When I was growing up, I can’t remember even hearing the word “terrorism.” In recent years, however, we are no longer surprised to hear about one terror attack after another. Terrorists suddenly appear at an unexpected time and place and wreak violence on innocent people. Terrorism frightens us because no one, including law enforcement agencies, seems able to keep it from happening.
Did Jesus ever deal with terrorism? He faced it at the start of his missionary work (Mark 1:21-18).
“Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?”
People were astonished at the authority with which Jesus taught. Though they didn’t know it, they were hearing God’s Word coming straight from the mouth of his Son. No one ever taught as Jesus did. Jesus’ spiritual authority awakened an evil spirit that possessed a member of the synagogue. This unclean spirit began to speak through the man and disrupt the assembly. Can you imagine how frightened the people were when the voice from hell started yelling at Jesus?
How did Jesus handle this? Did he get angry and start yelling back at the unclean spirits? Did he turn to the ushers and ask them to remove the man from the building? Let’s listen.
“Jesus rebuked him and said, ‘Quiet! Come out of him!’
With a calm yet firm voice, Jesus took command over the spirit, the way a teacher might bring to silence an unruly class. Jesus was not frightened by the spirit. After all he was God’s Word through whom everything was made, including those in the spirit world. In one short sentence he gave orders to the disrupting spirits.
“The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.”
This evil spirit left, but not peaceably. When it left, the body of the possessed man convulsed, and a hellish cry came from his throat. Things settled down immediately and Jesus finished his teaching.
“All were amazed and asked one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
These people knew that something new was beginning among them. They had never heard someone teach as Jesus did nor have such command over evil spirits. Jesus went beyond giving inspirational teachings to the people. He struck at the very root of all problems—the devil and his cohorts. Evil spirits that frightened the people, were no big issue with Jesus. They had to submit to him.
Last week we read from John’s first letter, “We know that we are God’s children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). The Evil One is the source of all terror. We, like Jesus, need not be fearful of the powers of darkness because we are God’s children, and he takes care of us. John also says, “We know that those who are born of God do not sin, but the one who was born of God protects them, and the evil one does not touch them” (1 John 5:18). Jesus is the Good Shepherd and protects his sheep from all dangers. It is our part not to sin and so compromise with the Evil One by giving him inroads into our lives.
We take comfort in knowing that Jesus protects us, and at the same time take warning knowing, “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). In this same passage, St. Peter tells us: “Cast all your anxiety on him, he cares for you. Discipline yourself; keep alert” (1 Peter 5:7).
Even in times of terror, we remain quietly at peace knowing that Jesus is our Shepherd. And so we resolve to stay close to him.
