Daily Thoughts from Mark: What Is This? (Mark 1:21-28)

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. (Mark 1:21-28, ESV)

The people were used to hearing the rabbis teach by quoting numerous past authorities, but Jesus spoke the meaning of the Scriptures without such references.  Teaching in the synagogue was something that occurred each Sabbath (Saturday) and when guest rabbis were available they were often prevailed upon to teach.  Capernaum was Jesus’ home base in Galilee and the home of Peter, Andrew, James and John.  The site of this particular synagogue can still be visited in Capernaum today.

The authority of Jesus’ teaching is backed up by his authority over unclean spirits or demons.  In the future they will be consigned to a special holding place of destruction, and when the demon recognized who Jesus was he thought that perhaps this time had come.  Instead Jesus cast him out of the man whom he was controlling and it resulted in convulsions as he came out.

First world cultures have largely come to believe that there are no such beings as demons.  Second and third world cultures have no doubts about their existence and often have developed strategies for avoiding them or escaping them.  They are real and Jesus demonstrated his authority over them.  Jesus has given his disciples this same authority (Luke 10:19).

The exorcism described here by Mark was the power of the kingdom present in the world in the person of the king, and it created a huge stir in Galilee.  People were eager to see Jesus.  God used this to spread Jesus’ influence.  There was a buzz about who Jesus was.  Jesus’ identity is a question everyone needs to answer.  It is the question Mark is challenging his readers with.

Do you see who Jesus is?  If so, are you following in his steps?