. . .we have some additional areas
of difficulty, as follows:
Jesus addresses the demons;
The demons respond;
The demons are cast out or depart.
Why should language of this kind
be used if demons do not exist? Some people explain the language by saying that
Jesus simply used the language of his day because that was how people thought and
understood. Whilst this method of explanation has some value, it also has deficiencies.
It looks as though the Lord Jesus Christ was contributing to popular beliefs. A
more understandable explanation is that Jesus had to use for the sufferer language
which was helpful to him. The sufferer had been told by those around him that
his trouble was demon possession. Jesus had to deal with that fact in the
process of his healing work. (Harry Tennant, The Christadelphians: What They
Believe and Peach [2d ed.; Birmingham: The Christadelphian, 1998], 166-67,
italics in original)
Further Reading