freely? Even the demons know that they have nothing to do with Christ and vice versa. Satan is committed to making you miss that truth and think you can be a Christian while still keeping a foot in darkness. It doesn’t work! I challenge you, and myself to ask yourself next time you are tempted, or in the presence of sin, “What business do we have with each other?”