Immediately after his mixed reception in Nazareth, Jesus moves on to Capernaum, a town on the north shore of Lake Galilee. Unlike in Nazareth, "his teaching made a deep impression" on the people because he spoke "with authority". He did not quote other authorities, like the teachers of the law, because his authority was directly from God, it was his own.

And his authority was not only in word and teaching. Right there in the synagogue as he spoke was a man possessed by an "unclean spirit". It speaks through the man in fear of the power of Jesus. "Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." There was a belief in those times that knowing the exact name of one's opponent gave one power over him. But Jesus ordered the spirit out of the man and the people around were amazed at someone who could order evil spirits so easily. They realised they were in the presence of someone very special, in fact, the "Holy One of God".

Each one of us too is given authority of some kind - as a parent, a teacher, a manager ... Let us make sure that we use it in such a way as to enhance the abilities of others rather than diminish them.