Verse 21. The words “forthwith.” “immediately,” “straightway,” “anon,” tell us of the diligent Servant filling His day, doing the Father’s will. It is not like a memoir when the writer does all he can to eulogize the one he speaks of. It is the Holy Spirit giving us a life picture that to the opened eye and ear, shows how the blessed Lord hid Himself, and in the overflowing goodness of His heart in untiring patience, meeting the needs of all who came to Him.
Verse 22. “They were astonished at His doctrine: for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.” Their teachings were opinions of man; His teaching had with it the authority of the word of God. He spoke the truth, He was the truth, and the word He spoke being the word of God, aroused the opposition of Satan.
Verses 23, 24. There was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, “Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth?... I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God.” What a state for man to be possessed by a demon; the Lord’s presence makes his state manifest, and the demon owns Jesus of Nazareth the Holy One of God, a man to whom Satan must submit.
Verses 25, 26. Jesus rebuked him, saying: “Hold thy peace, and come out of him.” He will not have testimony from Satan, and He delivers the man from his power. The unclean spirit, showing the reality of his presence and his evil influence, tore the man, and having cried with a loud voice, came out of him. It was the power of God, in the word of Jesus, who, as a man, had overcome the enemy in the temptations, and was now spoiling his goods.
Verse 27. “They were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What, thing is this? What new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth He even the unclean spirits, and they do obey Him.” Satan cannot stand before Him. He is the Deliverer foretold in Isaiah 61:11The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (Isaiah 61:1).
Verse 28. “And immediately His fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.”
Verses 29-31. They now leave the synagogue and go into the home of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever. Straightway her state is laid before Him. And He came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. This is a case of violent fever, but the same power of good is with Him to rebuke it. The desire of His people is answered; they do not tell Him of her in vain. He took her by the hand, the fever fled at His touch, and she was able to serve them.
Verses 32-34. “And at even, when the sun did set (that is when the Sabbath was over), they brought unto Him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And He healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils, and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew Him.”
He meets the need of poor, ruined men, but He will not allow the evil spirits to speak of Him. It is ever Satan’s effort to spoil the work of God by mixing evil with it. The perfect Servant knows this, and will not allow it.
Verse 35. It seems that He accepted the hospitality of that house for the night. “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed unto a solitary place, and there prayed.” He is the dependent One, ever doing the Father’s will. His communion was ever perfect, and here we see Him early in the morning seeking the presence of the Father alone in that solitary place, as He says in Isaiah 50:44The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. (Isaiah 50:4), “The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned (that is one instructed), that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as the learned.” There is the source of His strength and guidance—walking in communion with His Father. What diligence we see in Him in this also. What a lesson for us to be much in prayer.
Verse 36. “And Simon and they that were with Him followed after Him.” This is very nice, but they seem a long way behind. The spirit indeed may be willing, but with us the flesh is weak. And they followed after Him; they have Him in view, and that is what we should seek.
Verse 37. And when they had found Him, they said unto Him, “All men seek for Thee.” But He had been with the Father, and had already His way laid out in which He should go. He will not be turned aside for men; He did not seek fame nor numbers of followers.
Verses 38, 39. And He said unto them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.” This was His special mission—to preach the Word. He keeps it before Him; healing comes in by the way. “And He preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.” His word was with power, and delivered men from the yoke of sin and Satan: it is the goodness and power of divine love shown out in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Verse 40. And there came a leper to Him, beseeching Him, and kneeling down to Him, and saying unto Him, “If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.” It was bold for a leper to come so close. He was to stay in isolation, and when any one came near, he was to cry. “Unclean, unclean” (Lev. 13:45, 4645And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. 46All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. (Leviticus 13:45‑46)), but this leper was drawn to Jesus, he was convinced of His power, but was not sure of His willingness. It was a sad picture of the defiling character of sin. He was a loathsome leper, but here he is drawn to Jesus, humbled on his knees and yearning for the healing power of Jesus. He did not know the love that was in His heart for him.
Verse 41. “And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.” Elisha could not do this for Naaman. (2 Kings 5.) Elisha would have been defiled; but Jesus, the Holy One, could not be contaminated; instead, the leprosy fled at His touch, thus declaring that God was present. His deep compassion reached out to the man’s need; He came so near as to touch him. God had come down in love and grace. The leper is healed, cleansed.
Verse 42. “And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was cleansed.” What gladness would fill that man’s heart.
Verses 43-45. “And He straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.” Could he keep such news to himself? Impossible, the vessel was too full; it must run over. The Lord owned the priest, sent the man there, and sought to hide Himself, but this new wine could not be contained in old bottles. The man went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to Him from every quarter—a crowd too great for the narrow streets to contain.
(Continued from page 75.)