Epiphany 4B / February 1, 2009

Mark 1:21-28
“Jesus taught as one who had authority”. The word that Mark uses for authority in the Greek is exousia, literally, “out of himself”.   His authority does not come from “how” He teaches.  Gesticulation may be entertaining, eloquence may be popular, sentimental stories may be evocative, but they won’t get anybody crucified.
Jesus’ words make things happen.  Mark relates the exorcism in order to illustrate the power of Jesus’ word.  Jesus’ power over the evil spirits, demonstrated in this exorcism, is not only an example of the authority of His teaching, but an illustration that even the demonic powers of this world know with whom they have to contend.  After the teaching & miracle, the congregation is overwhelmed in wonder for this is something new, that is, it is something beyond & greater than they had ever encountered in any other rabbi.  “And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this?  A new teaching!…”. It’s that kind of authority which also threatens that of the scribes, the so-called expert theologians, & intimidates the status quo of the Pharisees. Jesus is the Word of God who has entered a world in which the forces of evil are crippling, alienating, distorting, & destroying life.