them, for his word was spoken with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man possessed by an evil spirit who shouted in a loud voice,
“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I recognize
you: you are the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus said to him sharply, “Be silent and leave
this man!” The evil spirit then threw the man down in front of them and came out of him
without doing him harm.
Amazement seized all these people and they said to one another, “What does this mean?
He commands the evil spirits with authority and power. He orders, and you see how they
come out!” And news about Jesus spread throughout the surrounding area.
Reflect
The people of Capernaum were astonished because Jesus spoke with authority. It’s hard
for us to know who to believe, whose word we can trust. The internet and social media
have made it even more challenging. People can make unsupported claims and pretend
expertise they don’t have. This attitude comes through even in religious communities as
some people seem to set themselves up as their own pope, deciding what is true and
what is not. Because everyone claims authority, it’s hard to separate truth from falsehoods
and fact from opinion.
After the Resurrection, Jesus shared his authority with his apostles so that they would be
able to preach and teach in Jesus’ name, in a way that the people could trust.
That authority has been handed down through the centuries so that even until today, there
is an unbroken line of succession from bishop to bishop, ensuring that the faithful have
teaching that we can trust. Thank God for this precious gift.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023