Fourth Sunday after Epiphany: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28; Psalm 111
The season of Epiphany is one where Jesus is revealed. Over the past two weeks, we have heard stories of Jesus calling his disciples. Today we hear another story, of Jesus preaching at Capernaum. There “he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes”. So there was something different in his teaching.
At Capernaum he also confronts a man who had “an unclean spirit”. When the man cried out, Jesus rebuked the spirit, saying “‘Be silent, and come out of him!’” The onlookers were amazed, both at his teaching with authority and his ability to command an unclean spirit.
We do not, in the Episcopal church, say much about authority. And yet we need to know how to recognize authority, and identify those who claim authority with no justification. Who do we believe? In an era of artificial intelligence and fake news, this is not a trivial question. Just this morning I read about a set of websites that use AI to create fake obituaries after sudden deaths. In one case, they even falsely said that a young man who died in an accident had been murdered.
Recognizing authority is not a new problem. In today’s reading from the Hebrew scriptures, Moses tells the people of Israel that there will be other prophets who follow him. The Israelites are warned that if they do not heed a prophet sent by the Lord, they will be held accountable; on the other hand, prophets who speak in the name of other gods, or who have not been sent by the Lord, “that prophet shall die”. The Lord reminds people that they have to recognize who really speaks for the Lord.
Obviously, recognizing authority is critical not just in our lives as Christians, but in our lives as citizens. Paul provides some guidance here in our reading from Corinthians, when he reminds us that “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up”. Looking for love may help us discern those who speak with authority. Does what someone says increase love? Does it build connection and inclusion?
In the documentary shown this week, A Case for Love, which was inspired by Bishop Curry, we heard stories of people who had acted with love, and the impact of their choices. When we act in love, and use love to encompass everyone, we bring healing to people and to the world. We can even act in love towards those who have done terrible things: we do not need to deny the things they have done, but it is only if we treat them with love and respect that we have hopes of change.
Recognizing authority is a challenge. What our gospel today reminds us is that the authority may not come from those we expect to hold it. Jesus was, after all, just the son of a carpenter, not a scribe or a pharisee. And yet he had authority.
Let us keep looking for love.