MARK 1.27-28: And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” (28) And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. (ESV)
God’s way of salvation through Christ unfolds in the gospel accounts. Salvation from Jesus brings peace with God, as Romans 5.1 teaches. But as the Gospel of Mark carries the account of the events and teachings of Jesus forward, we discover that at many times Jesus encountered war being waged against Him.
In the same way the devil and his demons fought against Jesus, from the beginning of His life all the way through His death on the cross, so too did the religious leaders of Israel fight against Him. Whether it was the Pharisees by their assertions that Jesus was a lawbreaker of the Sabbath, or the religious leaders who asked clever little questions of Jesus, they were all fighting against Him. These opponents plotted over and again to have Jesus killed.
There is much recorded in the gospels that is nothing less than spiritual warfare leveled against Jesus. But none of these combatants were up to the task of successfully challenging Him. We see over and again the clever theological lawyers being left with nothing to say in response to Jesus and His wisdom.
Jesus, accented by the power of His miracles, always was victorious over the opposition, in much the same way as Jesus triumphed over the demon in the synagogue. When Jesus was crucified, His enemies didn’t seize Him and take His life. Rather, Jesus allowed Himself to be seized, and He gave His life.
Jesus said in John 10.18, speaking of His life, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (ESV). The authority of Jesus observed by the people of the synagogue, is an important part of the foundation of His victory over the opposition against His life. It can be seen in verse 18 above. And the victory was won by His death on the cross.