The account recorded in Luke 4:33–36 is one of the earliest demonstrations of Jesus’ authority over the spiritual realm and serves as a public declaration of his divine commission. This event occurred in Capernaum, a city on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, shortly after Jesus began his public ministry. In the midst of teaching in a synagogue, he was confronted by a man possessed by a demon. What unfolded revealed not only the reality of demonic activity in the first century but, more importantly, the absolute supremacy of Jesus over these malevolent spirits.
The passage reads:
“And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent and come out of him!’ And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, it came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, ‘What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!’” (Luke 4:33–36)
This remarkable episode raises a profound question: how was Jesus able to command demons and receive immediate obedience? The answer lies in a proper understanding of his divine authority, his sinless nature, his role in God’s redemptive plan, and his unique anointing by the Holy Spirit.
The Divine Authority of Jesus as the Son of God
Jesus’ power over demons was not a learned skill or ritualistic formula as used by Jewish exorcists of the time. His authority was intrinsic. Unlike prophets or priests, who acted as intermediaries and always invoked Jehovah’s name in prayer or petition, Jesus issued direct commands to the demons, and they obeyed. This power to command indicates divine authority. It did not stem from human lineage or institutional position but from his unique identity as the Son of God.
The demons themselves recognized this. In their fear and torment, they cried out, “I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” This title connects Jesus to the messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. The phrase “Holy One of God” conveys more than just moral purity; it reflects the consecrated, set-apart nature of his mission and personhood. Demons, though fallen and malevolent, have an accurate understanding of spiritual authority, and they understood who stood before them. Their dread was justified—not because Jesus was merely a teacher, but because he possessed the power of divine judgment and expulsion.
The unclean spirit also asked, “Have you come to destroy us?”—revealing awareness that Jesus had the authority to consign them to destruction. While their final judgment is reserved for the end of the age (cf. Matthew 8:29; Revelation 20:10), demons know that their influence is under sovereign control. When Jesus appeared, they recognized the nearness of their eventual demise.
Jesus’ Authority Was Rooted in His Sinless Nature
Another key reason Jesus could command demons is that he was entirely sinless. Demons hold sway in a world corrupted by sin and rebellion against Jehovah. But Jesus, born of a virgin, was not tainted by Adamic sin. Hebrews 4:15 affirms that he “was in every respect tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Demonic forces thrive in darkness and deception, but Jesus was the embodiment of light and truth (John 1:4–5, 9). As the righteous Son of God, he had nothing in common with the unclean spirits.
This is essential to understand. Unlike fallen humanity, which is subject to temptation and spiritual weakness, Jesus was fully consecrated to God in word, thought, and deed. His commands did not come from a compromised position. There was no foothold for Satan or his demons in Jesus’ life. That purity gave weight and unchallengeable legitimacy to every word he spoke in spiritual warfare.
This stands in stark contrast to the Jewish exorcists mentioned in Acts 19:13–16, who attempted to cast out demons “by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims” and were overpowered because they lacked the true spiritual authority that only comes through righteous relationship with God. Jesus needed no such mediation. His own authority was sufficient.
The Power of the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ Messianic Anointing
Jesus’ ability to perform miracles, including casting out demons, was also connected to his anointing with the Holy Spirit. After his baptism by John, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove (Luke 3:21–22), and shortly thereafter, Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit” and led into the wilderness (Luke 4:1). This anointing marked the beginning of his public ministry and empowered him to fulfill his role as God’s chosen servant.
In Luke 4:18, Jesus read from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue and declared, “The Spirit of Jehovah is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor… to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” The liberation of demon-possessed individuals was a clear fulfillment of this prophecy. Those under demonic control were among “the oppressed,” and Jesus came to set them free—not by struggle or ritual, but by divine command backed by the power of the Spirit.
The phrase in Luke 4:36—“with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits”—highlights this dynamic. The Greek term for power, δύναμις (dynamis), denotes inherent ability or might. The term for authority, ἐξουσία (exousia), signifies legitimate, lawful control. Jesus exercised both. He did not ask the demons to leave—he commanded them. And they obeyed immediately, without resistance.
Jesus as the Supreme Judge Over the Spirit Realm
Further, Jesus was able to command demons because he stands as the final judge over all spiritual beings. In John 5:22, he declared, “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.” As the appointed judge of both angels and men, Jesus possesses ultimate jurisdiction over every being, including the disobedient angels known as demons.
This explains the panic of the demon in Luke 4. It was not merely the presence of holiness that unsettled it—it was the presence of the One who had the authority to condemn it eternally. Jesus did not need a court or ritual. His spoken word was law. Just as Jehovah’s word created the universe (Psalm 33:9), Jesus’ word expelled the demon with unstoppable force.
The demon tried to resist through intimidation and speech, but Jesus silenced it immediately: “Be silent and come out of him!” The phrase “be silent” (Greek: φιμώθητι, phimōthēti) literally means “be muzzled” or “shut your mouth.” This command not only expelled the demon but also forbade it from speaking further, protecting the gathered audience from being misled or defiled by demonic utterance.
The Witness of the People: Authority Recognized
The astonishment of the people in Luke 4:36 reveals how unique this demonstration was. Jewish exorcisms of the time involved extended rituals, incantations, or appeals to higher spiritual powers. But Jesus did none of this. He simply spoke, and the demon left.
They asked, “What is this word?”—a question filled with awe. The word logos in Greek suggests more than a mere utterance; it refers to a message, a divine decree. The people recognized that Jesus was exercising a kind of authority that surpassed anything they had ever seen. It was immediate, effective, and pure. It was not borrowed—it was possessed.
Their amazement foreshadowed the growing public awareness of Jesus’ messianic identity. The power he displayed was proof of who he was: not merely a teacher, but the one sent by Jehovah to bring liberation, not only from physical oppression but from the forces of spiritual darkness.
Summary: Jesus’ Authority Over Demons Demonstrates His Divine Identity and Mission
Jesus was able to command a demon to come out of a man in Luke 4:33–36 because of his inherent divine authority as the Son of God, his moral perfection, his anointing by the Holy Spirit, and his role as the final judge over the spiritual realm. The demon’s immediate submission testified to Jesus’ uncontested supremacy over all unclean spirits. There was no struggle, no bargaining, and no ritual—only the sovereign word of the Messiah.
This incident was not merely a miracle—it was a revelation. It showed that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and to proclaim liberty to the captives. His power was not magical or sensational but rooted in righteousness, purity, and divine authority. For those who witnessed it, and for all who read it today, the message is clear: Jesus has dominion over all forces of evil, and those who follow him need not fear the spiritual darkness of this world, for their Lord has already triumphed.
EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
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