The People are Amazed - Mark 1:27

Mark wrote how Jesus, “on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out. Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with you, you Jesus of Nazareth? are you come to destroy us? I know you who thou are, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold your peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him”, and in chapter one and verse twenty-seven of his book, Mark wrote how the people watching Jesus, “were all amazed” where we read:

And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commanded he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

The verse reads, “And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, ...”. Mark began words, “and they were all amazed” which means “and the people who were in the synagogue were each, every, the whole and everyone of them astonished, terrified, frightened and astounded”, “insomuch that” or “so that, therefore and wherefore” “they questioned among themselves” or “the people in the synagogue discussed, examined and disputed together”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” the following. Mark shared how all the people in the synagogue who heard Jesus teach and saw Him cast out the “unclean spirit” were “astonished and astounded” and declared the following words.

The verse goes on to say, “... What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commanded he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.” Mark continued with the words, “what thing is this” which means “what are the things performed by Jesus”? “what new doctrine is this” or “what new instruction and teaching was Jesus sharing”? “for with authority” which means “because, since and on account with power, liberty and right” “commanded he” or “ordered, charged and enjoined Jesus” “even the unclean spirits” which refers to “the evil, wicked, not cleansed and impure demons or evil spirits who were conceived as inhabiting the bodies of men”, “and they do obey him” which means “and the unclean spirits listen to, hearken to and obey” Jesus”. Mark shared how the people were discussing the “new teachings” of Jesus as well as His “power” over “evil and wicked” spirits.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus affected the group of people who were gathered together in the synagogue in Capernaum. The people were “amazed” by what Jesus did as He taught them and demonstrated His power over “evil spirits”. Jesus has this affect on anyone who will truly look at His life, and because His Father God desires a relationship with every person, when they examine His ways, “doctrine” and “authority” they will recognize He is the Messiah sent to save people from their sins and respond by yielding their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Mark shares about Jesus how, “immediately his fame spread abroad”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".