Jesus Authoritative Voice in 
Confronting The Enemy

The Lord Jesus' tone during His confrontations with Satan or demons reveals subtle nuances of His speech. The grammatical structures, verb modes, and lexical choices in the Greek further highlight the tone of authority, command, and confidence.

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1. Temptation in the Wilderness (Matthew 4:10)

• Greek Text:
  τότε λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Ὕπαγε, Σατανᾶ· γέγραπται γάρ, Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις.
  (Tote legei autō ho Iēsous: Hypage, Satana; gegraptai gar, Kyrion ton Theon sou proskynēseis kai autō monō latreuseis.)

• Tone: Firm, authoritative, and rooted in Scripture.
• Scripture:
  “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:10, KJV)
  • Contextually, Jesus rebukes Satan's temptations with a tone that reflects His submission to the Word of God and His authority to command Satan to depart. The declaration "Get thee hence" is a decisive dismissal.

Key Analysis:

1. Ὕπαγε (Hypage):
   • Imperative mood (2nd person singular), meaning "Go away" or "Depart."
   • The imperative mode is a direct command, leaving no room for argument, reflecting absolute authority.
2. γέγραπται (Gegraptai):
   • Perfect tense, meaning "It is written," indicating something permanently established and unchangeable.
   • Jesus grounds His authority in the immutable Word of God.

Tone and Message:

• The use of the imperative conveys a firm, commanding tone, while the reference to Scripture emphasizes Jesus’ reliance on divine truth as the ultimate authority.

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2. Casting Out a Demon in the Synagogue (Luke 4:35)

• Greek Text:
  καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων· Φιμώθητι καὶ ἔξελθε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ῥίψαν αὐτὸν τὸ δαιμόνιον εἰς τὸ μέσον ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ μηδὲν βλάψαν αὐτόν.
  (Kai epetimēsen autō ho Iēsous legōn: Phimōthēti kai exelthe ap’ autou. Kai rhipsan auton to daimonion eis to meson exēlthen ap’ autou mēden blapsan auton.)

• Tone: Commanding and authoritative.
• Scripture:
  “And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.” (Luke 4:35, KJV)
  • Jesus speaks with absolute authority, commanding silence ("Hold thy peace") and immediate obedience from the demon. The context shows the power of His word, as no physical action is necessary—His spoken command is sufficient.

• Key Analysis:

  1. ἐπετίμησεν (Epetimēsen):
     • Aorist indicative, meaning "rebuked."
     • The aorist tense suggests a decisive and complete action, emphasizing Jesus’ immediate control over the situation.
  2. Φιμώθητι (Phimōthēti):
     • Aorist imperative passive, meaning "Be silenced" or "Be muzzled."
     • The passive imperative is forceful, implying that the command is enacted upon the demon without its consent.
  3. ἔξελθε (Exelthe):
     • Aorist imperative active, meaning "Come out."
     • The active imperative shows Jesus' direct command for the demon to depart.

• Tone and Message:

  • The pairing of rebuke and imperatives reflects a commanding tone with no hesitation, emphasizing Jesus' mastery over the spiritual realm.

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3. Legion of Demons in the Gadarene Man (Luke 8:30–32)

• Greek Text (Partial):
  καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων· Τί σοί ἐστιν ὄνομα; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Λεγεών· ὅτι δαιμόνια πολλὰ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς αὐτόν.
  (Kai epērōtēsen auton ho Iēsous legōn: Ti soi estin onoma? Ho de eipen: Legion, hoti daimonia polla eisēlthen eis auton.)

• Tone: Calm yet commanding, demonstrating control over the situation.
• Scripture:
  “And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.” (Luke 8:30–32, KJV)
  • Though calm in tone, Jesus' authority is evident, as the demons recognize His power and beg for permission, showcasing His dominion over even a multitude of evil spirits.

• Key Analysis:

  1. ἐπηρώτησεν (Epērōtēsen):
     • Imperfect indicative, meaning "He was asking."
     • The imperfect tense indicates calm control, as Jesus initiates the interaction without urgency or fear.
  2. ἐπέτρεψεν (Epetrepsen):
     • Aorist indicative, meaning "He permitted."
     • Jesus grants permission for the demons to enter the swine, underscoring His authority to dictate their actions.

• Tone and Message:

  • The calm inquiry and subsequent granting of permission demonstrate Jesus' unchallenged dominion and control over the situation.

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4. Rebuking Satan through Peter (Matthew 16:23)

• Greek Text:
  Ὁ δὲ στραφεὶς εἶπεν τῷ Πέτρῳ· Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ· σκάνδαλον εἶ ἐμοῦ· ὅτι οὐ φρονεῖς τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
  (Ho de strapheis eipen tō Petrō: Hypage opisō mou, Satana; skandalon ei emou; hoti ou phroneis ta tou Theou, alla ta tōn anthrōpōn.)

• Tone: Stern and corrective, yet with spiritual discernment.
• Scripture:
  “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matthew 16:23, KJV)
  • Jesus' tone is sharp and discerning. He directly addresses the influence of Satan, rather than Peter as a person, with a tone that asserts divine priorities over human reasoning.

• Key Analysis:

  1. Ὕπαγε (Hypage):
     • Same as in Matthew 4:10, an imperative for "Go away" or "Get behind."
  2. ὀπίσω μου (Opisō mou):
     • Meaning "behind me," signifying subordination and dismissal of influence.

• Tone and Message:

  • The stern and corrective tone emphasizes Jesus’ spiritual discernment and reaffirms divine priorities.

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Message and Power Resonated

1. Message: Jesus’ tone consistently conveys His dominion over evil. It emphasizes:

   • Faith in the Word of God: His confrontations are often framed by Scripture.
   • Authority from God: His commands leave no room for negotiation.
   • Judgment on Evil: Demons recognize and fear His power.

2. Power:

   • His words resonate with divine authority, immediately compelling obedience.
   • The spiritual realm recognizes His lordship, as seen in demons pleading for permission (Luke 8:31).
   • His rebukes demonstrate the might of God’s kingdom over Satan’s domain.

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Summary of Greek Modes

• Imperatives: Jesus uses imperatives (e.g., Hypage, Phimōthēti, Exelthe) to assert immediate authority, indicating a commanding tone.
• Tense and Voice: The aorist tense (e.g., Epetimēsen, Phimōthēti) reflects decisive, complete actions, while the passive voice (e.g., Phimōthēti) underscores divine power acting upon the spiritual realm.
• Contextual Confidence: The choice of words and sentence structure in the Greek conveys an unwavering tone that resonates with divine dominion.

This linguistic analysis further reinforces the message of Christ’s sovereignty over all powers of darkness. His commands, spoken with authority, leave no room for opposition, embodying the power of the Kingdom of God.