Topical Bible: Slander: That he had a Demon

◄ Slander: That he had a Demon ►

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In the biblical context, slander refers to the act of making false and damaging statements about someone. One of the most notable instances of slander in the New Testament is the accusation that Jesus Christ had a demon. This accusation was a significant aspect of the opposition He faced from religious leaders and others who rejected His teachings and divine authority.

Biblical Instances:

1. John 7:20 : "You have a demon," the crowd replied. "Who is trying to kill You?" In this passage, Jesus is speaking to the people in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. His teachings and claims about His divine mission provoke a hostile reaction, leading to the accusation that He is demon-possessed.

2. John 8:48-49 : "The Jews answered Him, 'Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?' 'I do not have a demon,' Jesus replied, 'but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.'" Here, the accusation is coupled with an ethnic slur, calling Jesus a Samaritan, which was intended to discredit Him further. Jesus refutes the claim by emphasizing His honor for the Father.

3. John 10:20 : "Many of them said, 'He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?'" This accusation comes after Jesus declares Himself the Good Shepherd and speaks of His unity with the Father. The charge of being demon-possessed is used to undermine His credibility and authority.

4. Mark 3:22 : "And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, 'He is possessed by Beelzebul,' and, 'By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.'" The scribes attribute Jesus' power to cast out demons to Beelzebul, a name associated with a demonic figure, rather than acknowledging His divine power.

Theological Implications:

The slander that Jesus had a demon is a profound example of the spiritual blindness and hardness of heart that can occur when individuals reject the truth of God. Despite witnessing His miracles and hearing His teachings, many chose to attribute His works to demonic influence rather than divine authority. This accusation reflects a broader theme in Scripture of the conflict between light and darkness, truth and falsehood.

Response of Jesus:

Jesus consistently refuted these accusations by pointing to His relationship with the Father and the works He performed. In John 8:49, He emphasizes His honor for the Father, contrasting it with the dishonor shown by His accusers. In Mark 3:23-27, Jesus logically dismantles the accusation by explaining that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, thereby illustrating the absurdity of the claim that He casts out demons by the power of a demon.

Significance for Believers:

For believers, the slander against Jesus serves as a reminder of the opposition that truth can face in a fallen world. It underscores the importance of discernment and the need to stand firm in faith, even when faced with false accusations or misunderstandings. The example of Jesus' response to slander provides a model for how to address falsehood with truth and integrity, relying on the authority of God's Word and the witness of the Holy Spirit.

Nave's Topical Index

John 8:48,52
Then answered the Jews, and said to him, Say we not well that you are a Samaritan, and have a devil?
Nave's Topical Index

John 10:20
And many of them said, He has a devil, and is mad; why hear you him?
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Epiphanius Intervenes
... mission of attempting to pick up some rag of slander out of ... He induced Jerome to
translate into Latin the letter in which the Egyptian had called his ...
/.../chapter xliv epiphanius intervenes.htm

The Remembrance of Christ
... Perhaps he had veiled his demon royalty in the form of some aged pilgrim, and ... and
was bitten by the foul tooth of envy; when slander said he had a devil ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the remembrance of christ.htm

Against those who Object Because the Devil Has not Been Put Out of ...
... But to slander, and to refrain from slander is not ... 583] The Devil is nowhere here,
a Demon is nowhere ... For Daniel saith to Nebuchadnezzar when he had come to ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily ii against those who.htm

Consummation of Thomas the Apostle.
... and beggars look upon me, nor let serpents slander me, and ... sons of Misdeus was a
demoniac; and the demon being stubborn ... And he went to do what he had thought of ...
/.../consummation of thomas the apostle/consummation of thomas the apostle.htm

Matt. xviii. 21
... are without repentance," [2371] but wickedness has had such power ... that wicked demon
did not only slander Him, but ... For he affirmed Him to be possessed, and to ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxi matt xviii 21.htm

Rhodo and his Account of the Dissension of Marcion.
... facts, but attributes them to the agency of a demon. ... may be rejected as a baseless
slander, like the ... He had no esoteric doctrines to conceal from the multitude ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xiii rhodo and his account.htm

Matt. xii. 33
... stirred up a grievous war, and suffered unnumbered evils; not one whereof would
have happened, had he but known ... For He said not, If thou slander, and summon ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xlii matt xii 33.htm

ecce Iterum Crispinus!'
... to the four Brothers to support his slander. ... with venomous hatred against him because
he had defended them. ... Hebdomon, where the unhappy Ga??nas had prayed for ...
/.../chapter xliii ecce iterum crispinus.htm

The Persons that Became at that Time Leaders of Knowledge Falsely ...
... He did not, however, long succeed in these artifices, as ... same time the slanderous
accusations which had been brought ... upon our faith, or any such slander as our ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter vii the persons that became.htm

Eligius, Bishop of Noyon.
... He is a Christian who believes no slander, who himself ... to bring up their children,
for whom they had stood sureties ... who were sick and in prison; he warns them ...
/.../neander/light in the dark places/eligius bishop of noyon.htm