Actes 19:15

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

A devil’s estimate of character

I. Christ’s character is studied by evil spirits. “Jesus I know.”

1. Their attention would be excited by the prophecies respecting an illustrious One destined to put their forces to the rout.

2. They soon identified Christ as the predicted conqueror.

3. They knew Him by the reverses they suffered through His passion.

II. Virtue is respectable and vice despicable, even in hell. “Jesus I know,” etc.

III. Artifice cannot charm the devil out of humanity.

1. Satanic power yields only to Omnipotence.

2. Satan scorns exorcists, of whatever arts.

IV. God employs devils to humble the arrogance of wickedness. (J. A. Macdonald.)

A devil’s confession

The work of these vagabond Jews was apparently sheer imposture. Only God, or those commissioned by Him, could cast out devils; and it is quite evident that the sons of Sceva had no such commission. No doubt, by the use of some occult means, they had been successful in allaying some of the symptoms of demoniacal possession; but that their work was a comparative failure in their own estimation is shown by their desire to imitate the success of Paul. And while they were prosecuting their task, the devil was content to leave them alone, inasmuch as they were doing his work as the deluder of men. But as soon as they seriously attempted to do the real thing by the use of a name which on other lips was potent, and thus to make inroads on the devil’s kingdom, the devil felt it was time to interfere. Their folly lay in the supposition that they could cast out Satan by Satan, and that he would allow them to do so. The devil, on whom the experiment was made, confessed--

I. Acknowledgment of Christ. “Jesus I acknowledge.” The word implies the knowledge which produces emotion. What this was it is easy to say.

1. Fear. This was produced--

(1) By what he knew of Christ in the past eternity, when He beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

(2) By what he felt of Christ’s power in his lifetime, as come to destroy the works of the devil.

(3) By what he anticipated at His hands when the final judgment should arrive (Jaques 2:19).

2. Reverence and subjection (Matthieu 8:29; Marc 1:24; Marc 5:7; Luc 6:41; Luc 8:28). He knew too well the might of that terrible name not to respect it, and not to feel that he was impotent against its spell.

II. Acquaintance with Paul. “Paul I am acquainted with.” He had full reason to be.

1. Paul was once possessed with a devil himself, and did the devil’s work well. And past experience of the efforts of so valuable a servant led Satan to strive to enslave him again (2 Corinthiens 12:7 was written soon after this, and may refer to his Ephesian experience).

2. Paul was the devil’s most powerful and victorious opponent. It was his success that led to the change of tactics on the part of Satan’s own emissaries.

III. Contempt for them. “Who are ye?” This has now passed into a current phrase for expressing the utmost scorn. “Who are you?” is sufficient to cover a man with confusion. “Who are ye that ye should dare to work without our authority and against our dominion, and purely for your own ends.” This estimate of hell and its own devotees is not without significance. Conclusion: In view of all this--

1. Let the Christian--

(1) Be encouraged. The devil acknowledges Christ, who is more than equal to Satan’s efforts in heathenism, worldliness, infidelity, dee.

(2) Be on his guard. The devil is acquainted with him, knows his worth, and will entangle him again in his toils if he can.

(3) Be tranquil. Satan’s servants may appear very grand and powerful; but what does their own master think of them?

2. Let the impostor learn--

(1) The folly of imposture. It can deceive neither God nor the devil.

(2) The limits of imposture. It may proceed just as far as the devil will permit.

(3) The punishment of imposture. Contempt and punishment at the devil’s own hands. (J. W. Burn.)