“And though this world, with devils filled…” A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, v.3 ~ Martin Luther

“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.” ~ C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
 
A few years ago an American psychiatrist produced two improbable books. Between the first and the second book, both New York Times bestsellers, he became a believer in Jesus and was baptized into the church. And, between the first and second book he became a believer in the devil as a reasonable explanation of evil. The name of the first book was entitled: The Road Less Traveled and the second, People of the Lie. His name was M. Scott Peck. He was Harvard trained and steeped in the tenets of a secular education and worldview. Much like C.S. Lewis a generation before, each carried the scholarly credentials to challenge the “settled science” of the modern mind with their smug incredulity concerning all things demonic.
 
I’m not certain all of the disciples were believers in the dark world. The Sadducees, one half of the leading religious power players of that day, certainly did not. They spurned even the idea of heaven. Religion to them was a profession and a means to an end; namely, the control over the pleasure and purse of their underlings. 
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If the disciples had a bit of the Sadducee infecting their theology as they made land, they were quickly disabused of those notions by the Gadarene concierge who welcomed them ashore. Before them stood a howling, bleeding, naked man – an Incredible Hulk type of figure. The broken chains about his hands, feet and neck told the story. Here was a man totally at one with evil. The disciples weren’t likely in the mood for another ministry moment with the Master. What they were ready for was to see how fast they could fling rocks at the monster as they made their escape.
 
But Jesus didn’t budge. He stood calmly, awaiting the beast: He had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many. Mark 5:5-9
 
Perhaps one of the things that turns the modern mind away from the possibility of devils is the sensationalized Hollywood version of such encounters. The good man or woman doing battle against evil seems always in need of a vial of Holy Water, a Crucifix, a silver bullet or some such. But, need we mention that Holy Water, Crucifixes and silver bullets had not yet been invented? The response of Jesus is understated and oddly conversational. “You’re hurting this man. You need to leave. By the way, I didn’t catch your name.”  The lessons for the disciples were piling up. A follower of Jesus need not be intimidated nor impressed by evil.