Sermon for the 4th Sunday of Epiphany

2024 Epiphany 4 – Deuteronomy 18:15-20   1 Corinthians 8:1-13  Mark 1:21-28

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. 

It seems innocent enough. Jesus is recognized as an up-and-coming Rabbi. On the Sabbath, he is exactly where he is supposed to be as a man of faith.  He is with his faith community.  The leadership of the synagogue invites him to expound on the scriptures. So, we are told that he begins teaching. 

We would not take any notice of what is happening here except for three things. First, the Old Testament reading. Second, the listener’s reaction to Jesus’ teaching.  “They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.” Third, of course, is the disruptive behavior of the man with the unclean spirit. 

All three of these things add to the growing list of what we learn about who Jesus is during the Epiphany season.  In previous Sundays, the lectionary readings reminded us that Jesus is the light of the world.  He is God’s Son, and we should listen to him.  He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And, he has the authority to call men from their station in life into a new life work as disciples and fishers of men. 

Jesus is a teacher. He is recognized as such by those that listen to him. But, the Old Testament reading adds a certain gravitas to the designation of “teacher.” Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, Moses declares that “The LORD you God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you.” The Lord blessed Israel with a succession of prophets.  Many more than are named in the Bible.  But, Moses does not mean those prophets.  He means someone who was going to have a unique relationship with God just as he does.  Moses saw God.  Moses was with God on Mount Sinai for many days. He received the Torah directly from the LORD and then wrote it down. Moses was the intermediatory between Israel and the LORD. Moses’ proximity to the LORD affected him physically.  His face was aglow.  It was not natural, and it scared the people.  He had to wear a veil.

Jewish commentators expected a New Moses to come in God’s good time.  Martin Luther comments on this passage: “This is the chief passage in this whole book and a clearly expressed prophecy of Christ as the new Teacher.  Hence the apostles also courageously adduce this passage. … Here Moses clearly describes his own end, and he yields his mastery to the Prophet who is to come … Here he prophecies that Christ will be true man and will come from the blood of the Jews, because salvation is from the Jews. No one has ever arisen from this people who taught a different word from the word of Moses and set up a new ministry except this one Christ of ours.” (AE 9: 176, 180)

So, what does a prophet do exactly? First and for most a prophet is a teacher.  He teaches the people what God says. God calls and sends the prophet to the people to address a particular sin such as idolatry. The addressing of sin also includes a call to repentance and a restoration.  Prophets also addressed social issues.  When people engage in idolatry, they also become incredibly selfish and self-serving.  They forget the poor and widows. They start over charging for food and goods.  They don’t pay people a living wage for their work. They mistreat everyone they possibly can. So, social needs are often addressed. Prophets occasionally heal people or perform miracles. They will also predict the future.  Moses did all of that. Most of the prophets that Israel received taught them God’s will and addressed social issues. 

We can see all these aspects of a prophet in the ministry of Jesus. 

So, the fact that Jesus teaches regularly is a clear sign that he is a prophet. But, we begin to be convinced that Jesus is the One of whom Moses foretold when we attend to the reaction of the congregants and the man with the unclean spirit. 

The congregants are, as Mark tells us, “astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.”  His Authority is expressed in a number of ways. 

In 2024 America, we recognize authority by uniforms and badges and credentials. We also give quite a bit of authority to eye-witness accounts and audio and visual recordings. Jesus does not really have credentials that anyone is going to really believe at this point.  The eyewitness accounts will matter later on.  But, right then, in that Synagogue in Capernaum, they recognize the authority of what he is saying by how he is speaking. 

The contrast with the scribes is telling.  Scribes are people who read and write and study.  They are also rabbis.  The rabbinic way of teaching is to refer to sources. If there is a particular interpretation that the Rabbi wants to make, then he finds other Rabbis who can support his interpretation and argument. Much like I did a moment ago when I quoted Martin Luther.  If you don’t believe me, believe Pastor Luther! Jesus does not teach by referring to sources.  He has the “inside scoop.” He knows how the Scriptures are supposed to be interpreted. He makes “I” statements. 

We have a fine example of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. There, Jesus makes regular reference to Scripture, but he does not refer to other interpretative sources. Jesus states his interpretation and that is sufficient.  For example, in Matthew 5 he says, ³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  Then again, he says, ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” 

Where are the authorities by which he can say these things?  Well, he is the Authority.  This is what the people are picking up on. They can hear it and feel it and the Holy Spirit is working faith in them through the Word. They are having faith in Jesus. 

Then, there is that poor, disturbed man, who says and does things that he would never do while in control of his own mind, body, and mouth. The unclean spirit that controls him confronts Jesus. As Satan’s minion is want to do, it tries to confuse the people.  It tries to reveal more about Jesus than Jesus is ready to have revealed.  Yes, Jesus does come to end the grip of evil upon human hearts and minds.  Yes, he will destroy Satan. Yes, Jesus is from Nazareth.  Yes, Jesus is the Holy One of God. But, if Jesus had let this demon keep talking, the truth would soon be twisted because that is what Satan and his co-workers do.  They twist, lie, and deceive. 

But the people are not yet ready to receive the full truth of who Jesus is and what his mission is.  First, there is the extensive teaching of the Apostles and disciples. Then there is the cross and resurrection, then resurrection appearances and then Pentecost.  Jesus’ mission is fulfilled, then the people are ready to receive the fullness of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  But the ones who will deliver the Good News are the ones who have saving faith in Jesus and make a voluntary confession that Jesus is their Lord and Savior.  A representative of Satan will not be the first to announce the Gospel, thank you very much. So, it is silenced, and the man is set free from spiritual tyranny. 

If folks were impressed with the verbal teaching; they most certainly were forever changed by the verbal teaching coupled with the exorcism.  A new teaching with Authority. Indeed. 

Jesus is the prophet that Moses spoke of.  Jesus teaches with the authority given to Him by our heavenly Father.  As the Father says of Jesus when John baptizes him, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Jesus says what the Father has commanded Him.  He is speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit. All of Jesus’ teaching and miracles point to Him as the prophet of whom Moses spoke.  

Moses is unique in the long line of prophets that follow him. He spoke and wrote what God said.  He stood in the presence of the Almighty in a way that no one else ever did. But Jesus is greater than Moses.  Jesus not only has stood in the presence of the Father and the Holy Spirit for eternity, but Jesus is also God.  

In the fullness of God’s time, Jesus, the God-Man will enter into his passion and take up the cross.  He will die for our sakes so that we are set free from the tyranny of sin, death, and Satan.  Jesus will receive our punishment upon the cross so that we can receive his righteousness. Out of love we are created, Out of love we are saved. Out of love we are declare forgiven and righteous.  Out of love we are given the faith to receive this Good News. In faith we receive God’s gift of grace.

….  

The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.