December 1st, 2021
Today’s reading from Discovery

A MAN OF AUTHORITY

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Unto You Lord, not to anything or anyone else, be all the honor, praise, and glory. You alone are worthy.

Read Mark 1:21–28

21 And they go into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching: for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 25 And Jesus rebuked [a]him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26 And the unclean spirit, [b]tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. 28 And the report of him went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:25 Or, it
  2. Mark 1:26 Or, convulsing

New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

Think of someone you have known whose authority you respected. What was it that made them special?

As an undergraduate, I once heard someone speak with great authority about lasers. Professor Arthur Schawlow (a committed Christian and Nobel Prize-winner) gave a guest lecture. As co-inventor of the laser, he could speak with unrivaled authority on the subject.

What was it about Jesus that made His listeners in the synagogue say that He spoke with authority (27)? Unlike others who taught in the synagogue, He did not have to quote what other people had written about God – He knew His Father intimately (22). His knowledge was evident. But there was much more to Jesus’ au­thority than His style of speaking. When Jesus spoke, things hap­pened (25,26). He had called people to follow, and they followed. Now His speech in the synagogue prompted a reaction from a man possessed by an evil spirit and the spirit recognized Jesus’ authority (24). At Jesus’ command, the sick were healed. Mark wants us to know that Jesus was not just a good man or a clever teacher. He was a man with authority.

Mark is introducing us to the promised Messiah, to whose call we should respond. Like the first disciples, as we get to know Him better, we also respond to His call on our lives.

Apply

Is there any area of your life over which you haven’t allowed Jesus to take authority? Can you allow Him access to all the spaces of your life today?

Closing prayer

Sovereign Lord, I bow in amazement before Your powerful workings. You are the God whose purposes are never thwarted.

Book and Author Intros

Book Introductions

Author Information

Final Note

Extras

Encounter

Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.

© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.

Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.

View all readings

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

HOSEA 3-6 / PSALM 139

Get DISCOVERY:

in your email:

in Print:

Become a Member | Visit our store