Mark 1:22

22 and they were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 1:22 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 1:22

And they were astonished at his doctrine
The nature and importance of it, it being what they had not been used to hear; only at best the doctrine of the law, and sometimes only the traditions of the elders, or an allegorical and traditional sense of the Scriptures, and things very trifling and unedifying: and also they were amazed at the manner of his preaching, which was with so much gracefulness, gravity, and majesty, and was attended with so much evidence and power:

for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes;
or "their Scribes", as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read. He did not go about to establish what he said by the authority of the Rabbins, as the Scribes did; saying, Hillell says so, or Shammai says thus, or such a doctor says thus and thus; but he spoke as from himself, as one sent of God, that had an authority from him, and was independent of man; and this was what they had not observed in others, and wonder at it; (See Gill on Matthew 7:28). (See Gill on Matthew 7:29).

Mark 1:22 In-Context

20 and immediately he called them, and, having left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, they went away after him.

21 And they go on to Capernaum, and immediately, on the sabbaths, having gone into the synagogue, he was teaching,

22 and they were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out,

24 saying, `Away! what -- to us and to thee, Jesus the Nazarene? thou didst come to destroy us; I have known thee who thou art -- the Holy One of God.'