Mark 1:23-28 - Homiletics

Christ's authority over spirits.

After a condensed narrative of the events introductory to our Lord's ministry, Mark proceeds to relate, in circumstantial detail, miracles performed in Capernaum and the neighborhood, forming a cycle of the greatest importance; for by these miracles the interest of the population of Galilee was excited, whilst the hostility of the scribes and Pharisees was gradually aroused. Mark's is the Gospel of Power—his emblem is the lion. He tells the story of Christ's miraculous ministry with marvellous vigor and minuteness. The first miracle he records is the dispossession of a demon, impure and violent, yet unable to resist the authority of the Lord of the universe. This is well put in the forefront of the battle.

I. CHRIST 'S AUTHORITY IS ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE SPIRIT . 1, Not willingly, but of constraint. The demon recognizes, in the great Healer and Master, the "Holy One of God," i.e. the Messiah. Shrinking from his presence—anxious to avoid the encounter—the evil spirit nevertheless cowers before the Lord. When multitudes of the race which Jesus came to save knew him not, neither confessed his rightful claim, this demon was compelled to cry, "I know thee who thou art!" Happy omen for humanity—the foe of God and man recognizes the irresistible Warrior and Conqueror!

2 . There is an anticipation of the issue of the conflict, "Art thou come to destroy us?" What prescience is here! Scribes and Pharisees, Sadducees and Herodians, Jews and Romans, persuade themselves that they can destroy the Son of man. The demons know that the Son of man is their Destroyer! It is a just description of the Saviour's work—he comes to "destroy the works of the devil," to vanquish the foe, to cancel the sin, to release the sinner, to restore the captive of Satan to the liberty of the servant of the Lord.

II. CHRIST 'S AUTHORITY IS ASSERTED AND EXERCISED BY HIMSELF . Salvation involves antagonism: the bondman can only be released by the defeat of the tyrant; the strong man must be bound that the spoil may be recovered. The Lord Jesus had met with and vanquished the prince of evil; he was now to contend with his servants. Accordingly, Christ, who rebuked the winds and the waves—elements producing discord in nature—rebukes also the evil and unclean spirit. It is a witness that the soul of man is not the fit and divinely ordered home and dwelling of the agents of the power of evil. Silence! Hence! Begone!—such is the bidding of Heaven to the emissaries of hell found encroaching upon the domain which is not theirs.

III. CHRIST 'S AUTHORITY IS PRACTICALLY SHOWN AND PROVED , The unclean spirit is reluctant to quit his hold upon his prey. Satan cannot see his subjects liberated and his empire wane without resistance and resentment. But there is no withstanding the power of Emmanuel. The struggle is apparent in the convulsions with which the frame of the possessed is torn, and in the cry of anguish which is forced from his lips. But there is only one issue possible. The demon quails beneath the Master's eye, shudders at the Master's voice, and yields. Oh, happy omen of a great salvation! How often is this illustration of Christ's delivering power to be repeated in the Divine ministry, and through the dispensation of redemption and of grace!

IV. CHRIST 'S AUTHORITY IS ADMITTED WITH AMAZEMENT . The rendering of the revisers is full of meaning and vivacity: "What is this? a new teaching!" or, as others read, "A new doctrine with authority!" The point is that miracle and doctrine are justly regarded as one and the same. The listeners to his discourses felt the authority of his words; the spectators of his miracles felt the authority of his works. We distinguish between the two, but Christ's contemporaries evidently saw, the identity more clearly than the diversity. From his teaching they learned that the authority of his miracles was that of a wise and holy Being; from his beneficent miracles they inferred that all his Divine lessons were fraught with a heavenly energy, and proceeded from the mind of God. Their minds were evidently incited to inquiry, to consideration, to reflection. Who will not bow before an authority so just and so Divine as this?

V. CHRIST 'S AUTHORITY BECAME THE THEME OF WIDESPREAD INTEREST AND FAME . Mark puts this dispossession of the demoniac forward as the first great miracle of this cycle, and represents it as the means of diffusing throughout Galilee an interest in the ministry of our Lord. Jesus thus became known as a Teacher, as a Saviour, as a Being of compassion and grace. Tidings of such a Prophet, of such a Benefactor, could not be other than a gospel to Israel and to mankind. What sacred and grateful and tender associations would mingle with the people's memories and thoughts and expectations regarding Jesus of Nazareth!

APPLICATION .

1 . Behold a picture of the power of Satan and of sin over the nature of man.

2 . Behold a proof of the authority of Christ, when he enters upon a struggle with the power of darkness dwelling in human spirits.

3 . Learn a lesson of encouragement as to the personal and universal results of the great moral conflict of the world.