And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Comment: You may remember that the very first sentence of Mark’s gospel begins with talk of Jesus as the Son of God. We will as we go through Mark see several passages where Mark describes events to ‘prove’ the relationship of Jesus with God. This is another one of those passages – earlier we read that the voice from Heaven was God claiming Jesus as His beloved Son. In this one the unclean spirit in this ill person states that it knows who Jesus is. He is the Holy One of God! But even before that the people in the synagogue were greatly impressed by His authoritative teaching. But I guess that if He is the Son of God you would expect His teaching to be authoritative.
Several times I have had to deal with people who acted very similarly to this guy. It is a bit frightening and not easy. I remember on one occasion fearing for my life, locked in a room with a man with a knife, a man who had sought to murder his wife the night before. But here with one command Jesus faces the problem and cures the man. The people in the building have heard the authority of His teaching. Now they see His authority over unclean spirits.
Prayer: Thank You, God, for these records of what You, Jesus, did while living as a man in Israel!
As I read it! 
Thank you Barry for your comments on this passage. Jesus had authority over the evil spirits, and He had authority when He taught, and of course Matt. 28:19-20 tells us that He has ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth. No one else has ever had ALL AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth like Jesus, the Son of God. God bless you.
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