What is This?

Believing who Jesus is

Last week the call of Christ, at the beginning of his ministry in Mark, was “The time promised by God has come at last! The Kingdom of God has come near! Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus found 4 fishermen Simon, Andrew, James and John, to answer his call. In true repentance they dropped their lives and followed Christ. Leaving behind their lively hood, leaving their father with the family business, they left to find a new life following Christ. Not knowing what or who exactly they were following, their first taste was the scene we see in Mark today.

In the scene today the disciples, and us, see an evil spirit make a confession of who Jesus is. We see real authority rest in Jesus. The crowd recognizes it in his teaching, and the evil spirit also recognizes it.

What does this mean for us? What is this? What short of new teaching is this? It won’t be the first time people are left in awe of the authority of Jesus.

Matthew 28:18 NRSV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

In this text we see even the evil spirits believe who Jesus is, and they shudder. In repentance the disciples leave their lives behind and allow Jesus, the Holy one of God, to transform their lives into the new holy people of God.

What does this mean for us today? One Jesus has all authority, whatever evil we face it knows who Jesus is and it shudders. Two, repentance paired with believing begins God’s work of holiness in our lives. May God our Father, Jesus the Holy one of God, and the work of the Holy Spirit continue to remake us into his holy people.

Mark

Mark’s gospel is the gospel with the most exorcism stories. There are 4 exorcisms in Mark, they display Jesus authority over evil. That evil does not win. They reveal God’s grand plan for all of creation. To transform his good creation that has been distorted by evil.

The authority of Jesus over the evil spirit amazed the crowd, but so did his teaching.

After rounding up his first 4 disciples, 3 of which would form his inner circle, Jesus and his companions went to Capernaum, went into the synagogue and began to teach. Mark doesn’t give us the details of his message, just that the crowds were amazed at his teaching.

Mark 1:22 NRSV

22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

The Crowd

Throughout Christ ministry crowds are amazed at the authority and teaching of Jesus the Nazarene. In Luke we see it again when Jesus teaches at the Synagogue in Nazareth. Luke 4:16-22

Luke 4:16–22 NRSV

16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

As if his teaching wasn’t enough, Jesus amazes them with his authority over an evil spirit. Amazement gripped the audience and they began to discuss what had happened.

Mark 1:27 NRSV

27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

The Evil Spirit

The evil spirit recognizes who Jesus is, and is the first time in Jesus ministry his identity is proclaimed. This happens more than once in the gospel of Mark.

Mark 5:6–7 NRSV

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; 7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”

Twice in Mark evil spirits proclaim who Jesus is, they even allude to knowing Christ end game to destroy them. They know in the end they do not win and they shudder.

James 2:18–20 NRSV

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20 Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren?

Christ Authority

Jesus authority is the focal point of this passage. In his teaching, he teaches as someone with real authority. His teaching alone began the crowd to wrestle with who this teacher is.

In silencing the evil spirit Jesus displays, that not only does he have authority in his teaching, but he also has authority over evil spirits.

Over the course of Mark’s gospel Jesus the Nazarene will continue to amaze the crowds and his followers with his authority.

Mark 4:35–41 NRSV

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Jesus the holy one of God even displays authority over the creation. May we continue to be amazed in the pressance of Jesus the Nazarene.

Our Response

Jesus is the Holy one of God. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Even the evil spirits know this and they shudder. In the end whatever evil we are facing, it doesn’t win.

Repentance and belief in Christ overcomes the works of evil in our lives, and begins the work of God in our lives. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed and continue to be transformed to the new holy people of God. May the transforming power of Christ continue to overcome the evils we face in our lives.

As we reflect on the power of God displayed in Christ, lets stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene. May that transforming power continue to transform us until Christ returns.