Jesus Exorcises an Unclean Spirit

Mark 1:21-28

Miracle 1: The Sacred Geometry Story

The first miracle in Mark's gospel showed the supreme power Jesus had over unclean spirits. According to the story, the men in the synagogue were amazed after hearing his teaching. Then immediately this unclean spirit cried out to Jesus using one of the men who were amazed. The Greek text gives the reader some important information about the nature and geometry of these spirits. The spirit recognizes Jesus as "the Holy One of God," confirming that Jesus is one element of the Trinity, and that the spirit is speaking for "us," meaning there is more than one unclean spirit in attendence. Verse 1:23 tells us that the man fits inside an unclean spirit, not the spirit inside the man. The man wasn't afflicted by any disease. He only convulsed when Jesus ordered him to be quiet and to come out from the man. Apparently this was the first unclean spirit Jesus destroyed. He would return to this synagogue at a later date to destroy the other unclean spirit.

The Setting: a synagogue in Capernaum.

The Characters: Jesus, a generic synagogue member, a generic scribe, a man, an Unclean Spirit, and God the Father.

Objects and actions mentioned in the story: A synagogue, Capernaum, the characters, sabbaths, a teaching, authority, Nazareth, to cry out, to listen, a great sound, a region of Galilee.