Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

The Authority to Heal

Jesus is distinguished from other teachers today by being characterized as one who “teaches with authority”; what does this imply?  For one thing, those who taught scripture in Jesus’ time would reference other sources as the basis of their teaching, not claim an independent power of interpretation. To some extent, scripture scholars do this today in what is called exegesis, or the attempt to understand through careful critical methods the intent of the original author by considering language and context of the scripture under study. When a person simply uses oneself as the basis for interpretation, it is called eisegesis.  Jesus’ method of teaching, “with authority”, and the action of commanding demons positioned Jesus as a great prophet in the line of Moses.

Jesus did not use any particular rite of exorcism, no formula, he simply commanded the demon to come out, and the demon revealed Jesus’ identity as “the Holy One of God”, the same language used to describe the priests in the line of Aaron. Jesus is being revealed in Mark as having the priestly and prophetic qualities of the Messiah. The demon is promptly silenced because to reveal him as Messiah would only fully be revealed after his resurrection and in light of his kingdom “not being of this world”; the time was not right.

Mark’s gospel portrays God’s presence in Jesus as one that is imbued with the power to act as God, to teach as God would teach, and heal as God would heal. Jesus does not initiate a “battle plan” to overthrow the Roman authorities, but ignites the world with God’s saving love.

We, like Jesus, are empowered to act. Through the Holy Spirit dwelling in all believers who follow Christ, our presence announcing God’s love is imbued with the healing authority of God. Our lives should rest on the confidence that although our world is “passing away” as St. Paul preached last Sunday, it is within this world that God continues to act with great compassion and healing.

Such radical Good News often divides, as it did in Jesus’ time, and even among his disciples. Our unity with one another doesn’t come so much in the authority of our “scribes”, though scripture and the teachings of our institutional elders is an important foundation for our faith, our unity comes through our sacramental union with the Body of Christ----one another as mediated by the Holy Spirit.

What is truly a life of radical service is more than political action, social justice and committees, although these must be an integral part of our being Good News; radical evangelical service seeks communion--being with-- with the sick, hard-hearted, and demon-possessed of the world. Rather than simply developing programs of change, we are the change, and the power of God when we become good news one person at a time. This is how the Kingdom is announced, and the reign of God proclaimed.