A Day in the Life of Jesus - Mark 1:21-34 - Elliot's BlogElliot's Blog

These weeks of quarantine are something else, aren’t they? Some days, I feel like I’ve accomplished so much, and I go to sleep feeling fulfilled and happy. Other days, I get a few things done but wish I’d finished this or that task. Still other days I go to bed and can’t figure out what in the world I did for the past sixteen hours!

The passage before us today in the Gospel of Mark is an amazing slice of history, fourteen verses which show us how a typical Sabbath unfolded for Jesus during his ministry. Maybe it’s just me, but I find that idea extremely exciting!

Mark’s transitions in Mark 1:21-34 make it pretty clear that this entrance into Capernaum starts the clock on a very busy Sabbath for Jesus. After entering this city, He preaches in a synagogue, astounds the people, heals a demon-possessed man, goes to Simon’s house for the Sabbath lunch, heals Simon’s mother-in-law, eats, then spends the entire evening after sunset healing the sick and lame and possessed. That’s quite a load, and in this post, we’ll study it all.

The Teaching, Mark 1:21-22

Ministers consider Sunday their busiest day of the week, and for good reason. Jesus might have felt the same way about the Sabbath, even though every manner of “work” according the Pharisees’ version of Law was totally forbidden. He begins this Sabbath by walking into this Capernaum synagogue and teaching with authority. The people were astonished, and they immediately recognize that He is nothing like the Scribes (v.21-22).

Have you ever visited a church in a new town, and after just one service you can tell what kind of preacher you’re dealing with? Either he’s a lover of the Word and, boring or not, his preaching evidences it; or he’s a guy that doesn’t know much, studies even less, and grabs a verse out of context in order to spout off his own opinions. I think that’s the dynamic here when Jesus started teaching.

Like a breath of fresh air, the Word of God suddenly enters this synagogue—in more ways than one, I guess!—where it’s been ignored for generations, and the people immediately recognize it. It reminds me of King Josiah in 2Kings 22, when during a temple-repair, high-priest Hilkiah finds “the Book of the Law in the House of the Lord.” They read it for the first time in generations, and they weep.

I wonder what your church is like. Are Bibles present but rarely rarely taught, rarely expounded? If so, you probably need a new church.

I wonder what your home is like. Are Bibles present but rarely opened, rarely studied? You probably need a new perspective.

One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Luke 24, when resurrected Jesus Himself meets these two men on the road to Emmaus, “and beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (v.27) What a seminary experience that must have been!

But Christian friends, you’ve got the Spirit of that same Jesus in your hearts, and He’s ready each and every day to teach you with authority, if only you’ll let Him. Be astonished at that. Open up His Word and let Him teach you.

The Demon, Mark 1:23-26

While we know that Jesus taught the Word, Mark doesn’t tell us what exact doctrine he taught here with such authority. Considering that this might have been Jesus’ first public sermon ever, however, I certainly would love to know. Oh, to have been a koine-Greek speaking fly on the wall of that synagogue! Nevertheless, while Jesus is teaching in this synagogue, there enters “a man with an unclean spirit” (v.23) who interrupts his teaching.

“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (v.24)

But get this, Jesus rebukes the demon who uses this man like a puppet! “Be silent, and come out of him,” He says in v.25. The demon convulses the man, screams, and leaves (where to, we’re not sure, v.26). And of course, at seeing this, the people were amazed at Jesus’ further display of authority and power…yet they seem to have missed the declaration from the demon that Jesus is “the Holy One of God.”

So that begs the question: do demons believe that Jesus is God? Of course! James (who is Jesus’ own half-brother) tells us later that “the demons believe [that God is one]—and they shudder!” (James 2:19) They know the Truth. They even believe the Truth about God, but it doesn’t save them, it terrifies them! Such acknowledgment of Jesus’ identity, power, and authority is not enough to repair the relationship that’s been broken between fallen angels and God.

The situation differs between demons and people, of course. While I’ll avoid the full depths of doctrine here, I think it’s important for you to consider the difference for yourself: are you believing things about Jesus, or are you believing in Jesus? When you believe things about Jesus, you acknowledge doctrines and creeds and information from the Bible, but none of that information saves. Half the world’s religions acknowledge that Jesus was a real person, some even that He was God (or at least a god), but that doesn’t mean all these other religious roads to Heaven! Even taking this knowledge about Jesus and turning it into lifelong service to Him isn’t enough to save you.

But when you believe in Jesus (a.k.a. “trust in Him”, “call upon the name of the Lord”, “have faith” in what He did for you, “love Him because He first loved you”), then you recognize the mercy which He has poured out upon you and the grace by which He has justified and cleansed you. Read this passage from Titus 3:4-7:

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

What information about Jesus are you hanging onto so that maybe you’ll go to Heaven when you die? The Apostle John was another Gospel author who told his readers why he wrote both his portions of the New Testament, and these reasons are pertinent to this discussion:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this [Gospel]; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

I write [this letter] to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1John 5:13)

You can KNOW that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. You can KNOW that you have eternal life. And it call comes down to believing in the name (the Person and work) of Jesus. There’s no “maybe” when it comes to salvation. There’s only HOPE. And Christian hope isn’t, “I hope I don’t catch COVID-19,” but rather “thank God I have the hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began” (Titus 1:2).

The Rest of the Day

There’s so much more to discuss from this one day in the life of Christ, but these devotionals are meant to get you thinking…not to be a commentary on Mark! Following Jesus’ freeing of this man from demonic bondage, the people:

Were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. (v.27-28)

Jesus then goes to Simon Peter’s house (recall that Simon was Mark’s key source of information for this Gospel), and he heals his mother-in-law of a fever (v.29-31). In Mark’s gospel, this is Jesus’ first healing miracle, though by nightfall of this particular Sabbath, He’ll begin healing sick from the whole city and casting out even more demons (v.32-34). His fame is spreading, and I assume that every day from here on out will be much like this first.

A few things I find noteworthy from this text include the fact that neither Jesus nor Simon’s mother-in-law are condemned for working on the Sabbath—probably because no Pharisees were present at the meal!

Also, that Jesus’ ministry began with preaching the Gospel of repentance (v.14-15), then calling his disciples (v.16-20), then more teaching with authority (v.21-22), then freeing people from spiritual bondage (v.23-28), and only at the end, healing people’s physical diseases. I think that’s a pretty good summary of what Jesus knew His ministry and calling to be:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:18-19)

This day in the life of Jesus should inspire us to know Him more. He wasn’t just a great man or a great teacher. He was and is the very Son of God, the Savior. He offers liberty to the captives, sight to the blind, and salvation to you. Get to know this Jesus!

Action Points:

1) It’s time to get into the Word for real!

Does your church teach and preach the Word of God? If not, you need to find a new church!
Do you take time to study the Bible for yourself? Do you even know where to start?
One simple book that I highly recommend Disciplines of the Christian Life by Eric Lidell (yes, the Chariots of Fire guy). He offers a simple method of exploring God’s Word, and through it you will definitely build up your spiritual discipline.

2) Ask yourself seriously: “Am I merely believing things about Jesus or am I believing in Jesus (putting my faith and trust in Him)?”

To get at the heart of this matter, try writing down the things that you believe about Jesus AND what that means to you personally.

For example, you might write: “I believe that Jesus was a real person, AND that means that the Bible is a book worth reading.” Or from this passage, “I believe that Jesus really did teach with authority, AND that means I should pay close attention to things He taught.”

These admissions about what you believe about Jesus should help you walk through the Word with mind more open to how its words should affect you personally.

3) For posterity’s sake, write down your responsibilities on an average day.

Review your list. How much of your day is spent helping others, in one way or another?
How much of your day do you feel is wasted in some vain pursuit?
How much of your day is spent making yourself a healthier person physically, spiritually, intellectually, or emotionally?
Now that you’ve got some time on your hands to pause and think, what changes can you make to your non-quarantine schedule that will make you waste time less, serve others more, and become a healthier person?

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