A New Teaching

I looked at today’s readings and didn’t feel I could properly talk about all of the different stories and do them justice so I am going to focus on the first story of Jesus in the synagogue.

“A New Teaching”

January 29, 2012

I’m going to give you a bit of a history lesson about Jewish rabbis and how laws and traditions were passed down.  It’ll become very clear why I’m doing this later in my sermon. For a long time the Mosaic law was passed down from rabbi to disciples who some of which would then become a rabbi and so on and so forth.  What would happen would be that rabbis would go out and find students and they would then teach them all the oral laws and traditions that they had learned from their rabbi when they were a student.  

by Pastor Brian Weinberger

I’m going to give you a bit of a history lesson about Jewish rabbis and how laws and traditions were passed down.  It’ll become very clear why I’m doing this later in my sermon. For a long time the Mosaic law was passed down from rabbi to disciples who some of which would then become a rabbi and so on and so forth.  What would happen would be that rabbis would go out and find students and they would then teach them all the oral laws and traditions that they had learned from their rabbi when they were a student.  

So for many decades and centuries this oral law was passed down from generation to generation from rabbi to student.  This oral tradition was the basic interpretation of the laws found in the first five books of the Old Testament. It did not attempt to make new laws or change the established law handed down by God, but they were interpretations and examples of how the law was handled when cases arose that were dealt with by the great leaders and teachers of the time.  This group of works was later put together after the time of Jesus to preserve them and is called the Mishnah.  A good thing to know is that the examples in the Mishnah and the earlier oral tradition that were given by these great rabbis were most likely similar to what we call Jesus’ parables.  They were ways of teaching the people and the students of these great rabbis so that they could have a very real example of how to handle that particular law or covenant that God made with them.  

A good thing to know is that the examples in the Mishnah and the earlier oral tradition that were given by these great rabbis were most likely similar to what we call Jesus’ parables.  They were ways of teaching the people and the students of these great rabbis so that they could have a very real example of how to handle that particular law or covenant that God made with them.  

I am trying to paint a picture for you of what the rabbis of Jesus’ time were doing and teaching on top of teaching the actual word of God and how they simply passed down those teachings by rote from one generation to the next.  It would be similar to the way that craftsman and artisans passed down their technique from what they learned from the person who taught it to them down to the person who would take over the trade once they were no longer able to do the trade anymore.  

It would be similar to the way that craftsman and artisans passed down their technique from what they learned from the person who taught it to them down to the person who would take over the trade once they were no longer able to do the trade anymore.  

Now we hear about Jesus teaching in the synagogue.  Jesus was most likely invited into the temple to teach as that is how different rabbis would be able to teach in the synagogue.  Now Mark doesn’t spend the time to tell us what it was that Jesus was saying when he was teaching at Capernaum, but what we do know is that the people in the synagogue are astounded because he is one teaching with authority and not as one of the scribes.  The reason that Mark says that is the reason I spent the time talking about rabbis just a moment ago.  The scribes were handed down all the information that they then taught in the synagogue and now Jesus is in the synagogue and he is one teaching with authority.  The whole idea of authority isn’t that he was teaching as someone who was respected per say or someone who was well known for his/her profession but the idea of authority is someone who was teaching them something new like we hear later in verse 27.  Jesus is not spouting the same words that any rabbi would say that they had learned from their rabbi before them, Jesus was saying something altogether new from what had been said before.  

The reason that Mark says that is the reason I spent the time talking about rabbis just a moment ago.  The scribes were handed down all the information that they then taught in the synagogue and now Jesus is in the synagogue and he is one teaching with authority.  The whole idea of authority isn’t that he was teaching as someone who was respected per say or someone who was well known for his/her profession but the idea of authority is someone who was teaching them something new like we hear later in verse 27.  Jesus is not spouting the same words that any rabbi would say that they had learned from their rabbi before them, Jesus was saying something altogether new from what had been said before.  

The idea of being astounded or amazed isn’t the best interpretation of the people’s reaction in the synagogue either.  We hear both in verse 22 and 27 that they were amazed and/or astounded but the Greek really indicates that they were in shock and almost in a bit of fear because this is something that had never been said before.  This is not what all the great rabbis had been teaching the people all these years. This is something completely new and they’re honestly not sure how they should deal with it.  

To further this amazement there is a person in the synagogue who was possessed by a demon and there is the potential that this person had been possessed for a long time.  The demon hears Jesus’ teaching and it quickly realizes that this rabbi isn’t simply spouting off the same old words that he had been taught, but that these words are something altogether different.  These words are so powerful that this demon reveals that it has possessed this man and appears to be fearful because whatever Jesus said caused this demon to recognize him as the Holy One of God. The demon also recognizes that since Jesus comes from God he is not going to simply allow this demon to stay in the man and so he asks what he is going to do with them. As we know from the text the demon is cast out with simple words.  The people in the synagogue are amazed once again and Jesus fame is spread throughout Galilee.  

As we know from the text the demon is cast out with simple words.  The people in the synagogue are amazed once again and Jesus fame is spread throughout Galilee.  

With but a phrase from Jesus’ mouth the demon is cast out from the man.  This reminds me and maybe it reminded the people there that day that the use of words is how God began to create the world.  And God said, “let there be light and there was light”. Just as God spoke the heavens and earth into existence so too with words Jesus casts out the evil demons that possessed this man.  

Here is a new teaching that Jesus brings to the people and to us this day.  A teaching that brings amazement and fear to both humans and demons. A word that not only casts out demons but also heals people.  We don’t hear anything about the man that was demon-possessed, but I don’t think it’s just about the casting out of the demon because those same words that Jesus spoke a word of healing to the demon-possessed man.  Before this man was walking around and going to synagogue and everyone probably thought he was fine but he wasn’t. When Jesus speaks his words of life to the people the demon can’t handle it, so not only does he show the power of his interpretation of the Torah to the people, but he also brings healing and wholeness to this man who was possessed by a demon for who knows how long.  

The new teaching of Jesus brings about a whole new life not only for the understanding of the scriptures and what they mean for those who hear it, but it also means healing to those who are not well.  We all know the power of words but look at the awesome power of Jesus’ words this day. This new teaching is a teaching that has great meaning for us too. A new teaching that gives us life and a new start.  Just as the man was given a fresh start that day with the words of Jesus we too are given a fresh start each day too. The words of Jesus have the ability to give us a new perspective on life, a new understanding of what the world means for us.  The teaching of Jesus doesn’t just shape the way we view the Old Testament but it gives us an insight into the very life and being of God. Through the teaching and casting out of this demon and the wonderful things that Jesus will do in the rest of his ministry we are given a very special gift of God opening God’s self up to us and once again speaking God’s very word to us here on this earth.  

Today’s gospel is such a wonderful story because today we know that God has a word for us each day.  A word that will amaze and astound us. A word that will give us healing and hope. A word that helps us to better understand God and the life that God wants for us and with us.  God is using God’s own son to help us understand the Word of God and to show us that life is about wholeness and an everlasting relationship with God. This is the astounding word that we hear again and again throughout the Gospels even if Mark doesn’t say it explicitly today.   I want to leave you with a few words from a great song by DC Talk called “Red Letters”. The red letters being the words that Jesus spoke.  

There is love in the red letters There is truth in the red letters There is hope for the hopeless Peace and forgiveness There is life in the red letters In the red letters. What a wonderful new teaching. Amen.

What a wonderful new teaching.

Amen.