Jesus Teaches with Authority! (Mark 1:21-28)

This week we are studying from Mark 1. I will be preaching from this passage on January 28^th, 2018.

(Note: I am using the World English Bible (WEB) as my Bible translation. Primarily because it in the Public Domain and therefore, I am able to use it freely and make changes to it. When I do amend the text, I will note it as an Allen-Translation amendation. The WEB is a very literal, yet readable translation.)

In this week's lesson the Revised Common Lectionary calls us to study Mark 1:21-28.

This is the passage of Scripture in which Jesus is baptized, gathers His disciples, enters the synagogue (not Temple) in Capernaum, teaches with AUTHORITY, and heals.

Teaching Point: Legend and History imply the synagogue was created while Israel was in captivity. The development of the synagogue was basically, in our terms, a "Bible Study movement." Some believe the synagogue arose after the destruction of Solomon's Temple. In any event, the synagogue was created with three purposes:

• To be a House of Worship
• To be a House of Prayer
• To be a House of Study.

When studying Mark you have to think of it as the fast moving "Diehard" movie version of Luke and Matthew. Matthew and Luke spend a lot of time on detail... Mark is all action! In addition, Mark is considered by most scholars to be the oldest Gospel. It probably was a resource for Matthew and Luke when they wrote their versions.

Chapter One, is written to emphasize JESUS' AUTHORITY.

Mark 1 could be outlined as follows:

Jesus' authority as the prophesied Son of God from Isaiah. (Verses 1-3)

1 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ² As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you. (Quote from Malachi 3:1)  ³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’” (Quote from Isaiah 40:3)  

John recognizing Jesus' authority as part of the baptism (Verses 4-9)

⁴ John came baptizing (immersing) in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. ⁵ All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. ⁶ John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. ⁸ I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” ⁹ In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 

God confirming Jesus' authority after the Holy Spirit descends (Verses 10-11)

¹⁰ Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Spirit’s leading Jesus' emphasizes His authority in God (Verse 12)

¹² Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.

Satan recognizing Jesus' authority (Verse 13a)

¹³ He was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan.

Angel and Animals recognizing Jesus' authority (Verse 13b)

He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.

Jesus’ is seeking the recognition of His authority from the populace. (Verse 14-15)

¹⁴ Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

The disciples (and others) recognized Jesus’ authority. (Verses 16-20)

¹⁶ Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.” ¹⁸ Immediately they left their nets, and followed him. ¹⁹ Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. ²⁰ Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.

Again, the disciples (and perhaps other listeners) recognized Jesus’ authority (Verse 21-22)

²¹ They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. ²² They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

Teaching Point: A good cross reference for the above verses is found in Luke 2:42-48. This is where we find the Temple Teachers (and others) fascinated by the 12 year-old Jesus’ answers to their questions and by Jesus’ wisdom. We will think through this passage in tandem throughout the week.

The demon recognizes Jesus’ authority (Verses 23-26)

²³ Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, ²⁴ saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!” ²⁵ Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” ²⁶ The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.

Everyone was amazed at Jesus’ authority and questioned it (Verses 27-28)

²⁷ They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” ²⁸ The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.

Disease, in this case a fever, and Peter’s mother in law recognized Jesus’ authority (Verse 29-31)

²⁹ Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. ³¹ He came and took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.

Once again, demons and disease and those so plagued recognized the authority of Jesus (Verses 32-34)

³² At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were possessed by demons. ³³ All the city was gathered together at the door. ³⁴ He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Jesus recognizes the origin of His authority in prayer (Verse 35)

³⁵ Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.

Simon, those with Simon, EVERYONE, and more demons recognize the authority of Jesus (Verse 36-39)

³⁶ Simon and those who were with him followed after him; ³⁷ and they found him, and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.” ³⁸ He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.” ³⁹ He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

The leper and his leprosy recognized Jesus’ authority (Verse 40-45ab)

⁴⁰ A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” ⁴² When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. ⁴³ He strictly warned him, and immediately sent him out, ⁴⁴ and said to him, “See you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city…

People from everywhere recognize Jesus’ authority (Verse 45c)

…but was outside in desert places: and they came to him from everywhere.

Conclusion

We will study the importance of Jesus’ ‘authority’ throughout the week. Please stay tuned. I will be adding notes and thoughts throughout the week.