He Commands Even the Unclean Spirits

July 18, 2007

Joe,

I’m not sure how you are progressing with your Greek studies, but maybe this will be a small incentive to press on. And maybe it will be an encouragement to others who have never conceived of studying biblical Greek to consider this hard and rewarding goal of reading the New Testament in the language it was written in.

One of the ways in which Greek has been valuable to me is that it forces me to slow down when I am reading. It is so easy to breeze through some of the most glorious statements in the Bible without a hint of wonder because we read them so fast that we don’t even consider what they’re saying!

I was reminded of this a couple of times this week already. I am working now on translating a passage in Mark 1 for Greek tomorrow. In it I read this:

τί ἐστιν τοῦτο; διδαχὴ καινὴ κατʼ ἐξουσίαν· καὶ τοῖς πνεύμασι τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις ἐπιτάσσει, καὶ ὑπακούουσιν αὐτῷ.

Now that doesn’t help too many people out I know! But here’s what it means: ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits, and they are obeying him.’ Jesus had just rebuked an unclean spirit, and the people were in awe. And I should be in awe, except I usually read it so fast that I don’t feel awe! But when I have to read it slowly (since my Greek still isn’t that great!), ‘even…the unclean spirits…he commands…and they obey…him…’ How my soul was stirred!

So let this be a lesson to us all, whether we read in Greek or in English. Slow down when you read! It doesn’t matter whether you get through your Bible in a year reading plan; it matters that each day you see in the Word a reason (or better, multiple reasons!) to stand in awe of Jesus. I don’t know about you, but awe doesn’t happen for me in 60 seconds. It happens with long, careful, serious reflection.

And I’m grateful that Greek helps me to do that!

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Scripture Meditation 

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