The Hero of Capernaum

         We see in Mark 1: 21-28 a great story of Jesus and his first public sermon launching his Galilean  ministry. Mark tells us that Jesus had just finished his time in the desert and that he has come to the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee to call into ministry a few of his disciples. He was trolling for fishermen. He is near the town of Capernaum, near where the Jordan flows into the lake (sea of Galilee). There is fresh water  with nutrients entering the lake here and thus it was a favoite spot for fisherman then as it still is today.  Capernaum was a fishing village. Today you can see the town of Capernaum in ruins but very visible.  The ancient city has been excavated to a large degree. One can still see the synagogue that Jesus went into on that Sabbath morning in Capernaum. (It is situated below the one now standing.)
         Capernaum sat along a very busy highway that Roman soldiers guarded. The road is called the Via Maris, road or way to the sea. The "sea" is a real sea. The road goes from Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea to Damacus of Syria. So it was a major thoroughfare. Interesting side note.  The Centurion that we read about later in Mark is posted here and probably commanded the troops. Centurion is taken from  (Latin: centurio; Greek: κεντυρίων) and means that this officer commanded anywhere from 80 - 100 men. Why is that interesting? Glad you asked. Luke tells us that this Centurion built the synagogue in Capernaum!!!(Luke 7:5). The very one that Jesus and his disciples are about to walk into. Mark writes that they enter "straightway" on the Sabbath. 

       That Sabbath was probably like all the others.  The wind gently blowing from the sea through the shoreline trees that act as a natural windbreaks. The people were gathering into the synagogue as is the habit of the Jewish community on the Sabbath. Peter who lived in this village is there with some others in his family. Matthew in the parallel text has Jesus' own family there. Jesus and his newly called disciples entered the synagogue. He was well known enough that they let him teach. 
       Jesus began to  teach while His new disciples are going to be taking notes. The fam is sitting watching, all though the women are probably in another room or at least sitting separate, which was customary.  All are enjoying this peaceful Sabbath morning by the sea. Its a day off for the fishermen, probably their only day off. I could see some of them beginning to drift off to sleep. Some of the young people may be thinking about what they are going to do after "temple". They are thinking about a swim, or go fishing, play kick-the-whatever they kicked back then, do what normal kids do on a Sabbath afternoon in Capernaum. All was as it should be. Expectation were probably low, because Mark records that when Jesus began to speak the townspeople were amazed, shocked, astonished, by his authority.  Mark uses one of his favorite words in verse 23 he writes Euthus - immediately, straightway. Kai… eujqu;ß h\n e∆n th≥: sunagwgh≥: aujtwÇn a⁄nqrwpoß e∆n pneuvmati a˙kaqa◊rtw/ which means "And immediately in their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit...".  Of course I don't think you can And immediately anything. I think you can And suddenly situations. I think this may have more of the feel of the narrative. Jesus is teaching, the village folk are listening, some swatting at flies, some dozing, some day dreaming, you have been there, its Sunday morning as usual, the gospel is being preached.  Then Harry stands up. You know crazy Harry. OMG. How embarrassing. He screams out "Leave us alone, I know you, Jesus of Nazareth, have you come to to destroy us? You are the Holy One of God." That wakes everyone up. Pop went the day dreams, Huh went the fisherman, "what the hell" blurred the young man,  and faint away went Harry's mother.  Maybe Mary said "oh here we go". But for sure everyone's attention was on the situation. Jesus tells the demoniac to "be musseled like an ox". That is the best translation according to Robertson. We might say "put a sock in it". Whatever Jesus cast out the demon, the man convulses, which means he twitches and, medically speaking, his stomach turns over, (vomits). And then to add to the horror, literally, he screeches as the demon leaves. Wow! What a show! Its like the bar scene in Star Wars. Obeone Kanobe has just cut the aliens arm off. All the music stops and everyone stares in total silence, not even the crickets make noise. The universe is frozen for those few seconds. The smoke rises from the demoniac hair and he sits up a new man. His mothers breaks into tears of  emotional release. His estranged girl friend gazes with renew affection.  The world seems suddenly right there on the shores of Galilee.  The music starts up just like the movie and everything is back to normal or is it?. The crowd awaking to what has just happened tries to put the pieces together. Instead of the normal teaching, they ask "do we have a new teaching with authority?"  What is going on here? The scribes are amazed. The news goes out far and wide. Afterwards, Jesus walks down the street to Peter's place and ministers to his mother-in-law. Jesus stays with Peter.


         What a great little story. What an opening statement to a ministry. One thing I noticed in this; none of the gospels mention the text from which Jesus taught . Most use the word authority in conjunction with the teaching, but they do not point to the text. Actually only two of the Gospels mention the demoniac. They all mention the authority with which Jesus taught. But understand what went on that day in the synagogue of Capernaum we need that demoniac and his reaction to Christ. Mark tells us that the crowd was "amazed"(NASB) KJV interprets the word as astonished. T.A.Robertson translates it as "to strike a person out of his senses by some strong feeling."
         The point I am trying to make is that Jesus' teaching caused a reaction in the crowd. But why? They were astonished at his teaching. If I am astonished by someone then there usually is a reason. The person went beyond my expectations. Probably beyond my faith for that person. Did these good people think they were going to be hearing from a hilly-billy, an uneducated rebel. After all can anything good come from Nazareth? Isn't that what the unclean spirit said. "I know you Jesus of Nazareth".  What was he doing in the synagogue anyway. Were the townspeople that used to demoniacs that they just let them come to the temple. Interestingly Harry uses the plural pronouns in his attack on Jesus. "Leave us alone and ...destroy us? Was Harry talking for the community. Did they have other things hidden that they did not want revealed. Was Harry the only honest man in town? It seems for all of his disturbance Harry went home cleansed that day.
          Jesus actually only spoke 6 words that are recorded that morning. This was mainly an illustrated sermon. I believe that Jesus was saying something to the community through the unclean man. Why? Let us read a little further. In verse 29-34 we read that Peter took Christ into his home which was just down the street. After sundown, the whole town is outside Peters door with ill and demon possessed friends, neighbors and relatives. The whole town is there! Jesus heals and cast out demons the rest of the night. That town was full of Harrys'. I think the citizens got the message that morning in the synagogue.
           Well again what is this to me? So that town was full of demons, great story. But I have to ask myself what is my reaction when Jesus blows into my hometown, like Eastwood on the streets of Laredo.  When the word is preached with authority how do I react. Do I mumble with the other scribes about this teaching, or wonder with congregants about new doctrine or do I just plainly let the demons arise and challenge the timing or the background of the preacher. Or do I make room for the word in my home like Peter?
           When I am working or at home or with friends and the Holy Spirit brings to mind the word I have heard do I react push it aside or accept it. Do I recognize the Holy One? At least the demoniac knew who he was.  Am I just talking with the scribes and the demons about the word. Is my reaction one of mental concent?  Really that little town on the north shores of the Sea of Tiberas is not that far away. That Sabbath morning can be our every day experience, when Jesus comes to my "temple" and mounts the pulpit of my heart. When the word comes to us in whatever form with authority will we allow our demons to be cast out. It maybe ugly for a moment or two, but the newness that the word with authority brings, the word of Christ, is redemptive and salvific.
           Suddenly Harry is looking better in this story. He may be the Hero of Capernaum.