WHERE WE ARE

Because the Gospel of Mark was probably the first of the NT Gospels to be written (around 70 C.E.) and the Gospel of John was probably the last of the NT Gospels to be written (around 100 C.E.), if there are conflicts between these Gospels we should give preference to the Gospel of Mark over the Gospel of John, other things being equal. (See the first post in this series for more information on the dating of the Gospels.)

One important conflict between the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of John is that according to the Gospel of Mark, but not the Gospel of John, a key focus of the teachings of Jesus is the kingdom of God. NT and Jesus scholars agree with the view of the Gospel of Mark on this issue, which implies that the Gospel of John was incorrect on this important question about the content of Jesus’ teaching and preaching. (See the second post in this series for more information on this point.)

JESUS WAS AN EXORCIST

Another important question upon which these two Gospels disagree is this:

Was casting out demons a key focus of the ministry of Jesus?

According to the Gospel of Mark, the casting out of demons (exorcism) was a key focus of the ministry of Jesus, but it was not a key focus of the ministry of Jesus according to the Gospel of John. Again, NT and Jesus scholars agree with the view presented in the Gospel of Mark and conclude that the casting out of demons (exorcism) was a key focus of the ministry of Jesus. This is another example of how the Gospel of John provides an incorrect and inaccurate characterization of the teachings and ministry of Jesus.

How often are the terms “demon”, “demons”, “unclean spirit”, “unclean spirits”, or “spirit” (used referring to a demon or an unclean spirit) mentioned in the Gospel of Mark? The Gospel of Mark uses these terms 29 times (not including any questionable text beyond Mark 16:8). How often are these terms used in the Gospel of John? The terms “unclean spirit” and “unclean spirits” never occur in the Gospel of John, the term “spirit” is never used to refer to a demon or an unclean spirit, and the term “demons” never occurs, and the term “demon” occurs only 7 times. These terms are used in six out of sixteen chapters of the Gospel of Mark, but only in four out of twenty-one chapters in the Gospel of John:

PASSAGES IN MARK WHERE JESUS CASTS OUT DEMONS

There are seven passages in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus casts out demons:

1. The Man with an Unclean Spirit

²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. ²² They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. ²³ Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, ²⁴ and he cried out, “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.” ²⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷ They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” ²⁸ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. (Mark 1:21-28, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

2. Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. …

32 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34 And he cured many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. (Mark 1:29 & 32-34, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

3. A Preaching Tour in Galilee

³⁵ In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. ³⁶ And Simon and his companions hunted for him. ³⁷ When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” ³⁸ He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also, for that is what I came out to do.” ³⁹ And he went throughout all Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. (Mark 1:35-39, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

4. A Multitude at the Seaside

⁷ Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; ⁸ hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. ⁹ He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him, ¹⁰ for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. ¹¹ Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” ¹² But he sternly ordered them not to make him known. (Mark 3:7-12, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

5. Jesus Heals a Man Possessed by Demons

1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3 He lived among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain, 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces, and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him, 7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region. 11 Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding, 12 and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine, and the herd, numbering about two thousand, stampeded down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned in the sea. (Mark 5:1-13, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

6. The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith

24 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And when she went home, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone. (Mark 7:24-30, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

7. The Healing of a Boy with a Spirit

¹⁴ When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵ When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. ¹⁶ He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷ Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak, ¹⁸ and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid, and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” ¹⁹ He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰ And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ²² It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, help us! Have compassion on us!” ²³ Jesus said to him, “If you are able! All things can be done for the one who believes.” ²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” ²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” ²⁶ After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. (Mark 9:14-27, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

PASSAGES IN JOHN WHERE JESUS CASTS OUT DEMONS

Here are all of the passages in the Gospel of John where Jesus casts out demons:

1. …
2. …
3. …

[There are no such passages in the Gospel of John]

The Gospel of Mark clearly indicates that casting out demons was a key focus of the ministry of Jesus, and the Gospel of John indicates that casting out demons was NOT a key focus of the ministry of Jesus. NT and Jesus scholars have concluded that casting out demons was a key focus of the ministry of Jesus, and this implies that the Gospel of Mark is correct on this point, and that the Gospel of John is incorrect and inaccurate on this important point about the ministry of Jesus.

IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK JESUS’ DISCIPLES CAST OUT DEMONS

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus selects twelve followers to be part of an inner circle of disciples, and he instructs them to preach, to heal the sick, and to cast out demons:

¹³ He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. ¹⁴ And he appointed twelve to be with him and to be sent out to preach ¹⁵ and to have authority to cast out demons. ¹⁶ So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), ¹⁷ James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder), ¹⁸ and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who handed him over. (Mark 3:13-19, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

Then he went about among the villages teaching. ⁷ He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸ He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff: no bread, no bag, no money in their belts, ⁹ but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. (Mark 6:6-9, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus’ disciples follow Jesus’ example and direction, and they cast out demons:

Then he went about among the villages teaching. ⁷ He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. …¹² So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. ¹³ They cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (Mark 6:6-7 & 12-13, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

15 When the whole crowd saw him [Jesus], they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. 16 He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak, 18 and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid, and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” … 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” 26 After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out … 28 When he [Jesus] had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.” (Mark 9:15-18, 25-26, & 28-29, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, emphasis added)

In the Gospel of John, however, there is never any mention of Jesus instructing his disciples to cast out demons, nor is there any indication that his disciples ever cast out demons.

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW AGREES WITH THE GOSPEL OF MARK

It is not merely the fact that the Gospel of Mark was written about three decades before the Gospel of John that leads NT and Jesus scholars to conclude that the Gospel of Mark is correct about the casting out of demons being a key focus of the ministry of Jesus, and that the Gospel of John is incorrect and inaccurate on this point. Another important consideration is that the Gospel of Matthew agrees with the Gospel of Mark that casting out demons was a key focus of Jesus’ ministry, especially since the Gospel of Matthew was probably also written before the Gospel of John.

As with the Gospel of Mark, references to “demon”, “demons”, “unclean spirit” and “unclean spirits” are much more frequent in the Gospel of Matthew than in the Gospel of John. Also, nearly one-third of the chapters of the Gospel of Matthew include such references:

Similar to the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Matthew includes several passages where Jesus casts out demons:

• Matthew 4:23-25
• Matthew 8:14-16
• Matthew 8:28-33
• Matthew 9:32-34
• Matthew 12:22-28
• Matthew 15:21-28
• Matthew 17:14-20

The Gospel of Matthew also agrees with the Gospel of Mark that Jesus directed his disciples to cast out demons and that they followed Jesus’ example and directions and cast out demons themselves. (See Matthew 10:1-4, 10:5-10, and 17:14-20).

Thus, the Gospel of Matthew provides further evidence in support of the view of the Gospel of Mark that casting out demons (excorcism) was a key focus of the ministry of Jesus.

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE AGREES WITH THE GOSPEL OF MARK

Another important consideration is that the Gospel of Luke agrees with the Gospel of Mark that casting out demons was a key focus of Jesus’ ministry, especially since the Gospel of Luke was probably also written before the Gospel of John.

As with the Gospel of Mark, references to “demon”, “demons”, “unclean spirit”, “unclean spirits”, “spirit” or “spirits” (referring to demons or unclean spirits) are much more frequent in the Gospel of Luke than in the Gospel of John. Also, one-third of the chapters of the Gospel of Luke include such references:

Similar to the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Luke includes several passages where Jesus casts out demons:

• Luke 4:31-37
• Luke 4:38-41
• Luke 6:17-19
• Luke 7:18-21
• Luke 8:1-3
• Luke 8:26-36
• Luke 9:37-43
• Luke 11:14-20
• Luke 13:10-13

The Gospel of Luke also agrees with the Gospel of Mark that Jesus directed his disciples to cast out demons and that they followed Jesus’ example and directions and cast out demons themselves. (See Luke 6:12-16, 9:1-6, 9:37-43, 10:1-9 & 10:17-20).

Thus, the Gospel of Luke provides further evidence in support of the view of the Gospel of Mark that casting out demons (excorcism) was a key focus of the ministry of Jesus.

CONCLUSION

The Gospel of Mark clearly indicates that casting out demons (exorcism) was a key focus of the ministry of Jesus, and so does the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. But the Gospel of John indicates that casting out demons was not a key focus of the ministry of Jesus.

NT and Jesus scholars have concluded that casting out demons was a key focus of the ministry of Jesus. This implies that the Gospel of Mark was correct on this important point about the historical Jesus, and that the Gospel of John was incorrect and inaccurate on this important point about the historical Jesus.