Ephesus, part 4 ‘I know’

Ephesus, part 4, from Acts 19 with a focus on verse 15

“One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” NIV

When Tim Keller speaks about ‘knowing God,’ this passage calls to my heart. In Tim’s analogy, one can know about honey, can read about it, can have another person share on how it tastes, but without experiencing it yourself, you can never ever know honey. One can know about honey by without tasting, bout one can’t know honey.

And the evil spirit that speaks here in Acts 19 knows, truly knows, Jesus. The Jewish exorcists don’t.

‘And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon [them] to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;’

14 and there were certain — seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest — who are doing this thing;

15 and the evil spirit, answering, said, `Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye — who are ye?’

16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house,

17 and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified, many also of those who did believe were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,

19 and many of those who had practised the curious arts, having brought the books together, were burning [them] before all; and they reckoned together the prices of them, and found [it] five myriads of silverlings;

20 so powerfully was the word of God increasing and prevailing.’

“five myriads of silverlings;” translates into 137 years. This is what the Ephesian people burn: the life they burn.

we can know about honey; about love; about a new job we are just beginning, but to know to really know God we have to experience Him as honey; as love; as He himself.

We can and we must know him. Know, and love. Love and know.