And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
On the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue at Capernaum and taught there. After hostility in Jerusalem over His Sabbath healing at the Pool of Bethesda made it unsafe to remain there, He made Capernaum a center of His work, even though spies watched for grounds to accuse Him. Multitudes came to hear Him in Capernaum and the common people welcomed His teaching. Its position on a busy route brought people of many nations and social classes within reach, so that lessons heard there could travel to other countries and households.
He taught the truth with simple, eloquent words, using illustrations from everyday life and adapting His language to people of every class and condition, and He spoke words to comfort the sick. His teaching astonished the people because it carried authority and power. After the synagogue events He left while they remained spellbound with wonder and admiration. In that same synagogue He commanded demons to leave afflicted people, and their submission to Him publicly displayed His authority. His fame then spread through the surrounding country.
The Capernaum encounter belongs to Satan's opposition to Christ and His newly called followers, yet the Spirit of Christ was at work so that a message came forth acknowledging Him as the Son of God. The encounter with the possessed man belongs to the conflict between Christ and Satan, in which the spirit that possessed the man also controlled unbelieving Jews, disguising their motives with an appearance of piety as they rejected Christ. Their condition was more hopeless because they felt no need of Him. During His ministry Satan and his angels actively contested His work: while Jesus revealed God's character, broke Satan's power, and set captives free, Satan fought to retain control of people's bodies and souls.
His work there also stirred interest in the prophecies and directed attention to His mission as Saviour of the world. He spent every Sabbath teaching and healing disease without growing weary. His Sabbath healing was extensive and widespread beyond computation, with the world as His practice, and His life in this is the pattern example to follow.
On the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue at Capernaum and taught there. After hostility in Jerusalem over His Sabbath healing at the Pool of Bethesda made it unsafe to remain there, He made Capernaum a center of His work, even though spies watched for grounds to accuse Him. Multitudes came to hear Him in Capernaum and the common people welcomed His teaching. Its position on a busy route brought people of many nations and social classes within reach, so that lessons heard there could travel to other countries and households.
He taught the truth with simple, eloquent words, using illustrations from everyday life and adapting His language to people of every class and condition, and He spoke words to comfort the sick. His teaching astonished the people because it carried authority and power. After the synagogue events He left while they remained spellbound with wonder and admiration. In that same synagogue He commanded demons to leave afflicted people, and their submission to Him publicly displayed His authority. His fame then spread through the surrounding country.
The Capernaum encounter belongs to Satan's opposition to Christ and His newly called followers, yet the Spirit of Christ was at work so that a message came forth acknowledging Him as the Son of God. The encounter with the possessed man belongs to the conflict between Christ and Satan, in which the spirit that possessed the man also controlled unbelieving Jews, disguising their motives with an appearance of piety as they rejected Christ. Their condition was more hopeless because they felt no need of Him. During His ministry Satan and his angels actively contested His work: while Jesus revealed God's character, broke Satan's power, and set captives free, Satan fought to retain control of people's bodies and souls.
His work there also stirred interest in the prophecies and directed attention to His mission as Saviour of the world. He spent every Sabbath teaching and healing disease without growing weary. His Sabbath healing was extensive and widespread beyond computation, with the world as His practice, and His life in this is the pattern example to follow.