Mark 1:21 
And they went into Capernaum; ; So they came to
Capernaum--Mon; They arrived at...--Phi; They entered...--Ber; and
straightway on the sabbath day ; and immediately on the
Sabbath--NASB; and on the very first...--Gspd; As soon as the
sabbath came--Mof; he entered into the synagogue, and taught. ; he
went to the synagogue and began to teach--Wey; He would go into the
synagogue and teach--Nor;And they journey into Capernaum. And
</straightway, on the Sabbath\ entering into the synagogue> he
began teaching;And they go on to Capernaum, and immediately, on the
sabbaths, having gone into the synagogue, he was teaching,
TRNTyeager562,3 - Kai eisporeuontai eis Kapharnaoum, kai
euthus tois sabbasin (eiselthwn) eis tAn sunagwgAn edidasken . 
Kai (continuative conjunction). 
eisporeuontai (3d.per.pl.pres.mid.ind.of eisporeuomai ,
aoristic). 
eis )preposition with the accusative of extent). 
Kapharnaoum (acc.sing.masc.of Kapharwaoum , extent). kai 
(continuative conjunction). 
euthus (adverbial). tois (loc.pl.neut.of the article in
agreement with sabbasin ). 
sabbasin (loc.pl.neut.of babbaton , time point). 
ewselthwn (aor.mid.part.nom.sing.masc.of eiserchomai ,
aoristic). 
eis (preposition with the accusative of extent). 
tAn (acc.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with sunagwgAn ). 
sunagwgAn (acc.sing.fem.of sunagwgA , extent). 
edidasken (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of didaskw , ingressive). 

TRANSLATION: "And they went into Capernaum, and immediately
on the Sabbath, having entered into the synagogue, He began to
teach." 
COMMENT: We are now back with Mark and his simplistic Greek,
with his frequent use of continuative kai and his characteristic
adverb euthus . Of the 62 occurrences of the word in the NT 42 are
found in Mark's writings. Mark wrote like a little boy who is
excited about the story that he is telling and breathlessly chops
his tale into short, paratactic clauses - "Jesus said this, and He
did that, and immediately He went there and He healed a man, and
immediately He left and went somewhere else and did that..." 
"They went to Capernaum." Who? Jesus, Philip, Nathanael, Simon,
Andrew, James and John. Perhaps others, but we are sure now that
six disciples were with Him. They are not far from Bethsaida, their
home town. As soon as Jesus got to town, they went straight to the
local synagogue, since it was first of the Sabbath days. Once
inside the building Jesus lost no time with preliminaries. He began
to teach (inceptive imperfect tense in edidasken . Luke 4:31 says
that Capernaum was a Galilean city. 
The local gentry was mightily impressed with the character of
our Lord's presentation...M7 - Eisporeuontai is used as an
historical present (very frequent in Mark), "they went into."M9 - 
Edidasken is used as an inceptive imperfect, "he began to teach."
(BW86 - Emphasis is placed on the beginning of the action.
T27 - The plural sabbasin is used for the singular, "on the 
sabbath."
H446 - Euthus (euthews) is not only extremely frequent in
Mark, but is sometimes an inverential conjunction, meaning "so
then" (as in vss. 21, 23, 29 and 30).
BW80 - eisporeuontai = Historical Present. For the sake of
vividness or dramatic effect...imagines he and his readers are
present and are witnessing a past event.
MitGNwuest30 - The entrance into Capernaum was not immediately
after the call of these four men. The calling of the other
apostles, the Sermon on the Mount, the healing of the leper and of
the centurion's servant, preceded this miracle in the Capernaum
synagogue. The word "synagogue" comes from the Greek words agw 
"to go," and sun "with," thus speaking of the act of a number of
people "going with" one another, thus, congregating in one place.
The Jewish synagogue was therefore the place of worship other than
the Temple at Jerusalem where the Jews congregated for worship. The
service consisted of prayer, praise, the reading of the Word of
God, and an exposition by any rabbi or other competent person. The
sacred record shows that our Lord and also Paul were invitefd to
either read the Scriptures or address the people in the synagogue
(Lk.4:16-21; Acts 13:14-43). 
"Taught," didaskw , the inchoative imperfect here, speaking
of entrance into an activity. As soon as our Lord entered the
synagogue, He went to teaching. The action of the imperfect is
progressive, indicating that our Lord's message was a discourse of
some length. In other words, He did an extended piece of work in
His teaching. Bot kArussw "to make a proclamation," and didaskw 
"to teach" are used of our Lord. He adapted His method of delivery
to the place, time, audience, and subject matter.
MARKjohnson&dewelt42,3,4 - COMMENT. Time--The incidents of
this lesson are assigned by the best authorities to May A.D. 28, in
the second year of the Lord's ministry. Mark does not adhere to the
chronological order. 
Place--At Capernaum, on the northwest shore of the Sea of
Galilee, a city of about 30,000 inhabitants, called the Lord's "own
city," because he made his earthly home there. It has disappeared
so completely that even its site is unknown, some identifying it
with the ruins of Tel Hum on the north, and others at Khan Minyeh
on the west of the sea. 
Connecting History--According to Andrews the interval in the
ministry of Christ between the Baptism and the present section
contains the following events: 
January, AD 27. The fast in the wilderness and the temptation. 
February, AD 27. Jesus returns from the wilderness of
temptation to Bethabara, where John bears testimony to him (Jn.
1:15-3 7). 
February, AD 27. Here Jesus gains his first disciples, Philip,
Andrew, and Peter, who belonged in Bethsaida of Galilee, and all
return to Galilee (Jn.1:38-51). 
March, AD 27. Jesus performs his first miracle at Cana
(Jn.2:1-11). 
March, AD 27. Goes to Capernaum for a few days (Jn.2:12-13). 
April 11-18, AD 27. Goes to Jerusalem to the first passover
of his public ministry. 
April, AD 27. Drives the money-changers from the temple
(Jn.2:14-35). 
April, AD 27. Conversation with Nicodemus (Jn.3:1-21). 
May to September, AD 27. Preaching and baptizing in Judea
(Jn.4:2). 
Autumn, AD 27. Driven from Judea by Pharisees, he leaves for
Galilee (Jn.4:1-3). December, AD 27. Going through
Samaria, he talks with the woman by Jacob's well (Jn.4:4-42). Heals
nobleman's son (Jn.4:46-54). January to March, AD 28.
Period of retirement in Galilee. John the Baptist imprisoned
(Mt.4:12). 
March 30 to April 5, AD 28. Attends Passover at Jerusalem.
Cure of the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5). 
April, AD 28. Returns to Galilee (Lk.4:14; Mt.4:12); preaches at
Nazareth, his early home; but being rejected there (Lk.4:16-32), he
goes to Capernaum, where he makes his home (Mt.4:12-17). Then
follows the incident of our present study. Parallel
Accounts--The general view of Christ's minis,try given (vs.14,15)
is related also in Mt.4:17, and Lk.4:14,15. Then come in the
accounts of his Galilean minis,try found in Jn.4:46-54, followed by
Lk.4:16-31. Vs.16-20 are reported in Mt.4:18-22, Lk.5:1-11; and
vs.21-28 in Lk.4:31-37. 
INTRODUCTION: After a year's preparatory teaching, the Savior
began the selection of the disciples who were to become his
apostles, calling Simon and Andrew from their nets (vs.16), also
James and John from the same calling (vs.17) and Matthew from his
place at the receipt of custom in Capernaum. Following these
incidents we have an account of how the Lord passed Saturday, the
Jewish Sabbath, in that city. Indeed, by comparing the other
accounts we seem to have a full account of one day's ministry in
the life of our Lord, and as there were no doubt many other days
like it, it gives us a vivid picture of his work on earth. 
EXPLANATORY NOTES: I. Teaching in the Synagogue --21. "And
they went into Capernaum." Christ was now attended by the disciples
whom he had just called from their nets and boats upon the sea of
Galilee. (Henceforth, as long as his earthly ministry continues,
they attend his footsteps. They were called upon a week day, while
at work, and probably all came on Friday into Capernaum, in order
to attend the synagogue service upon the Sabbath. It is well to
keep in mind that the Lord, during his Galilean ministry, made
Capernaum his home, as far as he had one on earth. Its position on
the northwest coast of the sea enabled him to reach easily all the
populous towns on its shores and all parts of Galilee. Brought up
in Galilee, this was always his favorite portion of Palestine, and
all his apostles but Judas, the traitor, were Galileans.
"Straightway on the Sabbath." On Saturday, the Jewish day of rest
and worship. Our Lord "born under the Law," kept the law of Moses
blamelessly, was even circumcised, attended the feasts and observed
the Jewish Sabbath, but at the same time proclaimed himself Lord of
the Sabbath day. "Entered the synagogue." This was our Lord's usual
custom on the Sabbath and the apostle Paul in his missionary labors
followed the same custom. It gave an opportunity to teach a Jewish
audience. "The synagogue." There is no mention of synagogues in the
law of Moses, or in the prophets. They are supposed to have been
introduced during the Captivity, on account of the need of special
teaching, and to have been continued ever afterwards wherever Jews
were found. As we sometimes use the word church to denote the
congregation, and sometimes the building, so the word synagogue was
sometimes used in this double sense. The arrangements of a Jewish
congregation, as well as the construction of the synagogue, seem to
have resembled those of a modern Christian church. The people in
the front part of the building sat facing the pulpit or desk on a
platform which was occupied by the reader or speaker. Behind the
pulpit were ranged high seats of honor, "chief seats," where the
scribes and Pharisees loved to sit facing the people. A chest or
ark was near the pulpit, in which the Scriptures of the OT were
deposited. From the pulpit the Scriptures were read; and the
reader, or some other person, expounded, taught, or preached.
Prayers were also offered; and at the close a solemn benediction
was pronounced, and the people responded Amen, and dispersed. These
exercises took place every (Saturday) Sabbath . "And taught." It
was the custom in the synagogue to invite members of the
congregation or visitors of note to make remarks. It is obvious
that in the synagogues of Palestine this was the safety-valve, the
open sphere, the golden opportunity for any fresh teaching to
arise-- Stanley . Christ preached in many synagogues, for there was
always opportunity given to a distinguished Jewish teacher. Only
once in the synagogue at Nazareth, Lk.4:16, is he represented as
reading the Scriptural lesson. The reason of this is that the
lesson was never read by a stranger but always by a member of the
synagogue. MARKbarclay21,2 - Mark's story unfolds in a series of
logical and natural steps. Jesus recognized in the emergence of
John God's call to action. Jesus was baptized and received God's
seal of approval and God's equipment for His task. Jesus was tested
by the devil and chose the method He would use and the way He would
take. Jesus chose His men that He might have a little circle of
kindred spirits and that He might write His message upon them. And
now Jesus had to make a deliberate launching of His campaign. If a
man had a message from God to give, the natural place to which he
would turn would be the Chruch where God's people meet together.
That is precisely what Jesus did. He began His campaign in the
Synagogue. 
There are certain basic differences between the Synagogue and
the Chruch as we know it to-day. (a) The Synagogue was primarily 
a teaching institution . The Synagogue service consisted of only
three things--prayer, the reading of God's word, and the exposition
of it. There was no music, no singing and no sacrifice. It may be
said that the Temple was the place of worship and sacrifice ;
the Synagogue was the place of teaching and instruction . The
Synagogue was by far the more influential, for there was only one
Temple--the Temple in Jerusalem. But the law laid it down that
wherever there were ten Jewish families there must be a Synagogue,
and, therefore, wherever there was a colony of Jews, there was a
Synagogue. If a man had a new message to preach the Synagogue was
the obvious place in which to preach it. (b) Further, the Synagogue
did in fact provide an opportunity to deliver such a message. The
Synagogue had certain officials. There was the Ruler of the
Synagogue . He was responsible for the administration of the
affairs of the Synagogue and for the arrangements for its services.
There were the distributors of alms . Daily a collection was taken
in cash and in kind from those who could afford to give. It was
then distributed to the poor; the very poorest were given food for
fourteen meals per week. There was the Chazzan . He is the man
whom the AV describes as the minister . He was responsible for the
taking out and storing away of the sacred rolls on which scripture
was written; for the cleaning of the Synagogue; for the blowing of
the blasts on the silver trumpet which told people that the Sabbath
had come; for the elementary education of the children of the
community. But one thing the Synagogue had not got, and that was a
permanent preacher or teacher. When the people met at the Synagogue
service it was open to the Ruler of the Slynagogue to call on any
competent person to give the address, and the exposition. There was
no professional ministry whatsoever. That is why Jesus was able to
open His campaign in the Synagogues. The opposition had not yet
stiffened into hostility. He was known to be a man with a message;
and for that very reason the Synagogue of every community provided
Him with a pulpit from which to instruct and to appeal to men. 
But when Jesus did teach in the Synagogue the whole method and
atmosphere of His teaching was like a new revelation. He did not
teach like the scribes, the experts in the law. Who were these
scribes? To the Jews the most sacred thing in the world was The
Torah , The Law. The core of the law is The Ten Commandments, but
the Law was taken to mean the first five books of the OT, The
Pentateuch, as they are called. To the Jews this Law was completely
divine. It had, so they believed, been given direct by God to
Moses. It was absolutely holy and absolutely binding. They said,
"He who says that The Torah is not from God has not part in the
future world." "He who says that Moses wrote even one verse of his
own knowledge is a denier and despiser of the word of God." Now, if 
The Torah is so divine two things emerge. First, it must be
supreme rule of faith and life; and second, it must contain
everything necessary to guide and to direct life. If that be so 
The Torah demands two things. First, it must obviously be given
the most careful and meticulous study. Second, The Torah is
expressed in great, wide principles; but, if The Torah contains
direction and guidance for all life, what is in it implicitly, if
not explicityly, must be brought out. The great laws must becomes
rules and regulations--so their argument ran. To give this study
and to supply this development a class of scholars arose. These
scholars are the Scribes , the experts in the law. The title of
the greatest of them is the title Rabbi . These scribes had three
duties. (i) They set themselves out of the great moral principles
of The Torah to extract rules and regulations for every possible
situation in life. They reduced principles to rules and
regulations. Obviously this was a task that was literally endless.
Jewish religion began with the great moral laws; it ended with an
infinity of rules and regulations. It began as religion; it ended
as legalism. (ii) It was the task of the scribes to transmit and to
teach this law and its developments. These deduced and extracted
rules and regulations were never written down; they are known as 
The Oral Law , Although never written down they were considered to
be even more binding than the written law. From generation to
generation of scribes they were taught and committed to memory. A
good student had a memory which was like "a well lined with lime
which loses not one drop." The Scribes were men who entangled
themselves and others in a labyrinth of rules and regulations.
(iii) Lastly, the Scribes had the duty of giving judgment in
individual cases; and, in the nature of things, practically every
individual case must have produced a new law.
NTC-MARKhendriksen62,3 - In the desert of temptation Satan had
been defeated (Mk.1:12,13; cf.Mt.4:1-11). So now it is not
surprising that the prince of evil is going to attempt in every
possible way to oppose Christ and his kingdom. Does the Anointed
One seek entrance into the hearts of men? Satan sends out his
servants, the demons, to take control of these hearts. In fact, he
was already in the habit of doing this, but now more than ever. On
the other hand, for the Conqueror this means that in many cases he
would "cast out" these demons, thereby seriously binding,
curtailing, or limiting the power of "the strong man, Beelzebul"
(Mk.3:22-27; cf. Mt.12:22-29; Rev.20:1-3). Thus hearts would be
opened for the reception of the gospel. Mission activity, also
clearly predicted in the preceding context (Mk.1:17), would replace
Satanic deception. 
After a couple introductory vs. (1:21,22) Mark now for the
first time presents a demon expulsion narrative (vss.23- 28). Luke
follows the same procedure in 4:31,32 (introductory), followed by
vss.33-37. 
"..." It now becomes clear that the part of the shore on which
Jesus was walking when he called his first four disciples was near
Capernaum. It was customary for Jesus to attend the synagogue
(Lk.4:16). Soon it also became custo,mary for him to teach while
there (Jn.18:20). So also at the present occasion, probably after
the prescribed portion of the law had been read in Hebrew and
translated into Aramaic, Jesus, having indicated his desire to
speak and having gained permission to do so, while standing read
from the prophets; then, seated, explained the portion read and
applied it to the needs of the hearers. 
CGTC-MARKcranfield71,2 - sabbasin . Sabbaton regularly has
this third declension form in the dative plural in the NT. The
plural is used with a singular meaning, as is the case with
festivals (e.g. ta azuma, ta enkainia ), though occasionally 
sabbata is a true plural, as in Acts 17:2. 
edidasken . Inceptive: 'He began to teach.' The verb didaskw 
occurs seventeen times in Mk (sixteen times with Jesus as subject),
and the noun didaskalos eleven times (in every case used of
Jesus). Though, compared with the other evangelists, Mark does not
give much of the actual teaching of Jesus, he does, like them, lay
very great stress on Jesus' teaching ministry. Both in form and
matter his teaching was thoroughly in the Rabbinic tradition.
Fundamental for him as for the Rabbis was the conviction that the
will of God is revealed in the scriptures alone and especially in
the Law. Where he differed from them was partly in the sriousness
and consistency with which he followed out their own basic
presuppositions, but above all in his consciousness of personal
authority. That he was recognized as a Rabbi not only by his own
disciples and by the common people, but even by the learned
themselves, is suggested by the fact that in Mk 12:14 and 32 he is
addressed as 'Teacher' by them (cf. 10:17 and 12:19). His
unquestionable competence compelled their serious consideration, in
spite of the fact that the did not possess the conventional
qualifications (cf. Jn 7:15, and also Mk 6:2f)--though he may well
have had more than elementary rabbinic education--and was without
officail authorization to teach.
NTClane71 - The continuation of the four fishermen with Jesus
is indicated by the plural form "they went into Capernaum." This is
confirmed by 1:29 where Jesus and the four enter the house of Simon
and Andrew; it is probable that Capernaum was the town in which all
four fishermen lived. Identified with the ruins at Tel Hum on the
northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum is one of the
few sites specified by Mark as a center of Jesus' preaching and
healing activity.



Mark 1:22 
And they were astonished at his doctrine: ; ...at his
teaching-- ASV; And they were dumbfounded at His teaching--Wms;
They were amazed at his way of teaching--Phi; for he taught them
as one that had authority, ; he taught them with a note of
authority--NEB; for he taught them like an authority--Mof; for He
was teaching them like one who had authority to teach--Wms; and
not as the scribes. ; and not like the Bible scholars--Beck; ...the
Doctors of the Law--Rieu;
and they were being struck with astonishment at his
teaching,-- for he was teaching them as one having /authority\, and
/not as the Scribes\.
and they were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching
them as having authority, and not as the scribes.
TRNTyeager563,4 - kai exeplAssonto epi tA didachA autou, An
gar didaskwn autous ws exousian echwn kai ouk ws oi grammateis . 
kai (continuative conjunction). 
exeplAssonto (3d.per.pl.imp.pass.ind.of ekplAssomai , 
inceptive). 
epi (preposition with the locative of basis, cause). 
tA (loc.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with didachA ). 
didachA (loc.sing.fem.of didachA , basis, cause). 
autou (gen.sing.masc.of autos , possession). 
An (3d.per.sing.imp.ind.of eimi , imperfect periphrastic). 
gar (causal conjunction). 
didaskwn (pres.act.part.nom.sing.masc.of didaskw , imperfect
periphrastic). 
autous (acc.pl.masc.of autos , direct object of didaskwn ). 
hws (connecting particle introducing a descriptive
comparative clause). 
exousian (acc.sing.fem.of exousia , direct object of 
echwn). 
echwn (pres.act.part.nom.sing.masc.of echw , substantival). 
kai (adjunctive conjunction, joining comparative clauses). 
ouk (negative conjunction with the indicative). 
hws (connecting particle in a comparative clause,
descriptive). 
hoi (nom.pl.masc.of the article in agreement with 
grammateis). 
grammateis (nom.pl.masc.of grammateus , subject of the verb
understood). 
TRANSLATION: "And they were seized with amazement because of
His teaching, for He was teaching them as one does who has
authority, and not as did the scribes." 
COMMENT: Mt.7:28b,29 records a similar reaction at the close
of His Olivet Discourse, which of course is not the same occasion
as the one under discussion here. ... The student should review
carefully #705, 706, and 707. Give attention to the durative
character of the imperfect periphrastic An...didaskwn . The
reaction in Capernaum was far different from that which He met in
Nazareth (Lk. 4:16- 30). 
The public recognition of the superiority of Jesus' ministry
over that of the scribes did nothing to enhance our Lord's
popularity with the religious establishment and was the basis for
much of the Scribes' animosity toward Him which developed and
contributed to His crucifixion. The text says that the people were
amazed; it does not say that they were ready to yield to Jesus the
respect which His person deserved. They were about to witness an
event that should have contributed to their respect for Him. 
R1127 - Hws echwn expresses the notion of manner (cf. B445),
"he taught as one who had authority."
BW40 - Instrumental of Cause. epi tA didachA autou . "They
were astonished because of his teaching .
BW136 - 7. THE MODAL PARTICIPLE. The modal participle
indicates the manner in which the action of the main verb takes
place. ...sometimes translate with the word "by,".. .. may emply
the particle hws . echwn . "he was teaching them as one who had 
authority." (Cham103).
MinGNTwuest30,1 - "They were astonished," ekplAssw , a very
strong word meaning, "to strike out, expel by a blow, drive out or
away, to strike one out of self-possession, to strike with panic,
shock" in a passive sense "to be struck with astonishment, amazed."
The verb is in the pictorial imperfect, describing the prolonged
amazement of the audience. it is in the passive voice, showing that
this amazement was caused by an outside influence, the tremendous
impact that the Messiah made upon them by the new type of teacher
and teaching that met their eyes and ears. 
"Doctrine" is didachA "teaching, that which is taught,"
"doctrine" in the sense of a statement of belief consisting of
formulated teaching. 
"He taught;" the Greek has a periphrastic construction
emphasizing action going on, continuous action. The translation
should read, "for He was teaching them." 
"Authority," exousia . The word means literally "to be out,"
and was used of that authority which a person has which is
delegated to him from soneone else. The person delegating the
authority is in a sense out of himself and acting in the person to
whom he has delegated the authority. Thus, the word means
"delegated authority." The word means also "the power of authority
and of right." It was used in legal practice of delegated
authority. Here it is used of our Lord as having that authority in
Himself, not derived from others. The rabbis quoted from other
rabbis and felt themselves to be expounders of tradition. The
Messiah struck a new note her, and the people were quick to
recognize it. They saw that here was a Teacher who spoke on His own
authority. Robertson quotes Bruce; "Mark omits much, and is in many
ways a meager Gospel, but it makes a distinctive contribution to
the evangelic history in showing by a few realistic touches (this
one of them) the remarkable personality of Jesus. " He says: "At
once the people see that Jesus stands apart from the old group. He
made a sensation in the best sense of that word. There was a buzz
of excitement at the new teacher that was increased by the miracle
that followed the sermon." "Scribes," grammateus , "a man learned
in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, a
teacher." 
Translation. "And they were completely amazed at His teaching.
For He was teaching them as one who possesses authority, and not as
the scribes.
MARKmcgarvey268,9 - "astonished at his doctrine." - Not at the
subject-matter of it, but because "he taught them as one that had
authority, and not as the scribes." They had not yet believed in
his divinity, and thy could not reconcile his tone of divine
authority with his human nature and his humble position in human
society.
MARKjohnson&dewelt44,5 - "They were astonished at his
doctrine." Never had such a teacher stood before them. There was no
lifeless droning over dry traditions or idle ceremonies, but his
teaching was fresh as the morning, original, going to the root of
things, authoritative, and burning with Divine fire. It is not
strange that the great Teacher whose doctrines have revolutionized
the earth, astonished the audiences who listened to him in Judea
and Galilee. Taught as one who had authority. He taught with the
authority of one who knows all the facts and all their bearings.
Being Divine he knew all about heaven and hell and the way there,
all about God and the truths he had revealed to the Jews, and all
his plans and purposes for his kingdom in the future. it was this
perfect knowledge that gave him the authority with which he spoke,
and gives superiority to the Bible over all philosophical systems
and attempts at religious systems. He never was in doubt, nor had
he ever to lean on the authority of others, because he knew all
things. "And not as the scribes." The scribes were the learned
men of the Jewish nation, the men who had to do with letters .
Almost all the writing that was required in the nation would be
done by them; most of the reading, too. The transcribing of the
Scriptures would devolve on them. Hence the interpretation of the
Law and Prophets, in the synagogues, would devolve chiefly on them.
They also engaged in idle discussion and differed among themselves.
MARKbarclay24 - Wherein did Jesus' teaching differ so much
from the teaching of the Scribes? He taught with personal
authority . No Scribe ever gave a decision on his own. He would
always begin, "There is a teaching that..." and would then quote
all his authorities. If he made a statement he would buttress it
with this, that and the next citation or quotation from the great
legal masters of the past. The last thing he ever gave was an
independent judgment. How dif,ferent was Jesus! When Jesus spoke,
He spoke as if He needed no authority beyond Himself. He spoke with
utter indepen,dence. He cited no authorities and quoted no experts.
He spoke with the finality of the voice of God. To the people it
was like a breeze from heaven to hear someone speak like that. The
terrific, positive certainty of Jesus was the very antithesis of
the careful quotations of the Scribes. The note of personal
authority rang out--and that is a note which captures the ear of
every man. 
NTC-MARKhendriksen63,4 - "..." While Jesus was speaking, and
even after he had finished, the people were dumbfounded. They
were literally "struck out of themselves," that is, "out of their
senses" by amazement and wonder. It was a state that did not leave
them immediately but lasted for a while. 
What were some of the reasons for this reaction on the part of
the audience? One of them may well have been that he, a carpenter
(Mk.6:3), revealed such wisdom. But especially there was this: "for
he taught them as one who had authority and not as the scribes."
Cf. Mt.7:28b,29. Consider the following points of contrast between
Christ's method of teaching and that of the scribes. 
a. He spoke the truth (Jn.14:6; 18:37). Corrupt and evasive
reasoning marked the sermons of many of the scribes (Mt.5:21ff). 
b. He presented matters of great significance, matters of
life, death, and eternity. They often wasted their time on
trivialities (Mt.23:23; Lk.11:42). 
c. There was system in his preaching. As their Talmud
proves, they often rambled on and on. 
d. He excited curiosity by making generous use of
illustrations (Mk.4:2-9, 21, 24, 26-34; 9:36; 12:1-11). Their 
speeches were often dry as dust. 
e. He spoke as the Lover of men, as One concerned with the
everlasting welfare of his listeners, and pointed to the Father and
his love. Their lack of love is clear from such passages as
Mk.12:40;etc. 
f. Finally, and this is the most important, for it is
specifically stated here, he spoke "with authority," for his
message came straight from the very heart and mind of the Father
(Jn.8:26), hence also from his own inner being, and from Scripture. 
They were constantly borrowing from fallible sources, one scribe
quoting another scribe. They were trying to draw water from
broken cisterns. He drew from himself, being "the Fountain of
living waters" (Jer.2:13).
CGTC-MARKcranfield73,4 - exeplAssonto . Indefinite plural
(frequent in Mk.). The passive of ekplAssw is used five times in
Mk--here and in 6:2; 11:18; of the effect of Jesus' teaching on the
people, in 10:26 of its effect on the disciples, in 7:37 of the
effect of a miracle on the people present. When we add to these the
following occurrences of other words expressive of amazement: 
thaumazw; exthaumazw; thamboumai; exthamboumai; existAmi;
phoboumai; ekphobos )..., it becomes clear that references to the
amazement occasioned by Jesus are a striking feature of the gospel.
G. Bertram seeks to explain them as being, not historical
reminiscence of the impression actually made by Jesus on people at
the time, but rather Mark's method of underlining for his readers
the revelation-content of what he is recording. But it is much more
probable surely that they are genuine historical reminiscence,
evidence, not merely of the theology of the early Chruch, but of
the impression made by Jesus in his lifetime,.... The amazement or
wonder which these words denote is something which may prove to be
the 'first step towards faith' (Wohlenberg), or it may turn into a 
skandalizesthai --a 'being offended'. 
didachA includes both content and manner. 
The latter half of the verse gives the reason for the 
people's astonishment. ... But, though exousia is certainly
equivalent to r_sut , it seems unlikely that Daube's suggestion is
right. It is more probable that the r_sut referred to here is
such authority as the prophets had had, the authority of a direct
commission from God, and that the grammateis with whom Jesus is
contrasted are not the in,ferior teachers, but the properly
ordained Rabbis. Even these did not claim an immediate authority;
they were rather the exponents of a tradition handed down to them.
The people sensed in the way Jesus taught the implicit claim to an
authority superior to that of Rabbinic ordination. The word 
grammateus in the NT is the equivalent of the Hebrew soper . This
was the word used for the ordained theologians in the oldest
Rabbinic tradition. ...
NTClane71,2 - Mark concentrates upon a single sabbath when
Jesus' synagogue teaching provoked the astonishment of the
congregation. The evangelist has no immediate interest in the
precise content of Jesus' exposition; its general thrust is
sufficiently indicated by 1:15 which summarizes Jesus' proclamation
during this initial phase of the Galilean ministry. His primary
emphasis is on the authority of Jesus' teaching and the response of
the people, whose astonishment conveys the impression of real
alarm. Jesus' word, presented with a sovereign authority which
permitted neither debate nor theoretical reflection, confronted the
congregation with the absolute claim of God upon their whole
person. Jesus' teaching recalled the categorical demand of the
prophets rather than scribal tradition. 
It has been argued that the contrast expressed between
authoritative and scribal teaching implies that Jesus "taught with
Rabbinic authority, and not like those who were unordained." On
this understanding the authority of an ordained rabbi to proclaim
decisions is opposed to that of inferior teachers who could appeal
only to the chain of tradition passed on from one informant to
another. This view fails to appreciate the more-than-prophetic note
which is present in Mark's account where the accent falls upon the
alarm occasioned by Jesus' teaching. The authority in view is not
merely the power to decide, but to compel decision. In contrast
with rabbinic exposition, with its reference to the tradition of
the elders, here was prophecy. The authority with which Jesus spoke
presupposes a commission and authorization from God inseparable
from the proclamation of the kingdom drawn near. In the presence of
Jesus men are disturbed, and this disturbance is the precise act of
fishing to which Jesus had called the four fishermen.
NTClane72 - Mark employs a variety of terms to express the
astonishment of the multitude and the disciples at the word and
deed of Jesus: ekplAssein (1:22; 6:2; 7:37; 10:26; 11:18); 
thaumazein (5:20; 15:5, 44); ekthaumazein (12:17); thambeisthai 
(1:27; 10:24, 32); ekthambeisthai (9:15); existAmi (2:12; 5:42;
6:51); cf. phobeisthai (4:41; 5:15,33, 36; 6:50; 9:32; 10:32;
11:18) and ekphobos (9:6). The response to Jesus' words and deeds
has overtones of fear and alarm; it reflects an awareness of the
disturbing character of his presence. Cf. G.Bertram, TWNT III
(1938), p.6: "The expressions of fear and astonishment therefore
serve to emphasize the revelational content and thus the
Christological meaning of numerous Synoptic scenes of Jesus."
NTClane72 - ...The amazement and fear which Jesus' teaching
called forth is poorly explained, however, unless the people sense
an implicit claim to an authority superior to rabbinic ordination.
Moreover, as J. Jeremias has shown, "scribes" is the correct term
for ordained theologians in the oldest strata of the rabbinic
tradition and in the NT. ...
NTClane73 - Cf. W.Foerster, TWNT II (Eng. Tr. 1964), pp.
566-569. K.H.Rengstorf, TWNT I (Eng. Tr. 1964), p. 140 adds "the
gap between Jesus and the Rabbis in respect of the subject of
teaching is to be found not in the matter itself, but in His own
person, i.e., in the fact of His self-awareness as the Son. This is
why His teaching, whether in the form of exposition or otherwise,
causes astonishment among His hearers." 


Mark 1:23 
And there was in their synagogue ; Now there was in their
Syna,gogue at the time--TCNT; And straightway there was in their
synagogue--ASV; And at that very moment, there in their
synagogue--Mon; a man with an unclean spirit; ; a man under the
control of a foul spirit--Gspd; a man in the grip of an evil
spirit--Phi; and he cried out, ; He shrieked--NEB; And he
screamed--Beck;
And /straightway\ there was in their synagogue, a man in an
inpure spirit,-- and he cried out alond,
And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit,
and he cried out, 
TRNTyeager564,5 - kai euthus An en tA sunagwgA autwn
anthrwpos en pneumati akathartw kai anekraxen . 
kai (explanatory conjunction). 
euthus (adverbial). An (3d.per.sing.imp.ind.of eimi ,
progressive description). 
en (preposition with the locative of place where). 
tA (loc.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with sunagwgA). 
sunagwgA (loc.sing.fem.of sunagwgA , place where). 
autwn (gen.pl.masc.of autos , possession). 
anthrwpos (nom.sing.masc.of anthrwpos , subject of An ). 
en (preposition with the locative of accompanying 
circumstance). 
pneumati (loc.sing.neut.of pneuma , accompanying
circumstance). 
akathartw (loc.sing.neut.of akathartos , in agreement with 
pneumati ). 
kai (inferential conjunction). 
anekraxen (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of anakrazw ,
ingressive). 
cry out - Mk.1:23; 6:49; Lk.4:33; 8:28; 23:18. 
Meaning : A combination of ana and krazw . Hence to
cry out; to speak with a loud voice. To cry out under the stress of
excitement or fear. With reference to the man with the unclean
spirit - Mk.1:23; Lk.4:33; the Gadarene - Lk.8:28; the disciples in
the boat upon seeing Jesus walking on the water - Mk.6:49; of the
crowd before Pilate demanding Jesus' death - Lk.23:18. 
TRANSLATION: "Now at that time there was in their synagogue a
man with an unclean spirit; therefore he began to cry out..." 
COMMENT: kai is explanatory as Mark develops his story by
introducing the insane man who was in the synagogue while Jesus was
teaching. euthus (Mark's favorite adverb) indi,cates this
particular time point - just then, at the time that Jesus was
teaching, there was a man. Note the durative action in the
imperfect periphrastic An...didaskwn of vs.22 and the durative
state of An in vs.23. en with the locative of accompanying
circumstance is good Greek, and interesting as a substitute for 
echwn pneuma akatharton . Robertson (588) cites en hoplois einai 
... like the English "The people are up in arms." He adds that the
LXX abounds in this idiom. In this use en is similar to meta 
and sun . Marks says it another way in Mk.3:30 where we have 
pneuma akatharton echei . Note the double use in Rom. 8:9. 
The second kai is inferential. It was because the man was
inhabited by the demons that he began to cry out (ingressive aorist
in anekraxen ). Jesus' presence always stirred the enemy into
frenzy. Note anakrazw in the other passages where it occurs. 
The demons gave evidence that, even though the Galileans of
Capernaum did not recognize Jesus as the incarnate Son of God, they
did and they knew that there could be no compatibility between Him
and them. They also indicated that they knew their ultimate destiny
and at whose hands it would be administered. When the demons see
God, they recognize Him as such and tremble (Jam.2:19).
R784 - The anarthrous prepositional phrase en pneumati
akathartw is attributive to the noun anthrwpos (cf. T221 and
BD272; the en of accompaniment here implies the idea of manner
(cf. BD219[4]0, with the meaning "the man with the unclean spirit,"
unless we take the dative as meaning "in the power of" -- T252).
[Ed. Turner's former suggestion seems preferable in view of
Christ's command in v.25.]
MitGNTwuest31,2,3 - The word euthus , "immediately," not
handled by the A.V., tells us that no sooner had the Messiah
finished his teaching, than the demonized man arose and started to
talk. "Their" refers back to the people who were so completely
amazed that they well nigh lost their self- possession. These owned
the synagogue. It also implies that the demonized man was not of
their company. 
"With an unclean spirit," en pneumati akathartwi . This is
Mark's designation of a demonized person. The Greek is literally
"in a spirit, an unclean one." Robertson says that this use of en 
is common in the LXX, and that it also occurs in the papyri. It is
the same as the idiom "in Christ" and "in the Lord," which is so
common with Paul. The unclean spirit was in the man in the sense
that he, an incorporeal being entered the man's body, took up his
residence in it, and controlled the person in whose body he dwelt.
The man was in the demon in that he lived within the sphere of the
demon's control. We have here the locative of sphere. Luke speaks
of the man as having an unclean demon (Lk.4:33). The AV, translates
by the word "devil." The Greek word is daimonion which should be
rendered "demon." The word "devil" is the proper translation of 
diabolos . There is one devil and many demons. The devil is a
fallen angel. Demons constitute a different category of beings.
From the fact that the demons have no rest unless they are living
in some physical body, it seems clear that at one time they did
have physical bodies, and that they were deprived of them by some
judgment of God. Some, including the writer, think that they are
the disembodied beings of a pre-Adamite race who inhabited the
first perfect earth (Gen.1:1), and that they followed their leader
Lucifer, into sin, and were disembodied and deprived of residence
upon the earth by the cataclysm of Genesis 1:2, which was
coincident with the fall of Lucifer (Is. 14:12-17). These are the
principalities and powers of Ephesians 6:12, and comprise the
kingdom of Satan in the atmosphere of this earth (Eph.2:2). [Ed.
This is also a lot of to-do-about-nothing.] 
"He cried out," anakrazw , "to raise a cry from the depth of
the throat, to cry out." The demon cried out, using the man's vocal
organs. It was a deep, throaty, terrible cry. It had in it the fear
of impending doom. It was from a member of one race of beings,
speaking through and by means of a member of the human race. 
Translation: "And immediately, there was in their synagogue a
man with a spirit, an unclean one."
MARKmcgarvey269 - "an unclean spirit." - The uncleanness of
the Mosaic law, which excluded persons affected by it from the
congregation, was so striking a type of sin, that it came to be
almost synonymous with sin in the Jewish mind. Consequently the
spirit in this demoniac was called, on account of his wickedness,
an "unclean spirit." It is singular that this wicked spirit, whose
eternal doom had been fixed, should resort to a worshiping assembly
where prayer was offered, the Scriptures were read, and men were
exhorted to avoid all sin.
MARKjohnson&dewelt45,6 - II. THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT CAST OUT. "A
man with an unclean spirit." The address of the great Teacher was
interrupted by a piteous cry of a demoniac. In the audience was a
man with an unclean spirit. He had evidently remained silent until
Jesus was nearly done, and then his cry arose. "An unclean spirit."
Some have held that the possession of unclean spirits and of demons
was only a way of described epilepsy or lunacy. Abbot well says:
"That there is described here, not a case of physical and mental
disease, but rather a real and actual possession of the soul by a
fallen spirit is, I think, clear, both from the tenor of the
narrative here and from parallel passages in the NT. How could a
lunatic know Christ to be the Holy One of God, when as yet he was
unknown even to his disciples? How could he fear that Christ would
destroy him, who came to heal the sufferer, but to destroy the
Devil? How could lunacy be said to come out of him, or to cry with
a loud voice?" In order that I may add as much light as space will
permit upon a difficult and controverted subject, I quote from 
Dean Alford and Dr. Clark . "What was this demoniacal possession?
But we may gather from the Gospel narrative some important
ingredients for our description. The demoniac was one whose being
was strangely interpenetrated by one or more of those fallen
spirits, who are constantly asserted in Scripture (under the name
of demons, evil spirits, unclean spirits, their chief being the
Devil, or Satan) to be the enemies and tempters of the souls of
men. He stood in a totally different position from the abandoned
wicked man, who morally is given over to the Devil. This latter
would be a subject for punishment, but for the demoniac for deepest
compassion. There appears to have been in him a double will and
double consciousness--sometimes the cruel spirit thinking and
speaking in him, sometimes his poor crushed self crying out to the
Savior of men for mercy; a terrible advantage taken, and a personal
realization, by the malignant powers of evil, of the fierce
struggle between sense and conscience in the man of morally divided
life. It has been not improbably supposed that some of these
demoniacs may have arrived at their dreadful state through various
progressive degrees of guilt and sensual abandonment. Lavish sin,
and especially indulgence in sensual lusts, superinducing, as it
would often, a weakness in the nervous system, which is the
especial bond between body and soul, may have laid open these
unhappy ones to the fearful incursions of the powers of darkness.--
Alford . To the frequent inquiry, How comes it that similar
possessions do not occur at the present day? it may be answered:
(1) It cannot be proved that they do not sometimes occur even now.
It cannot be said that in many cases of insanity, and in some cases
of spiritualism, the malady may not be traced to the direct agency
of demons. (2) But, admitting that such possessions are not
common, yet there was a reason in our Savior's day for the external
manifestation of Satan's power. The crisis of the moral history of
the world was at hand. The Devil was allowed to exercise unusual
power in temptation on the souls and bodies of men, in order that
Christ might meet him openly, and manifest his power in his victory
over him. When God was manifested in the flesh, then demons may
have been permitted to manifest themselves specially among men.--
Clark. 
MARKbarclay24,5,6,7,8 - If Jesus' words had amazed the people
in the Synagogue, His deed left them thunderstruck and astonished.
In the Synagogue there was a man in the grip of an unclean spirit.
The man created a disturbance and Jesus healed him. Now all through
the gosples we keep meeting these people who had unclean spirits
and who were possessed by demons or devils. What lies behind this?
The Jews, and indeed the whole ancient world, believed strongly in
demons and devils. As Harnack put it, "The whole world and the cir-
cumambient atmosphere were filled with devils; not merely idolatry,
but every phase and form of life was ruled by them. They sat on
thrones, they hovered around cradles. The earth was literally a
hell." Dr.A.Rendle Short cites a fact which shows the intensity
with which the ancient world believed in demons. In many ancient
cemeteries skulls are found which have been trepanned. That is to
say, a hole has been bored in the skull. In one cemetery out of one
hundred and twenty skulls six had been trepanned. With the limited
surgical technique awailable that was no small operation. Further,
it was clear from the bone growth that the trepanning had been done
during life. It was also clear that the hole in the skull was too
small to be of any physical or surgical value; and it is known that
the removed disc of bone was often worn as an amulet round the
neck. The reason for the trepanning was to allow the demon to
escape from the body of the man. Now if primitive surgeons were
prepared to undertake that operation, and if men were prepared to
undergo it, the belief in demon-possession must have been intensely
real. Where then did these demons come from? There were
three answers to that question. (i) Some believed that they were as
old as creation itself. (ii) Some believed that they were the
spirits of wicked men who had died and were still carrying on their
malignant work. (iii) Most people connected the demons with the old
story in Genesis 6:1-8 (cp. II Peter 2:4,5). The Jews elaborated
the story in this way. There were two angels who forsook God and
came to this earth because they were attracted bya lust for the
beauty of mortal women. Their names were Assael and Shemachsai. One
of them returned to God; one remained on earth and gratified his
lust; and the demons are the children that he begat and their
children. The collective word for demons is mazzikin , which means 
one who does harm . So the demons were malignant beings
intermediate between God and man who were out to work men harm. 
The demons, according to Jewish belief, could eat and drink
and beget children. They were terrifyingly numerous. There were,
according to some, seven and half million of them; a man had ten
thousand on his right hand and ten thousand on his left. They libed
in unclean places, such as tombs and places where there was no
cleansing water. They lived in the desert where their howling could
be heard-- hence the phrase a howling desert . They were specially
dangerous to the lonely traveller, to the woman in child- birth, to
the bride and bridegroom, to children who were out after dark, and
to those who voyaged at night. They were specially active in the
midday heat and between sunset and sunrise. There was a demon of
blindness, and a demon of leprosy and a demon of heart-disease.
They could transfer their malign gifts to men. For instance, the
evil eye which could turn good fortune into bad and in which all
believed was given to a man by the demons. They worked along with
certain animals--the serpent, the bull, the donkey and the
mosquito. The male demons were known as shedim , and the female as 
lilin , after Lilith. The female demons had long hair and were the
enemies of children. That is why children had their guardian
angels (Mt.18:10). 
Now it does not matter whether or not we believe in all this;
whether it is true or not is not the point. The point is that the
people in NT times did. We still may use the phrase Poor devil !
That is a relic of the old belief. When a man believed himself to
be poossessed he was "conscious of himself and also of another
being who constrains and controls him from within." That explains
why the demon- possessed in Palestine so often cried out when they
met Jesus. They knew that Jesus was believed by some at least to be
the Messiah; they knew that the reign of the Messiah was the end of
the demons; and the man who believed himself to be possessed by a
demon spoke as a demon when he came into the presence of Jesus.
There were many exorcists who claimed to be able to cast out
demons. So real was this belief that by AD 340 the Christian Church
actually possessed an Order of Exorcists. But there was this
difference--the ordinary Jewish and pagan exorcist used elaborate
incantations, and spells, and magical rites. Jesus with one word of
clear, simple, brief authority exorcised the demon from the man. No
one had ever seen anything like this before. The power was not in
the spell, the formula, the incantation, the elaborate rite; the
power was in Jesus, and men were astonished. What are we
to say to all this? Paul Tournier in A Doctor's Casebook writes,
"Doubtless there are many doctors who in their struggle against
disease have had, like me, the feeling that they were confronting,
not something passive, but a clever and resourceful enemy.' Dr.
Rendle Short come tentatively to the conclusion that "the
happenings in this world, in fact, and its moral disasters, its
wars and wickedness, its physical catastrophes, and its sicknesses,
may be part of a great warfare due to the interplay of forces such
as we see in the book of Job, the malice of the devil on one hand
and the restraints imposed by God on the other." 
This is a subject on which we cannot dogmatize. We may take
three different positions. (i) We may relegate the whole matter of
demon possession to the sphere of the whole matter of demon
possession to the sphere of primitive thought. We may say that it
was a primitive way of accounting for things in the days before man
knew any more about men's bodies and men's minds. (ii) We may
accept the fact of emon possession as being true in NT times and as
being still true to-day. (iii) If we accept the first position we
have to explain the attitude and actions of Jesus. Either, He knew
no more on this matter than the people of His day, and that is a
thing which we can easilyt accept for Jesus was not a scientist and
did not come to teach science. Or, He knew perfectly well that He
could never cure the man in trouble unless He assumed the reality
of the disease. It was real to the man and had to be treated as
real or it could never be cured at all. In the end we come to the
conclusion that there are some answers that we do not know.
NTC-MARKhendriksen64,5 - "Just then there was in their
synagogue a man with an unclean spirit." As is clear from
Mk.1:32-34; 6:13; Lk.4:40,41, it is not true that the NT writers,
in common with all primitive people, ascribed all physical
illnesses and abnormalities to the presence and operation of evil
spirits. It is contrary to fact that demon-possession is simply
another name for insanity or for dissociation. Fact is that
demon-possession describes a condition in which a distinct and 
evil being (Mark: "an unclean spirit"; Luke 4:33, "the spirit of
an unclean demon"), foreign to the person possessed, has taken
control of that person. 
The theory according to which demon-possession has continued
through the centuries and is present with us today is held by many.
Origen (fl. A.D. 210-250) claimed that by calling on the name of
Jesus and the name of martyrs (!) demons could be driven out.
During the middle ages there were those who held that making the
sign of the cross would be of help in expelling them. Many
present-day advocates of this theory appeal to the often quoted
work by H.W.White, Demonism Verified and Analyzed . W.P.Blatty's
paperback The Exorcist ("a nightmare novel of demonic
possession") has received high praise. And a certain newspaper
reports a demon-expulsion resulting from five-hour directions by
telephone! 
That superstition plays its role in at least some of these
claims is evident even on the surface. Besides, it is a question
whether all those who believe in demon-possession as an actual
present-day fact are scientifically equipped to draw the necessary
distinction (a). between certain abnormal mental conditions (for
example "dissociation") and the invasion of the human personality
by one or more of Satan's underlings; and (b). between demonic 
influence and demon- possession . In the Roman Catholic Church
before a priest is allowed to proceed with exorcism he has to make
a thorough examination to see whether he is dealing with a real
case of demon-possession, and even then he must receive
authorization from his bishop before proceeding. 
A man of high reputation, with thorough theological, medical,
and psychiatric training, the late Dr.J.D.Mulder, in a series of
articles on "Mental Disease and Demon Possession," wrote as
follows, "For six years I have worked as medical missionary among
the Navahos, a trive of Indians still deeply steeped in fear of
evil spirits, witchcraft, and relate subjects, while the last ten
years I was in daily contact with mentally disturbed of all
types... Daily conversations with these...patients, however, and
careful delving into their inner thoughts have made me convinced
that, whereas there might well be demoniacal influence , the
picture of possession , as found in the NT, was always absent. I
therefore fully agree with Prof. Schultze when he writes, 'I
venture to suggest that demon possession was a phenomenon limited
almost exclusively (if not entirely) to the period of special
divine manifestations during the period in which the NT church was
born.'"
TCGTC-MARKcranfield74,5 - pneumati akathartw is a thoroughly 
Jewish expression, ruah tum ah being a specially common way
of denoting demons in Rabbinic literature...., the NT rarely
mentions the demons except in connection with exorcisms. this
reticence and abstention from speculation on the subject are due,
on the one hand, to the fact that in the NT the demons are no
longer thought of as more or less indepen- dent individualities but
rather as altogether suboridnate to Satan, and, on the other hand,
to the fact that the writers, knowing that the demons have met
their master, no longer find them of fascinating interest. But this
is far from meaning that the demons are not taken seriously. On the
contrary, the victory of Christ over the powers of darkness is a
central feature of the gospels.... 


Mark 1:24 
Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus
of Nazareth? ; What..., Jesus thou Nazarene--ASV; What have we in
common with thee, Jesus of Nazareth--Rhm; What do you want of us,
Jesus, you Nazarene--Gspd; art thou come to destroy us? ; Have you
come...--RSV; You've come to destroy us!--Beck; I know thee who
thou art, the Holy One of God. ; I know who you are--the Holy One
of God--NEB;
saying-- What have we in common with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? 
Hast thou come to destroy us? I know thee, who thou art, //The
Holy One of God\\.
saying, 'Away! what--to us and to thee,Jesus the Nazarene?
thou didst come to destroy us; I have known thee who thou art-- the
Holy One of God.'
TRNTyeager566 - legwn, Ti hAmin kai soi, IAsou NazarAne;
Althes apolesai Amas; oida se tis ei, ho hagios tou theou . 
legwn (pres.act.part.nom.sing.masc.of legw , recitative). 
Ti (interrogative pronoun, nom.sing.neut.of tis , subject of 
esti , understood). 
hAmin (dat.pl.masc.of egw , personal interest). 
kai (adjunctive conjunction, joining pronouns). 
soi (dat.sing.masc.of su , personal interest). 
IAsou (voc.sing.masc.of IAsous , address). 
NazarAne (voc.sing.masc.of Nazaraios , address). 
althes (2d.per.sing.aor.ind.of erchomai , direct question). 
apolessai (aor.act.inf.of apollumi , complementary). 
hAmas (acc.pl.masc.of egw , direct object of apolesai ). 
oida (1st.per.sing.perf.act.ind.of horaw , consummative). 
se (acc.sing.masc.of su , direct object of oida ). 
tis (nom.sing.masc.of tis , predicate nominative). 
ei (2d.per.sing.pres.ind.of eimi , aoristic). 
ho (nom.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with hagios . 
hagios (nom.sing.masc.of hagios , predicate nominative). 
tou (gen.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with theou ). 
theou (gen.sing.masc.of theos , designation). 
TRANSLATION: "...saying, 'What common ground exists
between us and you, Jesus, Nazarene? You have come to destroy us,
have you not? I have always known you - who you are - the Holy One
of God.'" 
COMMENT: In modern parlance we would say, "What's with it
between us and you?" The demons are not asking for information. it
is a rhetorical question. They are saying emphatically that there
is no commonality between Satan and his kingdom and the Kingdom of
God and its King. There is no basis for negotiation. One must
prevail totally or the other. Satan and Christ are in a war to the
death. Thank God, there is no doubt about the outcome. The demons
knew this. Their question, "Did you come to destroy us?" expects an
affirmative answer. The demon had no doubt about Jesus' identity.
Note the perfect tense in oida - a present consummative condition
as a result of past time knowing. The demons had known for a long
time who Jesus was and they had not forgotten. They knew more about
it than the Galileans from Capernaum, who were still in some doubt. 
The total incompatibility of Jesus and His program and the
demons and theirs is the paramount point. Cf.#208 for references
that link the ministry of Jesus with destructions of demons, Satan,
sin and the kingdom of darkness. The demon was speaking
prophetically here. Jesus had indeed come to visit the wrath of God
upon the entire kingdom of Satan and satanic men. 
M154 - The clause se tis ei is used as the object of oida 
(thus se is in the accusative rather than the nominative),
meaning "I know who you are" (cf. T149; prolepsis occurs [i.e., the
subject is brought forward]--T325).
TGr43 - Ti hAmin kai soi means "Leave us alone!" (cf. Luke
4:34).
BW104 - Interrogative Indicative. Althes (DM168 - The
interrogative indicative assumes that there is an actual fact which
may be stated in answer to the question.)Ear111 - A Strange Phrase.
The demon said to Jesus, "What have we to do with thee?" (KJV; cf.
NASB). It may also be translated, "What do you want with us?" (NIV;
cf. RSV). The Greek says ti hAmin kai soi --literally, "What to us
and to you?" 
In his commentary on the Greek text of Mark, Vincent Taylor
notes that in classical Greek the question would mean, "What have
we in common?" But he thinks that here it probably means, "Why do
you meddle with us?" ( The Gospel According to St. Mark ). Ezra
Gould combines these in his commentary in the I series: "What have
we in common which gives you the right to interfere with us?".
MitGNTwuest32,3 - "Let us alone." Not in the best texts. 
"What have we to do with thee?" The Greek is Ti hAmin kai soi
, literally, "What with reference to us and with reference to you?"
Supplying the verb of being here which is often left out in the
Greek sentence, we have "What is there with reference to us and
with reference to you?" That is, "What do we demons have in common
with you, holy One of God?" The demon recognized and acknowledged
the deity of the Messiah. Satan did the same when he said, "In view
of the fact that you are Son of God by nature, command that these
stones become loaves of bread" (Mt.4:3). The conditional particle 
ei is used, which speaks of a fulfilled condition. James says,
"Even the demons believe and tremble" (James 2:19). The religious
leaders of Israel recognized the Messiah as the Son of God and yet
in their apostasy, rejected Him (Mt.21:37-39). 
"Art thou come to destroy us?" Expositors says that this could
be a question or an assertion, the sense of the whole passage
being, "Thou art come to destroy us, for I know well who thou art,
the holy One of God." The demon uses the plural pronoun "us,"
referring to himself and his associated demons. Vincent quotes
Bengel, "The demons make common cause." 
Translation: "And he cried out, saying, What is there in
common between us and you? You have come to destroy us. I know who
you are, the Holy One of God."
MARKmcgarvey269 - "Let us alone." - This outcry was a
disturbance of the quiet which should reign in a religious
assembly, and the thoughts to which it gave utterance were very
startling. The spirit's recognition of Jesus as "the Holy One of
God," and the fear which he manifested that Jesus had come to
destroy him and his fellows, must have made a deep impression on
the people. 
MARKjohnson&dewelt46 - "What have we to do with thee?" The
Savior had not, so far as appears, been formally interfering by any
specific action; but his very presence on the scene was felt to be
interference. There emanated from him, round about, an influence
that went in upon men blissfully, counter-working all evil
influences. The unclean spirit felt the power, and resented it as
an interference,--an interference, not with itself in particular,
but with the entire circle of kindred spirits. "What hast thou to
do with us ?" "Art thou come to destroy us?" Note the us ,
"Camest thou to destroy us?" Is it the intent of the mission to
put down all demonic power? Note the word destroy . it has no
reference to the annihilation of being. "I know thee." Not as an
acquaintance, but by fame and report. Earth has not recognized her
King, has not seen him through his disguise; but heaven and hell
alike bear witness unto him. "The Holy One of God." Such is Christ,
both morally and officially. This term expresses the character in
which this being recognized his deadly enemy. Christ is the exact
opposite of the unclean spirits, being holy, and producing holiness
in others. 
NTC-MARKhendriksen65,6 - Literally the demon, making use of
the wretched man's vocal organs, said, "What (is there) to us and
you," meaning, "What have we in common?" and in the present
context, "What have you to do with us?"; hence, "Why do you bother
us?" See also Mark 5:7; cf. Mt.8:29. Note "with us ," the one
demon speaking for them all, for he realizes that what will happen
to him is going to be the lot of all his fellow-demons. He
calls the One who is about to expel him "Jesus of Nazareth,"
literally, "Jesus the Nazarene." Although being brought up in
Nazareth spelled humble beginnings, and in the case of Jesus
pointed to the Messiah's low estate (Mt.2:23), and Nathanael by
asking, "Out of Nazareth can any good come?" was moved either by
town-rivalry or more probably was thinking of any good thing in the
Messianic category, yet calling Jesus "the Nazarene" does not
always or necessarily imply disdain. In fact Jesus even uses the
term with respect to himself (Acts 22:8). That the form of
address, "Jesus of Nazareth," used by the demon was simply the
designation by which Jesus was generally known, and not a title
indicating disrespect, is clear also from the added words: "Have
you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God."
"Have you come" can hardly be taken to mean, "from Nazareth," for
Jesus did not need to come from Nazareth to crush the power of
Satan's emissaries. It is best taken to mean "Have you come from
heaven into the world...." The demon, accordingly, is asking
whether the very One who had come to seek and to save the lost
(Lk.19:10) had also come to destroy the demons, that is, now 
already (cf. Mt.8:29) to hurl them into the abyss or dungeon where
Satan is kept (Rev.20:3). 
When the demon declares, "I know" he is not telling a lie.
There are certain things that are known to the prince of evil and
his servants. See James 2:19. Moreover, some of this knowledge
causes them to tremble, to be frightened. They know that for them
there is no salvation, only dreadful punishment. The demon is
thinking of this very fact, as he realizes that the is at this
moment being confronted with his Great Opponent, whom he, again
correctly, calls "the Holy One of God." He knows that holiness
cannot brook sin. A demon...the Holy One of God, what a contrast!
In connection with "Holy One" see also Lk.4:34; Jn.6:69; Rev.3:7.
Jesus was "holy" not only in the sense of being sinless in himself,
filled with virtue, and the cause of virtue in others, but
specifically also in this sense, that he had been anointed, hence
set apart, separated, for the performance of the most exalted task
(Isa.61:1-3; Lk.4:18,19; 19:10; Jn.3:16; 10:36; II Cor.5:21). 
When radicals deny Christ's deity they show less in,sight than
the demons, for the latter are constantly ack,nowledging it. To be
sure, they do not do this in the proper spirit. For reverence they
substitute impudence; for joyful,ness, bitterness; for gratitude,
turpitude. But they do it all the same. They call Jesus "the Holy
One of God" (here in Mk.1:24), "the Son of the Most High" (5:7),
"the Son of God" (Mt.8:29).
TCGTC-MARKcranfield75,6 - Ti hAmin kai soi ; Similar
expressions occur in the OT (e.g. Josh.22:24; Judg.11:12; II
Sam.16:10; 19:22; I Kings 17:18) and also in classical Greek (for
examples see L. & S., under eimi ( sum ),.... The meaning is:
'What have we and you in common?', so 'Why do you interfere with
us?' or 'Mind your own business!' Cf. v.7, Jn ii. 4. 
hAmin . Cf. hAmas immediately below. The man's personality
has been so disabled that the demon, usurping the place of the
self, speaks through him--the plural denoting the demons as a
class. ... 
Althes apolesai [the infinitive of purpose is specially
common in NT after verbs of motion] hAmas can be read as a
question (so W.H., A.V., R.V., R.S.V.) or as a statement (so
Nestle, Huch, Taylor). In either case it expresses a mixture of
fear and defiance. The demon's foreboding is due to his recognition
of the identity of Jesus. The destruction of the evil spirits was
expected in the last days. 
oida se tis ei, ho 'Hagios tou theou' . Note the 
hyperbaton. The pronoun which should be the subject of the
subordinate clause is brought forward into the main clause, where
it becomes the object. This is much more common in Aramaic than in
Greek. Cf. 7:2; 11:32; 12:34; Mt.25:24, etc. Against the view that
the recognition of Jesus by the demoniacs is simply part of an
invented theory by which the early Church sought to get over the
embarrassing fact that there was no evidence that Jesus had claimed
to be the Messiah or his disciples recognized him as such during
his life, it has been rightly pointed out that the early Church is
not likely to have invented a feature which, far from having
apologetic value, would be likely to occasion mockery (iii. 22
suggests how readily a pretext for accusing Jesus of being in
league with the demons would be seized). There is therefore very
good reason for believing that the possessed did actually recognize
Jesus. 
It is often assumed that ho hagios tou theou must be used as
a messianic title; but it is not a known messianic title, and in
the only other place in the NT where it occurs (apart from the Lk.
parallel to this verse), Jn vi. 69, it is not used as a messianic
title but rather (as Bultmann points out) to designate Jesus as
from beyond this world and belonging to God, and is to be connected
with Jn x. 36.... It is as the divine Son of God rather than as
Messiah that the demoniacs address Jesus. ... 
NTClane73,4 - Within the synagogue there was a man possessed
by an unclean spirit. His personality had been damaged to the point
that the demonic power had usurped the center of his self, and
spoke through him. The disturbance which Jesus brings was expressed
in the excited response of this man, who sensed in Jesus a threat
to his very existence. His cry of terror, expressed in vs.24, is
laden with the language of defense and resistance. The demoniac
does not confess the dignity of Jesus, but uses the accepted terms
of opposition in the attempt to disarm him. The initial expression
is a common formula in the OT within the context of combat or
judgment, [Judg.11:12; II Sam.16:10; 19:22; I Kg.17:18; II Kg.3:13;
II Chron.35:21; Isa.3:15; 22:1; Jer.2:18; Hos.14:9] and is roughly
equivalent to "you have no business with us-- yet." It is probable
that the following statement is not a question but a declaration:
"You have come to destroy us." The note of conflict implied is
important, for the demonic power understands more clearly than the
people the decisive significance of the presence of Jesus. In the
question "What have we to do with you?" it is natural to find a
reference to all of the demonic powers who shall be destroyed by
Jesus. But it is also distinctly possible that the demoniac
identifies himself with the congregation and speaks from their
perspective: Jesus' presence entails the danger of judgment for all
present.Footnote #115 - So H. van der Loos, The Miracles of Jesus
... when the agitation of the demoniac is regarded in the light of
the dismay and turmoil in the synagogue, "this is even the obvious
interpretation." Van der Loos' interpretation is consistent with
the fisher image as developed in the OT, at Qumran and in Ch. 1:17.
NTClane73,4 - That the demonic powers possess a certain
know,ledge of Jesus' identity is clear from the dry of
recogni,tion, "I know who you are, the Holy One of God." The
unclean spirit recognizes Jesus as the Holy One of God, the Bearer
of the HS, and between the HS and an unclean spirit "there exists
a deadly antithesis that the demons know." This formula of
recognition, however, does not stand alone. It is part of a larger
complex of material exhibiting a striking difference between the
forms of address employed by the demoniacs and the titles used by
ordinary sick individuals. The latter group appeal to Jesus as
"Lord" (7:8), "Teacher" (9:17), "Son of David" (10:47,48) or
"Master" (10:51). The demoniacs, however, address Jesus as "the
Holy One of God" (1:24), "the Son of God" (3:11) or "the Son of the
Most High God (5:7), formulations which identify Jesus as the
divine Son of God. The contrast in address is an important
charac,teristic distinguishing ordinary sickness from demonic
pos,session, and reflects the superior knowledge of the demons. The
recognition-formula is not a confession, but a defensive attempt to
gain control of Jesus in accordance with the common concept of that
day, that the use of the precise name of an individual or spirit
would secure mastery over him. 
NTClane74 - [footnote #118] O. Bauernfeind, op. cit., pp.14f.
call attention to the formulations in a magical papyrus of the
fourth or fifth century, now in the British Museum: "I know your
name which was received in heaven, I know your forms...I know you
foreign names and your true name...I know you, Hermes, who you are
and from whence you are..." Cf. T.A.Burkill, op. cit., p.76: "The
demon knows the divine purpose of Jesus' coming and the divine
character of his status; and by giving full expression to its
knowledge it seeks to ward off the threatened offensive of its
dangerous opponent." 


Mark 1:25 
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, ; Jesus reproved him, and
said-- Gspd; But Jesus cut him short and spoke sharply--Phi; Jesus
spoke to him threateningly--Knox; Hold thy peace, ; Be
silent--RSV; Silence!--Gspd; Hold your tongue--Phi; and come out
of him. Get out of him--Gspd;
And Jesus rebuked him, [saying]-- Be silenced, and come
forth out of him!
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be silenced, and come forth
out of him,'
TRNTyeager567 - kai epetimAsen autw ho IAsous legwn,
PhimwthAti kai exelthe ex autou . 
kai (adversative conjunction). 
epetimAsen (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of epitimaw ,
constative). 
autw (dat.sing.masc.of autos , personal disadvantage). 
ho (nom.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with IAsous ). 
IAsous (nom.sing.masc.of IAsous , subject of epetimAsen ). 
legwn (pres.act.part.nom.sing.masc.of legw , recitative). 
PhimwthAti (2d.per.sing.aor.pass.impv.of phimow , command). 
kai (adjunctive conjunction, joining verbs). 
exelthe (2d.per.sing.aor.act.impv.of exerchomai , command). 
ex (preposition with the ablative of separation). 
autou (abl.sing.masc.of autos , separation). 
TRANSLATION: "But Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be
silenced and come out of him." 
COMMENT: Cf.#757 for other rebukes in the NT. We may learn
what God dislikes by studying occasions when someone drew the fire
of His rebuke. Jesus' command is stern - "Be silenced" or "Be
muzzled." In modern terms we might say, "Shut up!" autw means the
unclean spirit; autou means the poor man whose body the demon was
possessing. Jesus ( contra some commentators) was not objecting to
being exposed as the Son of God. He had already as good as claimed
this for Himself, both with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. His
stern order to the demon to leave the man, which was obeyed
forthwith, was ample evidence that He was the Holy One of God and
that He had power to judge the demon world. 
TGr42 - The aorist imperative phimwthAti means "be harmless" 
(i.e., "become harmless").
Ear112 - Hold Thy Peace. The Greek literally says, "Be
muzzled!" ( phimwthAti )--the same word found in Luke's parallel
passage (4:35). It means "Be quiet!" (NIV; cf. RSV, NASB).
MitGNTwuest33,34 - "Rebuked," epitimaw . There are two words
used in the NT, both meaning "to rebuke," the one used here, 
epitimaw , which means "to rebuke another, the rebuke failing to
bring the offender to acknowledge his sin," and elegchw , a rebuke
which results in a conviction of sin and sometimes a confession of
sin on the offender's part. The former is used by Mark, for Satan,
the fallen angels, and the demons are incorrigible. They refuse to
be convicted of their sin, and they will not acknowledge it nor
repent. This is just another illustration of the meticulous
accuracy of the Bible writers in the choice of words as guided by
the HS. 
"Hold thy peace," phimow "to close the mouth with a muzzle,
to muzzle," metaphorically, "to stop the mouth, make speechless,
reduce to silence." In Deut.25:4 (LXXX), I Cor. 9:9, and I Tim.5:18
it is used of the muzzling of an ox. It is used of our Lord
muzzling the Sadducees (Mt.22:34) and stilling the storm (Mk.4:39).
Peter uses it of the well doing of the saints muzzling the
ignorance of foolish men. The words, "Hold thy peace" are not an
adequate rendering. The word is much more vigorous than that.
Martin Luther translates by the German equivalent of our "Shut up."
The AV puts too high a polish on the sharp, incisive command of our
Lord. From the latter, we can gather something of the attitude of
God towards Satan, the other fallen angles, the demons, and the
enormity of their sin. Gould translates "Shut up." Robertson says
that "Shut your mouth" is too colloquial. But that is the
equivalent idiom of that day for our expression today. The verb is
in the imperative mode and the aorist tense, issuing a sharp
command to be obeyed at once. The same holds true of the command
"Come out." 
Translation: "And Jesus rebuked him, the rebuke not resulting
in any conviction or confession of sin, saying, Shut your mouth and
come out of him at once."
MARKmcgarvey269 - "Jesus rebuked him." - This was probably the
first demon which Jesus had encountered; at least, it is the first
in point of time mentioned by any of the historians. We see, then,
that from the beginning of his encounters with these beings he
rebuked them for speaking of him, and commanded them to hold their
peace and depart from their victims. It was important that he
should do this for two reasons: first, that the faith of those who
believed in him should not rest even in part on the testimony of
evil spirits; second, that he should not appear to sustain friendly
relations with these evil beings, and with Satan who ruled over
them. In spite of all his precautions the charge was made that he
cast out demons by the power of Satan (3:22-26); and it was perhaps
for the very purpose of giving apparent ground for this charge,
that Satan prompted the demons to testify as they did.
MARKjohnson&dewelt46,7 - "And Jesus rebuked." The original
word is very peculiar, and strictly means rated . Our Savior 
chides the evil spirit. He never on any occasion gave any quarter
to anything demonic. "Hold thy peace." The word translated Hold thy
peace is exceedingly graphic. "Be muz,zled." It is a word for a
beast. He silences the devils, even when they spake the truth, lest
he should seem to approve of witnesses who were liars by nature. It
was to bring the truth itself into suspicion and discredit, when it
was borne witness to by the spirit of lies. "Come out of him." Two
distinct personalities are here recognized. The demon is treated as
a person as much as the man. The one was just as much a disease or
a principle as the other, no more, and no less.NTC-MARKhendriksen66
- "But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be quiet and get out of him!"
Jesus does not accept an acknowledgment coming from a throughly
corrupt demon. Besides, the demon had no business to interrupt. But
see also on vss. 34 & 44. So Jesus issues a terse, peremptory,
two-fold command, "Be still and get out!" 
The demon obeys at once; that is all he could do. He obeys,
though, as is evident, most unwillingly:
TCGTC-MARKcranfield77,8 - epetimAsen . In LXX epitimw,
epitimAsis represent the Hebrew root g`r , which denotes the
divine word of rebuke (e.g. II Sam.22:16; Job 26:11; Ps.80:16;
104:7; 106:9; Zech.3:2), the counterpart to the divine creating
word ( br' ). When used in the gospels of Jesus (with this example
cf. 4:39; 8:30, 33; Lk.4:39; 9:55) the verb perhaps carries with it
an overtone of divine authority. 
phimwthAti phimoun means properly 'to muzzle' (so I
Cor.9:9), but is also used in the sense of 'to silence' (e.g.
Mt.22:12, 34). The word was apparently used as a technical term in
magic for binding a person with a spell, and it has been suggested
that there is some such idea here; but the meaning 'be silent!' is
more probable. ... 
exelthe ex autou . The exorcism is effected by Jesus' word of
command.NTClane74,5 - Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit with the
words, "Be silenced! Come out of him." The defensive address of the
demon was powerless before the sovereign command of Jesus. In
contrast to contemporary exorcists, who identified themselves by
name or by relationship to some deity or power, who pronounced some
spell or performed some magical action, Jesus utters only a few
direct words, through which his absolute authority over the demonic
power that had held the man captive was demonstrated [119]. The
unclean spirit convulsed the possessed man, and with a loud shriek
left him. 
The climax of the encounter was reached in Jesus' powerful
command "Be silenced!" W. Wrede called attention to this passage
and related injunctions to silence, and found in them the
significant key to the Marcan theology [121]. His hypothesis of a
Marcan construction at this point is untenable, for the injunction
is an integral element in the account. Jesus' silencing of the
demon was an aspect of a conflict which has cosmic dimensions --
the sustained en,counter of the Son of God with Satan. The
silencing and expulsion of the demon is the proof of that judgment
which Jesus has come to initiate. To have allowed the defensive
utterance of the demon to go unrebuked would have been to
compromise the purpose for which Jesus came into the world, to
confront Satan and strip him of his power. As such, this initial
act of exorcism in the ministry of Jesus is program,matic of the
sustained conflict with the demons which is a marked characteristic
in the Marcan presentation of the gospel.Footnote #119 - E.g.
Josephus, Ant. VIII. ii.5 reports of the exorcist Eleazar who
demonstrated his ability before Vespasian: "he put to the nose of
the possessed man a ring which had under its seal one of the roots
prescribed by Solomon, and then, as the man smelled it, drew out
the demon through his nostrils, and, when the man at once fell
down, adjured the demon never to come back into him, speaking
Solomon's name and reciting the incantations which he had composed.
Then, wishing to convince the bystanders and prove to them that he
had this power, Eleazar placed a cup or foot-basin full of water a
little way off and commanded the demon, as it went out of the man,
to overturn it and make known to the spectators that he had left
the man" (Loeb translation). ...Footnote #121 - ...Kee demonstrates
that epitiman in 1:25 is the equivalent of the Semitic root ____,
which in the documents of Qumran is a technical term designitating
the commanding word uttered by God or his spokesman by which evil
powers are brought into submission and the way is prepared for the
establishment of God's rule. This is appropriate to the present
context, where epitiman denotes the command that brought the
hostile power under God's control. Jesus' exorcisms must be
understood against a cosmic background; they affirm that God is
gaining control over an estranged and hostile creation which was
subject to Satan's invasion and rule. 


Mark 1:26 
And when the unclean spirit had torn him, ; And the unclean
spirit, convulsing him--ABUV; And the unclean spirit threw the man
into convulsions--NEB; The foul spirit threw the man into a
fit--TCNT; and cried with a loud voice, ; and gave a loud
cry--Gspd; and with a deafening shriek--Wms; he came out of him.
; and left him--Phi;
And the impure spirit <tearing him, and calling out with a
loud voice> came forth out of him;
and the unclean spirit having torn him, and having cried with
a great voice, came forth out of him.
TRNTyeager567,8 - kai sparaxan auton to pneuma to akatharton
kai phw nAsai phwnA megalA exAlthen ex autou . 
kai (inferential conjunction). 
sparaxan (aor.act.part.nom.sing.neut.of sparassw ,
adverbial, temporal). rend - Mk.9:26. tear - Mk.1:26;
Lk.9:39. 
Meaning: To convulse; to induce spasm; victims of spastic
behavior indulge in sudden violent and temporary emotion and
muscular action. With reference to the demon possession which
brings bodily contortions to those possessed - Mk.1:26; 9:20
(mgn.); 9:26; Lk.9:39. 
auton (acc.sing.masc.of autos , direct object of sparaxan). 
to (nom.sing.neut.of the article in agreement with pneuma ). 
pneuma (nom.sing.neut.of pneuma , subject of exAlthen ). 
to (nom.sing.neut.of the article in agreement with 
katharton). 
akatharton (nom.sing.neut.of akathartos , in agreement with 
pneuma ). 
kai (adjunctive conjunction, joining participles). 
phwnAsan (aor.act.part.nom.sing.neut.of phwnew , adverbial,
temporal). 
phwnA (instru.sing.fem.of phwnA , manner). 
megalA (instru.sing.fem.of megas , in agreement with 
phwnA). 
exAlthen (3d.per.sing.aor.ind.of exerchomai , constative). 
ex (preposition with the ablative of separation). 
autou (abll.sing.masc.of autos , separation). 
TRANSLATION: "Therefore after the unclean spirit had
convulsed him and wailed with a loud voice, he came out of him." 
COMMENT: We must translate the participles in keeping with
the context. Here is a demon in full possession of his victim who
has just been ordered to be silent and to come out of the man. He
did indeed obey our Lord's command, but not before he had rendered
his victim totally spastic with convulsive retchings and despair,
as he recognizes his temporary defeat at the hands of the Son of
God and also acknowledges that his final destiny is the lake of
fire. it is a dramatic scene, with full evidence of the satanic
hatred for Christ, but total recognition by the powers of darkness
that they are helpless before the Sovereign Son of God. The voice
of a frustrated demon would be loud, savage, bitter, infuriated,
wild, and raving mad. Meanwhile our Lord stood in dignified silence
until the fit was over and then probably helped the victim to his
feet, while the Galileans stood with mouths agape. Our Lord's
sovereignty is heartening. How wonderful must have been the relief
for the afflicted man. 
Ear112 - Torn. The Greek verb is sparassw , which means to
"pull to and fro" or "convulse." Luke (4:35) has the verb hriptw
, "throw down." The idea seems to be "throwning him into
convulsions" (NASB), or "shook the man violently" (NIV).
MitGNTwuest34 - "Had torn him." The word is sparassw "to
convulse" like a spasm. Medical writers use the term for the
rotating of the stomach. Luke speaks of the demon throwing the man
down. This was no doubt vindictiveness on the demon's part in
protest at being ordered to come out of the man. 
"Cried with a loud voice." Robertson says that this was, in
fact, a screech. 
Translation: "And when the unclean spirit had torn him with
convulsions, he screeched and came out of him."
MARKmcgarvey269 - "had torn him." - Had convulsed him (
skaraxan ). The demon, on leaving the man, gave expression to his
impotent rage and malignity, by throwing his victim into a
convulsion, and by uttering a loud outcry through the unfortunate
man's lips.
MARKjohnson&dewelt47 - "The unclean spirit had torn him."
Thrown him into convulsions. "Cried with a loud voice." The evil
spirit seems to have resisted to the last obedience to the Master's
command.
NTC-MARKhendriksen66 - Here the A.V. has, "And when the
unclean spirit had torn him." But this, besides being in conflict
with "having done him no harm" (Lk.4:35), is also out of harmony
with the fact that the same Greek word is used (Mk.9:26; Lk.9:39;
and cf. Mk.9:20; Lk.9:42) in connection with an epileptic (see
Mt.17:15), in which case not lacerations but convulsions are in
view. Therefore also here in Mk.1:26 no tearing is implied. The
translation, accordingly, should be, "...threw the man into
convulsions." Then, for the last time using the man's vocal organs,
the demon "screaming with a loud scream" (thus literally), left
him.


Mark 1:27 
And they were all amazed, ; They were all dumbfounded--NEB;
And all were awe-struck--Wey; All were full of astonishment-- Knox; 
insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, ; and began
to ask one another--NEB; they inquired among themselves--Ber; they
kept discussing it...--Wms; What thing is this? ; What is
this--ASV; Whatever is this--Mof; What does this mean--Gspd; What
on earth has happened--Phi; what new doctrine is this? ; What new
teaching is this--Nor; a new teaching!--ASV; Here is a new sort of
teaching--Wey; for with authority commandeth he even the unclean
spirits, ; He gives orders with authority even to the foul
spirits-- Gspd; Why, he gives orders to evil spirits--Phi; He even
tells unclean spirit what to do--Rieu; and they do obey him. ; and
they obey him--ASV; and they do what he says--Bas;
and they were amazed, one and all, so that they began to
discuss among themselves, saying-- What is this? New
teaching! //With authority, to the impure spirits also\\ he giveth
orders, and they obey him!
and they were all amazed, so as to reason among themselves,
saying, 'What is this? what new teaching is this? that with
authority also the unclean spirits he commandeth, and they obey
him!' 
TRNTyeager568,69,70 - kai ethambAthAsan apantes, hwste
suzAtein pros eautous legontes, Ti estin touto; didachA kainA kat'
exousian, kai tois pneumasi tois akathartois epitassei, kai
hupakouousin autw . 
kai (inferential conjunction). 
ethambAthAsan (3d.per.pl.aor.pass.ind.of thambew ,
ingressive). be astonished - Mk.10:24. be amazed - Mk.1:27;
10:32. Meaning: Cf. thambos . To be astonished or amazed.
The reaction of the audience at Capernaum after Jesus cast out the
demon - Mk.1:27; at His words - Mk.10;24,32. The margin in Acts 9:6
has it with reference to Saul on the Damascus road. 
apantes (nom.pl.masc.of apas , subject of ethambAthAsan ). 
hwste (conjunction introducing a result clause). 
suzAtein (pres.act.inf.of suzAtew , result). dispute -
Acts 9:29 dispute with - Acts 6:9 inquire - Lk.22:23. 
question - Mk.1:27; 8:11. question one with another - Mk.9:10. 
question with - Mk.9:14,16. reason - Lk.24:15. reason
together - Mk.12:28. Meaning: A combination of sun and 
zAtew . Hence, to seek an answer with someone; to reason, dispute,
argue. With reference to Paul's early disputation with the Grecians
- Acts 9:29; the Libertines' dispute with Stephen - Acts 6:9; the
disciples carried on an animated discussion as to who should betray
Jesus - Lk.22:23. Generally where a moot point is being discussed
- Mk.1:27; 8:11; 9:10,14,16; Lk.24:15; Mk.12:28 
pros (preposition with the accusative of extent). 
heautous (acc.pl.masc.of heautos , extent). 
legontas (pres.act.part.acc.pl.masc.of legw , recitative). 
Ti (nom.sing.neut.of tis , predicate nominative, direct
question). 
estin (3d.per.sing.pres.ind.of eimi , aoristic). 
touto (nom.sing.neut.of houtos , subject of estin ). 
didachA (nom.sing.fem.of didachA , nominative absolute). 
kainA (nom.sing.fem.of kainos , in agreement with didachA). 
kat' (preposition with the accusative, adverbial). 
exousian (acc.sing.fem.of exousia , general reference). 
kai (ascensive conjunction). 
tois (dat.pl.neut.of the article in agreement with pneumasi. 
pneumasi (dat.pl.neut.of pneuma , personal disadvantage). 
tois (dat.pl.neut.of the article in agreement with 
akathartois ). 
akathartois (dat.pl.neut.of akathartos , in agreement with 
pneumasi ). 
epitassei (3d.per.sing.pres.act.ind.of epitassw , aoristic). 
charge - Mk.9:25. command - Mk.1:27; 6:27,39; Lk.4:36;
8:25,31; 14:22; Acts 23:2. enjoin - Philemon 8. 
Meaning: A combination of epi and tassw . To order, command,
charge. With reference to Jesus commanding the evil spirits - with
the imperative - Mk.9:25; Lk.8:31; with a paratactic clause
following - Mk.1:27; Lk.4:36. Jesus' command to the wind and water,
followed by parataxis - Lk.8:25; Jesus' command to the multitude to
sit down, with the infinitive - Mk.6:39; Herod's command to the
soldiers to bring john's head, with the infinitive - Mk.6:27; with
reference to the command of the lord of the feast, with ho -
Lk.14:22; the high priest commanded that Paul be smitten upon the
mouth, with the infinitive - Acts 23:2; with reference to paul's
request of Philemon - Philemon 8. 
kai (continuative conjunction). 
hupakouousin (3d.per.pl.pres.act.ind.of hupakouw ,
aoristic). 
autw (dat.sing.masc.of autos , personal advantage). 
TRANSLATION: "Therefore all were seized with amazement,
with the result that they began to discuss with each other, saying,
'What is this? A new doctrine presented with authority. He is even
commanding the unclean spirits and they are obeying Him!'" 
COMMENT: Note that the verb ethambAthAsan is emphasized over
the subject. hwste with the infinitive, the usual idiom to
express result. Seized and filled with amazement as a result of
what they had just witnessed, the people began an animated
discussion among themselves about it. Their excitement is evident
in Mark's grammar. "What is this? A new doctrine with authority. he
even gives orders to the foul spirits and they obey Him." They had
seen the religious establishment leaders attempt to exorcise the
demons with scant results. Here was One who exercised total
authority over the demon world. Note that Mark use apantes , which
is pas with a intensive added. Everyone in the synagogue was a
witness to the miracle and all were tremendously affected by it.
Cf.#2059 for other examples of the public's reaction to Jesus'
deeds. His teaching was with authority, unlike that of the Scribes
(vs.22). Cf.#'s 2061 and 760 for something that was totally beyond
human power. The patient was incurable until Jesus came. How
medical science could profit if it had Jesus' power to control
demonic possession, which will become more widespread as the age
declines. The deity of our Lord is clearly manifest in this verse.
No one but our Lord can control the demon world.R1181 - In kai
tois pneumasi , the kai has an ascensive sense, meaning "even"
(cf. Rom. 13:5).
Ear112 - Doctrine. The KJV usually translates didachA as
"doctrine" (29 times; "has been taught" once). But the noun comes
from the verb didaskw , "teach." Today "doctrine" has a formal,
theological sense that didachA does not have. A more accurate
translation is "teaching."
MitGNTwuest34,5,6 - "They were all amazed." The word is 
thambew "to be astonished, amazed, to be terrified, to be
frightened." Their amazement was mingled with fright and terror.
Mark uses ekplAssw for "astonishment" in vs.22, which means "to
be struck with astonishment to the place of panic and loss of
self-possession." These two words are graphic in their description
of the reaction of the synagogue crowd to the impact of Jesus, His
teaching, and the miracle He performed. 
"They questioned among themselves," sunzAtew , made up of 
zAtew "to seek," and sun "with," thus, "to seek or examine
together, to discuss, dispute," used of a group of people inquiring
of one another. Tyndale translates "They demanded one of another
among themselves." The infinitive is in the present tense,
emphasizing durative action. Mark is describing an animated,
prolonged discussion. 
"What new thing is this?" This question refers to the whole
appearance of Jesus in the synagogue on that day. 
"What new doctrine is this?" "Doctrine" is didachA , 
"teaching." "New" is kainos . There are two words for "new," neos
, referring to that which is new as to the matter of time ,
namely, that which has just come into existence, and kainos ,
which contemplates the new, not under the aspect of time, but of
quality, the new as set over against that which has seen service,
the outworn, the effete or marred through age. Compared to the
stilted, staid, dry as dust rabbinical droning, this teaching of
Jesus was like the fragrance of a field of clover in the
springtime. It was fresh with the dew of heaven upon it. 
"With authority." These words are to be construed with "the new
doctrine." Nestle's Greek text so punctuates the passage.
Expositors says, "A style of teaching new as to authoritativeness
(entirely different from the familiar type of the scribes). His
teaching was fresh, and was given with authority." "He
commands the unclean spirits." "Command" is epitassw , a military
term; the noun form used in the military sense of an "orderly
array." The single verb tassw was used in classical Greek, "to
draw up in order of battle, array, marshal." Our Lord has the hosts
of Satan under His absolute power at all times. Unwilling and
incorrigible as they are, He can command them at will, and they
obey Him. Satan always operates on a limited tether. To the
synagogue crowd, the most astonishing thing was that the demons
obeyed Him. 
Translation: "And they were all amazed, so that they kept on
inquiring and demanding of one another, saying, What is this? Fresh
teaching backed by authority. And the unclean spirits He commands,
and they obey Him."
MARKmcgarvey269 - "they were all amazed." - They expressed
their amazement by the remark, "with authority he commandeth even
the unclean spirits, and they do obey him." The power to command
disembodied spirits is more surprising, because it is more
mysterious than the power to work physical miracles. The authority
with which he taught had first surprised them (vs.22) but the
authority with which he commanded the demons was more surprising
still, and it confirmed the authority of his teaching.
MARKjohnson&dewelt47 - "Amazed...questioned." Each turned to
his neighbor in astonishment, to ask his opinion, Saying, What is
this? New teaching with authority! And he commandeth the unclean
spirits, and they obey him! Such is, apparently, the correct
reading and rendering of the abrupt remarks which the astonished
people made to one another.-- Morison . "Doctrine" is, as
elsewhere, the teaching taken as a whole, including manner as well
as substance.-- Ellicott . "With authority." The authority with
which he taught found its guaranty in the authority backed by power
with which he forced the devils themselves to render obedience.
Christ's cures differed from the pretences of the exorcists, just
as his teaching did from that of the scribes.-- Godet.
NTC-MARKhendriksen67 - The reaction of the people to all that
had happened in the synagogue is graphically related here. The
emotion described ("were...dumbfounded") is a synonym of that
expressed in vs.22 ("were astonished"). When those who were present
begin to ask each other, "What is this?" they were referring both
to Christ's teaching and his demon- expulsion. As to the first,
they realized that both as to contents and method (see on vs.22)
the teaching which on this sabbath they had heard in the synagogue
was different from that ever heard before at this place. And as to
the second, the same authority and power exhibited in Jesus'
teaching was shown also in the commands he issued to demons, so
that the latter had to yield, were totally unable to resist. Note
that although the account itself speaks only of one demon, the
people immediately draw the correct conclu,sion that what had been
done to one unclean spirit could be done to all. 
What to make of all this the audience did not know. They were
deeply impressed with the words and works of Jesus. What kind of
person was he? They discussed this question among themselves, but
as yet could not find the answer. 
TCGTC-MARKcranfield81 - kainA . "New" in respect of quality,
as distinct from neos , "new" as regards time'
(Taylor).NTC-MARKlane76 - The people were utterly astonished and
alarmed at Jesus' word. The same measure of authority with which
they had been confronted in his teaching was demonstrated in the
word of command to the demon. There had been no technique, no
spells or incantations, no symbolic act. There had been only the
word. There was no category familiar to them which explained the
sovereign authority with which Jesus spoke and acted. Their
astonishment is reflected in the question, "What is this? A new
teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits and
they obey him." The incident is generalized in their thinking from
the single instance they have observed to the repeated instances
they sense intuitively will take place. They do not fully
understand who Jesus is or what his presence means, but they cannot
evade the impression of having been confronted by a word invested
with power to which there were no analogies in their experience.
Here was a teaching qualitatively new in the authority with which
it laid hold of men. And the people were alarmed [122]. 
The report concerning the enigmatic bearer of the authoritative
word went forth at once into the surrounding region. The
disturbance of men by God had begun.Footnote #122 - Cf.
C.W.Smith.... who notes that the reaction of the people is not one
of unmixed joy, but of alarm. Footnote #106 - K. Aland, op. cit.,
p.54 punctuates the text differently, so that it reads "What is
this? a new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean
spirits and they obey him." The NEB mediates between this
punctuation and that presupposed in the ASV, RSV: "What is this? A
new kind of teaching! He speaks with authority. When he gives
orders, even the unclean spirits submit." The parallelism with 1:22
lends support to the punctuation adopted by K. Aland and the
British and Foreign Bible Society text. ...


Mark 1:28 
And immediately his fame spread abroad ; And the report of him
went out straightway everywhere--ASV; And at once his fame spread
everywhere--RSV; And his reputation spread like wildfire--Phi; 
throughout all the region round about Gali,lee. ; in all the region
of Galilee round about--ASV; throughout all the surrounding region
of Galilee--RSV; all over that part of Galilee--Wms; 
And forth went the report of him, straightway, on every hand,
into'the surrounding country of Galilee.
And the fame of him went forth immediately to all the region,
round about, of Galilee.
TRNTyeager570,1 - kai exAlthen hA akoA autou euthus pantachou
eis holAn tAn perichwron tAs Galilaias . 
kai (inferential conjunction). 
exAlthen (3d.per.sing.aor.ind.of exerchomai , ingressive). 
hA (nom.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with akoA ). 
akoA (nom.sing.fem.of akoA , subject of exAlthen ). 
autou (gen.sing.masc.of autos , possession). 
euthus (adverbial). 
pantachou (adverbail). everywhere - Mk.1:28; 16:20;
Lk.9:6; Acts 17:30; 21:28; 28:22; I Cor.4:17. in all places -
Acts 24:3. Meaning: Everywhere. An adverb of place. ... 
eis (preposition with the accusative of extent). 
holAn (acc.sing.fem.of holos , in agreement with
perichwron). 
tAn (acc.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with 
perichwron . 
perichwron (acc.sing.fem.of perichwros , extent). 
tAs (gen.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with 
Galilaias) . 
Galilaias (gen.sing.fem.of Galilaia , designation). 
TRANSLATION: "Therefore the report about Him immediately
spreadthroughout the entire surrounding Galilean region." 
COMMENT: Note exAlthen in emphasis. "The rumor (report,
word, gossip) about Him" - hA akouA autou - The news travelled
fast and began to spread at once (ingressive aorist in exAlthen ). 
pantachou means "everywhere" but the idea is reinforced by holAn 
and perichwron , although limited to Galilean country. Everyone in
Galilee heard about our Lord's deity and His authority over the
demon world. 
Thus far Jesus had performed the following miracles: various
acts of healing (Mt.4:23; Lk.4:14,31; John 2:23; 4:43-45); rescue
from demon possession - (Mt.4:24,25; Lk.4:33-37); water turned to
wine - John 2:1-11; healing of the nobleman's son by remote control
- John 4:46-54. It is still early in Jesus' ministry and He found
it necessary to cope with the problem that the widespread
conception of the Kingdom of the Heavens in Israel was one of a
militaristic program of Messiah which would result in military and
political victory over Rome and the establishment of a
nationalistic kingdom in Jerusalem, which would extend its hegemony
over the entire world. That Messiah was scheduled for two comings,
the first as a suffering Saviour and the second as a triumphant
King, as we now understand it, was not clear. Hence, Jesus' task
was one of making the truth clear to Israel without presenting them
with evidence which they could honestly interpret against His
claim as their true Messiah. Cf.our comments on #'s 253, 254, Vol
I.BD103 - Pantachou means "in all directions."
Ear112 - Fame or News? The Greek noun is akoA , which comes
from the verb akouw , "hear." So it means "something that is
heard"--a report or "news about him" (NIV; cf. NASB).
MitGNTwuest36 - "Immediately His fame spread abroad." "Fame"
is akoA ; the verb form is akouw "to hear," the noun akoA is
"the thing heard," thus "a report." The AV, translates this word
"rumor" in Mt.24:6. The report concerning the new Teacher spread
with lightning speed by word of mouth. 
Translation: "And there went out the report concerning Him
immediately throughout the whole region of Galilee."
MARKmcgarvey270 - "his fame spread abroad." - This was a
necessary consequence of the excitement created in Capernaum. Any
community, whether intelligent or ignorant, and whether of ancient
or of modern times, would go wild over such exhibitions of power
and authority.
MARKjohnson&dewelt47 - "His fame." Literally, the report of
him. "Spread abroad." Flew, as it were, on the wings of the wind,
into all the surrounding district of Galilee.
NTC-MARKhendriksen67 - The happenings in the synagogue on this
sabbath had been so astounding that without any delay one neighbor
was telling another about it, and he still another, etc. The news
could not be confined to Capernaum. In "no time at all," as we
would say, the news was spreading all over Galilee; or, as Luke
puts it, "the reports...went out into every place in the
surrounding region" (4:37).
TCGTC-MARKcranfield81 - holAn tAn perichwron tAs Galilaias 
could mean (i) 'all the country around Galilee', i.e.
including a bigger area than Galilee (cf. Mt.4:24); (ii)
'throughout Galilee' ( tAs Galilaias being an epexegetic genitive
explaining perichwron ); (iii) 'all that part of Galilee which is
around (Capernaum)', i.e. an area less than the whole of Galilee.
Taylor favours the last, which is perhaps supported by the Lk.
parallel.