Capernaum was buzzing with excitement. Jesus had invited the local fishermen to become His disciples, and now, with His little entourage following, Jesus entered the little fishing village nestled onto the northwestern shores of Galilee.
On the Sabbath Day, just like every other Sabbath, the Jewish community gathered at the synagogue. This was Peter’s synagogue, the place where he and his family had worshipped for generations. But this day was different.
Jesus, the visiting rabbi, was teaching. I suspect that Peter and Andrew exchanged approving glances as Jesus opened the scroll and began to teach. Everyone in the congregation, including His disciples, “were astonished at his teaching because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes” (Mark 1:22). “They were all amazed, and so they began to ask each other, ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority!’ ” (Mark 1:27).
What did Jesus teach?
Maybe, just as He had done in Nazareth, He opened the scroll and read, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Having read Isaiah’s ancient prophecy, “He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down” (Luke 4:20). With every eye fixed upon Him, He proclaimed, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled” (Luke 4:21).
“Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue. He cried out, ‘What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!’ ” (Mark 1:23-24). With Satanic influence, the man declared what everyone else was thinking. Jesus was “the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked (the demon) saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw him into convulsions, shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him” (Mark 1:25-26).
Jesus said it … Jesus proved it ... Peter, Andrew, and all Capernaum saw it. Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God!”
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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