“for he taught them as one having authority”

How does Jesus show His authority? Jesus shows His authority in His words and actions. In today’s Gospel Jesus shows His authority over even the evil spirits. He is able to drive out demons not with long diatribes and speeches but with a simple word and gesture. “This same authority that Jesus showed in his teaching (Mark 1:22) is now to be seen in his actions. His will is his command: he has no need of long prayers or incantations. Jesus’ words and actions already have a divine power and which provokes wonder and fear in those who hear and see him.” [1]
 
How is the authority of Jesus different than the scribes or Pharisees? Jesus is different than all the others before Him because He is the Son of God. When Jesus speaks, He speaks His own name with the same authority that God would say His name. “Here we can see how Jesus showed his authority to teach. Even when he took Scripture as his basis – as in the Sermon on the Mount – he was different from other teachers, for he spoke in his own name: ‘But I say to you’.…The scribes also taught the people, St. Bede comments, about what is written in Moses and the prophets; but Jesus preached to them as God and Lord of Moses himself. Moreover, first he does and then he preaches (Act 1:1) – not like the scribes who teach and do not do (Mt. 23:1-5).” [2]
 
How did the people view Jesus after He expelled the demon? The people were shocked, amazed and even frightened. “Then, when the Lord had expelled the demon, thus freeing the man who had been possessed by it, the amazement of those present changed to fear: ‘What is this? A new teaching – with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him!’(Mk. 1:21-28)” [3]
 
Why does Jesus show His authority over the demon? We have a new power and a new authority in Jesus. He reveals to us He truly is the Son of God. “Jesus is teaching a new doctrine: consider for example the beatitudes, the commandment to love, the counsels of the gospel; he manifests a new power: he drives out demons without resorting to exorcism, by a mere command only, with an immediate effect.” [4]
 
Jesus shows that even the power of evil cannot be near Him. By showing this authority over the unclean spirit, He is revealing that He is the savior of the world. “Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Savior…there is complete continuity and consistency between what he says and what he does. As Vatican II teaches Revelation is realized by deeds and words intimately connected with each other: the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in the mystery of his Person: first the people sense his exceptional authority; later on, the Apostles, enlightened by God’s grace, recognize the deepest source of this authority: ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’(Mt. 16:16)” [5]
 
What does Jesus’ authority have to do with us today? As said over and over Jesus is the Son of God. This means He has conquered death and sin. He shows this by simple exorcisms like the one described in today’s Gospel reading. He also fully revealed it when He rose from the dead after being crucified. There are times in our lives when we are plagued by demons that keep us shackled and chained up. We cannot free ourselves from this bondage of sin, but Jesus can and does by His own authority. “The whole life of men, both individual and social, shows itself to be a struggle, and a dramatic one, between good and evil, between light and darkness. Man finds that he is unable of himself to overcome the assaults of evil successfully, so that everyone feels as though he were bound in chains.” [6]
 
Another way that Jesus’ authority affects us today is the fact that He passed that authority on to His disciples. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He comes to His disciples and says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:18-19) With those words, Jesus actually passed His authority onto His disciples and those disciples in turn passed it on to their successors. We must remember that the same authority, by which Jesus was able to cast out demons, has been passed on to the priests and bishops that lead the Church on earth today. One reason why we are called to obey our Church leaders is because of this authority that has been passed on. 

[1]Navarre Bible, Gospel of Mark pg. 74
[2] Navarre Bible, Gospel of Mark pg. 73-74
[3] Gabriel, Divine Intimacy, Vol. I pg. 189
[4] Gabriel, Divine Intimacy, Vol. I pg. 189
[5] Navarre Bible, Gospel of Mark pg. 75
[6] Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et spes, 13