We learn about Jesus primarily from the Gospels. In this search, it is important that we have a clear idea of what a gospel is. It is neither a history of the life of Jesus nor a summary of His teachings. It is a presentation of Jesus’ activities, teachings and, most of all, his person. The individual gospel is an invitation to have an encounter in faith with Jesus just as the disciples did. We are invited to walk the dusty roads of Galilee with him as he taught and healed and called his followers. We are called to hear afresh the proclamation of the Good News. We are invited to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
A second point that helps this Jesus inquiry is an understanding of the mindset of the Jewish people at the time of Jesus began his public life. The first disciples participated in a common vision of reality when they first met Jesus. They saw reality under the domination of the demons led by Satan, sometimes called Beelzebub. It was not too far from our own view of Covid-19 removed from the power of modern science as a deterrent.
For the Jews of Jesus’ day, salvation was seen as liberation from the manifold experience of demonic control over their lives. The people saw this demonic control in most areas of life. This included the power of storms and other destructive elements of nature. The potency of disease that attacked the body, mind and spirit were probably the most feared example of demonic rule. The people saw both physical cures and exorcisms as the same deliverance from demonic control. The Roman Empire and its costly restraints to Jewish freedom in the political and economic arena was likewise a manifestation of evil rooted in Satan’s power. These elements were all experienced as the expression of the controlling power of Satan and his subordinates. It all came down to an unyielding domination of human life. Salvation was viewed as freedom from this demonic authority.
Jesus’ activity in his early ministry was seen as a clear frontal attack on this destructive presence of the demons. “They brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons not permitting them to speak because they knew him.” (Mk 1:32-34)
