Jesus in the synagogue of Capernaum
All four gospels report that Jesus visited Capernaum in Galilee and often attended the synagogue there:
- Matthew 4:13 describes Jesus leaving Nazareth and settling in Capernaum
- Mark 1 describes Jesus teaching and healing in the synagogue
- Luke 4 describes Jesus teaching regularly in the synagogue, cf. Luke 4:23, where Jesus, speaking in the Nazareth synagogue, refers to "what has been heard done" in Capernaum.
- John 6: contains Jesus' Bread of Life Discourse; verse 59 confirms that Jesus taught this doctrine in the Capernaum synagogue.
Healing of a demoniac
An exorcism performed in the synagogue is recounted in and. Mark's version reads:Luke's account adds that the evil spirit came out of the man "without harming him". Nicoll comments that this wording anticipates that the man would have been harmed. Mark concludes:
Analysis
Roman Catholic theologian John Chijioke Iwe argues that the Markan pericope marks the beginning of the last year of the three years of the public ministry of Jesus.John McEvilly points out that the spirit is called "unclean" since it delights in, and stimulates to, "acts of uncleanness".