Mark 1:22 Commentary | Teaching with Authority

Text & Translation

22 καὶ ἐξεπλήσσοντο ἐπὶ τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ· ἦν γὰρ διδάσκων αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐξουσίαν ἔχων καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ γραμματεῖς.¹

And they were awestruck by His teaching, because He was teaching them as One having authority – and not like the scribes (Mk 1:22, AT)

• Awe-some Authority
• Jesus the Teacher
• Jesus the Teacher — with Authority
• The Scribes/Teachers of the Law
  • Scribal Expertise
  • Scribal Traditions
  • Scribal Opposition
• The Greater Authority of Jesus
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Awe-some Authority

Mark uses six² or seven different Greek words to describe people’s amazement.³ (cf. Mk1:27; 2:12; 4:41; 5:15, 20, 33, 36, 42; 6:50, 51; 9:6, 15, 32; 10:24, 32 (twice); Mk 11:18; 12:17; 15:5, 44; 16:5f., Mk 16:8).⁴

The verb translated were awestruck (ἐκπλήσσω | ekplēssō) literally means to “strike out of one’s senses”.⁵ It can imply both awe and alarm.⁶

In the gospels, many are awestruck by Jesus:

• His parents in response to His precocious presence in the Temple (Lk 2:48)⁷
• The crowds in response to His teaching (Mt 7:28-29; Mk 1:22; Lk 4:32;⁸ cf. Mt 22:33; Mk 11:18; Mt 13:54 par. Mk 6:2)⁹
• People in response to His healing (Mk 7:37; Lk 9:43)¹⁰
• The disciples in response to His tough teaching concerning the rich young ruler (Mt 19:25; Mk 10:26)¹¹

Awe can be a first step towards genuine faith,¹² but amazement does not = faith!¹³

It’s not enough to be amazed at Jesus. One must respond to His amazing grace with radical faith(fulness)/loyalty to the King (as exemplified by Simon and Andrew, James and John).

Jesus the Teacher

In Mark, King Jesus is often portrayed as a teacher.¹⁴

He is called a teacher (didaskalos) 12 times, His teaching (didache) is mentioned 5 times, and He is said to have taught (didaskō) 15 times.¹⁵

Jesus was called “rabbi” (Mk 9:5, 10:51, 11:21, 14:45) – a term also given to scribes/teachers of the law.¹⁶ Rabbi means “my great one”.¹⁷

Though other gospels are longer than Mark, Mark actually describes Jesus as a teacher more than the others.¹⁸

Nonetheless, Mark does not include as much of the content of Jesus’ teaching as the other Gospel writers.¹⁹ Mark, instead, has “pithy statements and dramatic action”,²⁰ which demonstrate the inbreaking kingdom of God.²¹

Jesus the Teacher — with  Authority

Contrary to what many believe, in His earthly ministry, Jesus was not just a good teacher who taught good things. He came with kingly authority, proclaiming the kingdom of God.

The word authority (ἐξουσία | exousia) can mean “freedom of choice, right to act” or “ability, capacity…” or “authority, absolute power”.²²

Here, exousia likely does not mean “right” but “power”.²³ Jesus has more than the right to teach, He has divine power to teach — authoritatively.

We also find that Jesus has authority/power to forgive sins (Mk 2:6f.;²⁴ Mk 2:10),²⁵ cleanse the temple (Mk 11:28-33),²⁶ heal (Mk 1:29-34),²⁷ preach (Mk 1:39),²⁸ and interpret God the Father’s will without relying on human traditions.²⁹

Jesus also gives His disciples authority to drive out demons (Mk 3:14-15, 6:7;³⁰ Mk 6:13; Mk 9:38-40)³¹ – in His Name.³²

Every instance of authority (ἐξουσία | exousia) in Mark reflects Jesus’ authority – directly or indirectly (Jesus: Mk 1:22, 27; 2:10; 11:28, 29, 33. His disciples: Mk 3:15; 6:7; Mk 13:34, HCSB).³³

It would be wise to remember that we have no power of our own; any power we have is derivative. He is the Vine; we are the branches. Apart from Him we can do nothing (cf. Jn 15:5). Later on, the disciples will have to learn this lesson the hard way (Mk 9:28-29).

Here, we’re not told what Jesus taught but how Jesus taught – with authority.³⁴

That being said, His teaching likely concerns the inbreaking kingdom of God (cf. Mk 1:15).³⁵ Christ’s teaching is not merely good advice or encouraging words – it’s an “exercise of power”.³⁶

Whereas scribes make theological judgments (Mk 2:6-7, 9:11, 12:35)³⁷ often based on scribal traditions (Mk 7:8-13),³⁸ Jesus teaches with divine authority.³⁹

Jesus will clash with the teachers of the law over issues such as the Sabbath (Mk 2:23-3:6), purity laws (Mk 7:1-23), and divorce (Mk 10:2-12).⁴⁰

The Ultimate Author of the Law of Moses has the authority to interpret and fulfill (i.e., bring to its ultimate significance (cf. Mt 5:17)) the Law of Moses.

Interestingly, Jesus’ authority as a teacher is mentioned before His authority as an exorcist (cf. Mk 1:27).⁴¹

The Scribes/Teachers of the Law

Scribal Expertise

Scribes (γραμματεύς | grammateus)⁴² originally referred to those who would make copies of a law⁴³ (a “clerk, secretary…”)⁴⁴ or a sacred text.⁴⁵

Eventually this term referred to authoritative interpreters and scholars of the Law (of Moses) – experts.⁴⁶

Similar to synagogues, scribes likely emerged during or after Babylonian exile.⁴⁷

In the Old Testament, Ezra is called a scribe (Ezra 7:6, HCSB; Ezra 7:11-12, HCSB; Ezra 7:21, HCSB).⁴⁸

Scribes also wrote down/interpreted legal documents for the village, and taught the Bible to children⁴⁹ and students.⁵⁰ In a context where many people were uneducated and illiterate,⁵¹ people respected their expertise.⁵²

So much so, people actually moved out of scribes’ way when they walked through the streets and stood up when they walked into a room.⁵³

Precursors of modern ordained rabbis,⁵⁴ scribes made judgments on the meaning and application of the Scriptures,⁵⁵ in addition to judgments on legal matters.⁵⁶

As it’s been said:

“Scribe” thus combined the offices of Torah professor, teacher and moralist, and civil lawyer, in that order.⁵⁷

Scribal Traditions

Scribes would expound upon the Scripture after it was read by explaining its proper translation (in synagogues, Old Testament Scriptures would be read out loud and then translated/paraphrased in Aramaic and/or Greek) or citing traditions.⁵⁸

As did many Pharisees, advanced scribes would cite earlier scribal traditions.⁵⁹

Scribes produced a large collection of oral traditions that applied to all facets of life.⁶⁰ These traditions were eventually was put on the same level as the written Old Testament Law.⁶¹

Circa AD 200, these oral traditions, which were addressed by Jesus in Mk 7:1-23 || Mt 15:1-20⁶² written down and compiled in a collection called the Mishnah.⁶³

Scribal Opposition

Though they could belong to any Jewish group,⁶⁴ scribes were often Pharisees (cf. Mk 2:16;⁶⁵ Lk 5:30; Ac 23:9).⁶⁶ In the gospels, Pharisees and scribes often appear together (cf. Mt 5:20, 12:38; Matthew 23; Mk 7:1, 5).⁶⁷

Only the scribe who discusses the greatest commandment with Jesus (Mk 12:28-34) is portrayed positively.⁶⁸

Scribes recognize that Jesus has authority — but they claim He is empowered by the devil (Mk 3:22).⁶⁹

They often oppose Jesus (Mk 3:22, 7:1, 5, 8:31, 10:33, 14:1, 43, 53, 15:1, 31;⁷⁰ cf. Mk 2:6, 10; 11:27-29, 33).⁷¹ and eventually join the elders and chief priests in their plot to kill Him (Mk 8:31, 10:33, 11:18, 14:1, 43, 53, 15:1).⁷²

The Greater Authority of Jesus

Nevertheless, Jesus’ authority far surpasses that of the scribes⁷³ (cf. Mk 1:21-27, 2:5-12, 11:27-33).⁷⁴ He does not cite scribal traditions;⁷⁵ His authority was not derivative, but direct from God (the Father).⁷⁶

All in all, in Mark, the scribes represent the “old régime, challenged by the fresh new teaching of Jesus”⁷⁷ (cf. Mk 2:21-22).⁷⁸

In spite of their opposition, from the outset, Mark makes it clear that Jesus has more power than both the religious, earthly authorities (e.g., scribes cf. Mk 1:22) and the irreligious, supernatural authorities  (e.g., the demon cf. Mk 1:23f. esp. Mk 1:25-26).⁷⁹

Conclusion

In the synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus teaches with divine authority that far surpasses that of the scribes (i.e., teachers of the Law) — who will opppose Christ throughout Mark.

The people are awestruck at Jesus’ authoritative teaching — but awe does not = faith.

For more commentary on Mark, please visit the Book Study Overview page. For the sources cited, please see the bibliography.