Does the name of Jesus have any power in our culture? If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), can we find wisdom among those we interact with every day? What power and reverence does the name of Jesus have on our own heart and mind?
Today’s passage is found in the book of Acts (19:11-20). In a few short verses, Luke paints a picture of the power of the name of Jesus over all other powers at work in the world. Because of the power of the name of Jesus, the gospel message was spread.
Paul in Ephesus
(This passage can be read in its entirety at this link: https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ACT.19.niv?parallel=59).
The ancient city of Ephesus was located on the western coast of Asia Minor, modern day Turkey, a six-hundred-mile journey over land from Jerusalem. Ephesus was one of the oldest Greek settlements on the Aegean Sea and became the seat of Roman government in Asia. Ephesus was well-known as a center for the learning and practice of magic arts and the occult. Pagan worship centered around the goddess Artemis (the Roman goddess Diana).
Paul headquartered in Ephesus for at least two years as the gospel message spread to all of Asia. As was his custom, Paul spent several months engaging the Jewish community at the local synagogue. As opposition from the Jews toward the gospel message increased, Paul rented the hall of Tyrannus to preach and teach during the afternoon hours when most Ephesians were napping. People would come to him in the hall to hear what he had to say.
The Jewish Exorcists
Luke, the author of Acts, identified a Jewish family in Ephesus who made a business out of exorcizing demons. Sceva, the dad, had seven sons who made their living casting out demons for money. Sceva may have been an elder at the local synagogue or he may have self-identified as a chief priest to increase his authority and reputation. There are no ancient records of him within Jewish tradition.
The power and authority of Paul was well-known in Ephesus. People carried fabric that had touched Paul’s skin to their sick and demon possessed family and friends and they were healed. When the sons of Sceva learned this, they began to use the name of Jesus in their exorcist practice. Within the occult practices in Ephesus, invoking powerful names in secret formulas was believed to be a source of magic power.
Syncretism, mixing beliefs and practices of one religion with another, was as common then as it is now. The Jewish sons of Sceva thought they had found a new magic formula for their incantations that would make their magic art more powerful than any other. What could it hurt to add the name of one more god to their magic spells?
When the Demons Don’t Know Who You Are
The sons of Sceva made a huge mistake. They came upon a demon possessed man and tried to invoke the name of Jesus. “In the name of Jesus who Paul preaches, I command you to come out” (Acts 19:13). The evil spirit replied back, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” (19:15). After this, the demon possessed man beat up the sons of Sceva until they ran for their lives into the streets of Ephesus, naked and bleeding.
Demons and the spiritual forces of darkness aren’t fooled by pretend Christianity or people who play with spirituality. Neither is the Lord Jesus. Is it possible that we sometimes play with spiritual things and invoke the name of the Lord Jesus without the holy reverence and godly fear that is due to him?
Ephesus is Shook
“When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor” (Acts 19:17).
The ancient city of Ephesus didn’t have social media, but the news spread quickly. The men who claimed to be exorcists, who were respected and revered for their magic powers, had been beaten and disgraced. There was a powerful, holy name in Ephesus that couldn’t be played with or subjected to the ploys of sorcerers and magicians.
Many people believed in Jesus and came forward to confess their magic practices and dealings in the occult. It was believed an incantation or magic spell only held power as long as the incantation and spell were kept secret. So, people openly spoke their spells and incantations to the public so that they held no power. Sorcerers also brought their scrolls and burned them publicly. So many scrolls were burned, the value was estimated to be the daily wage of 50,000 people (50,000 drachmas).
“In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power” (19:20).
The Name of Jesus
The people of Ephesus didn’t gather together to sing a few songs and tell each other they believed in Jesus. They openly renounced involvement in magic, sorcery, and the occult. Separating themselves from the practices of society around them, separating Christian belief from superstition and false teaching, changing the core way they lived their lives, they humbled themselves at the name of the living Lord Jesus.
Does the name of Jesus have power today?
There is no other name under heaven by which a man can be saved.
At the name of Jesus, demons tremble. At the name of Jesus, people are healed. At the name of Jesus, wind and waves change their course. By the name of Jesus, we are called God’s children. At the word of Jesus, all of creation came into being.
His name is power. His name opens the eyes of an unbeliever. Anyone who calls on his name enters the Kingdom of God. His name is the authority and power of God. God has exalted the name of Jesus above any other name and one day, every knee will bow and everyone will openly confess that Jesus, the name above all names, is Lord of the universe.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on us. We have not revered and honored your holy name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
“Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!” Psalm 103:1.
(See these verses on the name of Jesus: Phil 2:10-19, Acts 4:12, John 1:1-3, John 14:13, Romans 10:13, Proverbs 18:10, Colossians 3:1).
Copyright TA Boland 2024
Image: Unsplash
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