Luke 9:1-6 NIV:
[1] "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, [2] and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. [3] He told them: “Take nothing for the journey---no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. [4] Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. [5] If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” [6] So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere."
I love the first sentence - "he gave them power (dunamis) and authority (exousia) to drive out all demons and to cure diseases."
Dunamis:
1. strength power, ability
a. inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth
b. power for performing miracles
c. moral power and excellence of soul
d. the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
e. power and resources arising from numbers
f. power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts
Exousia:
1. power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases
a. leave or permission
2. physical and mental power
a. the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises
3. the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege)
4. the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed)
When I look at the definitions of those two Greek words, I can't help but notice that there is not much room to misunderstand them, they really mean power and authority, the strength and right or authority to do something. In this case the power and authority was being directed at two things which were against the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Apparently in the Kingdom of God, sickness and disease and demonic forces do not have power to affect people's lives, and that is part of the proclamation, and then demonstration of the Good News.
The original Greek does not say "drive out demons" but rather power and authority over demons individually and collectively. I think the language used in the NIV reflects the fact that this is what Jesus did when He confronted demonic entities, He drove them out of the affected person. Finally, they were also given the power and authority to heal or cure sickness and diseases. The Greek word for healing used here is therapeuo:
1. to serve, do service (as in serving God, being a servant of God)
2. to heal, cure, restore to health
The word for demons is the Greek word daimonion:
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
Thus, when reading these verses, we should understand that this is not a misinterpretation, nor something that was optional. Jesus specifically addressed them and gave them the ability to do what He did, He passed to them both the power and authority to proclaim the Good News and then demonstrate the same. This power and authority to serve God and act as His representative is supposed to be coupled with the proclamation.
Jesus didn't come just to tell us what the Father is like, but also to show us through demonstration, what He is like! The Father is so good, and wants us to be able to live in freedom from sickness and disease, as well as from inferior spiritual forces. He desires us to live in alignment with His will, and that is for our good and salvation. He demonstrates, first through Jesus and then through the Apostles and disciples His ability to set us free from both types of oppression.
So, today I am encouraged to believe in and learn to exercise these things (power and authority) that Jesus gave us.
Amen
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