He Taught As Having Authority

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

It may be said that teachers shape the future. What a teacher says and does in the classroom forms and informs a significant part of what the students will become. From a very early age, a child is taught to believe what his teacher says, because she is the one old, wise, and learned, the one entrusted with teaching him the way things are.

People teach all sorts of “stuff”. Take a look at school curriculum, and you will find vast mountains of information that must be processed, digested, and regurgitated into and out of the students. Math, science, history, reading, English, art, music, PE – all categories of knowledge and information that a child must grasp to become a well-rounded, well-prepared adult in society. And the know-how and authority to teach all this is granted by a $100,000 piece of paper from some college, and a license from the state.

In Jesus' day, the Jews taught many things. They, too, had a great mass of information and tradition to impart to future generations, and great influence over the lives of the people through the control and interpretation of this material. The Sadducees and Pharisees divided themselves over the understanding of tradition and how much of the rabbis' teaching was authoritative. The Sadducees held a much more limited view of tradition than the Pharisees. However, in this stew of tradition and oral interpretation and constant adding to the Law, no one could really claim to teach with any authority, since whatever you said probably could be contradicted by some opinion of some source somewhere.

Not many people, ancient or modern, truly teach. For teaching is more than simply the imparting of knowledge from one to another. Sure, education involves the memorization of facts and figures, but a true teacher imparts the wisdom to discern what those mean, and how to connect and build with them. The word “education” comes from a Latin word meaning “to lead out”. Socrates believed that the proper method of education was through questioning and response. He believed that all knowledge is innate, but hidden.

However, none of this is true of Jesus' teaching. His teaching is not simply impartation of facts, nor the leading out of old, buried, knowledge. The teaching of Jesus is an act of revelation. He Himself is the Truth, and so His teaching serves to display that Truth. He reveals God through His own incarnation.

Even the Jews, with their noses and hearts buried in the traditions of their fathers, recognized the difference in Jesus' teaching. “And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, 'What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.'” When Jesus teaches, what He teaches is true and trustworthy.

The Jews simply expounded tradition without any sort of authority. Most of Jewish tradition is based only loosely on the actual texts of the Scriptures, and more on what the rabbis said about the Scriptures. There was no divine or prophetic authority to what they taught, because they were not teaching the Word of God. At best, they simply read out the words of the prophets without any spiritual impact. The Word of the Lord became a way to enslave themselves in the tangles of Law and tradition, and a crutch to prop up their supposed authority over the people of Israel. What God wanted was not so important as what the priests wanted.

Likewise, today all sorts of proclamations come without any sort of authority. For an example of this, just think back to this week's State of the Union address. Politicians routinely make proclamations that sound great, but have questionable basis in fact and very little authority to ever be fulfilled.

In the same manner, the financial sector makes predictions about the state of your money. Whether it is commodities futures or the direction of the stock market or the rate of job growth, all people can do is offer educated guesses. There is no real authority, even in those vested with the right to make such predictions.

Even worse is the matter of proclamations regarding social issues. The court may declare that there is a “right” to same-sex marriage, but such an entity does not, in fact, exist. The court may declare a “right” to have an abortion, but, again, such a right does not exist. Various institutions may call any arrangement of persons a family, but that does not make it so. Just because someone in an office makes a statement does not make whatever he or she says true. Even those vested with the authority of government do not have the authority to change reality, any more than they could declare an end to gravity.

It is the height of idolatry to believe that any human being or entity can speak with authority not expressly granted to them. For Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:17). To God belongs all authority over heaven and earth, and He shares His glory and privilege with no one. Therefore, when Jesus preaches, teaches, or commands with authority, listen to Him. Repent of your sinful idolatry and believe the Word of Truth.

Out of the mess of all the unsound teaching and unfounded proclamation of this world comes the voice of Jesus. He is the Word of God Incarnate. He is the Word made flesh, dwelling among us, full of truth because He is the Truth.

Therefore, Jesus has the freedom and the authority to speak. Whereas the Jews were bound by tradition and today's proclamations depend on outside authority, Jesus speaks on the authority given to Him by His Father. He has authority because He is the Word of the Lord. He speaks with authority to you because His life and death give Him that authority.

When Jesus says your sins are forgiven, they are, because He is the forgiveness for your sins. When He says that your guilt is taken away, it is, because His blood has washed it away. Jesus has the authority over life and death, and by it He secures your life in Himself. He hands Himself over to die according to the authority of the Father. He does everything with authority because He is the Lord of Hosts come to save His people from their sins.

The Jews marveled at the teaching of Jesus because it was a new thing. Unlike the teaching of men, Jesus taught with authority. When He spoke, His word came to pass. He commanded the demons to come out of the man, and they obeyed. He taught with authority, and His proclamation created faith in the hearts of the hearers. He proclaimed the fulfillment of the Scriptures, and they were fulfilled in Him. He proclaimed that the salvation of mankind was perfected, and it was so.

Jesus has the authority to declare you righteous, and His word makes it so. His death gave Him the authority to march down into hell, storm the gates, and lead the captives free, to defeat Satan and his forces forever, triumphing over sin and death. His resurrection gives Him the authority to give you His life, the authority to declare that your sins are forgiven, your guilt is taken away, your life is secure in Him. His resurrection gives Him the authority to say, “Take, eat – this is My body; take, drink – this is My blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins.” Jesus speaks with authority, unlike any other, and He speaks you righteous.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.