The boy was brought, and as the Saviour's eyes fell upon him, the evil spirit cast him to the ground in convulsions of agony. He lay wallowing and foaming, rending the air with unearthly shrieks. Again the Prince of life and the prince of the powers of darkness had met on the field of battle,--Christ in fulfillment of His mission to "preach deliverance to the captives, . . . to set at liberty them that are bruised" (Luke 4:18), Satan seeking to hold his victim under his control. Angels of light and the hosts of evil angels, unseen, were pressing near to behold the conflict. For a moment, Jesus permitted the evil spirit to display his power, that the beholders might comprehend the deliverance about to be wrought.

Drengen blev bragt derhen, og idet Frelserens blik faldt på ham, kastede den urene ånd ham til jorden i frygtelige krampetrækninger. Han lå og vred sig, medens han frådede og luften genlød af uhyggelige skrig. Igen havde livets fyrste og de mørke magters fyrste mødt hinanden på slagmarken, Kristus for at opfylde sin bestemmelse, at "udråbe for fanger, at de skal få frihed, ..... for at sætte fortrykte i frihed" (Luk. 4,18), og Satan for at forsøge at bevare magten over sit offer. Lysets engle og en hær af onde engle skyndte sig, usynlige, med at komme til stede for at overvære kampen. En kort stund tillod Jesus den onde ånd at udfolde sin magt, så de tilstedeværende kunne komme til at forstå, hvilken befrielse der nu ville ske.