Start Spreading the News

Authority has fallen on challenging times in America. Respect for authority figures is at an all-time low. A December 2022 Gallup poll indicated that only 62% of Americans highly respected medical doctors. Teachers, police, judges, clergy, and lawyers ranked lower at 53%, 50%, 39%, 34%, and 21% respectively. Journalists checked in at 23% and members of Congress at 9% (below car salespeople). We do not respect people who tell us what to do. All this freedom from authority is not making us happy.

Remember the security we had in childhood when authorities like our parents or respected elders took us somewhere? We were not haunted by worries or anxieties in travel or life like we often feel today as adults, as we must rely on ourselves.

With Jesus in charge, we are still under that sort of loving authority, and so under his charge and the child-like peace of mind that comes with it, the anxieties and doubts that arise when you are on your own begin to wither away.

In this passage, we witness Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and the people are amazed at his teaching, for he speaks with authority and not like the scribes.

And how did the scribes teach? They were scholars, and they taught as scholars have always taught. They took a particular text and discussed and shared their opinions and insights about what it might mean. Then, they got up and went home to reflect upon their discussion.

Jesus, on the other hand, was not restricted by such niceties. He shared not what he thought the text was saying but what he knew. There was no “maybe this” or “what about that” in what Jesus had to say. Jesus taught not with the latest pedagogical style or technique but with the confident observations and pronouncements of one who has not just read about but lived the lesson under consideration.

Authority can mean the right to do something, the power to do something or both. Although Jesus’ teaching was undoubtedly powerful, his right to speak is emphasized by the contrast between his teaching and that of the scribes. They taught with sophistication, but Jesus taught with authority. They cited their sources with footnotes after every sentence. Jesus interprets the scripture as one with the right to say what it means. Furthermore, his teaching does not need external support, whether from scripture or elsewhere; his words are self-authenticating, unlike the scribes.

But then, a man possessed by an unclean spirit enters the synagogue and cries 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!" The man's words reveal that the unclean spirit recognizes Jesus' authority and power over evil.

Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit and commands it to come out of the man, and the people are once again amazed at his authority. This miraculous event is a testimony to Jesus' authority over all things, including the powers of darkness.

This demon pretends to have power over Jesus by claiming that it knows Jesus' name since knowing another's name gives one access to control over them.

However, the opposite will be the case. The demons recognize Jesus' identity in Mark, while humans cannot. Here, the demon calls Jesus "The Holy One of God." These evil creatures participate in the spiritual world, so they are privy to knowledge denied by humans.

Jesus silences the demonic being and orders it out of this man's life.

When a demon has controlled a human life, its departure tears at the very core of one's body. So, the man is convulsed, and the demon cries out as it leaves this human soul.

Christ's authority extends beyond this world and into that other realm of the forces of evil. Equally important, notice how Jesus uses his authority in this story. His authority frees a human life from bondage to the demon's powers. Jesus' authority liberates.

The final part of the reading details the response of the witnesses to this exorcism. In verse 22, the people were "astonished" at Jesus' teaching; now, in verse 27, they are "amazed" at his act of exorcism. The second word is the verb often used in describing the response of witnesses to a wondrous deed -- the evidence of God's power at work.

First, they can only wonder at the authority greater than that of the scribes; now, they marvel at the presence of an authority that commands demons. They can only ask what in the world this is and make guesses: "A new teaching -- with authority?" Then they run out to tell others what they have experienced, and this wandering Galilean prophet becomes known throughout the land.

Authority needs always to be embodied, or else some vague sort of power is difficult to discern. God's authority is embodied in the prophets; the authority of God's love becomes embodied in Paul's attitude toward the weaker sister and brother. However, Jesus represents the full embodiment of divine authority.

This is not an authority schemed up by humans to try to protect themselves from one another. This is not an authority that seeks to imprison and oppress humans. This is God's authority to liberate us from all that prevents us from becoming complete and mature children in the divine family, including other so-called authorities. This authority does not rule by threat or brute force, but, as Paul so keenly detected, by love and compassion.

As disciples, we must understand that following God means recognizing and submitting to his authority. Jesus' authority over the unclean spirit demonstrates God's sovereignty over all things, including the powers of darkness. When we submit to God's authority, we open ourselves up to his grace and blessings.

However, submitting to God's authority is not always easy. We live in a world that often tells us to put ourselves first, to seek our own comfort and pleasure, and to ignore the needs of others. We are bombarded with messages that promote self-reliance and self-determination, which can lead us away from God's will for our lives.

Following God means recognizing that he is in control and that we need his help to achieve anything worthwhile. His authority over our lives is not intended to be oppressive or burdensome but rather liberating and life-giving. When we submit to his authority, we open ourselves up to his grace and blessings, and we can experience true freedom and joy. God's authority over our lives is not meant to be oppressive or burdensome but rather liberating and life-giving.

As followers of Christ, we are called to be like this early group of believers and start spreading the news about the authority of Jesus Christ and the power of God. We are to share the good news with others and encourage them to submit to God's authority in their own lives.

Let us live our lives in a way that honors God and reflects his love and grace to others. May we always remember that following God means recognizing his authority, and may we always be willing to submit to it.

Amen.