The story of the man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit fits structures in Mark which have been discussed earlier. Jack Dean Kingsbury sees this as one of the series of events in this chapter which characterize Jesus as One who comes preaching, calling disciples, teaching, and healing and exorcizing demons. Mary Ann Tolbert sees this story as one of a series of four healing stories followed by four controversy stories which inaugurate Jesus' ministry. In either way of looking at this story we are invited to see it as part of a larger pattern of stories.