January 27, 2012
Sunday Scripture
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
BY FATHER DONALD DILGER
In last Sunday’s gospel, after the Baptizer had been betrayed into the power of Herod Antipas, Jesus withdrew into Galilee — a security measure. We assume John was taken by Herod’s soldiers in Perea, on the Jordan’s east bank, part of Antipas’ territory. But Antipas also ruled Galilee. Nazareth was in the middle of Galilee. It would have been a dangerous place for Jesus due to his known association with John. After a brief homecoming, Jesus moved to Capernaum on the NW shore of the Sea of Galilee. If danger emerged from the police of Herod Antipas, Jesus could quickly escape north by land or east by sea into the territory of Herod Philip, brother of Antipas but a mild and just ruler.
Capernaum became headquarters for Jesus’ mission to Galilee and beyond. So centered on Capernaum was Jesus’ activity that Mark writes of Jesus that he returned “home” to Capernaum. Specifically, “home” was the house of Simon (Peter) and Andrew plus their extended families. This home was next to the local synagogue. Therefore Mark begins today’s gospel,” . . . Immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue.” Jesus is thus depicted as the faithful Jew that he was. A major theme of Mark’s gospel is the war between Jesus and Satan. The struggle began with a forty-day temptation in the wilderness. The encounter between Jesus and Satan in the synagogue at Capernaum begins the public phase of this war.
First Mark notes that Jesus was teaching in the synagogue. On what grounds was this former village carpenter asked to teach there? Jesus was well known by this time for his new mission of preaching and healing. It was the custom for the president of the synagogue to ask well known visitors to comment on the Scripture reading of the day. Mark observes the astonishment his teaching provoked. Why? He spoke with authority, “and not like their scribes.” The latter were the learned among them whose business it was to search the Scriptures and teach them. This was too often done by quoting past authorities. Jesus spoke as if he was himself the authority.
The “unclean spirit” attacks with a verbal assault, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” This sounds like the free publicity for which politicians would give their right arm. But Jesus will have none of it. Why not? Mark uses a theological device in his gospel by which the true identity of Jesus must remain secret until the end. His identity as Son of God cannot be understood apart from his suffering and death. Only at his death does the first human being in this gospel, an outsider at that, identify Jesus as Son of God.
Therefore Jesus rebukes the evil spirit, “Put a muzzle on yourself, and come out of him!” There is only one possible response to the command of the Holy One of God, “The unclean spirit, convulsing the man and screaming, came out of him.” This illustrates what Paul wrote in Philippians 2:10, “. . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth . . . .’” Mark returns to an earlier theme of this story, the amazement of the people at the authority Jesus displayed in his teaching, “What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him!”
Some years ago the bishops of the United States initiated a program the theme of which was “To teach as Jesus taught.” About a century ago. Pope Benedict XV directed his first encyclical to the bishops of the world reminding them of their first duty, to preach the Word. The same should apply to every deacon and priest. We have the obligation to saturate ourselves to such an extent with the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, that the People of God will recognize Jesus teaching and preaching in us.
This important passage was chosen because it extends the authority of Moses to a future “prophet like Moses.” Therefore Moses is depicted as commanding, “Listen to him!” The original intent of the passage was to extend Moses’ authority to his successor Joshua. Mark, Matthew, and Luke interpret this passage as applying to Jesus, when the voice from heaven commands at the transfiguration of Jesus, “Listen to him!” The Gospel of John hints at the same in John 6:14 and 7:40. In Acts 3:20-26, Luke explicitly identifies Jesus as this prophet like Moses, a new Moses, a teacher like Moses.
In an extension of last Sunday’s second reading, Paul continues his argument for the advantage of celibate life over married life. Our experience tells us that we may justly question a few of Paul’s comments. For example, “An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided.” Quite the opposite is often observed — that an unmarried man’s interest is anything but “the things of the Lord,” while many a married man, with his wife, is intensely interested in “the things of the Lord.” Perhaps Paul lived in a very different world, or took himself as the criterion.