Authority over All

Announcements

Knitting night! November 15th. Joyce Allen

Review

What were the four parables we went through last week?

Parable of the Sower

Parable of the Lamp Under a Basket

Parable of the Seed Growing

Parable of the Mustard Seed

What are the four types of soil in the Parable of the Sower, and what happens to the seed on each soil?

1- Path- Birds-Satan

2-Rocky Ground-less soil-no depth-Tribulation burns

3-Thorns-choked-cares of the world

4-good soil-good produce-30x 60x 100x

Introduction

The last story we looked at last week showed something amazing about Jesus.

What did it show that Jesus has power over?

Jesus has power over nature

That is the first of three stories that Mark uses to show how Jesus has authority over all things.

Who is supposed to have authority over everything?

God!

Mark, through Jesus’ calming of the storm and through this next chapter, is trying to show us that Jesus has authority over everything, and is the Son of God!

With that in mind, let’s turn to Chapter 5.

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

It’s easy to overlook everything in this passage and only focus on one thing: demon possession. Questions about exorcisms or “can a Christian be possessed” readily come to mind. But I don’t think either of those thoughts are the point of this story.

It’s night time. The storm is over, and Jesus and the disciples are on the eastern part of the sea of Galilee. A gentile part close to the Decapolis or “10 cities.”

The minute they arrive, immediately the demonized man comes out screaming. A little context is given as to how he got there.

Mark 5:3–6 ESV

3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.

Why try to bind this man? He has superhuman strength! He lives in the shelter made for the dead and hurts himself.

Verse 6 is important. Some translations translate that he “worshiped Jesus.” This isn’t the case, but he is seeing Jesus’ authority over him.

Name Game

The main thrust of this passage is the name game. In ancient cultures, it was said that saying someone’s name would give you power or control over them. The demonized man is naming Jesus, loudly, to assert control over him.

Mark 5:7 ESV

7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”

He seeks to control Jesus so he won’t be tormented.

But Jesus turns the tables on him doesn’t he? He doesn’t need to buy into this superstition, but to show He is in control he asks the demon’s name and commands him to leave.

Mark 5:8–13 ESV

8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

Why Pigs?

It’s hard to say. Remember, these are gentiles here. Pigs are a-ok to raise and eat. But it seems commentators believe that it was to show the the demons had been removed from the man, and that their intention was to harm and kill him just as they easily did with the pigs.

Proclaim

The man seeks to go with Jesus, but Jesus didn’t permit him to come.

Mark 5:17–20 ESV

17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

In Mark 1:44 Jesus doesn’t want the man he healed of leprosy to tell anyone:

Mark 1:44 ESV

44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

What is different here that Jesus wants the demonized man to tell?

This is a gentile place, not a Jewish one. The authorities are not here. He wants his gospel preached to the gentiles, and wants to show them that He has authority even over demons.

Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus’ Daughter

Here’s another sandwich:

Jesus travels back to the other side now. He really likes boats.

Jairus meets Jesus-A

A “ruler of the synagogue” was kind of like a caretaker of the synagogue, not a teacher. He was one who oversaw the facility, administration, needs, and care for the place. This is who meets Jesus, falls at His feet (not his teacher’s feet!), and wants him to heal his daughter.

Jesus heals a Woman-B

The crowd is back. A woman who has been sick for twelve years (same time as Jairus’ daughter’s age) and suffered much because of her illness continued to grow worse.

Mark gives more detail here than Luke in Luke 8.

That’s because Peter witnessed this.

She touches Jesus’ cloak. It was said that to touch the garments of a healer would heal you back in the day. Another kind of superstition, similar to having authority over someone by saying their name.

Jesus heals her because of her faith, not because she touches Jesus’ cloak.

This is the only place in the gospels Jesus calls someone “daughter.”

Jesus Heals Jairus’ Daughter-A

More bread in the sandwich.

Jesus and Jairus arrive to see his daughter is dead. The professional grievers are there, so it’s been a while.

Jesus causes a stir. He asks the girl to arise!

Jesus has authority over the body to heal, and life itself.

So the question I want to ask is: if Jesus is over all of these things: nature, demons, health and life itself how does he have authority over you? over us?