I. Christ?s authority was demonstrated In His teaching (verse 22)
A. By His manner of teaching
1. Taught with authority not from tradition
a. Matthew 15:9 "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
b. Other teachers relied on esteemed men. They taught their traditions as authoritative. They placed their opinions above the Word of God.
c. Mark 7:9 "And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."
d. Mark 7:13 "Making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."
e. ?Ye have heard that it hath been said... But I say unto you,?
2. Taught substance not shadow
a. Other teachers taught form, ritual, and ceremony
b. Hebrews 10:1 "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."
c. John 8:56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad."
d. John 8:12 "Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
e. Charles Colson and several other Christian leaders once met with President Borja of Ecuador to discuss Prison Fellowship International’s ministry in Ecuadorian penitentiaries. They had no sooner been seated in luxurious leather chairs when the President interrupted the conversation with the story of his own imprisonment years before being elected to the presidency. He had been involved in the struggle for democracy in Ecuador. The military cracked down, and he was arrested. Without trial, they threw him into a cold dungeon with no light and no window. For three days, he endured the solitary fear and darkness that can drive a person mad. Just when the situation seemed unbearable, the huge steel door opened, and someone crept into the darkness. Borja heard the person working on something in the opposite corner. Then the figure crept out, closed the door, and disappeared. Minutes later the room suddenly blazed with light. Someone, perhaps taking his life into his hands, had connected electricity to the broken light fixture. "From that moment," explained President Borja, "my imprisonment had meaning because at least I could see."
f. Isaiah 9:2 "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
3. Taught genuine possession not empty profession
a. Other teachers professed to know and to follow God.
b. Titus 1:16 "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
c. Matthew 23:27-28 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
d. In contrast to the Pharisee?s example consider Christ?s example - John 8:29 "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."
e. Luke 6:46 "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
f. John 15:4-5 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
g. G. Campbell Morgan (in Giant Steps. Christianity Today, Vol. 40, no. 6.) ? The Church of God apart from the Person of Christ is a useless structure. However ornate it may be in its organization, however perfect in all its arrangements, however rich and increased with goods, if the Church is not revealing the Person, lifting Him to the height where all men can see Him, then the Church becomes an impertinence and a sham, a blasphemy and a fraud, and the sooner the world is rid of it, the better
B. Because His teaching was from the Father
1. John 12:50 "... whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak."
2. John 14:10 "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he does the works."
3. John 8:38 "I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father."
4. His words were authoritative, true, and eternal.
5. Mark 13:31 "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."
C. The people were astonished (verse 22)
1. Jesus? teachings were so forceful, direct, and personal that the people were stricken, stirred, and aroused.
2. John 7:46 "The officers answered, Never man spoke like this man."
II. Christ?s authority was demonstrated in His power over the demons (vv. 23-26)
A. Note where the demon possessed man was
1. Was in the Synagogue ? possible that he was a regular attendee ? he went unnoticed.
2. Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven."
3. Exodus 12:38 "And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle."
B. The demons revealed Jesus’ true identity (verse 24)
1. He affirmed Christ?s sinlessness.
a. The Holy One
b. 1 John 3:5 "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin."
c. Hebrews 4:15 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
d. Recoiled from Christ?s purity and enraged ? diametrically opposed to Christ.
2. He affirmed Christ?s deity.
a. Isaiah 30:15 "For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; in returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not."
b. Isaiah 43:15 "I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King."
C. The demons recognized Jesus had power over them (v. 24)
1. Demons know that the Messiah is their Destroyer
2. 1 John 3:8 "... For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."
3. Hebrews 2:14 "For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;"
D. The demons obeyed Jesus’ command (vv.25-26)
1. Christ commanded the Demon to shut up. He would not accept demonic testimony to His Messiahship.
a. Literally ? muzzle it!
b. It was a head acknowledgment not a heart commitment of the Lordship of Christ.
2. At His word, he came out. (verse 26)
a. Though reluctant to relinquish their hold on their prey, at the word of Christ demons can not resist but must obey Him.
b. Christ speaks and it is so. He says to the wind be still and it is calm. He says to the lamb walk and they rise and walk. He says to the blinded eyes see and immediately blindness flees. He says to the dead rise and from the grave they come forth. None can resist the power of His words.
c. Mark 1:27b "... For with authority commands he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him."
E. The people were utterly amazed. (Mark 1:27a)
1. The listeners of His words felt the authority of His words. As spectators of this miracle, they felt the authority of His works.
2. John 10:37-38 "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him."
