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The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"
Verse Takeaways
1
Not a Magic Spell
Commentators stress that the sons of Sceva failed because they treated Jesus' name like a magical incantation rather than acting from a place of genuine faith. As one scholar puts it, the name of Jesus, when misused, "exploded in their hands." True spiritual authority comes from a real relationship with Christ, not from simply reciting His name as a formula.
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6
18th Century
Presbyterian
Jesus I know. His power to cast out devils I know. (Compare to Matthew 8:29.)
Paul I know. Paul's power to cast out devils…
Jesus I know (τον Ιησουν γινωσκω). "The (whom you mention) Jesus I recognize (γινωσκω)" and "the (whom you mentioned) Paul I am ac…
19th Century
Anglican
Jesus I know, and Paul I know . . .—Better, Jesus I acknowledge. The two verbs are different in the Greek; the o…
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The use of magical names in incantations to exorcise evil spirits was common in the ancient world, and it seems to have been especially prominent a…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
And the evil spirit answered and said The Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, add, "…
It was common, especially among the Jews, for persons to profess or to try to cast out evil spirits. If we resist the devil by faith in Christ, he …
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