I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not

Mar 5:7  And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 

Jesus and the disciples arrived into the country of the Gadarenes. There they met a man possessed with demons. He was sort of a mad man who lived in tombs and he would cry night and day and cutting himself with stones. He was also very strong and would break even the chains which the villagers used to bind him. Seeing Jesus he fell down at His feet and cried: “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not” (Mark 5:7).

What have I to do with thee – This statement means: “What is there to me and thee? What have we in common? What business have you with me? What do you want from me?”

Indeed, Jesus has no business in common with the devil. Jesus wants nothing from the devil except to cast him out forever. And, the devil likewise, wants nothing to do with Jesus. In fact, he is afraid of Jesus because he knows the power of Jesus to punish him in eternal hell fire. Therefore, he pleads: “Torment me not.””

Sadly, very few people living today want anything to do with Jesus. Politicians, governments, criminals, homosexuals, pro-abortionists, casinos owners, nightclubs owners, liars, adulterers, movie makers, and even some Christians; each and every one of them wants nothing to do with Jesus. They all ask the same question as the demons did: “What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God?”

Unlike the devil, and unlike those folks mentioned about, we have business with Jesus. Firstly, He loves us and died for us (Romans 5:8). Secondly, we have sinned and our eternal destination is in torment with the devil (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Thirdly, we need Jesus to escape the eternal damnation and have eternal life: “Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Fourthly, we are Christians. What have we to do with Jesus? Plenty!

What does Jesus want from us? He wants us to be saved (John 3:16). He wants us to have eternal life in heaven. He wants us to be faithful (Revelations 2:10). He wants us to serve Him (Luke 6:46). He wants us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).

But, some want eternal life but not Jesus. “Churches” are filled today with professed “believers” who want eternal life but not Jesus. Attending church service has become an entertainment and not worship. It has become a social gathering and nothing spiritual. Believers want to be free to live however they want; they don’t want Jesus to control their lives. One of the most ridiculous replies I came across from a denomination preacher to a member of his congregation regarding church attendance is this: “You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” You can’t get anything worse than that. What have they got to do with Jesus? NOTHING!

Yet, when they do not want anything to do with Jesus, they have the audacity to request Jesus: “Torment us not.” Unfortunately, those who do not want anything to do with Jesus will be in torment forever. All Christ-rejecters are in the same boat as the demons who await their damnation in Hell (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Revelation 20:11-15).

“What have I to do with thee, Jesus?” I’m going to remain faithful and be always found in worshipping and serving Him all the days of my life. That’s how we ought to do with Jesus. We need to speak like faithful Joshua: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh 24:15b).

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.