In between His journeys here and there, Jesus stayed at Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and it came to be known as “His own city.” Matthew 9:1. The shores of the lake and the hills that encircle it a little distance away were dotted with towns and villages. The lake was covered with fishing boats. Everywhere was the stir of busy, active life.3TC 155.2

Capernaum was on the highway from Damascus to Jerusalem and Egypt and to the Mediterranean Sea, so people from many lands passed through it. Here Jesus could meet all nations and all ranks, and His lessons would be carried to other countries. This would stir investigation of the prophecies, direct attention to the Savior, and bring His mission before the world. Angels were preparing the way for His ministry, moving on people’s hearts and drawing them to the Savior.3TC 155.3

In Capernaum, the nobleman’s son whom Christ had healed was a witness to His power. The court official and his household joyfully testified of their faith. When news spread that the Teacher Himself was among them, the whole city became excited. On the Sabbath, the people crowded the synagogue until great numbers had to turn away.3TC 156.1

All who heard the Savior “were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.” “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Luke 4:32; Matthew 7:29. The teaching of the scribes and elders was cold and formal. They claimed to explain the law, but no inspiration from God stirred their own hearts or the hearts of their hearers.3TC 156.2

Jesus’ work was to present the truth. His words shed a flood of light on the teachings of the prophets. Never before had His hearers seen such depth of meaning in the Word of God.3TC 156.3

Jesus made truth beautiful by presenting it in the most direct and simple way. His language was pure, refined, and clear as a running stream. His voice was like music to those who had listened to the monotonous tones of the rabbis.3TC 156.4

No Doubts or Hesitancy

He spoke as one having authority. The rabbis spoke with doubt and hesitancy, as if Scripture might be interpreted to mean one thing or exactly the opposite. But Jesus taught Scripture as having unquestionable authority. Whatever His subject, He presented it with power.3TC 156.5

Yet He was earnest rather than forcible. He revealed God in every theme. Jesus worked to break the spell of shortsightedness that keeps people absorbed in earthly things. He showed the true value of the things of this life as subordinate to eternal interests, but He did not ignore their importance.3TC 156.6

He taught that a knowledge of divine truth prepares us to perform the duties of everyday life better. Conscious of His relationship to God, He still recognized His unity with every member of the human family. He knew “how to speak a word in season to him who is weary.” Isaiah 50:4. He had the tact to meet prejudiced minds and to surprise them with illustrations that got their attention. He took His illustrations from the things of daily life. These were simple, but they had a wonderful depth of meaning. The birds, the lilies, the seed, the shepherd, the sheep—with these objects Jesus illustrated immortal truth; and from that time on, when His hearers happened to see these things, they recalled His lessons.3TC 157.1

Christ never flattered people or praised them for their clever inventions, but deep, unprejudiced thinkers received His teaching and found that it tested their wisdom. His words charmed the highly educated and always profited the uneducated. He made even the heathen understand that He had a message for them.3TC 157.2

Even amid angry enemies, He was surrounded with an atmosphere of peace. The loveliness of His character, the love He expressed in look and tone, drew to Him all who were not hardened in unbelief. Those in difficulty felt that He was a faithful and tender Friend, and they wanted to know more of the truths He taught. They longed to have the comfort of His love with them continually.3TC 157.3

Jesus watched the faces of His hearers. Faces that expressed interest gave Him satisfaction. As the arrows of truth pierced through the barriers of selfishness and brought about repentance and gratitude, the Savior was glad. When His eye recognized faces He had seen before, His own face lighted up with joy. When plainly spoken truth touched some cherished idol, He noticed the change of expression that revealed that the light was unwelcome. When He saw men and women refuse the message of peace, it pierced His heart to the very depths.3TC 157.4

In the synagogue, Jesus was interrupted while speaking of His mission to set free the captives of Satan. A madman rushed from among the people, crying out, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”3TC 157.5

The scene was all confusion and alarm. The people’s attention was diverted from Christ, and His words went unheard. But Jesus rebuked the demon, saying, “‘Be quiet, and come out of him!’ And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.”3TC 158.1

Satan had darkened the mind of this poor sufferer, but in the Savior’s presence, the man began to long for freedom from Satan’s control. But the demon resisted. When the man tried to appeal to Jesus for help, the evil spirit put words in his mouth, and he cried out in an agony of fear.3TC 158.2

The demon-possessed man partially understood that he was in the presence of One who could set him free. But when he tried to come within reach of that mighty hand, another’s will held him, another’s words found expression through him. The conflict between the power of Satan and his own desire for freedom was terrible.3TC 158.3

The demon exerted all his power to keep control of his victim. It seemed that the tortured man would surely lose his life in the struggle with the enemy that had ruined his best years. But the Savior spoke with authority and set the captive free. The man stood before the amazed people, happy in the freedom of self-possession. Even the demon had testified to the divine power of the Savior. The eye that had so recently glared with insanity now beamed with intelligence and over-flowed with grateful tears.3TC 158.4

The people exclaimed, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”3TC 158.5

This man had been fascinated by the pleasures of sin and had thought to make life a grand carnival. He did not dream of becoming a terror to the world and a disgrace to his family. He thought he could spend his time in innocent folly. But intemperance and a failure to take life seriously perverted his nature, and Satan took absolute control of him. When he would have sacrificed wealth and pleasure to regain control of his life, he had become helpless in the grasp of the evil one. Satan had taken possession of all his abilities. When the poor man was finally in his power, the demon became relentless in his cruelty. It is like this with everyone who yields to evil. The fascinating pleasure of the early days ends in despair or the madness of a ruined life.3TC 158.6

The same evil spirit controlled the unbelieving Jews, but with them he took on an air of piety. Their condition was more hopeless than that of the demon-possessed man, for they felt no need of Christ and so were held firmly under Satan’s power.3TC 159.1

Christ’s personal ministry on earth was the time of greatest activity for the forces of the kingdom of darkness. For ages Satan had been working to control the bodies and souls of men and women, to bring sin and suffering on them; then he had blamed all this misery on God. Jesus was revealing the character of God to them, breaking Satan’s power and setting his captives free. Love and power from heaven were moving human hearts, and the prince of evil was angry. At every step he challenged the work of Christ.3TC 159.2

Satan Works Under Disguise

This is how it will be in the final conflict between righteousness and sin. While new life and power are descending on the disciples of Christ, a new life is energizing the agencies of Satan. With skill gained through centuries of conflict, the prince of evil works in disguise, clothed as an angel of light. Huge numbers are “giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1.3TC 159.3

The leaders and teachers of Israel were neglecting the only means by which they could have resisted evil spirits. It was by the Word of God that Christ overcame the wicked one. By their interpretation, the Jewish leaders made God’s Word say things that God had never given. They argued over technicalities, and in doing so they denied essential truths. In this way, they robbed God’s Word of its power, and evil spirits accomplished their will.3TC 159.4

History is repeating. With the open Bible in front of them, many religious leaders of our time are destroying faith in it as the Word of God. They dissect the Word and set their own opinions above its plainest statements. This is why unbelief is growing rapidly and iniquity is everywhere.3TC 159.5

Those who turn from the plain teaching of Scripture and the convicting power of God’s Holy Spirit are inviting the control of demons. Criticism and speculation concerning the Bible have opened the way for spiritism to gain a foothold even in the professed churches of our Lord Jesus Christ. Side by side with the preaching of the gospel, lying spirits are at work. Many people tamper with these manifestations just from curiosity, but when they see evidence of more than human power, they are lured on until the mysterious power of a will stronger than their own controls them. The defenses of the soul are broken down. Secret sins or master passions may hold them captive as helpless as the demon-possessed man of Capernaum. Yet their condition is not hopeless.3TC 159.6

They can overcome by the power of the Word. If we desire to know and to do God’s will, His promises are ours: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God.” John 8:32; 7:17. Through faith in these promises, every man and woman may be delivered from the snares of error and the control of sin.3TC 160.1

There Is Hope for Every Lost Person

None have fallen so low, none are so evil, that they cannot find deliverance in Christ. The demon-possessed man could speak only the words of Satan, yet Jesus heard his heart’s unspoken appeal. No cry from someone in need will be ignored, even if it doesn’t use just the right words. The Savior invites those who will consent to enter into covenant relation with the God of heaven, “Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.” Isaiah 27:5. Angels of God will fight for them with victorious power. “Can ... the captives of a tyrant be rescued? ... I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.” Isaiah 49:24, 25, NRSV.3TC 160.2

While the congregation in the synagogue were still spellbound, Jesus left for Peter’s home for a little rest. But here also a shadow had fallen. Peter’s mother-in-law lay sick, stricken with a “high fever.” Jesus rebuked the disease, and the healed woman got up and provided refreshments for the Master and His disciples.3TC 161.1

News of Christ’s work spread rapidly throughout Capernaum. For fear of the rabbis, the people dared not come for healing on the Sabbath, but as soon as the sun had disappeared below the horizon, the inhabitants of the city hurried toward the humble home that sheltered Jesus. They brought the sick into the Savior’s presence.3TC 161.2

Hour after hour they came and went, for no one could know whether tomorrow would find the Healer still among them. Never before had Capernaum witnessed a day like this. The air was filled with the voice of triumph and shouts of deliverance. The Savior rejoiced in His power to restore the suffering ones to health and happiness.3TC 161.3

It was far into the night when the crowds left and silence settled down on Simon’s home. The long, exciting day was past, and Jesus needed rest. But while the city was still wrapped in slumber, “a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”3TC 161.4

Jesus often sent His disciples to visit their homes and rest, but He gently resisted their efforts to draw Him away from His labors. All day He worked, and at evening or in the early morning He went to the mountains to talk with His Father. Often He spent the entire night in prayer and meditation, returning at daybreak to His work among the people.3TC 161.5

Early in the morning, Peter and his companions came to Jesus, saying that already the people were looking for Him. The authorities at Jerusalem were trying to find a way to murder Him; even His own townsfolk had attempted to take His life; but Capernaum had welcomed Him with enthusiasm, and this had raised the hopes of the disciples again. It might be that the supporters of the new kingdom might come from the liberty-loving Galileans. So it was with surprise that they heard Christ’s words, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” Mark 1:38, NRSV. Jesus was not satisfied to attract attention to Himself as a wonder worker or healer. While the people were eager to believe that He had come as a king to establish an earthly reign, He wanted to turn their minds away from the earthly to the spiritual.3TC 161.6

And the attention of the careless crowd jarred on His spirit. The homage the world gives to position, wealth, or talent was foreign to the Son of man. Jesus used none of the means that people employ to win the loyalty of others. Prophecy had said of Him, “He will not cry or lift up His voice, or make it heard in the street; ... he will faithfully bring forth justice.” Isaiah 42:2, 3, NRSV.3TC 162.1

The life of Jesus included no noisy arguments, no showy worship, no act to gain applause. Christ was hid in God, and God was revealed in the character of His Son.3TC 162.2

The Sun of Righteousness did not burst on the world in splendor, to dazzle the senses with His glory. Quietly and gently the daylight dispels the darkness and wakes the world to life. So did the Sun of Righteousness arise, “with healing in His wings.” Malachi 4:2.3TC 162.3

The Call by the Sea

The First Leper to Be Cleansed by Christ