Recognizing Authority (Mark 1:21-35)
Notes
Transcript
Who’s the Boss?
Who’s the Boss?
Tony was a retired Major League baseball player who ended up being the housekeeper…. Samantha was Tony’s daughter who he just wanted to raise away from the busy-ness of NYC. Angela was the “advertising executive” who just needed some help around the house. Samantha and Jonathan were the kids…. and Mona was the spunky mother who lived “next door.”
The constant shenanigans made for a load of laughs…. as Angela constantly tried to convince everyone that she was really the one in charge…
Throughout the show, the viewers come to understand that although Angela is the “one in charge,” ….. her authority is not really recognized by the characters. She strives to be the boss…. holding to a list of rules and control. Tony, on the other hand, does not depend on his position to influence others but just lives life and serves with a big heart…. as people interact with Tony, they recognize his authority as a leader… and naturally come to him… listen to him… and follow him.
The name of the series, as well as the interaction of the characters, constantly provokes the audience to answer one question.
Who’s the Boss?!
Today, as we pick up where we left off last week in chapter 1 of the Gospel of Mark we are going to see that while many people in life may try to convince you that they are in charge…. there is only one is truly able to be recognized as our ultimate authority.
So far in this study, we have witnessed Jesus’ baptism… and a voice from heaven proclaiming “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased”. After this divine proclamation, Jesus is driven by the Spirit into the wilderness to endure 40 days of satanic temptations. After his wilderness temptations…. Jesus is in Galilee proclaiming the good news of God. He passes by the sea where he has just called Simon, Andrew, James, and John to follow him… to be his disciples.
As you open your copies of God’s Word this morning and find your place in chapter 1 of the Gospel of Mark, I’d like to remind you that
the Gospel of Mark highlights the activity of Christ… there are so many things that Jesus did that are highlighted in the book. You could call this the Gospel of Action! Each and every action recorded, was done so to help the reader understand that Jesus…. truly is the Son of God!
We are going to be looking at verses 21- 34. As we walk through the text, keep in mind that verses 21-38 all take place within one 24-hour period of time. Imagine… all of what we will talk about today and much of what you’ll hear about next week all happened as just 1 day in the life of Jesus….
Throughout the gospel accounts, the Scribes and Pharisees (and other rulers) work hard at convincing people that they are the authorities… they are the one’s in charge… they are the one’s in the know!!!
Today, Mark is going to point us to the reality that Jesus, the Son of God, is our Ultimate Authority!
On one of Jesus’ first days of ministry… entering Capernaum… he holds no press conference, no campaign rally. He simply enters town… and before long… people start to notice. It is not long before people begin to cry out for Jesus…. spreading the word about all He is doing! As soon as Jesus speaks and acts… those who encounter him cannot help but recognize that something is different about this him.
He did not call out…. “hey everyone… come look at me!” “Hey everyone.. come see what i can do!” NO…. all He did was live, act, and speak…. and all those who encountered Jesus could not help but recognize Him… and the authority that radiated from Him.
In our text today, Jesus’ authority will be recognized by three different groups.
In this first section we will see Jesus’ authority recognized by the people.
I. Authority recognized by people (21-22)
With four freshly called disciples in tow, they enter Capernaum together. This is Simon, Andrew, James, and John’s first day on the job as disciples…. (let’s pick up the narrative in verse 21…)
Mark 1:21–22 (ESV)
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.
In verse 21, we are told that it is the Sabbath and Jesus and his disciples are entering the synagogue where Jesus began teaching.
To us that might sound kind of odd. You are guests in Capernaum… what makes it okay for Jesus to just come in and start teaching? It actually was not that unusual…. it was pretty normal, actually.
In that region there were probably close to 450 synagogues. According to the Law, the Jews were to plant a Synagogue for every 10 families who were followers of God. So, each Synagogue had at least 10 families represented and they had a priest who oversaw them. There were no sacrifices in the Synagogue… so this person wasn’t really a priest. They were called the ruler or the minister of the Synagogue.
The Synagogue was designed to be a teaching tool in the community. Children were taught there… Adults were taught there as they worshipped on the Sabbath. The pulpit or teaching chair was open to anyone who wanted to teach. If you had been studying the Torah… and you felt like you had something from the Word to share…. then you could just show up at the Synagogue and say, “I’d like to teach today”. It was completely a layman’s institution… no professional on the payroll… no reservations needed.
This is one reason why when we look at the life of Christ… and later Paul, we see them going to teach in the Synagogues. That was the culturally appropriate teaching point to talk to and reach the people… and Jesus took full advantage of it!
So, Jesus is in the Synagogue teaching… but something is different. Look at the people’s response.
And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
Let’s unpack what is happening here. What are the people doing? They are recognizing Jesus’ authority. But.. how is that happening? Mark only gives us this one statement. (This is when it is helpful to read all of the gospels together)
Another, very similar event happened in Nazareth which Luke records in Luke 4:16-30. (Turn over to Luke 4 and keep your finger there.)
In Luke’s account, which happens (chronologically) after the event Mark is describing, Luke tells us that when Jesus came into the Synagogue that day, he read from the scroll of Isaiah.
Let’s imagine that here in Mark 1, Jesus is following the same pattern…. reading from Isaiah.
He was given the floor to speak. He stood… would have been handed the scroll of Isaiah from the minister of the Synagogue… unrolled the scroll… and then He would have read.
According to Jewish custom, 1-3 verses would have been read and then someone else would have interpreted it. Remember… the Old Testament texts were written in Hebrew and the common language of the day was Greek. So, the text would have been read in Hebrew and then translated into Greek. I wonder if Jesus, having been trained in Hebrew and Greek as a boy might have just spoken the translation Himself.
Let’s picture Jesus standing in the Synagogue… all who came to the Synagogue that day to receive teaching are waiting to hear what this visitor has to say. This is what he reads…
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
Imagine! Jesus, reading from the Prophet Isaiah…. talking about…. Himself!!!
Others had read the text countless times… but they had all read the text, speaking about someone else who would come. But imagine how Jesus must have delivered the reading that day…. unrolling the scroll… reading Isaiah 61:1… speaking about Himself!
No wonder Mark tells us in 1:22 that “they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority…”
I know what you are probably thinking… and asking right now.
The text says that they were astonished at his teaching….. but from what I just told you… at this point it seems like all Jesus has done is read the text. Why was what Jesus did considered so authoritative?
Let me explain a bit.
The Synagogue sermon process went like this.
Someone would read from Scripture… then someone else (usually) would interpret Hebrew into Greek.
Then, the one who read the scripture… who was the teacher for the day would then sit down and give a sermon.
There were two types of sermons that would be given. The more popular among the Jews was called a Maamar (exposition of scripture). When the Scribe or the teacher preached this kind of sermon, they would alway say “It has been said,”… and would then quote some other Scribe or wise teacher. These teachers would always point to some other tradition or authority to make their point.
Why did people immediately recognize Jesus’ authority when they saw him or heard him speak? Because when Jesus preached… He did not quote a Scribe, some tradition, or another teacher.
He quoted Himself!
If we look to Luke’s explanation of Jesus’ sermon, once he read from Isaiah 61 he would have sat down and preached a brief sermon. Luke 4:21 records for us that sermon.
Luke 4:21 (ESV)
…, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
In other words..... all that I just read to you… is talking about me! I am the One!
Jesus did not quote a Scribe… he did not point people to a tradition… He simply quoted Himself.
If you pay attention to Jesus’ teaching in the NT, have you noticed that he often taught in this way?
Jesus is recorded saying… “you have heard it said… but I say to you!” Or… “truly, truly, I say unto you…”
Jesus does not ever point people to any other human teacher or authority…. He is the authority! He is the Christ…. God in the flesh… the God Man.
Why were the people astonished at Jesus’ teaching? What made his teaching different than the scribes?
The Scribes and the Pharisees were grasping for power… yet always deferred to the authority of someone else.
When Jesus spoke… he spoke in a way that pointed people to the ultimate authority….. Himself!
Wow! Here is a man who actually teaches with authority! … and not as the scribes.
Anytime a public announcement like that is made… there is bound to be some pushback… domino’s will start to fall…. Let’s continue reading to see what happens next.
In the first section we saw Jesus’ authority recognized by the people. In this second section, we see Jesus’ authority being recognized by the demons.
II. Authority recognized by demons (23-28)
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!”
Jesus has just proclaimed that “I am the One who Isaiah prophesied about”! The people respond…. Wow! This is someone we should listen to…. He teaches with real authority! — As soon as the people recognize Jesus’ authority… there is a demonic challenge.
When Jesus becomes the authority in your life…. often there is an immediate challenge from Satan… attempting to persuade you to rethink your decision… and revoke your allegiance. (don’t believe a lie…… prepare for battle)
The text tells us that immediately a man with the unclean spirit spoke up in the synagogue.
Mark 1:23–24(ESV)
… 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.”
Christ has just been recognized as the authority by the people…. and immediately we have this demon challenging Jesus’ authority.
The demon isn’t just stating a fact about Jesus… he is actually trying to assert authority over Jesus and control Christ.
It was pretty widely believed (among the pagans) that if you knew a god’s name… or the region over which they had authority… that you could control them… or obligate them.
What do we see the demon doing here?
Using Jesus’ name…. his “origin”… and the realm over which he has authority….. Everything! He is the Holy One of God!
How does Jesus respond?….. Actually….before we look a how Jesus responds to this demon….
Don’t miss the reality this detail in the text. Present in the Synagogue was a man who was possessed by a demon… and no one knew it! How long had he been there? Did he just spawn? Or…. could he have been there all along…. and his demonic possession had just gone unnoticed?
He was worshipping… he was singing… he was reading… he was hearing the Scriptures read and taught… Who knows…. He could have even preached a sermon… He went unnoticed until Christ arrived.
However long he had been there…. we have a man who was a member of the Synagogue but not a member of God’s Kingdom. (Let that sink in.) — It is possible for you to sit here today as a member of this church… and not be a member of God’s family. it is possible for you to sit here today and sing… “I believe… or Hymn of Heaven… or Heaven changes everything!!!”…. but have a reservation waiting for you in hell.” (Davey)
So, how does Jesus respond to this demon’s challenge to His authority?
Belief in demons and demon possessions was pretty common. Ancient cemeteries have been found and when the remains were excavated they found holes drilled into the skulls of many of people. These holes were bored into the person’s skull when they were alive. It was a practice where people believed that boring a small hole in someone’s skull (while they were still alive) would enable the demons trapped in side a way of escape.
The practice of exorcism would have been somewhat common in Christ’s day. The “exorcists” who were called would often recite some kind of incantation or special ritual that would drive the demons out of the bodies of the people.
In Jesus’ day, the Talmud instructed the Scribes how to exorcize demons. They were to take a knife made of iron, tie it to a thorn bush by a braid of hair from the person who was supposedly possessed, and to do that three days in a row while saying some kind of formula. Then, on the third day, they were to go back and say some special formula that would drive the demon from the person’s body.
Now that existed in the time of Christ.
However, Christ does not come along and say, “Hey, who has the knife? Let’s cut a piece of hair off the person’s head.”
No. How does Jesus respond? There was no incantation, no formula, no tradition, no symbol…. He responds with a compound word and says in Mark 1:25 that literally means “Be muzzled and get out.” —-
Notice what happens in verses 26-27.
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.”
What authority!!!
The demon is no match for the authority of Christ. The demon can’t not obey. The people watch. Not only is Jesus’ authority in teaching recognized by the people… but His authority over the Spirit World is recognized by the demons… and they obey Him!
After witnessing all of this…. we aren’t surprised by what Mark tells us next.
And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
This is one power packed day! It’s not over yet! Jesus’ authority has been recognized by the people… by the demons… and now
Mark shows us that Jesus’ authority is also recognized by sickness…
III. Authority recognized by sickness (29-34)
Mark does not waste any time moving us onto the next event.. He tells us that immediately
Mark 1:29–34 (ESV)
… he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Simon’s Mother-in-law is sick. Luke 4:38 tells us that she had a high fever. Remember this is still one of the first days of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law. She is healed of sickness and the first thing she does is serve. What a great example for us to follow. This woman was delivered from the clutches of death… and when healed… given new life… the first thing on her mind is to serve the One who healed her. —- That should be us too! <—
Word spreads about what Jesus is doing…. and he spends the evening healing all those who are brought to him. Liberating all those who are oppressed by demons…. and just like the demon in the man from the Synagogue, Jesus muzzles and removes all of the demons with a word.
Application:
This event does not end with verse 34… it continues on throughout the rest of chapter 1.
You’ll have to come next week to hear more about Jesus’ heart… during this super busy campaign of healing and teaching… Jesus takes time for himself to pray… and then shares his heart for fulfilling the mission that God the Father had given Him throughout the region.
So far in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus has been busy. He has been a man of action! That is what Mark seems to highlight throughout his gospel… the activities of Jesus… the Son of God!
Jesus’ authority was clearly recognized by anyone who met him or heard him teach.
Jesus’ authority demanded that sickness submit to Him….
Jesus’ authority demanded that demons submit to Him….
As you continue in your study… you will see that Jesus’ authority demanded that even death itself submit to Him…
As we talk about Jesus’ authority… let’s not forget where that authority comes from.
The authority Christ wielded while on earth was directly delegated by the Father.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
Jesus Christ… God the Son… understood that his authority was rooted in the fact that it was delegated… from God the Father… to God the Son.
Later… towards the end of His earthly ministry… Jesus would make another statement about delegated authority…
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
In verses 18-20, Jesus tells us that He has delegated all authority to us…. in order for us to accomplish His Great Commission.
As we yield, as Christ, to the will of the Father, He then delegates to us the necessary authority to live our lives in an effective way.
Remember the demon possessed man in verse 23? Let’s take his question for Jesus and flip the perspective…
Let’s not ask… “Jesus, what do you have to do with us?”…. the question each of us should be asking is this:
“Jesus, what am I to do with you?”
When we recognize the truth that Jesus, the Son of God, is the ultimate authority…. how are we to respond?
As Mark writes, He challenges us to answer this question…. What are you to do with Jesus?
Believe in Him!
Recognize Jesus as the ultimate authority in your life. Submit to Him as your Lord, Master, Creator, and King!
In the end, it doesn’t really matter what you think and what others think about you…. what matters is to whom you belong.
Who’s the Boss?
Is Jesus the true authority in your life? Or, are you sitting in church today… singing praises to the Lord… while maintaining your reservation in hell? — Don’t be like the demon possessed man in the Synagogue… pretending to be part of the body… but not surrendered to Jesus as Lord.
Coming to Him and be healed!
Jesus turned no one away. All those who came to Him… trusting in who He was… and His authority… were healed.
Coming to Jesus means recognizing who He is… and fully surrendering to Him… and His authority.
Serving Him!
An evidence of new life is action…. service.
Those of you who have recieved new life… what are you doing with it?
Simon’s mother in law immediately got up and began to serve.
God the Father has delegated all authority to Christ…. and Christ has delegated part of that authority to each person who has responded in faith to Christ… and has submitted to Him as Lord… so that we can be part of seeing His Great Commission accomplished in the world!
When the people you are around every day interact with you…. do they immediately see the evidence of new life in you?