Mark 1:27
in Mark 1All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.
KJV
And 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.
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This verse in Mark 1
Commentary
11 notes on this verseWhat thing is this? - Words of surprise and astonishment. And what new doctrine - I have added the particle and, from the Syriac, as it helps the better to distinguish the members of the sentence; but there is a vast diversity in the MSS. on this verse. See Griesbach. For with authority - They had never heard such a gracious doctrine, and never saw any teaching supported by miracles before. How much must this person be superior to men! - they are brought into subjection by unclean spirits; this person subjects unclean spirits to himself.
This site's exposition
All the people were amazed
on Mark 1:27-28
The crowd calls this a new teaching with authority, the amazement of verse 22 returning. The authority claimed for His words is now shown in deed, He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
And they were all amazed, such that they questioned among themselves, etc. Seeing the virtue of the miracle, they marvel at the newness of the Lord's teaching, and are stirred to inquire about the things they had heard through the things they had seen. For …
(ubi sup.) But seeing the power of the miracle, they wonder at the newness of our Lord's doctrine, and are roused to search into what they had heard by what they had seen. Wherefore there follows, And they all wondered &c. For miracles were done that they might more firmly believe the Gospel of the kingdom of God, which was being preached, since those who were promising heavenly joys to men on earth, were showing forth heavenly things and divine works even on earth. For before (as the Evangelist says) He was teaching them as one who had power, and now, as the crowd witnesses, with power He commands the evil spirits, and they obey Him. (1 John 5:20. John 17:3) It goes on, And immediately His fame spread abroad, &c.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And they were all amazed,.... The people that were in the synagogue, who were met together for divine worship, were astonished, not only at his doctrine, as before, but at this miracle and power of his in casting out devils: insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, what thing is this? They spake among themselves, as Luke says, Luk 4:36; they inquired of one another; they conferred together, talked over the point, and disputed among themselves, concerning both the doctrine and power of Christ, what, and how wonderful they were: what new doctrine is this?
Observe, How Christ was flocked after in a private house, as well as in the synagogue; wherever he is, there let his servants, his patients, be. And in the evening of the sabbath, when the public worship is over, we must continue our attendance upon Jesus Christ; he healed, as Paul preached, publicly, and from house to house.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
These verses begin the long list of miracles which Mark's Gospel contains. They tell us how our Lord cast out devils in Capernaum, and healed Peter's wife's mother of a fever. We learn, in the first place, from these verses, the uselessness of a mere intellectual knowledge of religion . Twice we are specially told that the unclean spirits know our Lord. In one place it says, "they knew Him." to another, the devil cries out, "I know you who you are, the Holy One of God."
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
What thing is this? what new doctrine--teaching is this?--The audience, rightly apprehending that the miracle was wrought to illustrate the teaching and display the character and glory of the Teacher, begin by asking what novel kind of teaching this could be, which was so marvellously attested.
You will find the same narrative in Luke, at the fourth chapter, from the 31st to the 37th verse. It will be handy for you to be able to refer to the second passage, from which I shall quote one or two matters. These two Evangelists commence the narrative by telling us of the singular authority and power which there was about the Savior's teaching— authority so that no man dared question His doctrine—power, so that every man felt the force of the Truths of God which He delivered.
You will find the same narrative in Luke, at the fourth chapter, from the 31st to the 37th verse. It will be handy for you to be able to refer to the second passage, from which I shall quote one or two matters. These two Evangelists commence the narrative by telling us of the singular authority and power which there was about the Savior's teaching— authority so that no man dared question His doctrine—power, so that every man felt the force of the Truths of God which He delivered. "They were astonished at His teaching, for His Word was with power." Why was it that the Savior's teaching had such a remarkable power about it? Was it not, first, because He preached the Truth of God? There is no power in falsehood except so far as men choose to yield to it because it flatters them, but there is great force in the Truth of God—it makes its own way into the soul. As long as men have consciences they cannot help feeling when the Truth is brought to bear upon them. Even though they grow angry, their very resistance proves that they recognize the force of what is spoken. Moreover, the Savior spoke the Truth in a very natural, unaffected manner—the Truth of God was in Him and it flowed freely from Him. His manner was truthful as well as His matter. There is a way of speaking the Truth so as to make it sound like a lie. Perhaps there is no greater injury done to the Truth of God than when it is spoken in a doubtful manner, with none of the accent and emphasis of conviction. Our Savior spoke as the Oracles of God—He spoke the Truth of God as Truth should be spoken, unaffectedly and natural—as One who did not preach professionally, but out of the fullness of His heart. You all know how sermons from the heart go to the heart.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses begin the long list of miracles which Mark's Gospel contains. They tell us how our Lord cast out devils in Capernaum, and healed Peter's wife's mother of a fever. We learn, in the first place, from these verses, the uselessness of a mere intellectual knowledge of religion . Twice we are specially told that the unclean spirits know our Lord. In one place it says, "they knew Him." to another, the devil cries out, "I know you who you are, the Holy One of God." They knew Christ, when Scribes were ignorant of Him, and Pharisees would not acknowledge Him. And yet their knowledge was not unto salvation. The mere belief of the facts and doctrines of Christianity will never save our souls. Such belief is no better than the belief of devils. They all believe and know that Jesus is the Christ. They believe that he will one day judge the world, and cast them down to endless torment in hell. It is a solemn and sorrowful thought, that on these points some professing Christians have even less faith than the devil. There are some who doubt the reality of hell and the eternity of punishment. Such doubts as these find no place except in the hearts of self-willed men and women. There is no infidelity among devils. "They believe and tremble." (James 2:19.) Let us take heed that our faith be a faith of the heart as well as of the head. Let us see that our knowledge has a sanctifying influence on our affections and our lives. Let us not only know Christ but love Him, from a sense of actual benefit received from Him. Let us not only believe that he is the Son of God and the Savior of the world, but rejoice in Him, and cleave to Him with purpose of heart. Let us not only be acquainted with Him by the hearing of the ear, but by daily personal application to Him for mercy and grace. "The life of Christianity," says Luther, "consists in possessive pronouns."
The words behind it
24 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐθαμβήθησαν | ethambethesan | were astonished | G2284 → | 3 times |
| ἅπαντες | hapantes | all | G537 → | 33 times |
| ὥστε | hoste | so as | G5620 → | 83 times |
| συζητεῖν | suzetein | to question | G4802 → | 10 times |
| πρὸς | pros | among | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ἑαυτοὺς | he'autous | themselves | G1438 → | 322 times |
| λέγοντας· | legontas | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| τί | ti | What | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τοῦτο; | touto | this? | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| διδαχὴ | didache | teaching | G1322 → | 30 times |
| καινὴ | kaine | new | G2537 → | 41 times |
| κατ᾽ | kat᾽ | With | G2596 → | 468 times |
| ἐξουσίαν· | exousian | authority; | G1849 → | 102 times |
| καὶ | kai | even | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πνεύμασιν | pneumasin | spirits | G4151 → | 378 times |
| τοῖς | tois | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀκαθάρτοις | akathartois | unclean | G169 → | 32 times |
| ἐπιτάσσει, | epitassei | He commands, | G2004 → | 10 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑπακούουσιν | hupakouousin | they obey | G5219 → | |
| αὐτῷ.¶ | auto | Him! | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐθαμβήθησανwere astonished
ethambethesanG2284 →3 times
ἅπαντεςall
hapantesG537 →33 times
ὥστεso as
hosteG5620 →83 times
συζητεῖνto question
suzeteinG4802 →10 times
πρὸςamong
prosG4314 →700 times
ἑαυτοὺςthemselves
he'autousG1438 →322 times
λέγοντας·saying;
legontasG3004 →1325 times
τίWhat
tiG5101 →563 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
τοῦτο;this?
toutoG3778 →1381 times
διδαχὴteaching
didacheG1322 →30 times
καινὴnew
kaineG2537 →41 times
κατ᾽With
kat᾽G2596 →468 times
ἐξουσίαν·authority;
exousianG1849 →102 times
καὶeven
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοῖςto the
toisG3588 →19766 times
πνεύμασινspirits
pneumasinG4151 →378 times
τοῖς<the>
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀκαθάρτοιςunclean
akathartoisG169 →32 times
ἐπιτάσσει,He commands,
epitasseiG2004 →10 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑπακούουσινthey obey
hupakouousinG5219 →
αὐτῷ.¶Him!
autoG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 9:1Then Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to cure diseases.
it leads to
- John 14:12
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
- Luke 10:19
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.
- Matthew 16:19
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
- Acts 4:30
as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
- Mark 16:17–18
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
- John 14:12
Through
Mark 7:37The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
it leads to
- Mark 6:51
Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded,
- Exodus 4:10–11
“Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”
- Mark 5:42
Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around. She was twelve years old, and at once they were utterly astounded.
- Mark 6:51
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies22
On this verse
On this chapter
About Mark
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Mark; Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1765: “An Astounding Miracle” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.