Jesus, the Beloved Son of God, enters the sacred space (synagogue) and the sacred time (sabbath) of Jewish religion. In that space and time He teaches. He asserts His right to interpret the Covenant tradition and articulate its deeper meanings. This is not what the community are used to on a Saturday morning! Here is someone who teaches with ‘authority’ and with ‘power’. But what is He teaching?
The man who is possessed by an unclean spirit is what the teaching is about. This is a teaching about purity codes, a favourite topic of holy and religious people.
In their world view, people can be defiled by having contact with an unclean spirit. The Scribes advise avoidance. For them, people and holy places were holy to the degree that they kept their distance from what was considered to be unholy. So, staying ‘pure’ meant avoiding certain foods, certain actions, and certain people. A man possessed, is seen as dangerous and contagious. Therefore, the Scribes will teach, without authority, to steer clear.
The unclean spirit knows this and is counting on it. It wants to be left alone to do its dirty work. It owns this man, and anyone who prizes holiness, as surely Gods Beloved Son does, will have the good sense to stay away. But Jesus, as always, has another theology. He does not respect purity boundaries. He trespasses them. The false theology of the unclean spirit, its only hope to continue its vicious domination of this child of God, is silenced. Jesus has only one thing to say and it is “Shut Up”. That way of thinking is finished. It does not work. A new teaching, “Get out of Him!” means the unclean spirit has met its match. A higher authority has appeared, and it will be obeyed.
The community are amazed to see another way to deal with the fear of impurity. Do not avoid it! Bring your own strength and meet it head on. In His mission, Jesus will not tolerate anyone being harmed. The unclean spirits are silenced, told to leave, and take with them all the pain they have inflicted.
