Jesus goes from the synagogue of Nazareth to the synagogue in Capernaum where again he is invited to teach. While there in the synagogue a man possessed by a demon is present, and no one in the congregation is surprised. He is a fixture in the community. At one point they may have been concerned for him, but over time with the apparent inability to heal him everyone simply took his condition for granted. The man and his demons were a fixture in the community.
Their shock comes when Jesus delivers the man from his demons. The man had been in this state for so long that everyone just thought he could not be helped, and here Jesus comes and does so. It may be that many in the past tried to help this man but were unable to do so. Whatever approach they took to do so simply did not work. It may be that some refused to help the man - that he was "too far gone" in order to restore him to full health. The approach of Jesus was immediate and effective.
How often do we accept as given the conditions of people oppressed by various demons in their lives! How often do we consign people to their fate, saying they are "too far gone" and incapable of being helped! Jesus sees no person as beyond help or care. This scene in the synagogue will be replayed time and again with people of many conditions in many places. Many will tell him not to help certain people, others will be written off by the crowd or the disciples. But Jesus will ignore them all and find a way to help those in need.
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