Jesus versus the Unclean Spirit

Mark 1:21-28

Why I will not advise anyone to date a demon? Because they are too possessive.

The Gospel today tells the story when Jesus started his public ministry and cast out an unclean spirit from a person.

After he called his first disciples, they went to a synagogue on a Sabbath. Apparently, Jesus is a serious follower of their Jewish religion because he was allowed to teach in the Synagogue. Also, it’s possible that Jesus received good education since his childhood for him to be qualified to teach.

While teaching, Jesus received good feedback from people. They recognized that his words speak with power unlike the scribes who devoted themselves to studying, writing, and copying scriptures. This implies that Jesus, despite having a secular background (a carpenter), understood scripture and his teachings impact the lives of people who listen to him more than the people who read or study the text.

Now, also in the middle of the scene, was a man possessed by an unclean spirit—could be someone who is inflicted with an unidentifiable physical or psychological illness. Obviously, the man was troubled by the presence of Jesus. However, ironically, this person identifies Jesus as the “Holy One from God” who came to destroy evil or unclean spirits, and cure people from their diseases. When Jesus heard the troubled man’s confession, he rebuked him and commanded the spirit to come out and leave the man. Immediately, the spirit left, and the man was cured. So, the crowd was amazed by the spectacle. The people were thinking whether Jesus was introducing a new teaching by commanding even the unclean spirits to leave and they obey him too. According to Mark, this incident made Jesus popular in the regions surrounding Galilee.

In Jesus’ time, many forms of illness or disease, especially the ones that are not easily explainable, are attributed to unclean spirits. It demonstrates how people then understood their present material and physical struggles as manifestations of the insidious work of evil spirits. But generally, people are concerned and scared about the things that are hard for them to understand, especially those that they cannot see such as demons or spirits.

But in Jesus, people see a person who possesses the power and authority to command evil spirits to go away and stop tormenting people. That is why his words are more powerful than those who study the scripture because his word is enough to defeat the forces of evil. When Jesus speaks, people recognize his authority and his power to deliver them even from their struggles even against evil spirits.

In other words, this story demonstrates the power of Jesus as the Son of God who can really save and give people healing and freedom from the things that oppresses them.

Sometimes in our life we encounter problems and difficult circumstances that are hard to explain even with all the knowledge and information that we have—like the scribes in Jesus’ time. We are also scared of the things that are beyond our control, especially those that we cannot see. Sometimes, hardships and difficulties possess us like unclean spirits cling to us, causing trouble to our minds and body. We need to hear the powerful words of Jesus of Nazareth, our Savior.

We need the power of the words of Jesus to cast out all these anxieties and dark forces that seek to destroy us. That’s why Jesus told his disciples, “Do not be afraid” (Mark 6:50). In another Gospel he promised them, “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” (John 14:27).

Therefore, in Jesus, we have peace even when we are confronted by different and unexplainable troubles, struggles, and hardships.

This reminds me of the lyrics of the song, For You Alone.

You are the peace that guards my heart
My help in times of need
You are the hope that leads me on
And brings me to my knees
For there I find You waiting
And there I find reliefSo with all my heart I'll worship
And unto You I'll sing

For You alone deserve all glory
For You alone deserve all praise
Father we worship and adore You
Father we long to see Your face
For You alone deserve all glory
For You alone deserve all praise
Father we love You
And we worship You this day