This section of the Gospel records three instances of ministry in Capernaum. These were Jesus' teaching and healing in the synagogue, His healing of Peter's mother-in-law, and His healing of many others. These events further demonstrated Jesus' authority. They all occurred on one day. Mark implied that this was a typical day of ministry for Jesus.
1:21 Capernaum became Jesus' base of ministry in Galilee (cf. Luke 4:16-31). It stood on the Sea of Galilee's northwest shore and was the hub of the most populous district in Galilee. Archaeologists have done extensive restoration work there. They have reconstructed a synagogue that stood here in the third and fourth centuries.
The synagogues came into existence during the Babylonian exile. The word originally described a group of people, but it later became associated with the building in which the people met. The word "church"has experienced a similar evolution. Customarily the leaders of a local synagogue would invite recognized visiting teachers to speak to the congregation. Mark referred to Jesus' teaching ministry frequently, but he did not record much of what Jesus taught. Jesus' actions were of more interest to him. This seems to reflect the active disposition of Peter who influenced Mark's writing and perhaps the active character of the Romans for whom Mark wrote.
"What Jesus saysdiscloses his understanding of himself and his purposes. What Jesus doesreveals primarily the extent and nature of his authority from God. Both what Jesus does and says determine his values and the dynamics of his relations with other characters. They also show Jesus' integrity in living up to his values and commitments."44
1:22 Mark used a strong Greek word to describe the reaction of Jesus' hearers, though he did not record what Jesus taught. The word is exeplessontomeaning that Jesus' words astounded or overwhelmed the people. It was His great authority that impressed them. He was, of course, not a mere scribe (teacher of the law) but a prophet, even the greatest prophet ever to appear. Jesus proclaimed revelation directly from God rather than just interpreting the former revelations that God had given to others and reiterating the traditional rabbinic interpretations of the law.
"They [the scribes] habitually established their views by long learned quotations from other rabbis. At best, they could only claim an authority derived from their understanding of the law. Their teaching was generally pedantic and dull, occupied with minute distinctions concerning Levitical regulations and petty legalistic requirements."45
"Fundamentally . . . Mark presents Jesus' conflict with the religious authorities as one of authority: Does Jesus or does he not discharge his ministry as one authorized by God? As this conflict unfolds, it becomes progressively more intense, until it finally ends in Jesus' death."46
"The narrator paints the authorities in a consistently negative light from their first mention as legal experts who teach without authority. The narrator builds their characterization on their opposition to Jesus. What the authorities say involves primarily questions which imply accusations or aim at trapping Jesus. As for what they do, they primarily work at plotting the destruction of Jesus. Neither Jesus nor the narrator says anything favorable about them. And the narrator's inside views on their thoughts and feelings regularly distance the reader from the authorities. Apart from attributing a few favorable attitudes to Herod and Pilate, the narrator depicts the authorities as thoroughly untrustworthy characters."47
1:23 An outburst from a man in the congregation interrupted the service. He was under the influence of a demonic spirit. The Jews spoke of demonic spirits as evil or unclean spirits. Mark used the terms "demon"and "unclean spirit"interchangeably. This is his first reference to demonic influence on human beings.48The man cried out with a strong emotional shriek (Gr. anekraxen).
1:24 The man cried out, but it was really the demon speaking through him. This is clear because Jesus replied to the demon (v. 25). The words "what do we have to do with you"represent a Hebrew idiom that introduces conflict (cf. 5:7; Josh. 22:24; Judg. 11:12; 2 Sam. 16:10; 19:22). Today we might express the same thought by saying, "Why are you meddling with us?"
The demon recognized Jesus, and it knew about His mission. It was common for the Jews to identify a person by his place of origin (cf. 10:47; 14:67; 16:6). In Jesus' case this was Nazareth. We could just as accurately translate the words rendered "Have you come to destroy us"as a statement of fact: "You have come to destroy us."In either case the demon expressed dread. Clearly this demon recognized Jesus as its judge. This showed Jesus' great authority.
By calling Jesus the Holy One of God the demon testified to His empowerment by the Holy Spirit, the enemy of all unclean spirits. This title also probably implies belief in Jesus' deity. The title "Holy One"was a popular designation of God in the Old Testament. Isaiah called God the Holy One about 30 times (Isa. 1:4; 5:19, 24; et al.).
1:25-26 Jesus did not need a magical formula to exorcize this demon. He simply ordered it to be quiet and to leave the man. Jesus probably commanded the demon to "be muzzled"(Gr. phimotheti) because He desired to maintain control as He revealed His identity.
"At his trial we discover why Jesus hides his identity. Upon openly declaring who he is, the authorities condemn him to death for blasphemy. The dilemma for Jesus is this: how can he inaugurate God's rule, yet evade the efforts of the authorities to trap him? Many aspects of the secrecy motif are related to this problem."49
The malignant nature of the demon is evident in its treatment of the man.
Jesus' authority over demons showed that He had power as God's Servant to destroy the devil and his agents. Mark continued to stress Jesus' continuing conflict with demonic forces and power over them in his Gospel. This emphasis would have given his original suffering readers encouragement that Jesus' power could overcome any enemy that might assail them.
1:27-28 The people's reaction to this exorcism was an important part of Mark's narrative. The witnesses expressed alarm as well as amazement at this unique demonstration of authority by word and by deed.50
"One surprise following close on another provoked wondering inquiry as to the whole phenomenon."51
The result of this miracle was that people all over that part of Galilee heard about Jesus.
"Despite the fact that the crowd reacts to Jesus' teaching and healing with amazement, or astonishment, this is an expression not of understanding but of incomprehension.
". . . the crowd in Mark's story is at once well disposed' toward Jesus and without faith' in him. In being well disposed toward Jesus, the crowd stands in contrast to its leaders, the religious authorities. In being without faith in Jesus, the crowd stands in contrast to the disciples."52
This incident highlights the authority of Jesus that the worshippers in Capernaum first observed in His teaching and then witnessed in His exorcism. The people should have concluded that only a great prophet of the Lord could possess such authority. Jesus did not reveal who He was completely on this occasion, but He did give these practicing Jews enough revelation about Himself so they should have accepted it and asked for more.
This incident, which happened immediately after the previous one, displays a different aspect of Jesus' authority, His power over physical sickness.
The account is full of detail that must have come to Mark through Peter who had a special interest in this healing. Evidently Andrew and Simon shared this house with Simon's mother-in-law and perhaps other family members. Jesus' power resulted in instantaneous and complete recovery.
This little pericope shows that the former two healings were not isolated cases. Jesus' power benefited many people who came to Peter's house after sundown ended the Sabbath and enabled the Jews to travel farther to obtain His help (cf. Exod. 20:10; Mark 3:1-5).
"The two-step progression is the most pervasive stylistic feature in the gospel. It occurs in phrases, sentences, pairs of sentences, and the structure of episodes. It is a key to understanding many lines and episodes. A simple example is, When it was evening, after the sun set. . . .' The time reference, When it was evening,' is repeated in after the sun set.' However, this is no mere repetition, for the second part adds precision and clarifies the first part. Both parts comprise a two-step progressive description. The first part is important, yet the emphasis often lies on the second step which usually contains the more significant element. In this example, the second step refers to the setting sun, which denoted precisely the end of the Sabbath when people were again permitted to travel and could therefore seek out Jesus for healing."53
"Jesus forces healing on no one. He does not seek people out to heal but heals only those who come to him. He initiates a healing only when he takes responsibility for healing on the Sabbath. And Jesus heals freely, with no strings attached to those healings. He does not demand that people believe he is the anointed one (none do) or even believe in the Jewish God. He does not require a person to be morally good . . . . Jesus does not expect to gain personally from healing, for he never asks anyone he heals to follow him. Usually he orders them, often harshly, to keep quiet or go home. They proclaim or follow on their own, and Jesus does not consider either action a condition for healing."54
Probably Jesus did not permit the demons to identify Him because this would have encouraged the people to think of Him as most of the Jews then thought of the Messiah. He wanted to avoid this stereotype as much as He could because it did not represent the type of Messiah He was. Notice the clear distinction between demon influence and mere physical illness (cf. 6:13).
This section of the Gospel (1:21-34) shows Jesus doing miracles to identify Himself as God's Servant and to authenticate His message (v. 15).
