The Divine Authority of Jesus

Overview:

            Authority can be seen as the ability to control others, to restrict or increase their freedoms, to command obedience, the following of a particular code of conduct and the right to rule over and govern others. So, with that in mind and the clear evidence that Jesus acted with authority we need to ask - what was Jesus’ authority? And Where did his authority come from?

            There are many ways in which the authority of Jesus is expressed by his actions, by his words, and by the exclamations and statements of others. There are also keys themes expressed that define his authority, and indicate its source. These include, but are not limited to the following:

¨     Son of God: The ‘Son of God’ title is exclusively used by Jesus, in referencing himself - in the New Testament. It is a statement that directly links Jesus to God the Father.

Matthew 11:27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

Not only does Jesus refer to himself as the ‘Son of God’, which established his part of the Trinity – but others state it as well. Some examples include Peter’s statement and affirmation of Jesus as the Messiah in Matthew 16:18. Paul acknowledges it in Ephesians 1:20-21, and the writer of Hebrews presents the concepts in Hebrews 1:2,5. The identification of Jesus as part of the Trinity, and thus God, not only provides him with a veil of authority, but also the ability to do heavenly business on Earth.

¨     Equality with God: While in his physical form, as Jesus of Nazareth, he is also fully divine. Yet, as Philippians 2:5-10 indicates, Jesus – for the sake and love of all of us – he did not hold onto his equal status with God the Father, but made himself lowly.

John 5:43 “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.” 

John 17:1-5 “Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

John 5:43 and again in 17:1-5 it shows of Jesus’ subservience to the Father. These verses show the authority that Jesus has had whilst on Earth, during his ministry. Jesus is exclaiming that he has been able to nothing on Earth without the Father’s authority, that has passed on to him. All for the glory of God Almighty. Jesus gives up his divine rights and authority, but then receives them back from the Heavenly Father.

¨     The Creator: Jesus as the creator, along with the Father is well established.

John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

Col 1:16 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

These scriptures by the Apostles John and Paul point us to Jesus not merely being present at the creation event, but intimately involved in it. Jesus’ involvement in creation impacts on how he is able to engage with the natural world, during his years of ministry.

¨     Controlling Nature: Because Jesus is the creator, he is then able to manipulate or control the very natural laws he created. So, it should come as a surprise when he walks on water as in Matthew 14:22-33, or calming a storm as in Luke 8:22-25, or when he smote the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-19. Jesus is also the sustainer of the physical universe, as seen in both Colossians 1:17 and Hebrews 1:3. Jesus as creator, is still active in holding together everything he has put together.

¨     The Spiritual Realm: Jesus’ authority over the spiritual realm stems from his role as creator, and as a member of the Trinity. The casting out of demons, and the freeing of people’s hearts/minds/souls was an integral part of his ministry. Some saw this as evidence of Jesus’ divine authority.

Mark 1:27: Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

Jesus himself states in Matthew 28:18, that he has been given authority over all things in heaven (spiritual realm) and the Earth (physical realm). Spirits must obey his commands, as in Mark 9:25, Matthew 17:18, and Matthew 8:31-32.

¨     Mediator of New Covenant: Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven established a New Covenant with any who believed in Him – be they Jew or Gentile. The author of the book of Hebrews states that Jesus was not just the fulfilment of the New Covenant, but is also the mediator of that covenant between God and Humanity.

Hebrews 8:6 “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”

Hebrews 9:15 “And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”

¨     His Teachings: When Jesus spoke about morality, ethics, and of heavenly things he did so with the authority of someone who spoke with the wisdom of God. We know from John 1:1 that Jesus is the embodiment of ‘word’ of God, thus when he speaks, he is speaking as if it is straight from the throne room of Heaven. Even as a young boy, Jesus was seen to be full of understanding and wisdom in things concerning the scriptures, as seen in Luke 2:41-52, when Jesus stayed behind at the Temple, while his parents started to return home. As he grew, Jesus increased in his wisdom, and this led to him finding favour with both people and with God. Since that time in the Temple people saw the wisdom and understanding he had of the scriptures (Old Testament), and of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is seen in Matthew 7:28-29.

Matthew 7:28-29 “And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

The fact that people saw the authority in his teachings, meant that people believed what he said because it carried truth and power. It is also why they were more inclined to spread what he said, by telling others about what they had heard.

¨     Forgiveness of Sins: One of the most significant ways Jesus exerted his divine authority during his ministry years, was that of forgiving people of their sins – something that the Jews knew only God himself could do. One of the most pertinent examples of this is when the paralytic man was brought to him, and Jesus both healed his physical infirmity, and removed his spiritual infirmities (his sins). This story is found in Matthew 9:1-8, and Mark 2:1-12. The theme of repentance and turning one’s heart towards God, and not the traditions of men, was a supreme significance to Jesus.

Jesus’ Authority, as he presented it, and also that shown and exclaimed by others, was not well received by those in the religious elite. In fact, Jesus soon became the target of both the Pharisees and Sadducees, because of his claims of divinity, and how he flaunted their religious traditions in order to do the work of the Kingdom of Heaven. In Mark 11:27-33 and also in Luke 20:1-8, we see the religious rulers trying to trap Jesus by twisting his own words. However, Jesus refuses to play their games and outwits them by answering with a question of his own – which they could not answer for the fear of acknowledging his God given authority, or the wrath of the people. Jesus no attention to what people said of his authority, instead he presented the source of his authority as the Heavenly Father, of whom he was one with. It is a powerful claim, and one that is backed up by the words and testimony of Jesus’ disciples and others like the Apostle Paul.

Next Section: The Character & Humanity of Jesus