The Power of God.—Mark 1:21-45

Notes

1. Divine Authority.—The people were astonished, because Christ taught as having authority. The word also means power, or right. The teaching of the scribes was based on tradition. They had no message from God. The teaching of Jesus was the truth of God. He was in the bosom of the Father, and the words that he spake were the words of God (John 4:31-34), and therefore it was that they carried conviction to men's hearts.

2. Christ and Satan.—The evident design of Satan in driving the poor demoniac into the synagogue was to thwart the work of Jesus. The very words Satan put in his victim's mouth were designed to turn Jesus away: "Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth?" If the power of Jesus was sufficient to overcome the evil one, Satan evidently supposed that he would not heal the man who desired him to depart. But Jesus had not only power, but compassion; he not only rebuked the power of Satan, but he restored his victim to his right mind.

3. Tradition.—After the close of the synagogue services, the rumor of the casting out of the unclean spirit was carried through the town. But, bound by the scrupulous traditions of the unscrupulous Pharisees, the sick could not be brought till the close of the Sabbath, which was at even, the setting of the sun. The scribes had gathered and elaborated a vast number of senseless precepts, injunctions, and prohibitions covering every phase of life. Long rules were given as to just what knots could be tied that day. It was forbidden to write two letters which could be read together, either with the right hand or the left, of any language, with anything on anything where they could be permanent, but they could be written on the sand, or any place where they would not remain long. It was forbidden to give an emetic on the Sabbath, to set a broken bone, or put back a dislocated joint. This was the reason they would not bring the sick to Christ on the Sabbath. Then the Jews brought all their sick, and the compassionate Healer made them whole. See Geikie's or any other standard Life of Christ.

4. The Man of Prayer.—Jesus prayed much. After working late at night, he rose up a great while before day to pray (see Mark 1:35; Matt. 14:23; Mark 6:46; Luke 6:12; 9:28, et al.), all night at times; in Gethsemane's Garden, on the Mount of Transfiguration, everywhere, he poured out his soul with strong crying and tears. Heb. 5:7. If the sinless Son of God needed to pray, how much more do we, the sinners!

5. Unselfishness.—Not once did Christ work a miracle to save himself personal inconvenience, labor, or suffering. Not once did a miracle supply his physical needs. Never did he pause to take a vacation only as necessity absolutely demanded. He came to save men, and his soul's burden would not let him rest while dying men were waiting to hear and be healed. Oh, how few are his true followers!

6. Wisdom.—There was doubtless a threefold object which our Saviour had in giving his instruction to the leper: (1) He would show that he was not against the laws of Moses; (2) that the priests would have no excuse in rejecting Christ, for the evidence of his power would be before them in the cleansed leper; (3) he could better labor in that vicinity before prejudice was unnecessarily aroused. The priests could otherwise say that the man had never been a leper. The rejection of Christ's counsel seems to have shut the gates of the city against him.

7. The Lesson.—1. Christ's power and compassion were manifested in defeating the prince of evil and darkness, in freeing his victim, the demoniac, and restoring his mind. 2. Christ's power and care for his people were manifested in healing the relative of a loved disciple. 3. Christ's power and pity were manifested in the cleansing of the poor, loathsome wretch, whom no one else would come near, much less touch. But the finger of power and the word of the Creator change the putrid flesh to that of the little child. Who is there that cannot gather from these incidents precious lessons of faith and trust in God? Are we willing for Christ to heal and cleanse us? The power is his, and he will impart it if we only believe.