Clarke's Bible Commentary - Mark 1:27
Verse 27. What thing is this?] Words of surprise and astonishment. And what new doctrine] I have added the particle and, from the Syriac, as it helps the better to distinguish the members of the sentence; but there is a vast diversity in the MSS. on this verse. See Griesbach.
For with authority] They had never heard such a gracious doctrine, and never saw any teaching supported by miracles before. How much must this person be superior to men!-they are brought into subjection by unclean spirits; this person subjects unclean spirits to himself.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 27. And they were all amazed , etc..] The people that were in the synagogue, who were met together for divine worship, were astonished, not only at his doctrine, as before, but at this miracle and power of his in casting out devils: insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, what thing is this ? They spake among themselves, as Luke says, ( Luke 4:36); they inquired of one another; they conferred together, talked over the point, and disputed among themselves, concerning both the doctrine and power of Christ, what, and how wonderful they were: what new doctrine is this ? This they said, not as fixing a brand of novelty upon it, as the Athenians did on Paul's doctrine, ( Acts 17:19), but as admiring it; being what was rare and unusual, and which they had never heard of from their Rabbins and Scribes, and which was confirmed by miracles; for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him : they not only observed the authority with which he delivered his doctrine, but the authority with which he cast out devils, by a word speaking; he not only commanded them to come out, but they immediately came out; their exorcists took authority upon them to command, but could not oblige the devils to obey; but these men took notice, that such was the authority of Christ in commanding, that the unclean spirits were obliged to obey, and did.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 23-28 - The devil is an unclean spirit, because he has lost all the purity of his nature, because he acts in direct opposition to the Holy Spirit of God, and by his suggestions defiles the spirits of men. There are man in our assemblies who quietly attend under merely formal teachers; but if the Lord come with faithful ministers and holy doctrine, and by his convincing Spirit, they are ready to say, like this man, What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth! No disorder could enable a man to know Jesus to be the Holy One of God. He desires to have nothing to d with Jesus, for he despairs of being saved by him, and dreads being destroyed by him. See whose language those speak, that say to the Almighty, Depart from us. This unclean spirit hated and dreaded Christ because he knew him to be a Holy One; for the carnal mind is enmit against God, especially against his holiness. When Christ by his grac delivers souls out of the hands of Satan, it is not without tumult in the soul; for that spiteful enemy will disquiet those whom he cannot destroy. This put all who saw it upon considering, What is this ne doctrine? A work as great often is wrought now, yet men treat it with contempt and neglect. If this were not so, the conversion of notorious wicked man to a sober, righteous, and godly life, by the preaching of a crucified Saviour, would cause many to ask, What doctrine is this?
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ εθαμβηθησαν 2284 5681 V-API-3P παντες 3956 A-NPM ωστε 5620 CONJ συζητειν 4802 5721 V-PAN προς 4314 PREP αυτους 846 P-APM λεγοντας 3004 5723 V-PAP-APM τι 5101 I-NSN εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S τουτο 5124 D-NSN τις 5101 I-NSM η 3588 T-NSF διδαχη 1322 N-NSF η 3588 T-NSF καινη 2537 A-NSF αυτη 3778 D-NSF οτι 3754 CONJ κατ 2596 PREP εξουσιαν 1849 N-ASF και 2532 CONJ τοις 3588 T-DPN πνευμασιν 4151 N-DPN τοις 3588 T-DPN ακαθαρτοις 169 A-DPN επιτασσει 2004 5719 V-PAI-3S και 2532 CONJ υπακουουσιν 5219 5719 V-PAI-3P αυτω 846 P-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
27. They questioned among themselves (sunzhtein prov eautouv). Stronger than Luke, who has they spake together. Tynd., They demanded one of another among themselves.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:27 {They questioned among themselves} (sunzetein autous). By look and word. {A new teaching} (didace kaine). One surprise had followed another this day. The teaching was fresh (kaine), original as the dew of the morning on the blossoms just blown. That was a novelty in that synagogue where only staid and stilted rabbinical rules had been heretofore droned out. this new teaching charmed the people, but soon will be rated as heresy by the rabbis. And it was with authority (kat' exousian). It is not certain whether the phrase is to be taken with "new teaching,"It's new teaching with authority behind it," as Moffatt has it, or with the verb; "with authority commandeth even the unclean spirits" (kai tois pneumasin tois akaqartois epitassei). The position is equivocal and may be due to the fact that "Mark gives the incoherent and excited remarks of the crowd in this natural form" (Swete). But the most astonishing thing of all is that the demons "obey him" (hupakouousin autwi). The people were accustomed to the use of magical formulae by the Jewish exorcists (#Mt 12:27; Ac 19:13), but here was something utterly different. Simon magus could not understand how Simon Peter could do his miracles without some secret trick and even offered to buy it (#Ac 8:19).
