Mark 1:21-28--Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

Mark 1:21-28
English Standard Version
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Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit
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. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “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.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 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.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

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We now jump forward in the story a bit more to Jesus going to Capernaum (the town where Peter's family lived), and Jesus went to the synagogue there on the Sabbath (as was His custom to observe the Sabbath and even to preach and teach in the synagogues when He was invited to do so, for He was recognized as a Rabbi with the privilege of teaching).  While the people were marveling at His teaching, because He taught them as one who had authority not citing the authority of other men who came before Him, but citing the Scriptures and interpreting them Himself to say He knew not only what the current teaching was, but the original meaning and even what was in the mind of God when God told the author to write it.

At that exact time, a demonized man arose and cried out in a loud voice (to be disruptive), "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."  Jesus wasn't ready for the people to know His full identity yet, and He certainly didn't want them to learn His identity from the mouth of demons who were praising Him.  While the demon here spoke truth about Jesus' identity it was trying to mess up the timing--just like Satan tried to do in Jesus' temptation.

Jesus rebuked the demon (we'll see the same language used of Jesus rebuking the wind and the sea in another miracle).  He then told the demon to be muzzled (it wasn't allowed to speak) and to come out of the man.  Then it left the man while crying in a loud voice--it may not have been allowed to speak, but it was going to make some noise to continue to be disruptive.

So the people were even more amazed at Jesus' teaching that He could speak and the demons would obey Him.  Not even their teachers had the authority to cast out demons.  So everyone in the whole region and the surrounding areas of Galilee heard about Him and large crowds would come and start to follow after Him.