“When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, not like their experts in the law.” —Matthew 7:28–29
Authority. The very word according to the Oxford Dictionary means: “the power or right to enforce obedience; an influence exerted on opinion because of recognized knowledge or expertise.” The word translated “authority” in verse 29 above is from the Greek word exousia meaning: “it is permissible, allowed; permission, authority to do something; denotes not only the physical capability to do something, but also the right and authority to carry out the action; the right or privilege to do or not to do something; the license or liberty to do or not to do something” (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible—New Testament Lexical Aids).
It is no wonder the crowds were amazed at Jesus’ teaching. Their ears were used to listening to the teachers of the Law who were a mere reflection of authority—and not a very good one at that. Jesus was and is the ultimate authority. He is very God of very God. He possesses all power and knowledge. It is a comparison of shadow and substance—one a mere reflection, one the “real deal.” And this difference was extremely obvious to His hearers! Their teachers were a mere pretense, unable to fulfill what they preached. The words they taught fell flat as they came without life or force. The Pharisees were reciting a memorized passage. Jesus, who spoke the world into being, spoke with authority as a judge gives forth his charge.
Matthew used the expression “amazed” four other times in his Gospel. This word means: “overwhelmed, suggesting a strong sense of being astounded.” Jesus’ words overwhelmed His audiences! He spoke with authority because He was and is the ultimate Authority. There is no real power apart from Him. Scripture tells us without Him we can do nothing of eternal value but with Him, He gives us success. His presence is our power. In Him is unaided omnipotence:
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.’” —John 15:4–5
I am reminded of Jesus’ parting words to His disciples in the Great Commission recorded later in Matthew. He told them that they were to go in His power and authority to disciple the world:
“Then Jesus came up and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” —Matthew 28:18–20
Become More
“The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of rules and regulations—it is a picture of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is having His unhindered way with us.” —Oswald Chambers
“Every attribute of God should become a fresh ray in the sunlight of our gladness. That He is wise should make us glad, knowing as we do our own foolishness. That He is mighty should cause us to rejoice who tremble at our weakness. That He is everlasting, should always be a theme of joy when we know that we wither as the grass. That He is unchanging, should perpetually yield us a song, since we change every hour. That He is full of grace, that He is overflowing with it, and that this grace in the covenant He has given to us; that it is ours to cleanse us, ours to keep us, ours to sanctify us, ours to perfect us, ours to bring us to glory—all this should tend to make us glad in Him. This gladness in God is as a deep river; we have only as yet touched its brink, we know a little of its clear sweet, heavenly streams, but onward the depth is greater, and the current more impetuous in its joy.” —Charles H. Spurgeon
Further Reflections
“If He be God, there can be no limit to His power. Come then with the blind eye of darkened understanding, come with the limping foot of wasted energy, come with the maimed hand of weak faith, the fever of an angry temper, or the ague of shivering despondency, come just as thou art, for He who is God can certainly restore thee of thy plague. None shall restrain the healing virtue which proceeds from Jesus our Lord.” —Charles H. Spurgeon
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him. He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him. He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” —Colossians 1:15–20