Bible Questions and Answers

What is a devil?

Devil is the translation of the Greek word δαιμόνιον daimonion

Using Strong’s Concordance: Devil <1140> δαιμόνιον daimonion — Translated in the King James Version, ‘devil’ 59 times, ‘god’ 1 time.

Meaning:

1. the divine power, deity, divinity
2. a spirit, a being inferior to God, superior to men
3. evil spirits or the messengers and ministers of the devil

From Pagan Mythology devils, or more correctly demons, were thought to be the ‘spirits’ that caused mental illness.

Mark defines a ‘demon’ as an ‘unclean spirit’.

Mark 5:1-20 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me." 8 For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!" 9 Then He asked him, "What is your name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many." 10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. 11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them." 13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea. 14 So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. 15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. 18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marvelled.

Spirit is the way a person thinks. Luke 9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

An unclean spirit is deranged thinking. These days we understand that mental illnesses are not caused by ‘demons’ and we treat the sufferers with drugs and/or therapy. When the ‘demon’ was sent out, the man was left ‘in his right mind’ (Mark 7:15). That the pigs became deranged and drowned was visual evidence to the man that he had been cured.

Demons do not exist except in pagan mythology.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn