Mark 1:21-28
In Mark Chapter 1 don’t see Jesus lying in a manger. We see a different perspective of Jesus. We see a thirty-year-old man. We see Jesus with authority so striking that people can only stare in amazement.
Definition of authority is the power or the right to command. Jesus’ authority lies not in his credentials or earned degrees. He did not hold prestigious positions. Rather Jesus authority lies in who he is the divine Son of God.
This passage set at the synagogue in Capernaum shows Jesus has not only the power to command as a teacher, but Jesus has the power to command an evil spirit that can do nothing but acknowledge his Lordship and authority.
They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (Mark 1:21-22)
You can find many references in the Gospels to Jesus as a teacher. He is the master teacher. The title Rabbi means teacher.
Jesus walked into the synagogue in Capernaum. The synagogue service consisted of prayers, blessing, reading of scripture and a sermon. There were opportunities for various ones to teach. When Jesus taught there was a striking difference to the norm. It says he taught as one who had authority. Not as the scribes and the teachers of the law.
How did the scribes teach? Were they unsure of themselves? No. The scribes taught with self confidence. They were dogmatic and intolerant. Their authority came from other teachers.
The scribes would quote their Rabbi for authority. It was a sort of name-dropping technique. They would use prestigious names of their famous teachers to establish their authority. They might say of Isaiah 61:1 according to Rabi Hillel this passage was originally given to give comfort to exiles. Rabi Shemiel says this means you must take comfort in your situation.
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1)
The scribes were like the preacher who told his congregation that he learned early not to use name dropping to make a point credible, and then adds that Billy Graham told him that early in his ministry.
Jesus did not quote big name people. He said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21) Jesus was endorsed by God. His interpretation of the passage was unique. His authority came from divine insight.
He was different from the scribes. Jesus taught with his own God given authority. The religious leaders were surely just standing amazed with their mouth gapped open of how Jesus taught. If that was not enough to astound the Capernaum synagogue that had known nothing but hypocritical empty religion, then what came next would rock their world.
Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" 25"Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. (Mark 1:23-24)
Jesus had authority over the spiritual order. In the midst of Jesus teaching in the synagogue service something happened. A demon possessed man made an outburst. Here comes another demonstration of Jesus authority. The evil spirit cried out, what do you want with me Jesus, have you come to destroy us?
Just when everyone in the synagogue was shocked at how Jesus taught a demon cried out and said to Jesus that we know you are the Holy One of God. This was a dramatic demonstration of Jesus authority. And Jesus demonstrated his power over spiritual darkness that kept them captive.
Satan and his demons are the spiritual forces of darkness. They have a kingdom of evil. But Jesus has come to establish God’s kingdom on earth. When God’s kingdom advances, Satan and demons must retreat. They are doomed to ultimate defeat because Jesus is certain for ultimate victory.
We are still involved in spiritual warfare. You don’t need to study demons and learn all about them to know this. You need to abide in Christ who has spiritual authority of demons.
Because Satan and his demons still exist, we must preach Christ and Him crucified. We proclaim the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. Where the cause of Christ advances spiritual forces of evil must retreat. When you are involved in making disciples of all nations you are on the cutting edge of spiritual warfare.
You need to know Christ more and make him known. When you are advancing the kingdom of Christ then the kingdom of darkness must retreat. Jesus is the authority and Jesus overcame the demon. The demon feared Jesus. “Have you come to destroy us?”
Jesus cast out the demon. This represents Jesus’ authority (the power or right to command) over the kingdom of darkness. The power of Christ has put an end for us to need to fear demons. Demons are powerful, but Jesus Christ is all powerful. The people were amazed!
What Jesus said was literally, put a muzzle on it evil spirit. The demon had no choice but to leave the man. Jesus had spiritual authority over the demon. He has authority over the demonic realm that holds so many in fear. You have to put this in the context of empty religion that is outward only to understand why the people were so amazed. Nothing like this had ever happened in their lifetime. They recognized God given authority when they saw it and they were amazed.
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1:27-28)
Can you just imagine the congregation at the sleepy little Capernaum synagogue expecting another Sabbath of scribes quoting what the big-name rabbis think about interpretation of scripture. Instead, they were face to face with the living Christ. They had news to tell that spread like wildfire.
This authority figure before them was the long-awaited Messiah. This was the one to whom all the prophets spoke of and longed for. The new order has arrived. The one with authority is here.
No wonder the people were amazed. They just met Jesus. They were face to face with God’s Son. They just met the awaited messiah. They met someone with authority. It is no surprise that news spread quickly of Jesus over the whole region of Galilee.
Jesus has the authority to save. When people stood in amazement at the Capernaum Synagogue did, they believe in Jesus? No
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depth. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. (Matthew 11:23)
Jesus renounced the city in which so many miracles had been done. Why? Because they did not repent. (Mark 1:33-34)
The people of Capernaum spread the news, but they did not believe. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He has the authority to forgive sins. He died the just for the unjust to bring us to God. He paid it all. We believe in him to have eternal live.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
You may be amazed at Jesus and his authority, but you need more. You must believe in Jesus, the Son of God who came to save us from our sins.
