Mark 1:21-28

Jesus Reveals His Authority In His Teaching And By Casting Out An Unclean Spirit (1:21-28).

Having revealed His authority by calling men to abandon everything and follow Him, He now reveals that authority in His teaching, as He tells men and women straightly what God requires of them, and by casting out an unclean Spirit which identifies Him as ‘the Holy One of God'.

Analysis.

a And they go into Capernaum, and immediately on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught (Mark 1:21).

b And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes (Mark 1:22).

c And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, “What have we to do with you, you Jesus of Nazareth? Are you come to destroy us? I know you who you are, the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:23).

d And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Hold your peace, and come out of him” (Mark 1:25).

c And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him (Mark 1:26).

b And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him (Mark 1:27).

a And the report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about” (Mark 1:28).

Note that in ‘a' Jesus teaches in the synagogue, and in the parallel His message continues to go out. In ‘b' the people are astonished at His teaching and His authority, and in the parallel they are similarly astonished. In ‘c' the unclean spirit reacts to Jesus, and in the parallel it has to obey Him. Centrally in ‘d' Jesus reveals His authority by commanding the unclean spirit to come out.