Authority of Christ

One of the things that struck the people of Jesus' day as He talked to them was the authority with which He spoke. During the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:37), Jesus spoke of His fulfillment of the law. (Matthew 5:17-18). Then he began to speak about the law...murder, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:21-26); adultery, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:27-30); divorce, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:31-32); lying, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:33-37); retaliation, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:38-42); enemies, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:43-48). He went on to talk about giving to the needy, and attitudes in prayer and fasting with the admonition of "I say to you." (Matthew 6:1-19)

Here was a teacher, a Rabbi, who was not just reading the law to them but actually expanding the law to get to the heart of God. No one had ever done that before. "...the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." (Matthew 7:28-29)

You just know it when you meet a person with authority; a school principal, a police office, a judge. If we read the Bible we will certainly learn of Jesus' authority. He had authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9:10, Luke 5:24), to drive out impure spirits (Luke 4:36), to judge (John 5:27), to lay down His life and to take it up again (John 10:18), to give eternal life (John 17:2).

Some of Jesus' last words were "All authority in heaven and on earth have been given to Me. Go, therefore..." The church leaders of Jesus day were not willing to submit to His authority although they recognized the miracles He was doing even asking "Who gave You authority to do this?" (Mark 11:28)

When we recognize the authority of Jesus, it requires a response. Will I trust, submit and obey or question, deny and defy? Just as defying the authority of those around us can have dire consequences so can denying and defying the authority of Jesus. Only those consequences are for eternity.