The Gospel of Mark (9) - He had authority!

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.

The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
                                     -- Mark 1:21-22



Jesus set up His headquarters in Capernaum, probably near the home of Peter and Andrew (see verse 29).




When you visit Capernaum today you can see the ruins of an ancient synagogue, but it is not the one where Jesus preached. It was built later, but can give us an idea of what the synagogue of Jesus's day must have looked like.

The Jewish custom was to assemble for services on the Sabbath, as well as on Mondays and Thursdays.

The Jewish synagogues were developed during the Babylonian exile, after the temple at Jerusalem had been destroyed and when the Jews were still scattered in Babylon.

Wherever there were ten Jewish males above the age of twelve, a synagogue could be organized, anywhere in the world.

No sacrifices were offered at the synagogue (the temple was the site of that part of the worship practices of the Jews) but they prayed, read the Scriptures and worshiped God.

The services were administered, not by priests, but by laymen,  and the ministry was led by a board of elders, with one designated "ruler." (In Mark 5:22 we read about one of the synagogue rulers, Jairus.)

It was customary to ask visiting rabbis to read the Scriptures and teach, which is why Jesus had this open door to preach His gospel message.

The Apostle Paul often took advantage of this opportunity, too (Acts 13, 14, 17, etc.).

When Jesus spoke, the people were "amazed" because he "taught as one who had authority,"
not as the other teachers.

(Mark seems to delight in recording people's emotional responses. "Amazed" and "astonished" occur many times in his narrative.)

Mark's use of the word "authority" is interesting. It is used first here in Mark's account of Jesus's teaching at the synagogue in Capernaum.

The word actually means "from" or "out of the original."  It comes from the same root word as "author," and would imply that Jesus's teachings reflected "original" learning, things He knew, not because He was taught by someone else, but because he was the "author" or "origin" of the teaching.

This was a new experience for them, and they were "amazed."

Christ's teaching was astonishing because He was the "author" of what He was teaching.

He was the "author" of the Scripture He was reading
and He was the "author" of its interpretation.

The crowd apparently sensed that.

We sense that, too, as we read His Word. 

Jesus Christ Himself is the "Author" of our salvation.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,

the author and perfecter of our faith,

who for the joy set before him endured the cross,

scorning its shame,

and sat down at the right hand

of the throne of God.

-- Hebrews 12:2

He became the author of eternal salvation

for all who obey him....

-- Hebrews 5:9