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Why and how was a man with an unclean spirit just hanging out in the synagogue in Mark chapter 1? Were people with unclean spirits a common occurence in Jesus day and was it common in the Old Testament?

Restlee
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Demon possession is very commonly described in the NT. Here is a sample:

  • Matt 4:24 - people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed
  • Matt 8:16 - When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. See also Mark 1:32
  • Matt 8:28 - When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. See also V33; Mark 5:15-18, Luke 8:27-29
  • Matt 9:32 - While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus
  • Matt 12:22 - Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him. See also Luke 11:14
  • Matt 15:22 - My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.
  • Matt 17:18 - Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. See also Luke 9:42
  • Mark 7:26 - She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
  • Mark 9:22 - The demon has often thrown him into fire or into water to destroy him.
  • Luke 4:33 - In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit.
  • Luke 9:1 - Jesus called the twelve apostles together and gave them power and authority over every demon and power and authority to cure diseases.
  • Acts 16:16 - One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl.
  • Acts 19:13 - Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed.

Sometimes this is described as having an "unclean spirit".

  • Mark 5:2 - And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. See also Mark 1:23, 26, 3:30, 5:2, 7:25, 9:25, etc.

It appears this was very common and widely understood.

There are very few examples of this sort of thing in the OT. One of the few examples are Zech 13:2, 1 Sam 28:7, 2 Kings 21:6, 1 Chron 10:13, 2 Chron 33:6.

There are also OT warnings to avoid people who deal in these things: lev 20:27, Deut 18:11, Isa 19:3, 29:4.

Dottard
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Why and how was a man with an unclean spirit just hanging out in the synagogue in Mark chapter 1?

Mark 1

23 Suddenly a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue: 24“What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
25But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!” 26At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek.
27All the people were amazed

The man with an unclean spirit did not just hanging out in the synagogue. It was a sudden thing and people were amazed.

The mission of that spirit is to tell people that Jesus was the Holy One of God and ... but before it could finish, Jesus shut it up. It was trying to mess up the timing of Jesus.

Mark 1:34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Mark 3

11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

Ironically, the demons knew Jesus was the Son of God while the Jews refused to believe that He was.

John 10:36 Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?