THEY WERE AMAZED AT HIS TEACHING

Luke 4:31-37

Power has always been a fascination to many people. We are in the society where powerful people are respected and honored. From the physically powerful to the politically powerful, from the powerful rich men to the powerful intellectual men, people stand in awe of power. It is into this world of powerful men that our Gospel lesson calls us to enter. From our gospel passage it is said that they were all amazed and said to one another: “What is there about his words? For with authority and power he command the unclean spirit.”

What’s interesting is that we don’t hear the content of Jesus’ teaching.  It’s like Luke is saying, “that the content is not the important part.”  What makes Jesus’ teaching authoritative is his person; his teaching is authoritative because of who he is — he is “the Holy One of God”, as the possessed man cried it out. It was on a Sabbath a day, and Luke says that when Jesus taught, the people were "amazed.

The people who hear him automatically contrast Jesus’ teaching with what they know, with what they have experienced, with the teaching of the scribes.   And, unlike the scribes, the people recognize that Jesus teaches with “authority.”  In other words, Jesus brings something extra to the table, Jesus’ person has something the scribes don’t have.  What is that something extra?  Well, look at what happens next — Jesus heals a man with an unclean spirit.  This means that there is no distinction between Jesus’ teaching and his action of healing.  It is all part of the same package.  So, when the people hear Jesus teaching with authority and see Jesus healing with authority, they are “amazed” because this is something new.  This is not at all like what they have experienced with the scribes.  This teacher is different because his words heal.

A healing miracle such as what we witness in today’s gospel is symbolic of God’s creative power, showing that something significant is taking place. To put it plainly, a miracle points to the arrival of the kingdom.  “The Kingdom of God is at hand!” proclaims John the Baptist. ‘At hands’ means, that, it is already here. The Kingdom is not a distant dreamland still to come in a remote unknown time.  It is here! The power of Jesus’ word signifies that time have changed, that things are no longer as before, that now has already been transfigured and transformed. His Word cuts through the darkness and has the power to transform our lives and create for us a new heaven and new earth.

The important message for us today is this: Through Jesus’ words, devils come out, storms are pacified, the sick are healed, and sinners are forgiven. What power do our words have over people? Do our words heal, and forgive others? Do our words build up community or destroy it? Each one of us knows the impact of his own words. Through the intercession of Saint Gregory the Great, may the Lord give a right and correct tongue and encouraging words for one another.