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(Jesus' authority)
Two times this passage mentions Jesus’ authority:
1. He has the authority of teaching his doctrine;
2. He has the authority of commanding the unclean spirits to go away.
It is easy for the people to perceive that Jesus may possess authority from God when he can perform supernatural things that the people have never seen the scribes doing. But how can the hearers sense that Jesus has authority in his teaching? Obviously, they don’t feel any authoritative speeches from the scribes in their synagogue. If we look at how Jesus comments the scribes, we would know the reason behind it. When the Pharisees and scribes questioned over Jesus’ disciples eating without washing hands, Jesus decounced them as hypocrites. He said in Mark 7:7-13,
7:7 "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition,
7:10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
7:11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
7:12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”
Jesus rebuked them for keeping the Jewish traditions but ignoring God’s commandments. He cited the example of taking care of the parents. He claimed that they used the excuse of offering the money to God to exempt from the responsibility of taking care of their parents. This tradition is definitely breaking God’s commandment of honoring the parents. The scribes were supposed to teach people God’s commandments. However, even their own performance failed to serve as a good example for the audience to listen to them.
Besides, they love high seats and love to be praised. In Mark 12:38-40, Jesus again denounced the scribes as hypocrites.
“Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.”
In summary, Jesus denounced their disgustful ways of turning the minor issues (rituals and manners) into major doctrines but the major doctrines (honor parents) into minor issues. The rituals do not hurt men’s heart at all but ignoring God’s laws can bring perpetual damage to their hearts. So, the scribes’ teachings are only minor and unscriptural. They are teaching men’s commandments, not God’s commandments! That’s why the hearers do not feel any authority from the scribes’ teachings.
When Jesus finished his lengthy Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:1-7:27), what’s the response of the audience? “When Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matt 7:28-29) Let’s look at some of Jesus’ teachings and see how different his doctrine is from the scribes’—the 8 blessings:
“#1 Blessed are the poor in spirit…#2 Blessed are they that mourn…#3 Blessed are the meek…#4 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness…#5 Blessed are the merciful…#6 Blessed are the pure in heart…#7 Blessed are the peacemakers…#8 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.” (Matt 5:3-10)
#1, 2 deal with our denial of ourselves. #3, 5, 7 deal with our kindness toward others. #4, 6, 8 deal with our hearts toward God--seeking and keeping God’s righteousness. If we keep on doing like what he says, the outcome is “great is your reward in heaven.” (Matt 5:12) The scribes’ doctrine deals with the outward manner and carry with them selfish motives. On the contrary, Jesus’ doctrine deals with the heart and a pure motive. No wonder his doctrine is so distinctive and trembling to the heart!
(Jesus' humility)
In this passage, we can see Jesus’ denial of himself as well. He is very lowly and humble. The unclean spirits cry out with loud voice, “I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” Instead of allowing the spirits to reveal his identity, he told them to keep quiet. Even when the people were amazed at his power of calling away the demons, he did not take advantage of this opportunity to boast about his power and identity. (Powerful speech together with supernatural power certainly can drive one up to the sky!) Other places recorded Jesus’ lowly response:
(1:34) After Jesus cast out many devils, he “suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.”
(3:11-12) “And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.”
(5:43) After Jesus raised the daughter of a synagogue ruler from death, “he charged them straitly that no man should know it.”
(7:36) After Jesus healed the deaf and dumb man, “he charged them that they should tell no man.”
(8:26) After Jesus healed a blind man, he said to him, “Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.”
(8:29-30) When Peter revealed his identity “Thou art the Christ” like the demons did, he charged the disciples that “they should tell no man of him.”
So, the book of Mark tends to stress Jesus’ hiding of his godly identity.
When Jesus was straightly questioned by the chief priests, the scribes and the elders concerning his remarkable authority, he refused to tell them by what authority he preached and performed all those miracles. (11:33) He is certainly not like those who love to boast of their own achievements.
There are several reasons why he hides his godly identity:
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His life may be at risk. After Jesus healed the man with withered hand on Sabbath day, the Pharisees were so envious of him that they “straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.” (Mark 3:6)
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His public ministry may be interrupted. In Mark 1:44-45, after Jesus cleansed a leper, he told him to “say nothing to any man,” only show himself to the priest. However, the leper went out and “publish it much,” “insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places.” I believe that when too many people came to Jesus for healing their illness, he might have much less time to preach the gospel.
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He doesn’t want people to believe him by the miracles. When the Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign from heaven, he “sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? Verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.” (Mark 8:11-12) In Matt 12:39 is appended Jesus word as saying, “there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Jesus wanted them to believe the message of the cross and his resurrection rather than the healing miracles. He revealed to the disciples several times about his crucifixion and resurrection. (Mark 8:31, 9:9-10, 9:31, 10:33-34)
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His hiding has to do with his lowly status. Indeed, the book of Mark stresses Jesus' identity of a servant on earth. Matthew 12:14-21 describes Jesus’ servanthood very vividly,
“Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.” This prophesy is quoted from Isa 42:1-3.
Even though he kept a very low profile of himself, his fame spread rapidly and inevitably. At the end of the passage, the author said: “And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.” (1:28) In several other occasions, the author tends to stress the point that the more Jesus keeps silent, the greater is his fame. (Mark 1:45, 7:36) It is precisely his low profile of a servanthood that earns people’s heart and respect.