Jesus' authoritative teaching

Matthew 7:28-29 (NIV)

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.                                                            

These are the last two of 111 verses that comprise Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus gave this sermon around AD 30 on a mountainside northwest of the Sea of Galilee in an area where a normal voice supposedly can carry nearly 200 yards.  The Sermon on the Mount contains many moral teachings and central fundamentals of Christian discipleship.

Can you imagine being one of the original listeners of Jesus’ teaching?  Just read through verses of Matthew 5-7 and imagine the voice of Jesus speaking these words to you.  If you use your imagination and finish reading and thinking about these 111 verses, you too will react with amazement at His teaching. 

Verse 29 states that such amazement from the crowd of listeners was a result of His authority.  The original word for authority, “exousia”, has several meanings---power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases, physical and mental power, the ability or strength with which one is endued, the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege), the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed).  Jesus spoke with this kind of authority, He had authority over others with respect to His moral teaching.  His authority is like a traffic cop who authorizes who stops and who goes through an intersection.  You may be driving an 18-wheeler, but will stop because of the authority of that traffic cop.  Government, business and military leaders are examples of authority and it’s this kind of authority that the Bible says Jesus had upon His listeners then and still has today.     

Did you know that God has ordained five authorities in the life of a Christian?

1.   Church leaders—pastors and elders (Hebrews 13:17)

2.   Government (Romans 13, I Peter 2:17)

3.   Employer (Ephesians 6:5-8, I Peter 2:18)

4.   Husband (Ephesians 5:22, I Peter 3:1, Colossians 3:18) 

5.   Parent (Ephesians 6:1-3)

These five authorities are all based on Scriptural teaching with Jesus Christ at the center of such teaching (John 1:1, 14). Are you aware of and following the biblical principles of authority?  Regardless of your leadership role in this life (even if you are a president/CEO) are you aware and do you submit to the authority of God through Christ?  All true authority comes from God.   Are you allowing His authority to lead you or are you allowing your ego to get in the way?  As always, it’s your choice about who comes first in your life.  Your way or God’s way?