Mark 1: 21-28

Theme: Power and Authority

Series: Getting to Know Jesus

Some people growl and rebel against any authority. In fact that is supposed to be one of the hallmarks of postmodern culture. No one has a right to tell me what to do! It creates a sometime chaotic world.

Authority often means the person in charge. Someone has to be the bull of the woods. I have seen that saying in real life more than once. Bulls take charge and they rule. My uncle unloaded a large Santa Gertrudis bull one day in our pasture. I’d say he was close to 2000 pounds. He knew he was large and in charge. He bellowed once at the herd which was in the bottom below the house. One bellow, and they came to him, cows, young bull calves, all of them. All knew he was now the authority in that pasture.

Sometimes authority refers to someone who knows his subject. By virtue of knowing what they are talking about, they are not only an authority, they are the one everyone looks to. Yesterday while building the carport on the parsonage, everyone looked to Spot because he knew what to do.

Authority includes rights, responsibilities and power. Take pastoral authority. It is an odd thing. I have both the right and the responsibility to lead and guide the church, to make sure that the church is not damaged by false doctrine, to help our members grow in Christ likeness– basically to get people to do what they don’t want to do. The problem is, I have absolutely no power. I can only lead by persuasion, and reason. Sometimes I try to shame a person to do what they don’t want to do. But I can’t make anyone do anything.

I was told that this was a Jerry Clower story. Delta airlines was first headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana. They ran flights from Jackson, Mississippi, to Dallas, Texas. At their annual stockholder’s meeting, a debate arose over the location of next year’s meeting. One man rose and said "I own 25,000 shares and I say we meet in Chicago." Another man rose up and said, "I own 50,000 shares and I say we meet in Dallas." Another man stood and said, well I own 100,000 of stock and I say we meet in Miami. An old farmer in overalls stood and said, "well boys, I own 61% of the company and I welcome you back to Monroe next year." That’s authority.

Often the world is preoccupied with authority. I have worked jobs where certain people wanted you to know that they were in charge. It was no different in the day of Jesus. There were thousands of people on the government payroll and every one of them thought they had authority over someone because they had the power of Rome behind them. The religious structures were tightly controlled by authority. The Scribes and the Sadducees were the ruling power and authority in Jerusalem. They were the keepers of the traditions of first century Judaism. It was the job of the leadership to enforce strict compliance of the traditions as had been taught by the leading Rabbis. It was not just the Old Testament that was important, they considered it paramount that the authorized interpretation be strictly enforced.

As it happens so often, those who saw to it that the traditions of the Fathers were kept became corrupt themselves. They managed to shape the traditions to their favor. It kept them in wealth and power and prestige. They placed heavy burdens on the people while they carried no burdens at all.

This corrupt system is one of the enemies of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. The whole system of Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, the keepers of the traditions, became the opposition to Jesus because he did not play by their rules. If you wanted to be a teacher of the Law, you needed their approval. And if you spoke with authority, the only authority available to you was to teach the official teachings of the Rabbis.

Mark always has a sense of urgency about him. He often transitions from one story to another with the word "immediately." So, they went to Capernaum and immediately he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. The synagogue was not like our Church. The synagogue had a president who looked after the order and affairs of the synagogue but the teaching ministry was left to the membership. From age 12 own, it was the responsibility of the men of the synagogue to study the Torah and the traditions of the Rabbis and to occasionally teach on The Sabbath. Since we know that Jesus was living in Capernaum, it would not be as unusual as it sounds for Jesus to walk in and start teaching.

But, Jesus was different. They were all waiting for a teaching from this young man who would demonstrate how well he understood the Rabbis. Instead, he taught something different. They were emphatically shocked to the last man there because he was teaching as one who has authority. Mark is making an exciting acclamation about this person Jesus. He is empathically different from the Scribes. He spoke with authority, the Greek word is Exousia. This word is associated with power. It indicated the right of the person to bear power and authority, even absolute power over others. In reference to the Bible, the word is often used of supernatural powers and authority, especially as it represents God’s exercising of authority. (James S. Edwards, Gospel according to Mark, p. 55)

Mark hints at the nature of Jesus by noting his authority. Mark did not even tell us what Jesus said! For his purpose, what Jesus said was not so important because Jesus himself is the message. The people who heard him speak recognized that and were astonished.

But, what does it mean that Jesus spoke with authority? Was he special because he had new words or was there more? Mark is building his case concerning the nature of Jesus. We need to watch for this idea of authority and what it means.

Almost immediately, Jesus shows us what his authority is. There was a man in the synagogue who was demon possessed. Suddenly this man with the unclean spirit cried out, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are-- the Holy One of God!"

The people may not have recognized him, but the spirit world did. In fact, the unclean spirit was in great fear! Jesus rebuked him saying, "be quiet and come out of him." The man fell into convulsions and a loud voce came out, and the unclean spirit came out of him.

The people were utterly amazed. Who is this man that he speaks with a new teaching and even unclean spirits obey him? His reputation exploded that day. Everyone was asking the same question, who is this man Jesus? This authority ultimately hints at what Mark and others will later tell us, Jesus is God become flesh. Paul said, Colossians 2:9-10 "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority." (NASB)

All authority is temporary and is derived from the permissive will of God. What authority you may or may not have will not last forever and it always answers to a higher authority. Jesus is the ultimate in authority, He is God in the flesh, the creator of all things, the master of all that breaths. And one day we will lay all our crowns, achievements and authority at his feet.

Jesus still exercises his authority over us. He has every right to be your Lord, your Boss. You may think you are a self-contained authority and that you answer to no one. But you are wrong. God has complete rights over you. You are his creation. We too should be emphatically astonished at his power and authority. He possesses it all, rights, responsibilities and power.

Jesus has every right to call you to give an accounting of yourself. Jesus has the right to call you out of your darkness and into his marvelous light. He has the right to call you to repentance, to demand that you turn from your sin and degradation. He has every right to call you to faith, to trust in him for your salvation.

When Jesus speaks, He speaks as one who has authority because he is our God, our Lord, our Savior. When he calls us, we have no other avenue but to obey his command. What is Jesus saying to your today? How will you respond to the one who speaks with all authority?