Jesus’ Authority Over All

“For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell” (Colossians 1:19 RVIC. Other scriptures from NASB, Gateway, unless noted otherwise).

— Len Griehs

Jesus embodied all the qualities that define our Heavenly Father’s character. Jehovah regarded Moses as a friend (Exodus 33:11) and entrusted him with the task of introducing His law to the Israelites, but “Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Although a great prophet, Moses had no personal power and did not command authority simply by his presence, as Jesus did. Not only did Jesus teach by God’s authority, but he was moved by compassion, healing sickness, and disease. He also offered personal forgiveness for sins — something Moses and the Law could not provide. “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for [the] many” (Mark 10:45 KJV).

Jesus, however, did not heal every disease. He did not eliminate all sorrow. His work at the first advent involved only a small part of humanity. His primary purpose was to pay a ransom that offers every person who has ever lived a chance at perfect and everlasting life through a resurrection from the dead.

Jesus’ Miracles

The miracles Jesus performed were a preview of his future work in the Millennial kingdom. Acts 17:18 describes a scene in Athens in which Paul debates with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. “And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers as well were conversing with him. Some were saying, ‘What could this scavenger of tidbits want to say?’ Others, ‘He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,’ — because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection” (NASB).

The apostle Matthew wrote his epistle in Hebrew to persuade the Israelites that Jesus was the Messiah foretold by prophecy. In the second century, Papias noted that those who read Matthew “in the Hebrew language … interpreted them as he could.” However, Hebrew was not a language known by most Gentiles, who only read Greek. For them, Mark emphasized Jesus as a servant of both God and man. He includes many personal observations and highlights Jesus’ authority as Messiah and future king.

The gospel of Mark highlights four miracles that demonstrate Jesus’ authority, as the Lord of Life, over natural forces in human life.

(1) Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee (4:35‑41) — authority over natural events.

(2) Jesus healed a demoniac at Gadara (5:1‑20) — authority over the supernatural.

(3) Jesus healed a woman of an issue of blood (5:25‑34) — authority over disease.

(4) Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter (5:35‑43) — authority over death.

Jesus Calms the Storm on the Sea — Authority Over Natural Events

“And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:37‑41 ESV).

For more privacy, Jesus suggested a trip across the Sea of Galilee. The storm that arose during the trip was typical of the Sea of Galilee, which is surrounded by hills. The warm air from the day caused cooler air from the hills to rush down the ravines onto the lake, creating a twisting, whirlwind‑like action that churned the waters into a fierce tempest. Mark’s words paint a vivid picture, drawing us into the heart of the action: “and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling” (verse 37). Mark recounts Jesus’ command to the storm. The aorist tense indicates that Jesus rebuked it, and the wind immediately ceased. There was no need for Jesus to repeat the command; the storm ended instantly! “Peace, be still” (verse 39). Literally, this meant “be silent” or “be muzzled” (Lenski, The Interpretation of Mark’s Gospel, page 201).

Jesus Heals a Demoniac at Gadara — Authority Over the Supernatural World

“They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit … And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.’ For he was saying to him, ‘Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!’ And Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He replied, ‘My name is Legion, for we are many.’ And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, ‘Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.’ So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea” (Mark 5:1‑14 ESV).

Greek manuscripts vary on the town’s name: Gerasenes, Gadarenes, or Gergesenes. The most substantial evidence supports Gerasenes, a term some interpret as referring to Gerasa, a well-known area 20 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee. However, there was also a small town with the same name on the eastern shore, now in ruins, called Kersa. The demoniac lived among the tombs there, as shown by the imperfect tense used to describe how he reached such an extreme state that he could no longer be restrained, even with chains. The vivid terms and tenses emphasize the difficulty of restraining him. The demons were so strong that the man tore off the fetters on his feet and the chains around him. The text indicates that no one had enough strength to tame him. The Greek tense reveals he was constantly screaming and injuring himself. The verb used is an intensive form, meaning he was slashing himself to pieces.

“Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God” is a remarkable sign of supernatural knowledge. This shows that insanity was not the issue, but the demonic powers knew Jesus’ true identity. The account in Matthew quotes the demons’ words, “Have you come to punish us before our time?” (Matthew 8:29 CEV). They feared being returned to their place of detention until the judgment (2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 20:1‑3). Jesus told them to enter the swine, after which they rushed over a cliff and drowned.

“When they [the Gerasenes] came to Jesus, they saw the man who had once been full of demons. He was sitting there with his clothes on and in his right mind, and they were terrified. And they come to Jesus, and behold him that was possessed with demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him that had the legion: and they were afraid (Mark 5:15 CEV).” The people of the area no longer feared the demoniac himself, but they were afraid of the power that had healed him. They recognized Jesus’ supernatural power but did not see his love and mercy shown to the man. They begged Jesus to leave their country, while the healed man begged to go with Jesus. He found someone to love, not to fear.

A key principle is reflected in Jesus’ words, urging the man to stay and share his story with others. When someone is freed from captivity, they should not keep it to themselves but rather testify about the divine deliverer. Jesus encouraged him to spread his story in Decapolis, a Gentile region southeast of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how good he has been to you” (verse 19).

Jesus Heals a Woman of an Issue of Blood (Mark 5:25‑34) — Authority Over Disease

“And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, ‘If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.’ And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my garments?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’”

On his way from Matthew’s house to the home of Jairus, Jesus was stopped by a desperate woman. She was not only sick but also financially drained and socially rejected because of the hemorrhaging (see Leviticus 15:19‑27). Mark is straightforward in describing the woman’s experience. She had visited doctor after doctor seeking healing. Instead, she faced many injustices, spent all her money, and her condition only worsened. Luke, the physician, is less detailed, simply noting that she could not be healed by anyone (Luke 8:43).

This healing was unique, not only because it was instantly done but also because it happened without any obvious, conscious participation from Jesus. Still, he immediately knew what had taken place. There was no magical power in his garment (see Acts 5:14, 15, and 19:11‑13), but somehow, Jesus granted the woman’s request and then recognized her faith. Perhaps Jehovah healed her, and Jesus, surrounded by the crowd, did not notice anything until it was over. However the healing occurred, it was due to power (Greek dynamis) within Jesus. The question, “Who touched me?” may have been asked as a rhetorical device to benefit the crowd.

Mark’s words, “And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him,” suggest that Jesus’ physical strength was being drained by the miracles he performed. Mark, in his account of the crucifixion (15:44), says that “Pilate was surprised to hear that he (Jesus) should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead.” Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was tremendous, but he suffered daily as he felt compassion for humanity and used his power to heal them. Perhaps this example of a true sacrifice suggests that discipleship requires sacrifice at our own expense.

The woman’s faith in Jesus prompted her to act without feeling the need to get his attention. Upon identifying her as the one who touched him, Jesus said, “your faith has made you well.” It literally means that, “your faith has saved you” — from her physical ailment his second words, “be healed of your disease,” literally mean, “be well, be healthy.” Perhaps from that moment on, she became a follower of Jesus.

Jesus Raises Jairus’ Daughter (Mark 5:35‑43) — Authority Over Death

“While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, ‘Talitha cumi,’ which means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.”

When Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house, he found that funeral preparations were already in progress. Among the Jews, mourning was never subdued, and professional mourners were hired. Matthew 9:23 adds flute players to the mourners, describing a loud, noisy crowd. Jesus’ literal response was, “Why are you making such an uproar?” Then he sharply said, “The child is not dead but sleeping.” Some commentators interpret this as meaning she was only in a coma. However, Luke 8:55 states that “her spirit [Greek pneuma] came again.” Jesus describes death as a sleep from which one will wake up again. Later, he describes Lazarus’ condition with similar words, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to wake him” (John 11:11 CEV). When the disciples did not understand his comment, he clarified, saying, “Lazarus has died” (John 11:14). In the Jewish Talmud, there are hundreds of references to “when he slept” in connection with death. Our word “cemetery” comes from the Latin coemeterium and the Greek koimeterion, both meaning “a room for sleeping,” as well as from the Greek koiman, meaning “to put to sleep.”

Jesus did not deny the reality of death for either Jairus’ daughter or Lazarus. Death is both real and the process is often painful for those experiencing it and for those left behind. The young girl did not return from heaven or any state of consciousness. The analogy to sleep suggests that an awakening in the future follow death. For this 12‑year‑old, the awakening came soon after death; for Lazarus, it came four days later; and for mankind, it will occur during the resurrection of all at Christ’s reign of righteousness. “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28, 29).

Jesus’ awakening of both the young girl and Lazarus restored them to their previous lives. Both continued to live ordinary lives and later died again. Neither was truly alive in the sense that Adam was alive after his creation. His disobedience, however, caused a gradual decline, and now every human experiences the results of sin — a descent into death. The full resurrection (Greek anastasis) involves removing all the mental, moral, and physical corruption in every individual and uplifting them to perfection of both mind and body.

Paul writes, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Luke describes Jesus as “first from the resurrection of the dead” (Acts 26:23). Jesus’ miracles foreshadow a time when a worldwide awakening from death will happen, offering a genuine opportunity for life in its fullness. Let this knowledge inspire us to continue with energy and devotion to God, adding to our faith as representatives of Jesus’ redemptive work.

Jesus Returns to Nazareth — Mark 6:1‑13

“He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, ‘Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him” (verses 1‑3 ESV).

After these four miracles, Jesus returned to Nazareth, where he faced a cold reception from those who knew him. Still, he remained unmoved by their hostility. His miracles not only showed his power but also reflected his care and compassion. He sent out his disciples, giving them authority over spirits and the power to heal, all while demonstrating compassion for those they met. They needed to strengthen their faith by following Jesus’ example.

We have also been called to show compassion to a dying world. Having been justified by faith in Jesus, we now answer a higher calling (Romans 5:1). If we have dedicated our lives to God and sincerely seek to follow Jesus’ example, we have already transitioned from death to eternal life (John 5:24, 1 John 3:14). Our new nature is growing and will be perfected in the First Resurrection (Revelation 20:6). Today, we face opposition from those without hope, just as unbelievers misunderstood Jesus. Paul tells us that our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

Let us stay motivated by the things we read about Jesus and pursue him even more closely, “that I (we) may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; if somehow I (we) may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10, 11).