The Authority of Jesus’s Teaching | Mark 1:21–22
“21 And
they went into Capernaum,
and immediately on the Sabbath
he entered the
synagogue and was teaching.
22 And
they were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one who had
authority,
and not as the scribes.”
Though Jesus was raised in Nazareth, He travels northwest to
Capernaum. It’s along a major road, it’s
larger, and it’s home to a Roman garrison, perfect for what will essentially become
Christ’s base of operations in Galilee. The
location is optimal for the propagation of the gospel.
People taught on the Sabbath in synagogue services, but the scribes
typically did so by intellectually standing on the shoulders of rabbis and the
corpus of tradition. While deferring to
experts may hint at humility, it is not so here. They seek attention, even using it to take
advantage of others. Later, Jesus will warn,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like
greetings in the marketplaces 39 and
have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows’
houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater
condemnation” (12:38–40).
When Jesus taught, however, He did not need to borrow
someone else’s intellectual credibility.
He spoke with the definitive interpretation of Scripture. In fact, He is identifying His words with God’s
Word. This is why they were so amazed at
His teaching. This verse serves as a key
for what is to come, demonstrating that Jesus wields authority over God’s Word,
over the spiritual realm, over creation, and ultimately, over you and I.
Why should you
believe in Christ’s authority? His words
are true, and He speaks and acts in Scripture so “that you may know that the
Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (2:10). Unless we see Him with the authority to
command us and to forgive us, we cannot come to Him as our Lord and
Savior. We will not bow to His
sovereignty over us, and we’ll struggle against the notion that He can truly
forgive our sins. Repent and come to the
Jesus of Scripture today with complete confidence in Him, finding new life with
your sins taken away and your steps directed by His Lordship over you.
