Funny wording...can anyone help?

[RyanL]

My wife an I were reading in Mark last night, and we came across some funny wording in Mark 5:6. During the encounter with the demoniac (remember “Legion”), when the demoniac first sees Jesus the following takes place:

6But when he [the demoniac] saw Jesus afar off, he [the demoniac] ran **and worshipped **him [Christ], 7And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

Our question is this: were the demons “worshiping” Jesus? Is that what demons do? My take is along the lines of “every knee shall bend at the name above all names”, but that doesn’t seem to satisfy the text. My wife said something along the lines of, “by using Jesus’ full name the demons were worshiping,” but that also seems a bit pale…

Can anyone illuminate?
RyanL

 

[Verbum]

Hi Ryan,

were the demons “worshiping” Jesus?

That’s what it says!
The Greek verb used means “to bend down in veneration”. The New American Bible translates,

Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him

He bowed, bent down or knelt before Him. I don’t quite understand your problem.

Verbum

 

[Fidelis]

Looks like you are either using the KJV or, more likely if you are a Catholic, the RSVCE. One of the good things about the RSV is that it has a lot of similarities with the KJV, for which there are a lot of good study aids, like the Strongs Exhaustive Concordance.

Just for additional interest, here’s the entry for the word rendered “worship” in Mark 5:6:

**Strong’s Number: ** 4352
**Original Word Word Origin **
proskunevw from (4314) and a probable derivative of (2965) (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand)
**Transliterated Word ** TDNT Entry
***Proskuneo *** 6:758,948
Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
pros-koo-neh’-o Verb

**Definition **
to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence
among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence
in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication
used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank
to the Jewish high priests
to God
to Christ
to heavenly beings
to demons

King James Word Usage - Total: 60
worship 60

**KJV Verse Count **
Matthew 13
Mark 2
Luke 3
John 7
Acts 4
1 Corinthians 1
Hebrews 2
Revelation 22​

Total 54

 

[Tabitha773]

As a part of understanding the translation of the word, in this event the demon - Legion - is acknowledging that it was in the presence of one greater than itself. Jesus as True God and True Man had the authority to command not only for it to depart, but obeisance as well.

In this case, it’s letting us know that the rendering of homage was involved. I wonder if the same word is used in Matt 28, when the Apostles “worship” (depends on translation as to which word is used) Jesus. One is always supposed to recognize whoever is greater in any situation.

 

[RyanL]

Fidelis,

Thank you. That was exactly what I needed. Actually, I use the NAB, KJV, NKJV, NIV (for the interlinear Greek), and (my favorite) the RSV-CE. Just trying to take to heart the phrase “zeal without knowledge is fire without light”! Catholics have to KNOW the scriptures if we are going to quit being eroded by Protestants - after all, it’s a CATHOLIC BOOK!

Verbum,

My issue was in thinking that the demons were worshiping Christ in the same manner that I do at daily mass. If that were the case, it could lead (very abstractly) to considering the demons proxy members of the Holy Communion of All Believers (Militant/Suffering/Triumphant, but especially Angels), so that “we”, in harmonious union, sing the praises of God and worship together. Do you see why I was disturbed? In understanding that it was simply a physical expression of subserviance, I am comforted.

Thank you both for your help!
RyanL

 

[MarkAnthonyCozy]

Perhaps Legion, recognizing Jesus for who he really is, the Son of God, simply fell down in fear at the sight of him, as all the demons will do at the end. Legion was not worshipping Jesus out of love and gratitude, but as a beaten enemy, or as a prisoner throwing himself down at the feet of his captor, begging for clemency.

Jesus does not make small talk and takes authority over Legion sending him into a herd of swine, unclean animals that the people should not have had in the first place. Jesus makes several points with this one action!

 

[Tabitha773]

Perhaps the “awe” (can’t remember the precise word in translations this sec) that made those arresting Jesus in Gethsemane had a like experience.

 

[kindlylight]

RyanL,

An interesting aspect of this is that the demon did not know who Jesus was or he would not have adjured Christ by God as by one who was Christ’s superior, not knowing His equality as it had not then been revealed. The demon was begging not to be deprived of his malignant power “before the time” ie the Last Judgment.

Peace

 

[Fidelis]

Tabitha773:

In this case, it’s letting us know that the rendering of homage was involved. I wonder if the same word is used in Matt 28, when the Apostles “worship” (depends on translation as to which word is used) Jesus. One is always supposed to recognize whoever is greater in any situation.

According to Strongs, it is exactly the same Greek word.

 

[TOME]

I was scrolling through the threads from some months before I joined and saw this one which interest me and I would like to offer my reflections on it. For me the act of worship and proclamations are accounts whose main purpose is to give evidence to the proclamation Jesus made at the beginning of Mark that the (Kingdom of God) is present, here and now and as will will see develope, uniquely in the person of Jesus. He proclaimed this in Cchapter 1 one and proceeds in the following to “proove” his claim by his words - from curing the sick and disabled, even on the Sabbath, to having control over the weather (more important the forces of evil - the superstition of the time made the seas a special dwelling place for the devil) to casting out deamons and forgiving sins. In Mark 5:6 we find another example of God acting in the Incarnate person of Jesus in proclaiming through actions the presence of his kingdom.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

RyanL:

My wife an I were reading in Mark last night, and we came across some funny wording in Mark 5:6. During the encounter with the demoniac (remember “Legion”), when the demoniac first sees Jesus the following takes place:

Our question is this: were the demons “worshiping” Jesus? Is that what demons do? My take is along the lines of “every knee shall bend at the name above all names”, but that doesn’t seem to satisfy the text. My wife said something along the lines of, “by using Jesus’ full name the demons were worshiping,” but that also seems a bit pale…

Can anyone illuminate?
RyanL

I think there are many things going on here:​

1. The demoniac is “casting himself upon the ground” (the physical form of this greeting) before Jesus
2. Using the same verb, the writer is saying Who Jesus is: He is One before Whom one falls down in adoration - that is, He is God.

IOW, the verb used by the writer expresses:

1. the bodily action of the demoniac
2. the attitude which the Christian hearing the Gospel read is meant to have.

The episode is important as a revelation of Who Jesus is: it reveals that He is not a mere human exorcist - it reveals Him for what He is as known by those to whom He is revealed. Throughout the Gospels, there is a division, made by Who Jesus is, between those who recognise Him as the Messiah sent by the Father - and, those who do not. They see the same things - & draw different conclusions about Jesus from them. Wherever He is recognised, the “Kingship of God”, or “Kingly rule of God”, has become a reality. That is the sort of Messiah He is: not a great warrior, but the hidden “Servant of the the Lord”, Who can be known only by faith - and the demoniac is doing, in effect, what Simon does in Matthew 16: he is recognising Who Jesus is, and acting as the disciple of Jesus the Messiah ought to act. For where the “Kingly rule of God” breaks in, the demons and their power are broken - for Jesus sets free those who were imprisoned or crippled or blind, just as He announces in Luke 4 that He is going to.

So either He can be acknowledged as Messiah by those who know, from how He has freed them, Who He is - or, He can be recognised by those whom He overcomes, unwilling as they are to admit Who He is. He is the humble healing Messiah to those Who recognise Him - but a terrible, conquering, Messiah-King, to those Who resist His Kingship (such as the demons). Either way, “every knee will bow” to Him, “and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father”.

It is significant that the demoniac is a Gentile - the Jews are the ones who failed, on the whole, to recognise Him. Instead of destroying the Gentiles to give Israel well-being, the Messiah is extending the Kingly rule of God to the Gentiles: He is making them sharers in the good things for which Israel hoped. The Messiah is doing good to them - not wiping them out; which it was often thought that the Messiah would do. This Messiah is better than expected - so He wasn’t recognised by the Chosen People ##

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

TOME:

I was scrolling through the threads from some months before I joined and saw this one which interest me and I would like to offer my reflections on it. For me the act of worship and proclamations are accounts whose main purpose is to give evidence to the proclamation Jesus made at the beginning of Mark that the (Kingdom of God) is present, here and now and as will will see develope, uniquely in the person of Jesus. He proclaimed this in Cchapter 1 one and proceeds in the following to “proove” his claim by his words - from curing the sick and disabled, even on the Sabbath, to having control over the weather (more important the forces of evil - the superstition of the time made the seas a special dwelling place for the devil) to casting out deamons and forgiving sins. In Mark 5:6 we find another example of God acting in the Incarnate person of Jesus in proclaiming through actions the presence of his kingdom.

​