Scripture Daily

Context No. 2881 of 4322 · Acts

Context · Reflection

Acts 19:15-20: in context

15The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” 16The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18Many also of those who had believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds. 19Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.

In Ephesus, some traveling exorcists try to use the name of Jesus as if it were a magic formula, invoking the Jesus whom Paul preaches. But the evil spirit answers, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you? The possessed man overpowers them and drives them out of the house naked and wounded. Fear falls on the whole city, and the name of Jesus is honored.

The sons of Sceva treated the name of Christ as a technique to wield without knowing him, and the spirit exposed how empty that was: I know Jesus, but who are you? The name of Christ is no spell for people who do not belong to him. And the genuine response follows: many believers come confessing their deeds, and those who had practiced magic gather their costly books and burn them in public, a fortune going up in flames. A real encounter with Christ produces a repentance you can actually count.

Do I treat the name of Jesus as a technique to get what I want, or actually know and belong to him, and is my repentance costly enough to be seen?

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