Mark 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 1:22-28 – Teaching in a Synagogue

Mark 1:22-28 – Teaching in a Synagogue

|| Luke 4:31-37

MK1:22 The people were astounded at his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, and not as the Bible Copyists.[1] MK1:23 Suddenly right there in their synagogue there was a man possessed by an unclean demon.[2] He screamed out: MK1:24 “What is there between us,[3] Jesus the Nazarene?[4] Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are[5] – the Saint of the God!”[6] MK1:25 But Jesus rebuked it,[7] saying: “Shut up! Come out of him!” MK1:26 Then causing the man to have convulsions the unclean demon came out of him with a loud shriek. MK1:27 Everyone was astonished, so they began to ask one another: “What does this mean? A new teaching?[8] One with such authority that even unclean demons obey his orders!” MK1:28 And at once the report about Jesus spread everywhere in the countryside around Galilee.

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[1] Bible Copyists: Or, scribes. These were men who devoted their lives to making precise copies of the Hebrew Bible. We see their fingers stained black from ink, and the older men with arthritic joints from such labors.

[2] Unclean demon: Or, impure spirit.

[3] What is there between us: See notes on John 2:4.

[4] Jesus the Nazarene: Note the designation used.

[5] I know who you are: Note both the “us” and the “I.” It is the view of some that these spirits [demons, or fallen angels] knew this person during his pre-existence.

[6] Saint of the God: Or, the Holy One of God. The demons use TOU THEOU [HO THEOS]. The language is understood by some to allude to Christ’s pre-existence.

[7] Rebuked it: Or, him. The Greek AUTO can permit “it.”

[8] A new teaching: Or, doctrine.

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Preceding

Mark 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 1:1-8 – The Beginning of the Good News

Mark 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 1:9-11 – An Approved Son Baptized

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:3-6 – John Preaches Baptism of Repentance

Mark 1 – Additional Bible Students notes on Mark 1:9-11 – An Approved Son Baptized

Mark 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 1:12-13 – Tempted by the Devil

Mark 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 1:14-15 – Kingdom Has Drawn Near

Mark 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 1:16-21 – Becoming Fishers of Men

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Related

1. Mighty Name of Jesus!
2. A Year of Listening to Jesus The Power of The Word
3. Morning Musing: Mark 1:28

By Whose authority did that Nazarene rebbe speak and did he such incredible things

“Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him.

“By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked.

“And who gave you this authority?”” (Mt 21:23 NIV)

In the previous chapters written by Matthew we came to see a Jesus who was in everything like other people around him, except for his goodness and certain miraculous things he could do. He was hungry and needed sleep like any other of us. He also wanted some quietness of some time for himself.

Many were amazed about the strange things that Jesus could do. Many wondered how it was possible that this man could do such special things. Some found it also strange that this man dared to pose certain questions  and speak against the people in charge of the temple, though he was not a priest.
He was making great changes in the affairs of the temple, and the priests claimed the right to know why this was done, contrary to their permission. He was not a priest; he had no civil or ecclesiastical authority as a Jew. It was sufficient authority indeed, that he came as a prophet, and worked miracles. But they professed not to be satisfied with that.

Never did Jesus claim to speak or act in his own name. He told the people around him that the doctrine he preached was not his doctrine, but the one of his heavenly Father, Who is the Only One True God. though at certain times this teacher dared to warn those around him that they had to listen to his words and should act on them because otherwise they would be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. (Matthew 7:26)

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” (Mt 7:26 NIV)

“But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”” (Lu 6:49 NIV)

Also today we can hear those words from Jesus, by the delivered stories of the gospel-writers. They clearly wrote down the words of Jesus so that people after them also could get to know them. By those writings we also can come to see what wonderful things Jesus not only said but also did.

The question the religious leaders asked was relevant both to the cleansing of the Temple (vv. 12-14;’are you doing’) and to his teaching in the Temple (’ while he was teaching’). The double form of the question is typically Jewish. {cf. Mr 12:14 13:4 Ac 4:7 } The two questions are certainly interrelated but not identical.

The first questions the quality of Jesus’ authority:

is it that of a scribe, or a prophet, or is it something else again?

The second question concerns the source of Jesus’ authority.

The authority to instruct on one’s own account could only be given to a rabbi by the laying on of hands (SB, II, 647-649). The deputation’s question was especially suitable as the starting-point for a lawsuit against him.

Any Jew was allowed to talk publicly about religious questions (as in our social meetings), but if he proposed to be a regular teacher (Rabbi), than he had to be authorized by a rebbe or an other high rabbi or by the Sanhedrin. Lots of people told about this man who was going from one place to an other, always teachings and as such it could be considered that he was making it not only his occupation to teach, but he was also working miracles, cleansing the temple as if a prophet, and apparently justifying his followers in greeting him as the Messiah.

Jesus had no intention to becoming a worldly ruler at that time, getting rid of the Romans, though many thought he was the promised one who would liberate them from those Roman occupiers. By this time Jesus had become very well aware of his task, being a speaker for God, even when that required to put himself aside.

The spiritual leaders of the land did not like this man who was telling so many things and doing so many things which got people away from their teachings and seemed to undermine their position. But many where convinced that he spoke with authority.

“The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.” (Mr 1:22 NIV)

“All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”” (Lu 4:36 NIV)

Because Jesus came to see that many thought it would be from himself that he was saying and doing those things, he told them that he could do nothing without his heavenly Father.

“Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (Joh 5:19 NIV)

According to Jesus the problem was that many did not know the God, like we can see also today.  At that time there was probably not one person who had taken Jesus as their god, though today many have done so and do not see how Jesus was the sent one from God, Who is much greater than Jesus. Therefore many of those persons do not see and are blind for the word because they prefer to keep to human doctrines instead of the words of God and the words of Christ.

“Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.” (Joh 7:16 NIV)

“Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.” (Joh 8:42 NIV)

“”You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” (Joh 14:28 NIV)

Jesus told everybody it was by him they could come to see and to understand, him being the way to God, (and not to himself) and therefore he was going to suffer.

“But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognise him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”” (Mt 17:12 NIV)

“5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” (Joh 14:5-6 NIV)

It is by Jesus we can come to know the truth and find the way to the small gate.

“13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Mt 7:13-14 NIV)

“7 Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. {Or kept safe } He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (Joh 10:7-9 NIV)

The spiritual leaders of that time where afraid this Nazarene would come to be favoured more by the people and would take their place as a reformer.

Jesus dispatched them with speed, as if he had been loath to have been taken with his task undone.

Jesus was not willing to have a high position prepared by men, nor to be crowned by the multitude, there being only too good reason, him being sent by his heavenly Father. Their ideas of royalty were entirely different from his. Had he allowed himself to be borne on the tide of popular favour to royal honours, His kingdom would have been thereby marked as “of this world,” it would have been stamped as something very different from the kingdom of “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost” he had come to establish.

Had he been a mere enthusiast, he would have undoubtedly have yielded to such a tidal wave of public excitement; but his unerring wisdom taught him that he must reach the throne by another path than that of popular favour. Rather must it be through popular rejection — through the dark portals of despite and death; and for that, his hour had not then come.

So many years later we should see by Whose authority Jesus said and and all those things. Everything he did and said was done because God allowed him to do that and gave him power to do so. today still a lot of Christians too, like the Pharisees, do not believe Jesus acted as a sent one from God. Many christians have taken Jesus into their god and do not see how he should be their way to God.

Do you think Jesus is God, or do you accept Jesus as the sent one from God, who was authorised by God?

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Preceding

Authority from the One God to one mediator between God and men

Matthew 7:13-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #5 Matthew 7:28-29 – The Crowd’s Reaction

Matthew 9:1-8 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Messiah Forgives Sins and Heals Paralytic

Matthew 9:32-34 – How others look at the blind, speechless and demoniac being healed

Matthew 13 – Parables on Kingdom mysteries

Matthew 21:1-3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Sent Ahead for a Donkey

Matthew 21:4-5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Your King Is Coming upon a Donkey

Matthew 21:6-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Blessed the One Coming in God’s Name!

Matthew 21:10-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Who Is This?

Matthew 21:12-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Temple Cleansed

Matthew 21:12-14 – From a den of thieves to a house of prayer

Matthew 21:15-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Out of the Mouth of Babes

Matthew 21:18-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: A Cursed Fig Tree a Lesson in Faith

Matthew 21:23-27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Question of Authority

Matthew 21:10-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Who Is This?

Matthew 21:10-11 Who Is This? – a Question still posed today #1

Matthew 21:10-11 Who Is This? – a Question still posed today #2

More than just a man with authority of speaking

 

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Additional reading

1. The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #8 Looking for the 2nd Adam
2. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
3. Americans their stars, pretension, God, Allah and end of times signs #2 War on God’s Plan, Name and title
4. The meek one riding on an ass
5. Infinite payment of sin by the son of God
6. The son of man given authority by God
7. Authority given to him To give eternal life
8. Blindness in the Christian world
9. Memorizing wonderfully 52 Acts 7:56: the Son of man standing on the right hand of God
10. Priest, scribes and others with authority

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Related

1. the Authority of Jesus questioned
2. Luke – Chapter 20
3. Words of Life ~ Author(ity)
4. His U
5. A King & a Kingdom
6. Authority of Jesus — It is Questioned

Matthew 13:53-58 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Where Did He Get Such Wisdom?

Matthew 13:53-58 – Where Did He Get Such Wisdom?

|| Mark 6:1-6

MT13:53 Now when Jesus concluded these parables he traveled elsewhere. MT13:54 Upon arriving in his fatherland[1] he began teaching the people in their synagogue.[2] They were astounded and said, “From where did this person receive this wisdom and dynamic works?[3] MT13:55 Is this not[4] the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary – as well and his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? MT13:56 And his sisters[5] – are they not all among us? So, from where[6] did this person receive all this?” MT13:57 As a result they were stumbled and scandalized[7] because of him. But, Jesus told them, “A prophet is not honored[8] in his own father-land, nor in his own house.”[9] MT13:58 As a result he performed no dynamic works there because of their lack of faith.[10]

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[1] In his fatherland: The Greek is PATRIDA from which comes the English “patriot.” Or, KJV: own country; WMS: home town; RHM: own city. Likely Nazareth, possibly a parallel with Luke 4:14-30.

[2] Synagogue: For information search the word synagogue. “Synagogue” occurs 67 times, most often in Acts. The Greek word, or a form of it, SYNAGOGE, does occur else where it is rendered “gathering” or “meeting.” It is virtually the same as ECCLESIA.

[3] Dynamic works: The Greek is DYNAMEIS. Or, GDSP: power to do these wonders; KJV: mighty works; NWT: powerful works.

[4] Is this not: Compare Mark 6:3; Luke 3:23; 4:22; John 6:42.

[5] His sisters: They are never named nor is the number given anywhere. See Mark 6:3.

[6] From where: This is possibly the hometown of Jesus, Nazareth, and likely these people saw Jesus grow up. Some are not aware of the experience when he was twelve and questioned the teachers in Jerusalem (Luke 2). However, there was nothing in Jesus upbringing so unusual that others would have suspected this would become the greatest man whoever lived. This may have been deliberate to protect the Nazarene’s anonymity.

[7] Stumbled and scandalized: The Greek is ESCANDALIZONTO and is used elsewhere. Or, KJV: offended; RHM: began to find cause of stumbling; TCNT: proved a hindrance; MOF: repelled by him. See the notes at Matthew 13:41.

[8] A prophet is not honored: Compare John 4:44.

[9] In his own house: Likely referring to the home he grew up in. Despite the angelic words to Joseph and Mary Jesus had remained so unspectacular that nothing betrayed his destiny. The prophet suggested this: “To the extent that many have stared at him in amazement-so much was the disfigurement as respects his appearance more than that of any other man and as respects his stately form more than that of the sons of mankind.… No stately form does he have, nor any splendor; and when we shall see him, there is not the appearance so that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 52:14; 53:3 NWT)

[10] Their lack of faith: Compare Matthew 8:10.

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Preceding

Matthew 2:1-6 – Astrologers and Priests in a Satanic Plot

Matthew 7:13-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #5 Matthew 7:28-29 – The Crowd’s Reaction

Matthew 8:18-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Two Would-be Followers

Matthew 12:38-42 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Signs in Jonah and the Queen of the South

Matthew 13 – Parables on Kingdom mysteries

Matthew 13:1-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable: the Soil and the Seed

Matthew 13:10-15 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Why Speak in Parables?

Matthew 13:16-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Happy Eyes and Ears

Matthew 13:18-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Seed and Soil

Matthew 13:24-30 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Field and the Harvest

Matthew 13:31-32 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Mustard Seed

Matthew 13:33 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Fermented Whole

Matthew 13:34-35 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Manner of Teaching Foretold

Matthew 13:36-43 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Zizania in the Field Explained

Matthew 13:44 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Treasure

Matthew 13:45-46 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Valuable Pearl

Matthew 13:47-50 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Dragnet

Matthew 13:51-52 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Teacher Uses New and Old

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Additional reading

 

1. The Ecclesia
2. Congregate, to gather, to meet
3. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them

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Related

1. “Salvation Is Of The Jews”
2. In the Era of the Urgent – Clinging to the Important
3. Rabbi Jesus
4. “Why A Rabbi?”, part 1
5. Why A Rabbi?: The Silent Years?
6. “Why A Rabbi?”: A Slight Detour
7. Jesus Said:
8. The True Way – March 03, 2018
9. The Miracles of the Prophets: Part 2-Prophet Isa (Jesus)
10. The Incomparable Christ
11. Wisdom of Christ is health – die to your old self