The Authority of Jesus: An Exposition of Mark 1:21-28
From the moment Jesus entered into the synagogue, it was apparent that things were different. As He began to teach them, they became increasingly aware that Jesus was no ordinary Rabbi. We wished we could know what Jesus taught that morning. All we can surmise is that it centered upon Jesus’ message to repent and believe the good news. What made his teaching so different? Was it because it was a Bible-centered message? Although it certainly was grounded in Scripture, the synagogues held the Scripture in the highest regard. It is the very words of God. The Scribes who had to painstakingly copy the Scripture by hand knew every line of it. They took care that not a single tittle was omitted or changed. They acted as a sort of encyclopedia to the Pharisees and Rabbis who taught the people. They were the authority on Scripture.
So here comes Jesus on the scene. How much they might have heard of Him is hard to surmise. Reports may have come back from the people who had witnessed Jesus’ baptism. There may have been other reports as well. We just don’t know. But the synagogues were democratic in the sense that any male Jew of age could stand up and request to both read and comment upon the Scripture. At any rate, Jesus got up to teach, and things were never more the same.
Jesus had come on the scene. He held no degree in Rabbinics. He had not been to seminary. There is no indication that he had sat at the feet of a great Rabbi like Gamaliel who had taught Paul. He came with no letters of recommendation or ordination certificate from Jerusalem. These are the conventional ways that authority is granted. This is true in the church today as well. He just appeared and taught. His authority came from His teaching itself, and the people noticed how superior it was to the weekly instruction from the Scribes.
The people of Capernaum were not the only ones to notice the authority of Jesus’ teaching. It was also said of Jesus after the Sermon on the Mount as well. He used in that sermon of the same teaching techniques as the great Rabbi’s. It wasn’t how he taught. It wasn’t His great skill of oration. It was who He is and what He taught.
It is important to know that this authoritative teaching was recognized in the synagogue that morning before the service was interrupted by the cry of a man who had an unclean Spirit. The teaching of Jesus was always first. Signs and wonders followed to confirm the words of Jesus by demonstrations of power. We tend to get this wrong and chase after miracles and healings rather than to hear the Lord speak to us and teach us. Most of us think that the miracles would grant authority to the teaching. If we do some great thing, people will listen. Not so with Jesus. The teaching comes first.
We do not know how long the man with the unclean spirit had been there before he acted out. Was he a regular worshiper at the synagogue who never felt threatened by the teaching of the Rabbis? However, the demon could not sit still through the message. He too recognized the authority of Jesus. Satan and his demons had been cast out of heaven after the great rebellion against God. As God, the Son, they had memory of the authority and power God had exercised over them. The demon recognized him. This was the same Son who had cast them out of heaven and had come down to earth. Satan and the demons were and are terrified by the person of the Son. Satan was not omniscient, and neither are his minions. But they knew that they were going to be judged and destroyed in the end. Satan had already had a hand in trying to derail the mission of Jesus in the Temptation but could not. One could only think that the demon did not mean well by identifying Jesus and more than Satan in the wilderness did by telling Jesus: Since you are the Son of God….” As Mark does not mention the temptation in the wilderness by Satan, the same thought is brought out here.
So why did the demon blow his human cover and cry out? How was He trying to derail the mission of the Son? Was it to get the people to look upon the works of Jesus instead of His teaching? This would seem to be one of the motivations. Another motivation would be that He could no longer stand to hear the words of Jesus and blurted out. Another motivation is found in the power of naming someone. Using names is an attempt to exert influence over a person, for good or ill. Sometimes flattery is used along side this attempt to influence. The demon was far ahead of the curve as far as knowing who Jesus is. The people were amazed at Jesus’ teaching but the demon knew who he was.
The first petition made by the demon was that he/they wanted to be left alone. Demons are parasites in a way. They wanted to inhabit humans or at least animals. The thought of being cast out was terrifying to them. They were also terrified of being destroyed. They want nothing to do with the person of Jesus, the Son of God. Then the demon went on to confess Jesus as being “The Holy One of God.” We remember that in the end, every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as LORD. Even the devils will have to acknowledge this Lordship, which is the worst of judgments. They will confess Him entirely against their will.
It is important to notice that Jesus did not allow His enemies to confess Him at this point and silenced them. He does receive confession from the faithful, although it would be some time before Pater and others came to the realization that Jesus was more than a great teacher and wonder worker. Jesus called the demon to silence and to leave the man. It a final act of disobedience, the demon cried out one more time and tore the man in some way. But the demon left, and the man was made whole.
The people in the synagogue had already been awestruck by Jesus’ teaching. Now they had become utterly amazed at Jesus’ authority over demons as well. Notice carefully what they said. They said “What new teaching is this.” Then they noticed that even the demons had to obey Him. They got the order right, and we would do well to do likewise. Then the people went out and spread the fame of Jesus through all the region of Galilee. They did not yet fully understand what had happened, but they were excited. Matthew mentions in another place that his fame went far beyond Galilee, to the entire province of Syria. This would be in a sense a mixed blessing. Some would come to hear Jesus’ teaching, but others would come for healing and to have devils cast out. It is quite alright to seek God for healing. We will soon come to a leper who asked for this compassion. Jesus obliged but instantly turned on the man. He forbad the man to tell anyone just like he commanded the demon to silence. “Go show yourself to the priest!” The trouble with this man was he could not see beyond physical leprosy to the leprosy of the soul. He was only interested in physical healing. This is perhaps why Jesus so curtly dismissed the man.
Jesus did not regard human fame in that He would not let it affect His mission which was not to become the popular conception the people had of a Messiah. His mission at this point was not to overthrow Rome and set up an earthly Jewish kingdom. His time to rule over all the nations openly with a rod of iron will come. But He had come to do the most unpopular of things, to die on an accursed cross for the sin of mankind. The time would come that Jesus would be held in infamy by the same Jews that came to hear His teaching with such amazement. On Sunday they cheered Him, but on Friday they jeered Him and demanded His crucifixion.
So, what does all this mean for us today? For one thing, we who are preachers and teachers should closely examine our preaching. Are we preaching with authority or like the Scribes and Pharisees? It is simply not enough to be knowledgeable of the words of Scripture. Don’t get me wrong here. Knowledge of Scripture is a must. Jesus knew the Scripture also. He taught his disciples to interpret the Scripture as well. We are to study to show ourselves approved to God and to be able to rightly divide the Word of Truth. But our message must show more than that we are an authority of the content of Scripture and that we can exegete Scripture. Are we preaching it as it truly is, the God-breathed Word of God or the writings of “inspired” men who had interesting thoughts about God? We must look at the example of Jesus. He was under authority as well as being an authority. Even though He is God the Son, He submitted His mission to the will of the Father. Instead of healing and casting out devils in His own power, He did these things by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We can go so wrong in handling authority and power. It is said that “power corrupts.” The more power and authority one has the greater temptation to abuse in even a greater capacity. Jesus sets the example of the proper use of authority. It has not been given by men but by God. The Father approved of the Son and commissioned Him at His baptism. The Spirit filled Him. We, in turn, have been commissioned by Jesus in our mission and filled with the Holy Spirit. We have to submit to authority if we are to use authority properly. Let it be said of us that we preach with divine authority and not like the scribes.
We also must realize that preaching and teaching are the primary vehicles of communicating God’s truth to us. There is too much emphasis today upon works. There are those who say “preach the gospel, if necessary use words.” My friends, preaching is necessary. The God who spoke creation into existence also uses preaching to make the one who believes upon Jesus a new creation. Then there are those “miracle revivals” and those whose entire ministry is based upon divine healing. One must be very cautious here. Many have been defrauded by these ministers. There is a place for works and even spectacular ones. But these must follow the preaching of the gospel. So, let us put first things first. If our preaching and teaching is authoritative and is led by the Holy Spirit, the works which confirm the preaching will follow.
