The First Day at Capernaum

The first day of Jesus’ ministry at

Capernaum (1:21-34):
This is the TYPE of Jesus’
ministry.
The first day of the ministry
extends to three important places
of Jewish tradition:
a) synagogue, b) family and
c) the common place.
The First Day at Capernaum
Teaching is the first action of
Jesus
Exorcism is only an expression of
his teaching authority.
His was a teaching with his own
authority;
Unlike the Rabbis who always
slant on others for authority.
Jesus as Teacher
In Mark one of the important
activities of Jesus, was TEACHING.
It is true of all synoptics, but
greater emphasis in Mark
The Aramaic word Rabbi (Teacher)
is found 4 times each in Mark and
Matthew.
Didaskalos (Gk) – (Teacher)
appears 12 times in Mark
Jesus as Teacher
In Mark, JESUS ALONE IS THE
TEACHER
ONLY form of address to Jesus by
the disciples is either Didaskalos or
Rabbi
(In Mat and Lk disciples NEVER
address Jesus as “Teacher”;
Either Kyrie or epistata;
Form of address by enemies or
outsiders)
 Jesus as Teacher
According to Mark, TEACHING is
the most characteristic activity of
Jesus.
Preaching is mentioned only in
the FIRST CHAPTER (1:14, 38,39);
TEACHING activity is found
everywhere.
Jesus ALONE is PICTURED as
Teaching;
 Jesus as Teacher
Jesus ALONE is PRESENTED as
TEACHER;
Jesus ALONE is ADDRESSED as
TEACHER.
The Beneficiaries of Jesus’
Teaching
A) The Crowds (People in the
synagogues, villages and temple
B) Disciples
 Jesus as Teacher
Jesus Never addresses his
teaching to his enemies
Jesus performs acts of power in
front of the adversaries;
But refuses to teach when
enemies are present!
 Jesus as miracle worker
Numerous healings and
exorcisms are reported during
the Galilean ministry of Jesus.
Healings and exorcisms are
pointers to the KINGDOM that
Jesus Preached.
They are signs of the Time of
Salvation arrived in Jesus.
 The First Day at Capernaum
Capernaum = “Village of Nahum”
According to Josephus – “Fertile
and prosperous area known for
its fishing industry”.
“Headquarters” of the public
Ministry of Jesus.
“Home” of Jesus is there (2:1; Mat
4:13)
 The First Day at Capernaum
1) Teaches in the Synagogue;
2) Heals Peter’s Mother in Law
and others at the house of Peter
and Andrew
Excavations have unearthed an
early synagogue (2-3 Cent AD)
and an octagonal fifth cent
church built on the ruins of an
earlier house church – Peter’s
house?
Synagogue of Capernaum
The First Day at Capernaum
Synagogue = synagōgē = Assembling
Gathering of people; place where
people gather
As a building = a place for study of
the Law and Religious Instruction
Structure of Sabbath Services:
1) Readings from Scripture
2) Instruction in the Law and
Prophets
The First Day at Capernaum
3) Prayers
4) Blessings
Jesus teaches or appears in the
Synagogues (1:21, 23, 39; 3:1; 6:2)
Never enters one after his
rejection in the Synagogue of
Nazareth (6:2)
From chapter 6, Synagogue
symbolizes hostility (12:39)
The First Day at Capernaum
From Chapter 7 Jesus teaches
primarily in houses and gives
private instruction to the disciples
(7:17; 9:28, 33-50; 10:10-12);
Jesus is accessible to the crowds;
Teaching in the open (2:13; 3:32; 4:1;
10:1);
Reflection of Mark’s community:
Instruction in the “house churches”
for community members
The First Day at Capernaum
Astonished at his teaching:
Jesus’ Identity as Teacher
But very little teaching;
Mark’s Gospel is Mostly Gospel of
Action
Instead, Matthew has 5 LONG
DISCOURSES
Luke: expanded Journey
narrative with Teaching
The First Day at Capernaum
Astonished at his teaching:
One of the salient characteristics
of Mark is the motif of surprise,
Wonder
Awe and
Fear (over 34 times in the Gospel)
The First Day at Capernaum
Authority:
Prologue: Jesus is the Stronger One
(1:7)
Highlights his Authority and Power
Power of Jesus is expressed NOT in
dominance but in SERVICE.
Not as Scribes:
Scribes performed a wide variety of
tasks
The First Day at Capernaum
Scribes = Compose documents
= Hold official administrative
positions
= Interpret Scripture;
Some are lawyers (12:38-40)
Originally (Heb. Sōperêm = writers)
used merely of clerks whose
function was to copy royal and
sacred manuscripts.
The First Day at Capernaum
 Later, the title signified the official
post
The one who was learned in the
Law of Moses (Ezr 7:6, 11; Neh 8:1,
4).
The people admired the scribes'
erudition, interpretations of
tradition.
Sirach extols the work of the
scribe (Sir 38.24–39.11)
The First Day at Capernaum
 With the Chief Priests,
Sadducees, and Pharisees, the
scribes composed the Jewish
aristocracy of the time;
and many were members of the
Sanhedrin.
The First Day at Capernaum
Unclean Spirit = Common Jewish
designation for a demon.
Separates people from the worship
of God
The man with unclean spirit cries
out in recognition of Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth is called by name;
“Have you come to destroy us?”
recognizes Jesus’ authority
The First Day at Capernaum
Evil spirit tries to control Jesus by
correctly identifying Jesus as the
Holy One of God (1:24c);
Evil spirit’s naming of Jesus
matches the presentation of Jesus
in the prologue (1:1-13);
In the ancient world = to call a
person by name gave the one
summoning a certain authority
over the one called
The First Day at Capernaum
Old Testament:
Gen chapetr 1: “God named them….
Day.. Night…”
Adam named Eve… (Gen 3:20)
The Naming of Jesus:
Accounts in the Gospels of
Matthew and Luke!
Matthew 1:21 “…you shall call his name
Jesus, for he will save his people from
their sins” (Joseph shall NAME Jesus)
The First Day at Capernaum
Evil spirit has put together two
names of Jesus:
Jesus of Nazareth (public name);
Holy One of God (his True Identity)
The evil spirit should have won
over Jesus as per the cultural
world of the time.
Jesus rebukes the spirit;
Reduces to silence
The First Day at Capernaum
Commands him to come out
Be quiet = literally “tie shut” or
“muzzle”
Jesus’ command has immediate
effect
Imperatives “be quiet” and “leave”
followed by the immediate
departure of the unclean spirit
confirm the authoritative word of
Jesus.
The First Day at Capernaum
Exorcism lacks any of the physical
touch or rituals found outside NT;
Their absence confirms the POWER
of Jesus.
Agonizing experience of the
vanquished spirit is dramatically
portrayed by the convulsions;
Cries of the possessed man as the
spirit departs (1:26)
The First Day at Capernaum
Vivid and dramatic action –
demon’s effect on the person.
Mark 1:27 “The people were so
astonished that they started asking
one another…”
Already in 1:22
Astonished/Astounded/Amazed:
standard reaction to miracles
27b – Exorcism is regarded as a new
teaching!
The First Day at Capernaum
Verse 29 = Immediately =
Mark Chapter 1 alone has “kai
euthus” used 8 times
(1:10,12,18,20,21,23,29,30).
Extraordinary density of kai (and)
= over 25 times in 29 verses gives a
sense of urgency and rapid
progress to Jesus’ work.
Jesus vanquishes sickness
Jesus liberated human beings
from the power of demons;
Now Jesus sets free people from
sickness (1:29-31)
Restoration of health and
wholeness is a sign of the
Kingdom that Jesus proclaims.
First story = his WORD OF
POWER cast out the demons
Jesus vanquishes sickness
Now his action brings healing (1:31)
Simon’s mother-in-law = Peter’s
spouse is not mentioned;
Apparently, she travelled with Peter
in his later missionary journeys (1
Cor 9:5)
1 Corinthians 9:5 Do we not have the right
to be accompanied by a wife, as the other
apostles and the brothers of the Lord and
Cephas?
Jesus vanquishes sickness
Bedridden with fever =
In antiquity fever itself was
considered a sickness rather than
a symptom.
Luke 4:39 Jesus rebuked the fever
= lack of clear distinction
between illness and invasion by
evil spirits
Jesus vanquishes sickness
Key phrases:
1) “He raised (lifted) her up” =
The word raised up (ēgeiro
Greek) is the same word that
used in the NT for the
resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:4;
Rom 6:4; Acts 3:15; Mark 14:28;
16:6)
Symbolic – Jesus raises up
humanity paralyzed by sin
Jesus vanquishes sickness
2) Taking her by the hand:
Physical touch, laying on of hands,
grasping by the hand = strengthen
the image of Jesus as a Spirit
empowered person whose presence
brings wholeness (Shalom in
Hebrew)
Command after healing in 5:43
=parallel in Luke 8:48 “Go in Peace”
Jesus vanquishes sickness
3) and she served them:
The fact that she served them
shows that the healing is
immediate and complete.
Healing Jesus brings is for
SERVING,
She acts as though she is
commissioned to serve them.
Jesus vanquishes sickness
❖ The miracle unfolds a typical
healing narrative:
❖ Problem
❖ Request
❖ Touch
❖ Miracle
❖ Demonstration.
Jesus vanquishes sickness
❖ MORE TO THE STORY!
❖ A respectable religious leader
would not take any woman by hand!
❖ No rabbi did that for a woman!
❖ Certainly not on a Sabbath
❖ Jesus could be accused of
contracting uncleanness and
violating the Sabbath.
❖ Further accusation: served by this
woman
Jesus vanquishes sickness
❖ Rabbi Samuel (d. 254 AD):
❖ “One must under no circumstances
be served by a woman, be she adult
or child”
❖ A day’s activity for Jesus: Teaching,
Exorcism And Healing
❖ Busy in the evening
❖ Summary Statement 1:32-34
❖ His ministry was NOT restricted to
a few, but to ALL who needed him!