Tuesday, week one: The exorcisms begin (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)

These fishermen may have dropped their nets and followed Jesus, but they didn’t stray far from home. The newly formed band of five (Jesus, Simon and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John) goes to Capernaum, Peter’s hometown, very close to the Sea of Galilee. When the Sabbath comes, they go into the synagogue to study scripture with the local men. These guys are Jewish; on the Sabbath, they do Jewish things.

Jewish men in the first century only study scripture if they are in a group of 12 or more, so the synagogue is at least that full. There, in that study circle, Jesus smells a rat. And the rat smells him.

There is a man with an unclean spirit right there in the place of study and worship, and he confronts Jesus. “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.” The man knows where Jesus is from, recognizes his power even though that power has not been demonstrated, and calls Jesus by a divine title. The man with the unclean spirit knows more than we do, and perhaps even more than Jesus’ new followers.

Jesus’ response? He orders the unclean spirit to shut up. He doesn’t want the spirit to talk about him. To ensure the unclean spirit stays quiet, Jesus orders it to come out of the man. If you want a spirit to be quiet, take away its voice.

Jesus impresses everyone. He is not like every other teacher, commenting and expounding on the words in scripture. He actually does something. He backs his teaching with authoritative action, and his action is aligned with the teachings in scripture.

Mark then says, “Immediately, what had happened concerning him spread through the whole region of Galilee.” Immediacy and wholeness, these are two major themes with Mark. For now, it’s sufficient to remember that people know a good thing when they see it. People have been yearning for the right thing to come along, and when it does, they recognize it instantly and latch onto it whole heartedly.

Text for the day:

Mark 1:21-28

Things to think about:

In 16 chapters, Mark uses the word “immediately” 42 times.

For his first deed of power, Jesus expels an unclean spirit.

Things to do:

Consider the ways your spirit of worship and study might also be unclean.

Jesus, exorcist of the whole world, cast out what is unclean in me.