Do Demons Believe in Jesus According to Scripture
The concept that demons believe in Jesus is rooted in several New Testament passages. In James 2:19, it is written, "You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder" [2]. This verse directly states that demons have a form of belief, though it is accompanied by fear rather than faith or devotion.
The Gospels also record instances where demons acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. In Luke 4:41, it is noted that "Demons also came out of many, crying out, and saying, 'You are the Christ, the Son of God!' Rebuking them, he didn't allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ" [3]. Similarly, in Mark 5:7, a demon-possessed man cries out, "What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God?" [8]. These passages indicate that demons recognize Jesus' identity and authority.
The nature of the demons' belief is a subject of theological interpretation. According to Aquinas, the demons' faith is not a virtue but rather an intellectual assent to truths they fear [4]. In his Summa Theologica, Aquinas argues that the demons' will is directed towards evil, and their belief is not accompanied by a desire to follow God's will. This understanding is echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers, such as Augustine, who notes that the demons "feared His power to punish, and did not love His righteousness" [6].
The recognition of Jesus by demons is not limited to the Gospels. In the book of Acts, it is recorded that Jewish exorcists attempted to use Jesus' name to cast out demons, indicating that demons acknowledged the power associated with His name [1]. This is further supported by the writings of Origen, who observes that demons "even at the present time show that they either fear the name of Jesus as that of a being of superior power, or reverentially accept Him as their legal ruler" [5].
The understanding of demons' belief in Jesus has been interpreted in various ways across Christian traditions. While some view it as a form of coerced or reluctant acknowledgment, others see it as a demonstration of the supernatural knowledge possessed by demons. John of Damascus, an Eastern Orthodox theologian, notes that demons have knowledge of the Scriptures and can make predictions, though their understanding is often mixed with falsehoods [7].
The biblical account of demons' belief in Jesus raises questions about the nature of faith and the character of demons. According to James 2:19, the demons' belief is not salvific, as it is not accompanied by a change of heart or behavior [2]. Instead, it is a recognition of God's power and Jesus' authority, which inspires fear rather than devotion.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Demon — In the Gospels generally, in (James 2:19) and in Reve 16:14 The demons are spoken of as spiritual beings, at enmity with God, and having power to afflict man not only with disease, but, as is marked by the frequent epithet "un-clean," with spiritual pollution also. They "believe" the power of God "and tremble," (James 2:19) they recognized the Lord as the Son of God, (Matthew 8:29; Luke 4:41) and acknowledged the power of his name, used in exorcism. In the place of the name of Jehovah, by his appointed messengers, (Acts 19:15) and looked forward in terror to t”
- James “You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. -- James 2:19”
- Luke “Demons also came out of many, crying out, and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Rebuking them, he didn’t allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. -- Luke 4:41”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Those Who Have Faith, Art. 2: Article: Whether in the demons there is faith? I answer that, As stated above (Question [1], Article [4]; Question [2], Article [1]), the believer's intellect assents to that which he believes, not because he sees it either in itself, or by resolving it to first self-evident principles, but because his will commands his intellect to assent. Now, that the will moves the intellect to assent, may be due to two causes. First, through the will being directed to the good, and in this way, ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XXXVI. (part 2): of honour, not only to those men who were well disposed, but to demons also, and other unseen powers, 479 which even at the present time show that they either fear the name of Jesus as that of a being of superior power, or reverentially accept Him as their legal ruler.[1] For if the commendation had not been given Him by God, the demons would not have withdrawn from those whom they had assailed, in obedience to the mere mention of His name.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 21.--TO WHAT EXTENT THE LORD WAS PLEASED TO MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO THE DEMONS.: The devils themselves knew this manifestation of God so well, that they said to the Lord though clothed with the infirmity of flesh, "What have we to do with Thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us before the time?"(1) From these words, it is clear that they had great knowledge, and no charity. They feared His power to punish, and did not love His righteousness. He made known to them so much as He pleased, and He was pleased to make kno”
- CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 19: God reveals the future to the angels and commands them to prophesy, and so what they say comes to pass. But the demons also make predictions, sometimes because they see what is happening at a distance, and sometimes merely making guesses: hence much that they say is false and they should not be believed, even although they do often, in the way we have said, tell what is true. Besides they know the Scriptures. All wickedness, then, and all impure passions are the work of their mind. But while the liberty to attack man has ”
- Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 5:7: And cried with a loud voice,.... The man possessed with the devil; or the devil in him, making use of his voice, expressing great fear, dread, and horror, at the appearance of Christ in these parts: and said, what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? The devils in the man, own the being of a God, and his supreme government over all, under the title of the Most High. The word here used, answers to the Hebrew word, "Elion", a name of God known to the ancient Canaanites: hence Melchizedek, a Canaanitish king, is called the priest of the most high ”