36 – Demoniac Healed in the Synagogue; Mark 1:21-28, Luke 4:31-37
Mark 1:21 They *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. 22 They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, “What [a]business do we have with each other, Jesus [b]of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee.
Luke 4:31 And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; 32 and they were amazed at His teaching, for His [a]message was with authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man [b]possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Let us alone! [c]What business do we have with each other, Jesus [d]of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. 36 And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is [e]this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” 37 And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district.
Footnotes (Mark)
Footnotes (Luke)
- Luke 4:32 Lit word
- Luke 4:33 Lit having a spirit
- Luke 4:34 Lit What to us and to you (a Heb idiom)
- Luke 4:34 Lit the Nazarene
- Luke 4:36 Or this word, that with authority…come out?
Commentary
These two passages are very similar, so we can follow concept-by-concept through them both at once. Last week, we already looked at Capernaum and why Jesus was there. Specifically, in this passage, he was inside the synagogue of Capernaum. “Archaeological excavations have uncovered ruins of a synagogue built on the site of the city’s synagogue of Jesus’s time. One block away is the foundation of an early church that excavators are convinced was built on the site of Peter’s house (Matt. 8:14; Mark 1:29; Luke 4:38), the place where Jesus often stayed while in Capernaum” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1780).
He was apparently welcomed into the synagogue to teach on the first Sabbath after His arrival. Rabbis of the day were different than today, in that they did not hold a position at a church, but were learned itinerants who traveled and taught in various places, earning their living at another profession and/or relying on the hospitality of the towns where they taught. Anyone who wanted to learn from them or study under them on a deeper level would have to travel with them, or “follow after them” and would likewise be the recipient of hospitality when the rabbi stopped to teach. Jesus was just such a teacher, which is how He gained such quick access to the synagogue (https://www.biblescholars.org/2013/05/study-shows-jesus-as-rabbi.html).
When He begins to speak, the congregation is ‘amazed’, the connotation of which is to be stricken with panic (https://biblehub.com/lexicon/mark/1-22.htm). So what’s the difference between the way the scribes taught and the way Jesus taught ‘with authority’? “The distinction in His manner was that He ignored the normal procedure of the scribes, who consistently quoted or made reference to the Old Testament and the ancient rabbis. Jesus taught authoritatively since His word was final!” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1238-1239). At the time, the teachers in the synagogue would endlessly quote ancient rabbis, particularly messages which contradicted one another, so they could present a point/counterpoint to the congregation. They did not necessarily draw conclusions, but just presented various quotes, which the people had almost certainly heard before (https://vimeo.com/210671441). The sermon I linked here is especially good, and it conveys a compelling depiction of why Jesus was so different, why His authority and power were so astounding, and why His methods of teaching and exorcism were so different from what the people were used to.
The next event in the scene is that a man possessed by a demon begins to interrupt Jesus’s teaching. The sermon linked above also covers the topic of demons in general and their origin and activity on the earth. He also goes over a comparison of terms used to describe demons, so we can draw the conclusion that the phrase “unclean spirits” does refer to demons. “The term ‘unclean’ (Gr. akathartos) bore special connotations to the Jewish mind. The Old Testament frequently distinguished between what was lawful and unlawful, accepted and rejected, and therefore may mean ungodly” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1239).
This is the first of many recorded instances in the New Testament in which demons are cast out of humans, and often the first question that comes to mind is whether demon possession is a real thing or a mystified explanation of clinical illness. The characteristics of demon possession in the New Testament vary widely and have been suspected to represent a variety of conditions, such as epilepsy, multiple personality disorder, drug-induced psychosis, PTSD, deafness, and clairvoyance. The Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible offers an explanation that allows for either conclusion. “It is known… that the vital forces of the human personality function within… the mind, and that there is always a significant emotional or psychic element in most diseases, and not least in idiopathic mental afflictions. If such states are to be seen in terms of the evil, destructive powers found in the subconscious mind gaining the ascendancy over the positive forces for good in the human personality, it is possible to think of all mental disorders as being to some limited extent at least the result of temporary possession of the human mind by demonic influences, a situation which could conceivably become permanent” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 2 pg. 100).
However, the idea, reasonable as the argument may seem, that all demon possession is in fact misdiagnosed medical affliction, does not sufficiently explain how this human person in the synagogue at Capernaum, if he indeed had a condition such as multiple personality disorder, “and his convulsive interlude during the healing… resulted from the discharging of long repressed emotion in the subconscious mind” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 2 pg. 101), how he recognizes Jesus as the Son of God or why Jesus speaks to the spirit as a separate, sentient entity. Jesus and His disciples go on to heal many other ailments during their ministry and do not speak to the ailment as if it were another being, so why would Jesus speak, in this case, to a demon if he were just healing another type of ailment? Wouldn’t He just speak to the man, as He does in cases of blindness (Mark 10:46-52), leprosy (Luke 5:12-14), paralysis (Matt 9:1-8), and deformity (Matt 12:9-13)? No, I think Jesus’s interaction with the spirit, rather than the person in this case speaks to the reality of spiritual warfare and the ability of demonic forces to overtake human will.
Not only does this episode demonstrate to us the existence of malicious spirits, but it served to reinforce the congregation’s awe of Jesus’s authority and power. “Verses 14-15 named preaching as Jesus’s primary ministry, and in this context the occasion of healing happens immediately after Jesus’s authoritative lesson. At first the people responded negatively because His method seemed bizarre, but when they witnessed Him casting out demons, they accepted His teaching on the basis of His power” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1239). Furthermore, they began to share positive witness of Jesus’s teaching and healing ability throughout the region, and this paved the way for Him to attract and minister to larger and broader audiences.
See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/09/13/peters-mother-in-law-healed/
Scripture Reference
Mark 1:21
Matthew 4:13 Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Mark 1:20 Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.
Mark 1:29 As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.
Mark 1:33 and the whole town gathered at the door.
Mark 1:39 So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Mark 3:1 Once again Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there.
Mark 10:1 Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom.
Luke 4:23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.'”
Mark 1:22
Matthew 7:28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,
Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.
Mark 1:23
Mark 1:29 As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.
Mark 1:39 So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Mark 5:2 As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs.
Mark 1:24
Matthew 2:23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
Matthew 8:29 “What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
Mark 10:47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Mark 14:67 and saw him warming himself there. She looked at Peter and said, “You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.”
Mark 16:6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they laid Him.
Luke 1:35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
Luke 24:19 “What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people.
John 6:69 We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”
Acts 3:14 You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
Acts 24:5 We have found this man to be a nuisance, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
James 2:19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.
1 John 2:20 You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
Mark 1:25
Matthew 9:30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!”
Mark 1:26
Mark 9:26 After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.”
Mark 1:27
Matthew 8:9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.”
Mark 10:24 And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
Mark 10:32 As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him:
Mark 16:5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
Mark 16:6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they laid Him.
Acts 17:19 So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
Mark 1:28
Matthew 9:26 And the news about this spread throughout that region.
Matthew 9:31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.
Mark 1:29 As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.
Luke 4:31
Matthew 4:13 Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
Luke 4:23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.'”
Luke 4:32
Matthew 7:28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,
Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.
John 7:46 “Never has anyone spoken like this man!” the officers answered.
Luke 4:34
1 Kings 17:18 “O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”
Matthew 8:29 “What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
James 2:19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.
Luke 4:35
Matthew 8:26 “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.
Mark 4:39 Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.
Luke 4:23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.'”
Luke 4:39 and He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and began to serve them.
Luke 4:41 Demons also came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked the demons and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Christ.
Luke 8:24 The disciples went and woke Him saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm.
Luke 4:36
Matthew 9:33 And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
Luke 4:37
Matthew 9:26 And the news about this spread throughout that region.
Matthew 9:31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.
Luke 4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding region.
Commentary
Matt 8:14 When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever.
Mark 1:29 And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
Luke 4:38 Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her.
Commentary
Mark 10:46 Then they *came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” 50 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.
Luke 5:12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Matt 9:1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city. 2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Mat 12:9 Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him. 11 And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.
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