4th Sunday after Epiphany
Deu. 18:15-20; Psalm 111; 1 Cor. 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28
We know where Jesus’ authority comes from. We have heard many times before the voice of God disrupting the skies and declaring him God’s beloved son (Mt 3:13–17; Mk 1:9–11; Lk 3:21–22). Jesus is now the one we listen to.
Well, the people in Capernaum knew nothing of it when Jesus attended worship in the local synagogue and began teaching (Mk 1:21). Nonetheless, they sensed something more elevated, unlike what the local scribes usually taught. Now, scribes were somewhat educated individuals who were dedicated keepers of Jewish traditions and laws. Their positions could vary from bureaucratic assistants for high-level religious leaders to instructors of scripture with some interpretative capacity. The latter was probably the case for synagogue scribes in Galilee during Jesus’ time. Either way, they had a significant role in the spiritual life of first-century Palestine.
The problem was that Jesus demonstrated authority by showing the capacity to be unopposed by evil. That was jarring because that was divine. And that was jarring because these lifelong and knowledgeable stewards of scripture seemed to have never heard what Jesus was teaching.
In Deuteronomy, we hear God’s promise to one day raise a prophet like Moses (verses 15, 18) with the divine authority to speak in God’s name and give commandments (19). Early Christians understood Jesus as the messianic fulfillment of this promise (Jn 1:21, 45; 6:14; 7:40; Ac 3:22; 7:37).
In the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul speaks of a world with “many gods and lords” (verse 5).” None of them will bring us closer to God. Rather, they may lead to all kinds of evils that cause us, or worse, others, to stumble and distance themselves from God. However, “love builds up” (1). In Jesus, our Lord, we find the utmost authority and manifestation of this love (6).
The psalmist proclaims:
“The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name (Ps 111:7–9; NRSVue).”
Bridging Faith 