Satan, Devil and Demons

Satan, Devil and Demons

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James 2:19: "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils {Grk, daimonia, 'demons', R.S.V.} also believe, and tremble."
Problem:: This passage is quoted by J.W.'s to prove the existence of demons¹ - as emissaries of Satan.
Solution:

This passage appears to be an allusion by James to the demons cast out by Christ and the disciples. (Mark 3:11; Luke 4:34, 41).
The context of this passage in James indicates a concern for the relationship between faith and works. (vs. 14-18). The demoniacs or demon possessed persons had sufficient sanity to acknowledge "trembling", that Jesus was the Son of God, but this faith was not demonstrated in acceptable works. The Gadarene demoniacs were, for example, "exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way". (Matt. 8:28). Unless believers to whom James addressed his epistle, demonstrated their faith in appropriate works, their professions of faith were in effect no better than those of a demoniac.
There is no indication elsewhere in Scripture that demons literally believed and trembled. It was the individual "possessed with demons" who did the speaking. (See Mark 5:9 - "And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.") To be "possessed of demons" is equivalent to madness. (John 8:48; 10:20). Similarly, "demon possession" described infirmities of the body. (E.g. blindness - Matt. 12:22; epilepsy - Mark 9:17-22; dumbness - Matt. 9:32, 33).

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