Mark 3:7-12: a reflection

7Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples; and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea, 8from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him. 9He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him. 10For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him. 11The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him and cried, “You are the Son of God!” 12He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.

As great crowds press around Jesus for healing, the unclean spirits, whenever they see him, fall down and cry out, You are the Son of God! They know exactly who he is; they recognize and acknowledge his identity plainly. Yet their acknowledgment is not faith, not devotion, not belonging to him; it is the recognition of enemies, not the trust of followers. Jesus even silences them. Their case shows a striking truth: it is possible to know and acknowledge who Christ is, even to state it truly, and yet not belong to him, not love him, not follow him. Mere acknowledgment of who Christ is falls short of true faith.

Notice that the unclean spirits knew and acknowledged who Christ was, yet did not belong to him. They stated the truth plainly, You are the Son of God; their recognition was accurate. But recognition is not the same as faith; they knew who he was without loving him, following him, or belonging to him. Their acknowledgment was the knowledge of enemies, not the trust of the devoted. It is possible, their case shows, to know the truth about Christ, even to acknowledge it correctly, and yet not truly be his. Mere knowledge or acknowledgment of who Christ is does not make one his; there is a difference between knowing about Christ and belonging to him in faith and love.

That is worth taking to heart, for knowing who Christ is falls short of truly belonging to him. We can know the truth about Christ, acknowledge who he is, state it correctly, and yet not truly belong to him in faith and love, not follow him, not give him our hearts, as even the unclean spirits knew who he was without being his. Mere knowledge or acknowledgment is not the same as faith. Do not rest in merely knowing or acknowledging who Christ is, as though that made you his; true faith is more than acknowledgment, a belonging to him in love and trust. Let your relationship to Christ be more than the mere knowledge or acknowledgment of who he is, but a true belonging to him in faith and love, for even the unclean spirits knew and acknowledged that he was the Son of God yet were not his; for knowing about Christ is not the same as belonging to him, and true faith is not mere acknowledgment but a love and trust that gives him our hearts.

Lord Jesus, as great crowds press around you for healing, the unclean spirits, whenever they see you, fall down and cry out, you are the Son of God! They know exactly who you are; they recognize and acknowledge your identity plainly. Yet their acknowledgment is not faith, not devotion, not belonging to you; it is the recognition of enemies, not the trust of followers. You even silence them. Their case shows a striking truth: it is possible to know and acknowledge who you are, even to state it truly, and yet not belong to you. Show me that the unclean spirits knew and acknowledged who you were, yet did not belong to you. They stated the truth plainly, you are the Son of God; their recognition was accurate. But recognition is not the same as faith; they knew who you were without loving you, following you, or belonging to you. Their acknowledgment was the knowledge of enemies, not the trust of the devoted. It is possible to know the truth about you, even to acknowledge it correctly, and yet not truly be yours. Take that to my heart, for knowing who you are falls short of truly belonging to you. I can know the truth about you, acknowledge who you are, state it correctly, and yet not truly belong to you in faith and love, not follow you, not give you my heart, as even the unclean spirits knew who you were without being yours. Keep me from resting in merely knowing or acknowledging who you are, as though that made me yours; true faith is more than acknowledgment, Lord. Help my relationship to you be more than the mere knowledge of who you are, but a true belonging to you in faith and love.