Jesus trademark saying: "Amen, amen I say unto you" or "Truly I tell you" is used throughout all of the gospels. Instead of appealing to the Torah or the teaching of other rabbis of the time, such a Gamaliel, Jesus speaks on his own authority. How dare he! Jesus is the son of a tekton (Gk: builder) from Nazareth and he not only preaches in his home village but throughout the Holy Land and in Jerusalem. He stands up in the synagogue and speaks without fear of disapproval. If this was all people could dismiss him as an egotist or as delusional or even possessed. We know at a certain point his family came to collect him since they were so concerned at his behaviour (Mk 3: 31-32). This is not the whole story. Jesus, again on his own authority, commands demons to depart: "Be silent, and come out of him!" (Mk 1: 25) and they immediately exorcised. No wonder the people were amazed: "He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." (Mk 1: 27) The Pharisees and scribes are outraged and the Jewish authorities feel threatened. He not only speaks but what he says happens. We as believers need to trust in that power even as we struggle in a world contemptuous and disbelieving of the Lord. His power is the same today as it was that sabbath in Capernaum. We need to trust in Jesus' promises and invite his power into our own lives knowing that his authority is greater than any evil we might encounter.
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