21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. 28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. (Mark 1:21-28 KJV)
Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit
Later, Jesus preached in Capernaum, a city of Galilee. Though John had preached in the wilderness and was effective, Jesus did not have to follow the same path. Ministers may differ in their approach and still be faithful and fruitful. When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, he immediately began his work, using every opportunity to preach. Those aware of the limited time and great work to be done won’t delay.
He observed the Sabbath not by following every human tradition but by devoting himself to the work for which the Sabbath was made—worship and teaching. Sabbaths are for sacred assemblies whenever possible; they are holy days meant for gathering and honoring God, as was the custom in the synagogue each Sabbath (Acts 13:27; 15:21).
The gospel must be preached, and people taught the truth as it is in Jesus. Christ stood out as a preacher, not like the scribes, who recited the law without understanding or conviction. His words had authority; he knew God’s will and was sent to declare it. There is power in Christ’s teaching that continues to amaze; the more we hear it, the more reason we have to marvel.
As soon as Christ began to preach, he began to work miracles to confirm his message. These miracles reflected the purpose of his teaching—to conquer Satan and heal sick souls. In light of this, Christ casts a demon out of a man in the synagogue at Capernaum (Luke 4:33). The man was possessed by an unclean spirit, who had taken control of him. The spirit is called “unclean” because he had lost the purity of his original nature, opposed the Holy Spirit, and corrupted the minds of people. The man was in the synagogue, not to learn or be healed, but, as some believe, to confront Christ and prevent others from believing in him.
The unclean spirit reacted violently to Christ’s presence. He cried out in fear, acknowledging that Christ would soon destroy him. As James says, “Even the demons believe—and shudder” (James 2:19). The demon called him “Jesus of Nazareth,” likely to stir up prejudice since no good was expected from Nazareth (John 1:46). He also confessed that Jesus was “the Holy One of God,” just as the girl with the spirit of divination did concerning Paul and Silas, calling them “servants of the Most High God” (Acts 16:16–17). But knowing who Christ is, without trusting in him, brings a person no closer to salvation than the devil himself.
The demon admitted defeat: “Let us alone… Have you come to destroy us?” He acknowledged that Christ had power over him and dreaded the judgment that was coming. This is the torment of the demonic: continuing in rebellion while knowing it will end in destruction.
Jesus rebuked him: “Be silent, and come out of him” (Mark 1:25). Christ shut his mouth and cast him out. He does not accept praise from wicked spirits, especially when it’s used to further their own deceptive ends. False confessions of Christ, made for manipulative purposes, are hated by him.
The demon came out, but not without resistance. He threw the man into a convulsion and cried out with a loud voice (Mark 1:26), trying to frighten the crowd and create a dramatic scene. Even as he left, he caused suffering, showing how malicious he was. Similarly, when Christ delivers souls today, there is often a spiritual struggle—Satan does not give up without a fight.
This miracle amazed everyone watching (Mark 1:27-28). It was clear that the man had been possessed and clearly cast out by Christ’s authority. The people asked, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” Unlike the Jewish exorcists who relied on rituals and incantations, Christ acted with direct authority. It made clear that he was sent from God.
Immediately, news of him spread throughout the whole region of Galilee. People talked about it everywhere, sharing what they saw and heard, concluding that Jesus was a true teacher sent from God. This recognition of his authority shone brighter than any outward display of power the Jews expected from their Messiah. And this happened just as John, who had prepared the way for him, had been imprisoned. Christ’s reputation grew quickly, especially since the Pharisees had not yet begun accusing him of casting out demons by collusion with Satan.