Examining Sonya Massey’s Final Words: What Does ‘I Rebuke You in the Name of Jesus’ Actually Mean?

The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks alongside family members of Sonya Massey during a press conference at New Mount Pilgrim Church on July 30, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois. | Source: Scott Olson / Getty “Rebuke” (verb); to express sharp disapproval or criticism of something or someone because of their behavior or actions. When Sonya Massey stared down the barrel of a gun and the officer that used it to take her life, she declared, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” It was an authoritative cry against the injustice she, and unfortunately countless others, have faced. MORE: ‘Sonya Needed Compassion’: Ben Crump Responds To Newly Released 911 Calls In Sonya Massey Shooting On July 6, Massey called the police after suspecting a possible robber at her Springfield, Illinois home. The shooting reportedly stemmed from “a dispute” between Massey and Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, “over a pot of steaming water in the victim’s home.” From NBC News: According to an Illinois State Police summary of the shooting, deputies found a car at Massey’s home that appeared to have been broken into. After they knocked on her door, the deputies found her “distraught and not thinking clearly” and entered her...