1) “And there was in the synagogue a man with an unclean spirit;- (kai euthus hen en te sunagoge auton anthropos en pneumati akatharto) “And suddenly or immediately there was a man in their synagogue a man in an unclean spirit,” a subject of Satan in the house of God, in the clutches or shackles of an unclean spirit, with which Jesus was confronted as He taught.

2) “And he cried out,” (kai anekraksen) “And he cried out,” with a rising voice. What Matthew refers to as unclean or deranged, depraved spirits. Three features to be noted in the Galileean ministry of Jesus are: 1) His preaching, 2) His teaching, and 3) His miracle ministry here begun, as recounted through chapter 10.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(23) An unclean spirit.The phrase occurs in all the first three Gospels (not in St. Johns), but with special frequency in this. As in most Eastern cities, in both ancient and modern times, madness had an immunity from restraint, and the demoniacs seem to have mingled, if they chose, with the crowd of worshippers in the synagogue.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

‘And immediately there was in their Synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out saying, “What have we in common with you, you Jesus of Nazareth? Are you come to destroy us? I know you, who you are, the Holy One of God”.’

‘A man with an unclean spirit.’ The term ‘unclean spirit’ was used by the Pharisees to refer to evil spirits. It was in contrast with the ‘cleanness’ and purity of God. The point is that these spirits were not wholesome. They were seen as excluded from God’s presence by their uncleanness, their lack of moral fitness. We should note that in Mat 4:24 a clear distinction is made between those who are diseased, those who are lunatic and those who are possessed with devils. It is wrong to think that in those days men necessarily saw all disease and madness as resulting from evil spirits. But we do well to beware before we dismiss the idea of the existence of evil spirits (although we must beware of those who see such spirits everywhere). Examples of modern day spirit possession, including the crying out and rending of individuals, although happily fairly rare in countries with a strong Christian background (as in Old Testament days among Israel), have been clearly authenticated as having genuinely occurred by men of high reputation even in such countries. And so has the ability of such spirits to remain unrecognised until something disturbs them. Thus the man who entered the synagogue may not even have been aware that he was possessed until ‘he’ was forced to cry out (I say ‘he’ because the spirit uses the person’s lips).

‘And he cried out saying, “What have we in common, you Jesus of Nazareth? Are you come to destroy us? I know you, who you are, the Holy One of God”.’ The holy aura that surrounded Jesus, largely unnoticed by man but clearly obvious to the ‘unclean’ spirit, was unbearable to it, forcing it to ‘cry out’ in fear (the word indicates strong emotion) and acknowledge His unique holiness, saying ‘You are the Holy One of God.’ For the awareness that it had of His power and authority, and of His unique position with God, made it afraid as it considered the possibility of its own destruction along with its fellows. They must have thought, ‘why else should such a One have come to earth if not to destroy us?’. We know the answer to that, but they may not have believed it or even known it. The plurals ‘we’ and ‘us’ reflect the fact that it is speaking on behalf of its fellows.

‘What have we in common?’ Literally ‘what is there to us and to you?’ They are saying – ‘we have nothing to do with each other. Keep away.’ Note the plural ‘us’. He may be including himself with the spirit, indicating the fact that a spirit possessed person can move quickly from speaking normally to being spoken through by different spirits using different voices, or the spirit may be referring to the whole ‘unclean spirit’ world.

‘The Holy One of God’ is the title by which Simon Peter would later address Jesus in Joh 6:69. Perhaps such instances as these established the idea in Peter’s mind. It was not a known Messianic title. But we are not dealing with Messiahship here. Whatever men thought, the evil spirits were aware of Jesus’ special powers and authority, and of His unique holiness. They knew that they were dealing with One Who had a supernatural background, totally separated to and infilled by God, even if they were not aware of His full deity. Compare the use of ‘holy ones’ for the Watchers in Dan 4:13; Dan 4:17; Dan 4:23, and of angels in Psa 89:7; Hos 11:12; Zec 14:5. Here was One Who was greater than those ‘holy ones’. He was the supreme Holy One, God’s Holy One.

The title ‘Holy One of Israel’ was a title regularly used of God in the Old Testament (2Ki 19:22; Psa 71:22; Psa 78:41; Psa 89:18 (where He was also seen as ‘our King’) and in Isaiah 24 times, and once as the ‘Holy One of Jacob’, and God as incomparable is called ‘the Holy One’ in Isa 40:25; Isa 43:15; Isa 49:7; Hos 11:9; Hab 1:12; Hab 3:3. In Isa 57:15 His ‘name is Holy’. So such a title has close connections with God and makes the One so uniquely designated to be of divine rank, the title being almost the equivalent of ‘Son of God’.

‘Your Holy One’, which is the equivalent of ‘the Holy One of God’, is found in Psa 16:10 where it refers firstly to David as the anointed of God. It could therefore even better be applied to the coming greater David, the Messiah as evidenced by Act 2:25-28, but this latter application may have arisen from this very title used of Jesus here and in Joh 6:69.

Israel is also called ‘His Holy One’ (Isa 10:17), possibly as a purified Israel who would burn up Assyria (compare Oba 1:18), but it may be that we are to see there ‘the Light of Israel’ as God Himself. And ‘holy ones’ (saints) is a title sometimes applied to the people of God when thought of as living in obedience, especially in the Psalms. In all cases it denotes special, unique relationship. But Jesus is not just one of the holy ones. He is  the  Holy One.

It has been suggested that the spirit was here trying to use Jesus ‘name’ in order to control Him, for it was believed in Jesus’ day that obtaining a person’s name gave some kind of control over that person. But it is more likely that this was the reaction of the spirit in its uncleanness towards One Whose supreme holiness it had to acknowledge. It was aware from the start that it had no means of controlling Him because of Who He was.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Authority of Jesus is Revealed by His Power over Evil Spirits (1:23-28).

The authority of Jesus was now further revealed in that He was now faced with a man possessed by an evil spirit which was so distraught by His presence that it cried out and challenged Him. It declared Him to be ‘the Holy One of God’. Jesus then rebuked the spirit and it left the man with some violence. The result was amazement on the part of those who saw it, and they linked it with, and included it in, His authoritative teaching. It should be noted here that the word ‘authority’ (’exousia) was often used in Hellenistic Greek to express the idea of a combination of supernatural power with a supernatural knowledge of divine things. Both of these things have been revealed by the Spirit-filled Jesus.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The man with the unclean spirit:

v. 23. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

v. 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.

v. 25. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

v. 26. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

v. 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 the unclean spirits, and they do obey Him.

v. 28. And immediately His fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

By chance, as the average person would say, but as we say, by God’s dispensation, there was present in the synagogue, on that Sabbath morning, a man with an unclean spirit, possessed with a demon. Spiritually unclean the devil is, and the contact with him or his angels makes filthy before God. He had taken possession of the body of this man, using his members to do his bidding. It was the evil spirit that cried out at the sight of Jesus, affirming that he and Jesus of Nazareth had nothing in common, that he and all the demons belonged to a company which are and always will be at variance with the Son of God. His cry is a cry of fear, lest Christ should see meet to condemn them, to destroy them by chaining them forever in hell. He was conscious of his own spiritual uncleanness as compared with the holiness of Jesus, the Holy One of God. “In the emphatic sense, and thus, according to Joh 6:69; Rev 3:7, the concealed designation of the Messiah. As the typical Old Testament anointed ones represented the Messiah, so the typical saints, priests, prophets, and kings, Psa 16:1-11, represent the Holy One, in the most exclusive sense. ” But Jesus soon made His business known by rebuking the demon and bidding him hold his peace and come out of the man. Jesus has absolute authority over all things, over all creatures, not only in heaven and on earth, but also under the earth. He is the Master and Lord also of the evil spirits. And so this demon, forced against his evil will to obey, tried to vent his spite in one last effort to harm the body of his victim. He convulsed him, he threw him into a spasm, into a severe epileptic fit. Then, with a last great, screaming cry, he goes forth from the man. The effect of this miracle, coming immediately after the address which had made such a deep impression, was overwhelming. The people were almost stupefied with astonishment. A questioning-together, a hubbub arose in the school, which shows how deeply they were moved: Who can explain this? Has He a new revelation that enables Him to deliver men from the power of demons? Does He do this by His own authority, in His own power? For we see that He orders the unclean spirits about, and they obey Him without question. The news spread like wildfire, at once, everywhere, in the whole region of Galilee round about. Jesus had here given indisputable evidence that He was indeed the Holy One of God, who had come into the world to destroy the works of the devil and to deliver all men from the bondage of Satan.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Mar 1:23-24. And there was in their synagogue, &c. It seems plain from what is said afterwards, Mar 1:27 that the other persons then present did not know Jesus to be the Son of God; how then should the demoniac know this, if he had been only mad, as some would vainly suppose, and not really possessed by an evil spirit? This case was so remarkable, that, as the Evangelist adds, immediately our Lord’s fame spread abroad, throughout all the region round about Galilee. However, though madmen might not know Christ, yet the devils could not be ignorant of him, from the time of his baptism, when the voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, &c. and therefore Satan soon after, in one of his temptations, says, If thou be the Son of God; Mat 4:6. See Ward’s Dissertations, p. 79 and on Mat 8:29.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Mar 1:23 f. . ] to be connected closely with : a man in the power of an unclean spirit . See on Matthiae, p. 1141. Comp. Mar 5:2 ; 2Co 12:2 ; Buttmann, neut. Gr. p. 84 [E. T. 96]. As to the demoniacs , see on Mat 4:24 ; and as to the miracles of Jesus in general, see on Mat 8:4 .

] he cried aloud (see Winer, de verbor. cum praepos. compos. usu , III. p. 7), namely, the man, who, however, speaks in the person of the demon. Comp. Mat 8:29 , where also, as here, the demon immediately discerns the Messiah.

] me and those like to me. “Communem inter se causam habent daemonia,” Bengel.

] by relegation to Hades, like in Matt. l.c.

] the hallowed One of God (Joh 10:36 ) (see Origen and Victor Antiochenus in Possini Catena ), a characteristic designation of the Messiah , which here proceeds from the consciousness of the unholy demoniac nature (Luk 4:34 ; Act 4:27 ; Rev 3:7 ; Joh 6:69 ). In a lower sense priests and prophets were . See Knapp, Opusc. I. p. 33 f. The demon does not name Him thus as (Euthymius Zigabenus, and before him Tertullian), but rather by way of giving to His the impress of hopeless certainty.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

(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 the region round about Galilee.

We have here the first miracle CHRIST manifested in the relation of Mark’s Gospel. The Son of GOD was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. And here he begins to overthrow both his person and empire, This poor man, we are told, had an unclean spirit. Every man, by the fall, is under the dominion of sin and Satan. The children of GOD, as well as the whole race of men in the Adam-nature, in which they are born, are equally vassals and subjects to Satan. For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage. 2Pe 2:19 . Hence therefore, we have all by nature an unclean spirit. Oh! for grace to be made sensible of this! Tit 3:3-7 . The next thing we meet with in this poor man’s history is, that he was in the synagogue on the sabbath- day. Reader do not fail to remark, that notwithstanding this dreadful malady, he attended the worship of GOD. It is blessed to be found waiting at ordinances, whatever state the mind is in. Who would have thought, when he went into the synagogue under such a state of captivity to Satan, that he should come out so blessedly de livered by the Almighty power of GOD. Had he not been there, humanly speaking, he would have lost this opportunity of being healed. How sweet was that scripture fulfilled in this instance. Isa 49:24-26 . The loud cry from the evil spirit, which had, at that time, the mastery over him, is worthy our closest observation in confirmation of the GODHEAD of CHRIST. Reader! do not fail to remark this! While thousands, who saw JESUS daily going about the streets of Jerusalem, knew not who he was, devils were compelled to give their unwilling testimony to his person and authority, and publickly to own him as the HOLY ONE of GOD! Oh! what will modern infidels to the GODHEAD of CHRIST have to say in the great day of his power; when devils themselves confessed their knowledge of him, even in the day of his flesh! Reader! remark with me also, the great awfulness of the blinded state of man by reason of sin, that even devils are not blinded, as sinners in nature are, to the knowledge of CHRIST. But let every child of GOD who reads my Poor Man’s commentary, and whose eyes the LORD hath opened, take sweet comfort in this; that while devils, in head knowledge, exceed in nature those whom, by their temptations, they have made blind at the fall, they never can receive in heart-influence what poor sinners recovered by sovereign grace, attain unto, both in an apprehension of; and interest in, the person, work, and glory of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. When the Reader hath duly pondered over these precious views of the case before us, I would request him to attend to another circumstance presented to us in it, namely, the acknowledgement the evil spirit made of CHRIST’s power, and the dreadful alarm expressed in the apprehension that JESUS was come (as was indeed the case) to their destruction. Let every child of GOD here learn, what frights and fears devils are in, even in the midst of their cruel tyranny over our poor nature, which Satan, the Old Serpent, ruined at the Fall. Behold! in this instance, how, at the very approach of JESUS, they tremble. Oh! what confidence ought every child of GOD to feel in the consciousness of an interest in CHRIST. No weapon formed against them can prosper. No temptation can take them, but under it the LORD will make a way for them to escape. And the GOD of peace is engaged to bruise Satan under their feet shortly. See Isa 54:17 ; 1Co 10:13 ; Rom 16:20 . The victory, of CHRIST in dispossessing the evil spirit, the recovery of the poor man, the astonishment of the whole congregation, and the rumour of such a miracle circulating through the neighborhood, these would furnish large subjects for our meditation. But I must study shortness, and therefore refer the Reader to similar records of our LORD, where the improvements may be found to the same amount. See Mar 5 . And I particularly request the Reader, if he hath the little penny number by him of my Poor Man’s Concordance, under the article Nazarene, to consult it in this place.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

Ver. 23. With an unclean spirit ] Gr. . In an unclean spirit. An unregenerate man is in maligno positus, as St John saith of the world, 1Jn 5:19 . He is inversus decalogus; whole evil is in man, and whole man in evil, till at last (without grace) he be satanized and transformed into a breathing devil. By reason of the inhabitation of unclean spirits, our spirits have in them trenches, cages, forts, and strongholds of Satan, 2Co 10:4 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

23 28. ] This account occurs in Luk 4:33-37 , nearly verbatim: for the variations, see there. It is very important for our Lord’s official life, as shewing that He rejected and forbade all testimony to his Person, except that which He came on earth to give . The dmons knew Him , but were silenced . (See Mat 8:29 ; ch. Mar 5:7 .) It is of course utterly impossible to understand such a testimony as that of the sick person , still less of the fever or disease .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

23. . . ] The use of the prep. in this connexion is unusual: see reff. I think the best account of it is, that it falls under a large class of usages of , expressing the element in which the man lived and moved, as possessed and interpenetrated by the evil spirit, as in the common expressions , , cf. 2Co 12:2 , and Act 17:28 .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Mar 1:23-28 . The demoniac .

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

Mar 1:23 . : almost = , Matthew’s word for introducing something important. , in their synagogue, i.e. , the synagogue of the same men who had been surprised at Christ’s preaching. They are to get a new surprise, though one would have been enough for one day. We also get a surprise, for nothing in Mark’s narrative thus far has prepared us to expect such an event as is reported. In his general sketch of the Galilean ministry (Mar 4:23-25 ) Matthew combines the three features: preaching, teaching, and healing . . . = with an unclean spirit (Maldonatus, Holtz., H. C.), in the power of, possessed by, Meyer, Weiss, Keil, etc. An unclean spirit is Mark’s standing name for what Matthew commonly calls or .

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

synagogue. See App-120.

man. Greek. anthropos App-123.

spirit. Greek pneuma, See App-101.

cried = shouted.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

23-28.] This account occurs in Luk 4:33-37, nearly verbatim: for the variations, see there. It is very important for our Lords official life, as shewing that He rejected and forbade all testimony to his Person, except that which He came on earth to give. The dmons knew Him, but were silenced. (See Mat 8:29; ch. Mar 5:7.) It is of course utterly impossible to understand such a testimony as that of the sick person, still less of the fever or disease.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Mar 1:23. , and) Mark, in the beginning of his history, records in what point of view both men and demons regarded Jesus. [It may be taken for granted that neither Mark nor Luke (ch. Mar 4:33) in this narrative insist on the historic order of events.-Harm., p. 256].-, cried out) Most persons seem not to have previously known that the man was possessed. The power of possession must have been great, inasmuch as the same predicate is often assigned both to the man possessed and to the demon possessing him: ch. Mar 3:11, Mar 9:20; Act 8:7.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

a man: Mar 1:34, Mar 5:2, Mar 7:25, Mar 9:25, Mat 12:43, Luk 4:33-37

Reciprocal: Mar 3:11 – unclean

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

AN ACT OF POWER

And there was in their synagogue a men with an unclean spirit.

Mar 1:23

All unobserved, a poor demoniac had entered the synagogue at Capernaum when our Lord was speaking with authority. Perhaps he came thinking it to be a sanctuary, where for a moment he might be soothed by memories of Sabbath days passed away for ever. Suddenly the air is rent by his shriek of terror; each worshipper is struck dumb with fear. The crowd heard the shriek, they saw the ghostly vision of the unclean demoniac, but were helpless. In tones almost of anger, but with a word of power, the Lord bids the unclean spirit come out.

I. The interest which the miracle evoked.The little flock gathered there was filled with admiration and enthusiasm; no wonder that forthwith His fame spread abroad throughout all that country.

II. The effect upon the men of Capernaum.It seemed that their whole heart had been conquered. Their amazement knew no bounds, their conviction was absolute as the demoniac lay before them healed.

III. Yet in a few days all was forgotten, and they who had the unspeakable blessedness of hearing Christs words spoken from His own lips, they who beheld one of His most startling miracles, heard soon after that most awful woe, Shall be brought down to hell.

IV. Let us be warned by the sad history of Capernaum so often repeated. The mere enjoyment of hearing Gods voice, or joining in services or sacraments, will not do anything for us save increase our condemnation, unless we join together earnest prayer to God the Holy Ghost and stern resolution of a braver, truer, higher life, and begin at once to do the will of God.

Rev. Canon T. B. Dover.

Illustration

The miserable victim to this awful malady would seem to have been at the mercy of many evil spirits, now speaking in the plural, now in the singular number. The special characteristic of the possession was impurity. The demon recognised Jesus at once as the Holy One of God. His one desire was to be let alone, undisturbed in his tyranny, with a shuddering consciousness that in the end this awful mastery of evil was to be put a stop to. See here the close connection between mental and moral disease. Trace back any sin of the intellect and you will generally find that it has its spring in a sin of the heart. See also how the one thing which impurity hates more than any other is holiness. We can find parallels more or less exact to this demoniacal possession now. In heathen lands travellers and missionaries come upon appalling cases of demonism. In our own land doctors who are constantly dealing with mania are brought face to face with triumphs of wickedness over the body, the mind, the whole moral nature. Body, mind, and moral nature are all parts of one whole. The unclean heart, the enslaved intellect, the torn body, all witness to the power of sin. The trembling demon, muzzled (for such the word used in Mar 1:25 means), and driven out, leaving the victim at peace once more, all witness to the greater power of Christ.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

3

The man with an unclean spirit was possessed with a devil. This subject is considered at length at Mat 8:28.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Mar 1:23. Comp. Luk 4:31-37.

A man with an unclean spirit. Lit., in an unclean spirit, in his power, in intimate union with him. See on Mat 4:24.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

St. Mark having given an account of our Saviour’s doctrine which he preached, verse 15, namely, the doctrine of faith and repentance, he now acquaints us in the remaining part of this chapter with the miracles which he wrought for the confirming of his doctrine, and they are three.

First, The casting of a devil out of one possessed, verse 23.

Secondly, The curing of Peter’s wife’s mother of a fever, verse 29.

Thirdly, The cleansing of the leper, from verse 40, to the end of the chapter.

His first miracle was the casting of a devil out of one possessed. There was a man with an unclean spirit; That is, an unclean spirit did enter into him, and bodily possess him. Amongst the many calamities which sin has brought upon our bodies, this is one, that we are liable to be bodily possessed by Satan. The devil has an inveterate malice against mankind, seeking to ruin our souls by his suggestions and temptations, and to destroy our bodies by some means or other: but, blessed be God, though his malice be infinite, yet his power is limited and bounded; as he cannot do all he can.

O how much is it our interest, as well as our duty, by prayer to put ourselves morning and evening under the divine protection, that we may be preserved from the power and malice of evil spirits!

Observe, 2. The attribute or title given to the devil, he is called an unclean spirit. The devils, those wicked spirits of hell, are most impure and filthy creatures; impure by means of their original apostasy; impure by means of their actual and daily sins, such as murder, malice, lying, and the like, by which they continually pollute themselves; impure by means of their continual desire and endeavour to pollute mankind with the contagion of their own sin. Lord, how foul is the nature of sin, which makes the devil such a foul and unclean creature!

Observe, 3. This unclean spirit no sooner saw Christ, but he cried out.

Whence note, That the greatness of Christ’s power (being the Son of God) over devils and wicked spirits is such, that it is very terrible and tormenting to them; it was terrible to them in his state of humiliation on earth, and made them cry out. But oh, how terrible will his power be to them at the great day, when Christ shall come in flaming fire, to render vengenance both to men and devils!

Observe, 4. The substance of the devil’s outcry; Let us alone, what have we to do with thee? Art thou come to destroy us?

Where note, that though the devils are now as full of sin and discontent as they can be, yet are they not so full of misery and torment as they shall be. Art thou come to torment us before the time? says St. Matthew. Mat 8:29 and Art thou come to destroy us? says St. Mark: that is to bring upon us our full and final destruction.

Implying, that the devil has not yet his full judgment and complete damnation. Therefore there is certainly a day of judgment to come, and the devils are in chains of darkness, reserved to the judgment of that great day. But some by these words, Art thou come to destroy us? understand as much as, “Art thou come to restrain us from the exercise of our power?”

Learn we thence, That the devil thinks himself destroyed when he is restrained from doing mischief.

Observe, 5. The title which the devil put upon our Saviour; Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy One of God. Although there was ground for the common people’s calling Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, because he was bred and brought up there, and lived there during his private life, till about thirty years of age; though he was not born there, but at Bethlehem; yet it is conceived that the devil gave this title to our Saviour in policy, to disguise the place of Christ’s nativity, that so the Jews might not believe him to be the true Messiah, because he was of Nazareth, whereas the Messiah was to come out of Bethlehem, but Jesus of Nazareth. But how comes the next title out of the devil’s mouth; The Holy One of God? Could an apostle, could Peter himself, make a profession beyond this? But how comes the devil to make it? For no good end or purpose, we may be sure; for he never speaks truth for truth’s sake, but for advantage.

Probably, (1.) He made this profession, that so he might bring the truth professes into suspicion, hoping that a truth which received testimony from the father of lies would be suspected.

(2.) It might perhaps be done that the people might believe that our Saviour had some familiarity with Satan, and did work miracles by his help, because he did confess him, and seem so much to honour him.

From this instance and example learn, That it is possible for a person to own and acknowledge Christ to be the true and only Saviour, and yet to miss of salvation by him. If a speculative knowledge, and a verbal profession, of Christ, were sufficient to salvation, the devil himself would not miss of happiness.

Observe, 6. How our Saviour rebukes the devil for his confession, and commands him silence; And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace. But why was this rebuke given the devil when he spake the truth?

Ans. 1. Because Christ knew that the devil confessed this truth on purpose to disgrace the truth.

2. Because the devil was not fit person to make this profession. A testimony of truth from the father of lies is enough to render truth itself suspected. Yet the devil’s evidence, that Christ was the holy One of God, will rise up in judgment against the wicked Pharisees, who shut their eyes against the miracles, and stop their ears against the doctrine, of the Holy One of God.

Observe lastly, How the unclean spirit obeys the voice of Christ, though with great reluctance and regret. When the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out. Christ is Lord over the wicked angels, and has an absolute power and authority to overrule them, and command them at his pleasure; if Christ says to the evil spirit, Come out, out he must come.

Yet observe the devil’s spite at parting, he tears the man, tortures his body, throws him violently from place to place, showing how loth he was to be dispossessed. Where Satan has once gotten an hold, and settled himself for a time, how unwilling is he to be cast out of possession! yea, it is a torture and vexation to him to be cast out: it is much easier to keep him out than to cast him out. Satan may possess the body by God’s permission, but he cannot possess our hearts without our own consent and approgbation: it will be our wisdom to deny him entrance into our souls at first, by rejecting his wicked motions and suggestions; for when once entered, he will, like the strong man armed, keep the house till a stronger than he casts him out.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Mar 1:23-28. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit Luke, which had a spirit of an unclean devil. And he cried out Luke, with a loud voice. As soon as the devil saw Jesus, dreading his power, and expecting to be dispossessed, he cried out in great terror: saying, in the name of all the rest, Let us alone, &c. Art thou come to destroy us By driving us out of our abodes on earth to the regions of darkness? I know thee Under all the disadvantages of thy present appearance, I can sufficiently discern who thou art, the Holy One of God Whom he hath sanctified and sent into the world for the destruction of my kingdom, and therefore I dread thee. It seems plain, from what is said afterward, Mar 1:27, that the other persons then present did not know Jesus to be the Son of God; how then should the demoniac know this if he had been only mad, as some vainly suppose, and not really possessed by an evil spirit? This case was so remarkable, that, as the evangelist adds, immediately our Lords fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. However, though madmen might not know Christ, the devils could not be ignorant of him, from the time of his baptism, when the voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, &c, and therefore Satan soon after, in one of his temptations, says, If thou be the Son of God, &c., Mat 4:6. And Jesus rebuked him Not being willing to receive any testimony from Satan. When the unclean spirit had torn him Or convulsed him, as seems here to mean. Accordingly, , as Grotius has observed, is sometimes used to signify a convulsion. It is certainly much more natural, as Doddridge observes, to understand the expression thus, than to suppose the devil to have torn him, according to the common meaning of the word torn, which leaves the reader to imagine that he grievously wounded him, when Luke expressly says, he hurt him not. And cried with a loud voice Or, noise, rather, for he was forbidden to speak. Christ would neither suffer those evil spirits to speak in opposition, nor yet in favour of him. He needed not their testimony, nor would encourage it, lest any should infer that he acted in concert with them. Luke says, When the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him It is remarkable, that in all the cures of this sort which our Lord performed, the person to be cured was seized with the disorder in its violence at the time of the cure, and raised from the stupor of the fit to perfect health in an instant. The reason was, that thus the reality and greatness both of the disorder and the cure were fully proved, to the conviction of every beholder. And they were all amazed At so miraculous a cure; insomuch that they questioned among themselves Inquired of each other, and reasoned together, saying, What new doctrine is this? Luke, , what a word is this! How powerful is this mans word, or command! for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits An indubitable proof that his doctrine was attended with an extraordinary power: and immediately his fame Raised by this signal miracle, spread abroad throughout all the region And made way for his reception in the progress which he afterward took into every place of the neighbouring country.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Verse 23

A man with an unclean spirit; a demoniac.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

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.

The term translated synagogue does not relate to the usual thought of the American mind of a synagogue – a building where Jewish people meet. The word is like the word translated church

– the assembly of people rather than the building that they meet in. The church today is the building in most cases and this is indeed very sad. The Scripture is clear that the church is the assembly, the body, the people, not the bricks and mortar.

However today the church is seldom seen as the people, if it isn’t seen as the building it is seen as the organization or hierarchy of the leadership. The organization today must survive as well as the building, but don’t sweat the people, they are replaceable in most leaders minds. Many Christian organizations are in save the organization mode rather than minister to the people mode.

It is of note that Mark relates the proper context to the word by the phrase “was in their synagogue” which indicates it was the peoples assembly rather than THE assembly.

“Unclean” is usually translated thusly, but is also translated “foul” which is used of foul weather in Mat 16:3; of a foul spirit in Mar 9:25; and of foul spirits in Rev 18:2 “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”

“Cried out” has the thought of raising a cry from the depths of the throat. Not just a whimper or crying, but a cry of total desperation if not fear. This man was in a terrible situation and the Lord opened His heart to assist him in his plight.

You might notice a difference between vs. 23 and 24 in the number of spirits. One says “an unclean” while the next verse mentions us and we. Verse 23 actually does not give indication of number in the Greek. It simply states that there was a man with unclean spirit. The Luke passage follows Mark almost identically. The man had unclean spirit and the spirit identifies himself as plural. From the outward appearance singular might have been the image. Unless the spirits identified themselves to the outside world, the ravings of one possessed might well seem to be just a single spirit.

On the other hand, Christ deals with a singular spirit. It could be that he was dealing with the one that spoke and communicated with Him, but more likely he was dealing with the Devilhimself and other spirits, but Christ knew that it was the Devil that he must deal with in this situation. In verse twenty-six the emphasis shifts back to a singular which would fit the idea that it was the Devil that was under attack, even if there were other spirits involved.

Just a note of information in verse twenty six the term translated “came out” is the word that “exorcism” comes from.

It is of note that the Mark passage mentions the spirit “tore” the man and cried and then came out. The Luke account however mentions “he came out of him, and hurt him not.” (Luk 4:35) The term torn in our language indicates the tearing as in parting of one into two. The tearing of the seat of your pants indicates the fabric is separated, while the Greek term relates to convulse or spasmodic contraction. Jerk might be a better word than torn in our particular time and culture.

The cry was a different word than in verse 23. This word relates to the cry of a raven or to croak. This wasn’t the same deep down cry but rather a voice to the finish of the possession. Not altogether quiet, but the raven is quite a different sound.

Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson

1:23 {10} And there was in their synagogue a man {l} with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

(10) He preaches that doctrine by which alone Satan is driven out of the world, which he also confirms by a miracle.

(l) Literally, “a man in an unclean spirit”, that is to say, possessed with an evil spirit.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

An outburst from a man in the congregation interrupted the service. He was under the influence of a demonic spirit. The Jews spoke of demonic spirits as evil or unclean spirits. Mark used the terms "demon" and "unclean spirit" interchangeably. This is his first reference to demonic influence on human beings. [Note: For additional information on demonic influence, see William M. Alexander, Demonic Possession in the New Testament: Its Relations Historical, Medical, and Theological; Merrill F. Unger, Biblical Demonology: A Study of the Spiritual Forces Behind the Present World Unrest, ch. 6; and idem., Demons in the World Today, ch. 6.] The man cried out with a strong emotional shriek (Gr. anekraxen).

"Neither the New Testament, nor even Rabbinic literature, conveys the idea of permanent demonic indwelling, to which the later term ’possession’ owes its origin." [Note: Edersheim, 1:481.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

CHAPTER 1:23 (Mar 1:23)

MIRACLES

“And straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit.” Mar 1:23 (R.V.)

WE have just read that Christ’s teaching astonished the hearers. He was about to astonish them yet more, for we have now reached the first miracle which St. Mark records. With what sentiments should such a narrative be approached? The evangelist connects it emphatically with Christ’s assertion of authority. Immediately upon the impression which His manner of teaching produced, straightway, there was in the synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And upon its expulsion, what most impressed the people was, that as He taught with authority, so “with authority He commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

Let us try whether this may not be a providential clue, to guide us amid the embarrassments which beset, in our day, the whole subject of miracles.

A miracle, we are told, is an interference with the laws of nature; and it is impossible, because they are fixed and their operation is uniform. But these bold words need not disconcert any one who has learned to ask, In what sense are the operations of nature uniform? Is the operation of the laws which govern the wind uniform, whether my helm is to port or starboard? Can I not modify the operation of sanitary laws by deodorization, by drainage, by a thousand resources of civilization? The truth is, that while natural laws remain fixed, human intelligence profoundly modifies their operation. How then will the objector prove that no higher Being can as naturally do the same? He answers, Because the sum total of the forces of nature is a fixed quantity: nothing can be added to that sum, nothing taken from it: the energy of all our machinery existed ages ago in the heat of tropical suns, then in vegetation, and ever since, though latent, in our coal beds; and the claim to add anything to that total is subversive of modern science. But again we ask, If the physician adds nothing to the sum of forces when he banishes one disease by inoculation, and another by draining a marsh, why must Jesus have added to the sum of forces in order to expel a demon or to cool a fever? It will not suffice to answer, because His methods are contrary to experience. Beyond experience they are. But so were the marvels of electricity to our parents and of steam to theirs. The chemistry which analyses the stars is not incredible, although thirty years ago its methods were “contrary” to the universal experience of humanity. Man is now doing what he never did before, because he is a more skillful and better informed agent than he ever was. Perhaps at this moment, in the laboratory of some unknown student, some new force is preparing to amaze the world. But the sum of the forces of nature will remain unchanged. Why is it assumed that a miracle must change them? Simply because men have already denied God, or at least denied that He is present within His world, as truly as the chemist is within it. If we think of Him as interrupting its processes from without, laying upon the vast machine so powerful a grasp as to arrest its working, then indeed the sum of forces is disturbed, and the complaints of science are justified. This may, or it may not, have been the case in creative epochs, of which science knows no more than of the beginning of life and of consciousness. But it has nothing to say against the doctrine of the miracles of Jesus. For this doctrine assumes that God is ever present in His universe; that by Him all things consist; that He is not far from any one of us, for in Him we live and move and have our being, although men may be as unconscious of Him as of gravitation and electricity. When these became known to man, the stability of law was unaffected. And it is a wild assumption that if a supreme and vital force exist, a living God, He cannot make His energies visible without affecting the stability of law.

Now Christ Himself appeals expressly and repeatedly to this immanent presence of God as the explanation of His “works.”

“My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” “The Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things that Himself doeth.” “I, by the finger of God, cast out devils.”

Thus a miracle, even in the Old Testament, is not an interruption of law by God, but a manifestation of God who is within nature always; to common events it is as the lightning to the cloud, a revelation of the electricity which was already there. God was made known, when invoked by His agents, in signs from heaven, in fire and tempest, in drought and pestilence, a God who judgeth. These are the miracles of God interposing for His people against their foes. But the miracles of Christ are those of God carrying forward to the uttermost His presence in the world, God manifest in the flesh. They are the works of Him in Whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

And this explains what would otherwise be so perplexing, the essentially different nature of His miracles from those of the Old Testament. Infidelity pretends that those are the models on which myth or legend formed the miracles of Jesus, but the plain answer is that they are built on no model of the kind. The difference is so great as to be startling.

Tremendous convulsions and visitations of wrath are now unknown, because God is now reconciling the world unto Himself, and exhibiting in miracles the presence of Him Who is not far from every one of us, His presence in love to redeem the common life of man, and to bless, by sharing it. Therefore his gifts are homely, they deal with average life and its necessities, bread and wine and fish are more to the purpose than that man should eat angels’ food, the rescue of storm-tossed fishermen than the engulfment of pursuing armies, the healing of prevalent disease than the plaguing of Egypt or the destruction of Sennacherib.

Such a Presence thus manifested is the consistent doctrine of the Church. It is a theory which men may reject at their own peril if they please. But they must not pretend to refute it by any appeal to either the uniformity of law or the stability of force.

Men tell us that the divinity of Jesus was an afterthought; what shall we say then to this fact, that men observed from the very first a difference between the manner of His miracles and all that was recorded in their Scriptures, or that they could have deemed fit? It is exactly the same peculiarity, carried to the highest pitch, as they already felt in His discourses. They are wrought without any reference whatever to a superior will. Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do? Elijah said, Hear me, O Lord, hear me. But Jesus said, I will . . . I charge thee come out . . . I am able to do this. And so marked is the change, that even His followers cast out devils in His name, and say not, Where is the Lord God of Israel? but, In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. His power is inherent, it is self-possessed, and His acts in the synoptics are only explained by His words in St. John, “What things soever the father doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner.” No wonder that St. Mark adds to His very first record of a miracle, that the people were amazed, and asked, What is this? a new teaching! with authority He commandeth even the unclean spirits and they do obey Him! It was divinity which, without recognizing, they felt, implicit in His bearing. No wonder also that His enemies strove hard to make Him say, Who gave Thee this authority? Nor could they succeed in drawing from Him any sign from heaven. The center and source of the supernatural, for human apprehension, has shifted itself, and the vision of Jesus is the vision of the Father also.

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary