Mark 1:28

26 And when the unclean spirit ^ahad convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.

27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying,¹ “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

28 And immediately His ^afame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed

29 ^aNow as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.

31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset

32 ^aAt evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.

33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door.

34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and ^acast out many demons; and He ^bdid not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Preaching in Galilee

35 Now ^ain the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a¹ solitary place; and there He ^bprayed.

36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.

37 When they found Him, they said to Him, ^a“Everyone ^bis looking for You.”

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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What Does Mark 1:28 Mean?

Mark 1:25-28

Jesus commands the demon to leave, giving it a short, direct order backed by God's authority. He does not rebuke the man, because the unclean spirit had possessed him, yet each of us must resist the influence of demons (I Peter 5:8-9). Jesus tells the demon, "Hold your peace," which actually means "be gagged or muzzled," a phrase He also uses to calm the storm in Mark 4:39. The unclean spirit does not speak again, but obeys in rage and anguish.

By his own power or authority, no man can cast out demons. Even the archangel Michael, not daring to revile Satan, called on the power and authority of God to rebuke him (Jude 9), setting a right example for us. Similarly, in rebuking the "spirit of divination" at Philippi, Paul says, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her" (Acts 16:18).

Because of Christ's authority in performing this miracle, the people in the synagogue are "amazed," a word meaning "to stupefy" and "to dumbfound or flabbergast." They express their astonishment in questions: "What is this? What new doctrine is this?" (Mark 1:27), as well as by immediately rushing away to tell everyone they can. The word translated "amazed" also can mean "to terrify" and "to be frightened." The people are not only astounded but also fearful of God's power through Jesus.

The focus of the testimony is on how Jesus exorcises the demon: simply by His command, which shows the power of God's Word. Contemporary Jewish doctrine for casting out demons was much different, as exorcists among them sometimes appeared to cast out demons by prayers or chants. Christ, however, does not cajole or request demons to leave, but authoritatively commands them to come out. The world has its weak and useless methods to appease evil and entice it to surrender, but Christ commands its defeat.

Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Exorcism in the Synagogue

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Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed

Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset

Preaching in Galilee

What Does Mark 1:28 Mean?

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning