Then they entered Capernaum. When the Sabbath arrived, Jesus lost no time in getting to the meeting place. He spent the day there teaching. They were surprised at his teaching—so forthright, so confident—not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars.Suddenly, while still in the meeting place, he was interrupted by a man who was deeply disturbed and yelling out, “What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you’re up to! You’re the Holy One of God, and you’ve come to destroy us!”
Jesus shut him up: “Quiet! Get out of him!” The afflicting spirit threw the man into spasms, protesting loudly—and got out.
Everyone there was incredulous, buzzing with curiosity. “What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and sends them packing!” News of this traveled fast and was soon all over Galilee.
Directly on leaving the meeting place, they came to Simon and Andrew’s house, accompanied by James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning up with fever. They told Jesus. He went to her, took her hand, and raised her up. No sooner had the fever left than she was up fixing dinner for them.
That evening, after the sun was down, they brought sick and evil-afflicted people to him, the whole city lined up at his door! He cured their sick bodies and tormented spirits. Because the demons knew his true identity, he didn’t let them say a word.
Love it…
“What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says?”
Seems like the people were so acclimatised to “quibbling and quoting” religion scholars, that Jesus’ “confident and forthright” teaching, backed up with action blew them away.
Interesting in that light then, that the guy with the bad spirit seemed to be pretty at home in “church”, blending in hapily till the presence and teaching of Jesus disturbed him.
In one sense I get paid to be a “religion scholar”… Jesus rescue me from a endless quibling and quoting! Come and disturb the evil within me that I have become comfortable with. I want to live by your teaching that does what it says.
What I love is that later on – esp. in Acts, we see that this religion is still “doing what it says” through the disciples. How exciting to know that that has been passed on from generation to generation. Certainly my faith has been “doing what it says” in my life in various answers to prayer and still – how many times I doubt it’s power !!! (There’s a confession for you – I’m not too proud of my doubting times).
Changing me from the inside out is an ongoing one….slowly yes – but surely … “doing what it says”
“You’re the Holy One of God, and you’ve come to destroy us!”
The bloke saying this has got this a bit wrong.
Well that’s what i thought at first glance.
Think it might actually be the demon/evil spirit speaking through him.
“They were surprised at his teaching—so forthright, so confident….”
The religious scribes knew the law— they could read it, quote it, no doubt compare and contrast portions and make connections ……. but I love the simplicity of Jesus’ teaching – utterly open, utterly authentic, utterly honest ………
Jesus stuns everyone with the liberating power of his teaching. It must have been incredible to be in “church” on that day.