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“Jesus Casts out an Unclean Spirit”
by Bernard Picart, c.~ 1673-1733
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Commentary:
Reading I: 1 Samuel 1:9-20
Commentary on 1 Sm 1:9-20
Much of this passage is a prayer from Hannah to God. It takes the form of an offered covenant, if you (God) do this, I (Hannah) will do that. In this instance, Hannah offers a male child given in answer to her prayer as a nazir, one completely dedicated to God. (Nazirite, from the Hebrew word nazir, meaning: "set apart as sacred, dedicated, vowed." The nazirite vow could be either for a limited period or for life. Those bound by this vow had to abstain from all the products of the grapevine, from cutting or shaving their hair, and from contact with a corpse. They were regarded as men of God like the prophets; cf Amos 2:11-12 , see also Numbers 6:1-3.)
The priest Eli, after discovering that Hannah’s behavior was from grief not intoxication, offered her solace and a blessing. The prayer of Hannah is answered with the conception and birth of Samuel.
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Responsorial Psalm: 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
R. (see 1) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
Commentary on 1 Sm 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
“A hymn attributed to Hannah, the mother of Samuel, as her thanksgiving to God because she has borne a son despite her previous sterility. She praises God as the helper of the weak (1 Samuel 2:1-2), who casts down the mighty and raises up the lowly (1 Samuel 2:3-5), and who alone is the source of true strength (1 Samuel 2:8-10); the hymn ends with a prayer for the king (1 Samuel 2:10). This canticle has several points of resemblance with Our Lady's Magnificat.” [4]
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Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
Commentary on Mk 1:21-28
Jesus is teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. “The account of a single day's ministry of Jesus on a sabbath in and outside the synagogue of Capernaum combines teaching and miracles of exorcism and healing. Mention is not made of the content of the teaching but of the effect of astonishment and alarm on the people. Jesus' teaching with authority, making an absolute claim on the hearer, was in the best tradition of the ancient prophets, not of the scribes.”[5] First the Lord astonishes the people with the “authority” of his teaching in the tradition of the Prophets, as opposed to the scribes, and then proceeds to demonstrate the effectiveness of his authority by casting out an unclean spirit.
He encounters an “unclean spirit,” so called because it does not recognize the authority of God. Jesus commands the spirit to leave and it obeys. God in the person of Christ, after all, has authority over all things. In this way we see once more the assurance that Jesus is true God. The exchange between the Lord and this “unclean spirit” is instructive. The spirit attempts to gain mastery over Jesus by using his full name, “Jesus of Nazareth.” The address used by the one possessed, “I know who you are – the Holy One of God,” is an attempt to ward off the power of Jesus, not a profession. Jesus rebukes the spirit and orders it out. The event stirs fear as well as awe in those present.
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Reflection:
The Gospel story continues to tell of Jesus’ time in Capernaum. He begins by teaching in the synagogue. We are not told what he taught, only that what he said was perceived by those present as having authority, “…and not as the scribes.” Scripture scholars say that this means the people who heard him accepted what Jesus said as being binding, that is, what he taught them imposed a burden of obedience upon them. St. Mark makes it clear that what the Lord teaches comes from God and carries the weight of God’s authority with it. Jesus commands and the people must answer.
Jesus’ authority does not end there. Following his teaching episode, while still in the synagogue, he encountered a “man with an unclean spirit.” In St. Mark’s Gospel this refers to demonic possession. Once again Jesus demonstrates the power and authority of God as he casts the demon out of the man. It is noteworthy that in the exchange between Jesus and the “unclean spirit,” the demon tries to gain some control over Jesus by using his human name, “Jesus of Nazareth.” The readers of St. Mark’s time would have seen this as another proof of Jesus’ Messianic identity. The Lord instead silences the possessing spirit and commands it to be gone.
This story is more than a simple tale of Jesus’ life for us. It reminds us that the Lord has authority in our lives. Can we reject that authority? Sure, God gave us the ability to reject Christ’s authority the same as he gave us the ability to sin in other ways as well. When we reject Jesus’ authority, when we ignore his teaching, we have stepped away from God the Father and have chosen a path that leads to death. In order for us to accept the life that is offered, the gift of Christ’s sacrifice, we must acknowledge his authority over us.
Our prayer today then is that we hear clearly the voice of the teacher, that we find the strength to bow to his authority and to put away pride, greed, and any impure thoughts that will lead us down the wrong path. We pledge to accept Jesus’ authority and choose life.
Pax
[2] The picture is “Jesus Casts out an Unclean Spirit” by Bernard Picart, c.~ 1673-1733
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] See NAB footnote on 1 Samuel 2:1ff
[5] See NAB footnote on Mark 1:21-45
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