Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 5:7
And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
7. What have I to do with thee? ] Literally, What is there between Thee and me? What have we in common? Why interferest Thou with us?
I adjure thee ] Notice the intermixture of praying and adjuring, so characteristic of demoniac possession when brought into the presence of Christ.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mar 5:7
What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most high God:
Jesus confronting demons
I.
The devil cries out against the intrusion of Christ.
1. Christs nature is so contrary to that of the devil, war is inevitable when they meet.
2. There are no designs of grace for Satan; as, therefore, he has nothing to hope for from Jesus, he dreads His coming.
3. He wishes to be let alone. Thoughtlessness, stagnation, and despair suit his plans.
4. He knows his powerlessness against the Son of the Most High God, and has no wish to try a fall with Him.
5. He dreads his doom: for Jesus will not hesitate to torment him by the sight of good done and evil overcome.
II. Men under the devils influence cry out against the incoming of Christ by the Gospel.
1. Conscience is feared by them; they do not wish to have it disturbed, instructed, and placed in power.
2. Change is dreaded by them; for they love sin, and its gains, and pleasures, and know that Jesus wars with these things.
3. They claim a right to be left alone: this is their idea of religious liberty. They would not be questioned either by God or man.
4. They argue that the gospel cannot bless them. They are too poor, too ignorant, too busy, too sinful, too weak, too involved, perhaps too aged, to receive any good from it.
5. They view Jesus as a tormentor, who will rob them of pleasure, sting their consciences, and drive them to obnoxious duties. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Nothing to do with Jesus
It is said that Voltaire, being pressed in his last moments to acknowledge the Divinity of Christ, turned away, and said feebly, For the love of God dont mention that Man; let me die in peace!
The antagonism of evil provoked by good
The coming of Jesus into a place puts all into a commotion. The gospel is a great disturber of sinful peace. Like the sun among wild beasts, owls, and bats, it creates a stir. In this case, a legion of devils began to move. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Man responsible
Universally we judge of instincts, or the qualities and dispositions which make up natural character, as we see the creature brought into relation or juxtaposition with something else, and observe, What it will do with it. Especially is this true of man. This is just what makes up his probation. God has placed him in this world that he may show forth his character, and work out his own future condition, as he rightly uses or abuses it. Different men use the same material, or implement, or opportunity either for good or for evil. From the same forest and quarry one man builds a hospital, and another a gambling hell. Out of the grain from the same harvest field one man leavens wholesome bread, and another distils a destroying beverage. With the same ink and type and press, one prints Huxleys blasphemies, and another Gods Bibles. And while in all this perhaps few men are conscious that they are achieving their probation, yet verily they are. God has brought them into these conditions that the universe may see what the man will do with them. And according as he does evil or good, he displays his character and decides his own destiny.
I. Now this, in regard of all things, even secular and social, is the great law of life. But how much more is its solemnity increased when it has to do with matters religious and spiritual? The question, in its first connection, was addressed to Christ; and its must significant application is to the case of impenitent and ungodly men who, with a like question, turn away from the gospel. Oh, say some men, I have nothing to do with it! I am not a professing Christian! I never joined any Church! What, then, is all this to me? What have I to do with the gospel of Christ? But, alas, for their false logic! they have something to do with it. Their indifference cannot alter their relations to the gospel. Those relations grow out of character and condition. I can imagine a foolish man cherishing a settled dislike to the great law of gravitation, overlooking its beneficent results as working out, from the rounding of a dew drop to the rounding of a star-from the graceful equipoise of a lilys leaf to the harmonies of the stupendous systems of the universe-all the grand and gracious processes and phenomena of creation-overlooking all this, and thinking that but for its restraining power he might spring up as a pure spirit into the boundless expanse of heaven, and wander at will from star to star through immensity. I can conceive of such an one as disliking that great law, and in his insane hate blaspheming the Omnipotence which devised it. But what of that? Can the man escape from it? Will God have respect to his perverted taste, and annihilate that glorious force whereon depend all the beauties and harmonies of the universe? Oh, surely not. And just so it is of religion. It is that irresistible law of God under which all immortal creatures live. In the very nature of things, retribution must follow every act and experience of probation. Its solemn elements are two fold. First, there is a loss of all the unspeakable blessings which the gospel offers. Consider again these natural analogies. Take the law of gravitation. And the foolish man says:-I do not like that law; it is the law of falling bodies; it dashes men down precipices; it brings the destroying avalanche upon human habitations; I will let it alone! But not so a wise man. He says, I will have something to do with it; it makes the pendulum vibrate; I will set it to keep time for me; it gives momentum to the watercourses, it shall grind for me as a mill. And so of all the natural forces of the universe: by diligently working with them we secure immense benefits. What if a child, lost in a dangerous forest in the stormy night, amid ravening beasts and howling tempests, catching through the darkness the gleam of torches and the accents of gentle voices, and beholding the face of the father who, in agonizing love, had come forth to seek and save him, instead of springing joyfully into those outstretched arms, should turn away with the despising cry, What have I to do with thee? What would you call it but madness? And yet immeasurably greater is the madness of the impenitent man who rejects the precious Saviour; for the sinners danger is more terrible, and the Saviours love more tender.
II. In this rejection of the Gospel you incur terrible guilt. That gospel is not merely an invitation, but as well a sovereign mandate. The gospel is a law, and no law of God is ever violated with impunity. You may not believe in Gods ordinances of health; but if you make your bed in a lazar house you will be stricken with pestilence. You may laugh to scorn Gods law of great forces; but if you launch your bark above Niagara, it will sweep you to destruction. Alas! for this folly of infidelity and atheism! It may be effectual in persuading its abettor to have nothing to do with God, but is utterly powerless in persuading God to have nothing to do with him. Retribution is an awful thought, and an awful truth. But the aspect in which our text sets forth the neglect of the gospel is that of the utter folly of rejecting a great blessing. (C. Wadsworth, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 7. What have I to do with thee] Or, What is it to thee and me, or why dost thou trouble thyself with me? See Clarke on Mr 1:24, and See Clarke on Mt 8:29, where the idiom and meaning are explained.
Jesus] This is omitted by four MSS., and by several in Lu 8:28, and by many of the first authority in Mt 8:29. See the note on this latter place.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
7. What have I to do with thee,Jesus, Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thoutorment me notor, as in Mt8:29, “Art Thou come to torment us before the time?”(See on Mr 1:24). Behold thetormentor anticipating, dreading, and entreating exemptionfrom torment! In Christ they discern their destined Tormentor;the time, they know, is fixed, and they feel as if it were comealready! (Jas 2:19).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And cried with a loud voice,…. The man possessed with the devil; or the devil in him, making use of his voice, expressing great fear, dread, and horror, at the appearance of Christ in these parts:
and said, what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? The devils in the man, own the being of a God, and his supreme government over all, under the title of the Most High. The word here used, answers to the Hebrew word, , “Elion”, a name of God known to the ancient Canaanites: hence Melchizedek, a Canaanitish king, is called the priest of the most high God,
Ge 14:18. And among the Phoenicians, he is called Elion, which a Phoenician writer u says, signifies “the Most High”; and hence in Plautus w, he goes by the name of Alon, which is the same word a little differently pronounced; and by the same name he might be known among other neighbouring nations of the Jews, and by the Gadarenes; and the devil now being in a Gadarene, makes use of, this name. Devils believe there is one God, and tremble at him; and they confess that Jesus of Nazareth, who was born of the virgin, according to the human nature, is the Son of God, according to his divine nature: and whereas they had no interest in him, as a Saviour, they desired they might have nothing to do with him as God; and since they had no share in the blessings of his grace, they beg they might not feel the power of his hand. Truly they choose not to have any thing to do with God himself; they have cast off allegiance to him, and rebelled against him; and have left their estate, and departed from him; and still less do they care to have any thing to do with his Son: and indeed it seems as if it was the decree and counsel of God, made known unto them, that the Son of God should assume human nature, and in it be the head over principalities and powers, as well as men, which gave umbrage to them: upon which they apostatized from God, being unwilling to be under subjection to the man Christ Jesus; though whether they will or not, they are obliged unto it: for though they desire to have nothing to do with Christ, yet Christ has something to do with them; he had when he was here on earth, and when he hung upon the cross, and will have when he comes again to judge both quick and dead: they might be glad, one would think, to have to do with him as a Redeemer; but this they are not, their sin being the same with that against the Holy Ghost: they are malicious, obstinate, and inflexible, they cannot repent; and there is no pardon, nor was there any provided for them; they were passed by in the counsel and purposes of God’s grace, and were not taken notice of in the covenant of grace: Christ took not on him their nature, but the nature of men; yea he came to destroy them, and their works; so that indeed they had nothing to do with him as a Saviour, though he had something to do with them as a judge, and which they dreaded: however, they own, and acknowledge him to be the Son of the most high God; they know and confess as much of him, and more too, than some that call themselves Christians, and hope to be saved by Christ; and yet at the same time own, they had nothing to do with him. Men may know much of Christ notionally; may know, and confess him to be God, to be the Son of God, in the highest and true sense of the phrase; to be the Messiah, to have been incarnate, to have suffered, died, and risen again: to be ascended to heaven, from whence he will come again; and yet have no more to do with him, or have no more interest in him, than the devils themselves; and will, at the last day, be bid to depart from him.
I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not: not that he required an oath of Christ, that he would swear to him by the living God, that he would not distress him; but he most earnestly and importunately entreated and beseeched him, in the name of God; see Lu 8:28, that he would not dispossess him from the man, and send him out of that country, to his own place, to his chains and prison; but suffer him either to lodge in the man, or walk about seeking, as a roaring lion, his prey: for it is torment to a devil to be cast out of a man, or to have his power curtailed, or to be confined in the bottomless pit, from doing hurt to men: [See comments on Mt 8:29].
u Sanchoniatho in Philo Bybl. apud Euseb. prepar. Evangel. l. 1. c. 10. p. 36. w In Poenulo.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
I adjure thee by God ( ). The demoniac puts Jesus on oath (two accusatives) after the startled outcry just like the one in 1:24, which see. He calls Jesus here “son of the Most High God” ( ) as in Lu 8:28 (cf. Ge 14:18f.).
Torment me not ( ). Prohibition with and the ingressive aorist subjunctive. The word means to test metals and then to test one by torture (cf. our “third degree”). Same word in all three Gospels.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Crying – he saith. The inarticulate cry (verse 5), and then the articulate speech.
What have I to do with thee? [ ; ] . Lit., what is there to me and thee? What have we in common?
I adjure thee by God. Stronger than Luke’s I pray thee. The verb oJrkizw, I adjure, is condemned by the grammarians as inelegant.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) ”And cried with a loud voice, and said,” (kai kraksas phone megale legei) “And crying aloud with a megaphone-like voice he says,” by audible intelligible voice.
2) “What have I to do with thee, Jesus,” (ti emoi kai soi lesou) “What are you to me, Jesus,” as the demons and devils knew who He was, to the extent that they tremble, so should wicked, unsaved men, as guilty before Him, Mat 8:29; Act 16:16-17; Act 19:18.
3) ”Thou Son of the most high God?” (huie tou theou tou hupisistou) “‘You who are the Son of the most high (exalted) God?” Even demons know and acknowledge who Jesus is, though they have no redemption available to them, Jud 1:6; 2Pe 2:4.
4) “I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.” (horkizo se ton theon me basanises) “I adjure or implore you, by that God, torment me not,” or don’t torment me now; Psa 2:4; Jud 1:6. As Satan goes about continuously seeking whom or what he may devour or destroy, so do his emissary demon spirits, see 1Pe 5:8-9; Luk 8:31-33.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(7) Thou Son of the most high God.This is the first occurrence of the name in the New Testament, and is therefore a fit place for a few words as to its history. As a divine name the Most High God belonged to the earliest stage of the patriarchal worship of the one Supreme Deity. Melchizedek appears as the priest of the Most High God (Gen. 14:18). It is used by Balaam as the prophet of the wider Semitic monotheism (Num. 24:16), by Moses in the great psalm of Deu. 32:8. In the Prophets and the Psalms it mingles with the other names of God (Isa. 14:14; Lam. 3:35; Dan. 4:17; Dan. 4:24; Dan. 4:32; Dan. 4:34; Dan. 7:18; Dan. 7:22; Dan. 7:25; Psa. 7:17; Psa. 9:2; Psa. 18:13; Psa. 46:4, and elsewhere). In many of these passages it will be seen that it was used where there was some point of contact in fact or feeling with nations which, though acknowledging one Supreme God, were not of the stock of Abraham. The old Hebrew word (Elion) found a ready equivalent in the Greek (hypsistos), which had already been used by Pindar as a divine name. That word accordingly appeared frequently in the Greek version of the Old Testament, and came into frequent use among Hellenistic or Greek-speaking Jews, occurring, e.g., not less than forty times in the book Ecclesiasticus. It was one of the words which, in later as in earlier times, helped to place the Gentile and the Jew on a common ground. As such, it seems, among other uses, to have been frequently used as a formula of exorcism; and this, perhaps, accounts for its being met with here and in Luk. 8:28, Act. 16:17, as coming from the lips of demoniacs. It was the name of God which had most often been sounded in their ears.
I adjure thee.The verb is that from which comes our word exorcise. The phrase is peculiar to St. Mark, and confirms the notion that the demoniac repeated language which he had often heard. He, too, seeks in some sense to exorcise, though it is in the language not of command, but entreaty.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Torment me not In Matthew they cry: “Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” From this we seem able to derive some inferences as to the laws under which these demons were, and which produce manifestations over and above the symptoms of mere disease. 1. The organs of the man are so completely possessed by the demon that the latter speaks through them, and thus he communicates with other beings in the body here on earth. 2. There is apparently a desire on the part of these unhappy spirits to come into such possession and into communion with the human scene of things, as if they were thus less miserable than when without. 3. These infernal beings dread to be driven back to their own infernal abode. They are there to be chained down in darkness, and in dread of the day of judgment yet to come. Jud 1:6 ; 2Pe 2:4. Hence they fear that Jesus will anticipate that day, and “torment them before the time.” Mat 8:29.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And crying out with a loud voice, he says, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God. I adjure you by God do not torment me”, for he was saying to him, “come forth, you unclean spirit out of the man”.’
The order of the words illustrates Mark’s emphasis. This man had almost certainly never had any contact with Jesus, and there was no way by which he could know Him, and yet he recognised Him for what He was. This was not just a deeply disturbed, mentally ill man. There was that within him which recognised, and acknowledged with fear, ‘Jesus, the Son of the Most High God’. The words, however, were forced out of him by Jesus’ constant demand (imperfect) saying repeatedly, ‘come forth you unclean spirit’.
Note the attempt to bind Jesus by an oath while at the same time recognising His complete mastery. They are using desperate measures, for they recognise that His holiness is contrary to all that they are. The tormenting seemingly consists in His demand that they leave the man. They are only too well aware of what the consequences for them might be if they are left with no body to possess. They may be ‘tormented before the time’ (Mat 8:29). They were therefore desperate to retain control of some kind of physical body.
There was no immediate release, for Jesus had yet to learn how greatly the man was possessed. His initial seeming ‘failure’ arose from the fact that He was not yet aware of how many spirits possessed the man (some were no doubt deliberately keeping quiet and trying to evade recognition) and was therefore not addressing the whole group of evil spirits. They were thus able to evade His words for a while, not being themselves addressed, and the result was that there had to be a continuing exorcising. (Similar situations, although not quite as serious, have been testified to by genuine exorcisers in these present days).
The title ‘the Most High God’ appears to be a Gentile designation for the God of the Jews. Compare Dan 3:26; Dan 4:2. It was also used in Jewish-Hellenistic syncretistic religion. This tends to confirm that the man was a Gentile. We can contrast here Mar 1:24 where a similar admission was made of Jesus, but as ‘the Holy One of God’ (a typically Jewish description), and a similar fear of a destructive end was expressed, although there described as ‘are you come to destroy us’. But there the unclean spirit left at once, for it appears that there was only one.
Mat 8:29 might appear at first sight to expand ‘do not torment me’ to ‘have you come here to torment us before the time?’ while Luk 8:28 is similar to Mark, although later adding their plea not to be sent into the abyss (Mar 5:31). But this is probably because Matthew is actually recording a further statement made in a more protracted interview, an interview which Mark mentions (Mar 5:10), while Mark has briefly summarised, for we should note that what Matthew records is spoken in the plural. Until they were forced to reveal themselves the man spoke in the singular, but once they were exposed they argued in the plural. This attempt to conceal that they were there is typical of multiple exorcisms, as is the indulging in declaration and argument. When the godly minister and experienced exorciser who exorcised the twentieth century witch Doreen Irvine pleaded the power of the cross against the spirits possessing her, a terrible voice cried out, “Do not speak to me about Calvary. I was there!” And another claimed to have known Mary Magdalene. But in the end they had to yield to the power of the Name of Jesus Christ. (I heard this on a tape from his own lips, and he was no fanatic). However, her release from multiple evil spirits took some time, for some kept themselves hidden and were not immediately apparent.
But the idea of the comment is the same. They were aware of the torment and anguish that awaited them if they left this human body in which they had felt so safely ensconced, and they wanted to avoid it for as long as possible. They knew that their final judgment was approaching and were afraid of the Abyss, the abode of departed spirits, where one ‘section’ comprised their prison.
Jesus descent into the Abyss is mentioned in Rom 10:7, but there it simply refers to the world of the departed, while in Revelation the Abyss is that part of the world of the departed which is the prison of evil spirits (compare 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6). ‘Abyss’ is also related to Sumerian apsu, the sea. This is confirmed by the fact that the Septuagint (LXX) translated ‘the deep’ (tehom) of Gen 1:2; Gen 7:11; Gen 8:2 as the ‘Abyss’, paralleling the two (compare also Job 38:16; Psa 33:7; Psa 42:7; Psa 77:16; Isa 51:10; Eze 26:19; Jon 2:5). Ironically therefore it may be that we are to see that the final end of these particular evil spirits was the Abyss after all, for they were later swallowed up by the sea.
‘He was saying.’ The response of the unclean spirit was not immediate and He was therefore repeating His demand.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mar 5:7. What at have I, &c. What hast thou to do with me? Campbell.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Ver. 7. I adjure thee by God ] Exemplum horrendum impudentiae sceleratorum spirituum, saith Beza. To adjure one is to take an oath of him for our own security. An oath is not rashly to be undertaken, but by a kind of necessity, when it is exacted. Hence the Hebrew Nishbang is a passive, and signifieth to be sworn, rather than to swear.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
7. ] . . . = Luke.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 5:7 . . . ; Mt. has only. Luke gives the full expression = the Son of God Most High. Which is the original? Weiss (Meyer) says Mt.’s, Mk. adding . . to prepare for the appeal to One higher even than Jesus, in following. But why should not the demoniac himself do that? : in classics to make swear, in N. T. (here and in Act 19:13 ) to adjure with double accusative; not good Greek according to Phryn.; the right word. : no as in Mt., the reference apparently to the present torment of demoniac or demon, or both; either shrinking from cure felt to be impending.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
What, &c. A Hebraism. See note on 2Sa 16:16
of the Most High God. A Divine supplement, here. Demons knew Him, if the people were blinded.
God. App-98.
not. Greek. me. App-105.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
7.] . . . = Luke.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 5:7. , do not torment me) Whilst the demon is being tormented, the man possessed is tormented, and yet he [the latter] is set free. The demon deprecates either the expulsion itself, or a second tormenting added to the expulsion.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
What: Mar 1:24, Hos 14:8, Mat 8:29, Luk 4:34
Son: Mar 3:11, Mar 14:61, Mat 16:16, Joh 20:31, Act 8:37, Act 16:17
I adjure: 1Ki 22:16, Mat 26:63, Act 19:13
that: Gen 3:15, Mat 8:29, Luk 8:28, Rom 16:20, Heb 2:14, 2Pe 2:4, 1Jo 3:8, Jud 1:6, Rev 12:12, Rev 20:1-3
Reciprocal: Exo 14:12 – Let us alone 1Ki 17:18 – art thou come 2Ch 18:15 – shall I adjure Mic 6:6 – the high Mat 8:31 – General Mat 12:43 – seeking Mar 5:17 – General Mar 5:18 – prayed Mar 9:25 – he rebuked Luk 1:32 – the Son 1Th 5:27 – I charge Heb 7:1 – the most Jam 2:19 – the Rev 20:2 – he laid
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
What have I to do with thee is the same as asking Jesus what he is about to do. To adjure means to put a person under oath, which would be an unauthorized act on the part of the devil. The demand was that Jesus would not torment him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 5:7. See on Mat 8:29. Peculiar to Mark is the strong expression: I adjure thee by God. The language of the demon, not of the man; not a mere blasphemy, but a plausible argument: We implore thee to deal with us as God Himself does, that is, not to precipitate our final doom, but to prolong the respite which we now enjoy (J. A. Alexander). The highest acknowledgment comes from the most virulent demon.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 7
Torment me; disturb me.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of the most high God? I {c} adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
(c) That is, assure me by an oath that you will not vex me.