"By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" (Matt. 21:23)

"By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" (Matt. 21:23)

It is regrettable that many people do not even think about "authority" in the realm of religion. The word "authority" means, "the power of rule or government, the power of one whose will and commands must be obeyed by others." (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) There are two kinds of authority: general and special (or generic and specific) Perhaps that is why there is so much disagreement among the various religious groups.

There are two possible sources of authority: divine and human. When Jesus told the apostles, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15), He authorized every mode of travel - walking, sailing, riding in a chariot, riding on a beast, etc. - because He did not stipulate (or specify) as to method. On the other hand, He stipulated what they were to preach - "the gospel." Hence they were not free to preach anything else. This can be demonstrated by Matt. 21:23-27.

Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John--where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' "But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." (Matt. 21:23-27)

If a thing is "from heaven" the scriptures will equip us for it. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:2-4) Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. (1 Corinthians 4:6) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Jesus asked them if the baptism of John was "from heaven or from men." They couldn't say "from heaven" because they would look inconsistent, not having been baptized by John. But neither could they say "from men," because they feared the people. Thus, they answered, "We do not know."

Thus, He is the only one "whose will and commands must be obeyed by others." During the present New Testament age, Jesus has all authority both in heaven and on earth. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matt. 28:18)

Thus, in writing to the church at Colosse, Paul commanded, Whatever you do in word [teaching] or deed [practice], do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Col. 3:17) To do something "in the name of the Lord Jesus" means to do it "in recognition of His authority."

Hence, we must recognize the authority of the Lord Jesus in everything we teach and practice! Otherwise, He is not really our Lord. "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46)

This is well illustrated in the account of seven Jewish men to whom the miraculous ability to cast out evil spirits had not been given. One can not afford to take it upon himself to do what the Lord has not authorized.

Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches."

Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. (Acts 19:11-16)

They did not have the authority to demand the demons to leave the one whom they had possessed but decided they would try. And the result was disastrous. Jesus, Paul, the other apostles and some upon whom the apostles had laid their hands, however, had such authority and the results were never disastrous with them.

The New Testament authorizes in three ways: (1) direct statements/commands (2) approved examples (3) implications Jesus used these three methods to establish authority for His teaching and practice. Even Jesus did not presume to teach or act without authority.

"He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak." (John 12:48-50)

But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." (John 5:17-19)

The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. Likewise the second also,

and the third, even to the seventh. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her." Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching. (Matt. 22:23-33)

When questioned by the Sadducees - who believed in neither spirits nor angels - about the resurrection, Jesus quoted from the first five books of the Old Testament - the only part of the Old Testament they accepted - to defend His teaching.

His defense ran thus: (1) Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had been dead for hundreds of years, when God appeared to Moses. (2) But God identified Himself to Moses saying, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (3) In saying this, God implied - and we infer necessarily - that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were alive - in some sense - at the time of Moses. (4) To deny this is to implicitly affirm that God is "the God of the dead."

This proved that there is a part of man that survives physical death and can be resurrected. If this is not true, why did Jesus bring it up? This was such a forceful argument, that it "silenced the Sadducees."

I know of no fourth method ever used by Jesus to establish authority for either His teaching or His practice, but will accept any method that is self-evident or that can be established by one of these three.

By their very nature, commands MUST BE authoritative! Notice the following explanation of the authoritative nature of commands.

Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

" For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

" And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour. (Matt. 8:5-13)

Since Jesus has all authority, His commands MUST BE authoritative. Jesus told His apostles, "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me." (Matt. 10:40) Therefore, the apostles’ commands MUST ALSO BE authoritative.

The New Testament prophets had "the mystery of Christ" revealed to them. For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles-- if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,

by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery ofChrist), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. (Eph. 3:1-7)

Therefore, their commands MUST BE authoritative, as well.

We are commanded by the apostles to recognize approved examples as authoritative. Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. (Phil. 3:17)

We are commanded by the apostles to recognize approved examples as authoritative. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Phil. 4:9)

Of course, our ultimate example is Jesus. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: (1 Peter 2:21) And He provided us with an example of using implication to establish authority.

The apostles also used implication to establish authority for their teaching and practice.

And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.

And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.

And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:1-9)

Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, saying, "You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!" But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying:

"I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.'

But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.' But the voice answered me again from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.' Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea.

Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, 'Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.'

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?" (Acts 11:1-17)

Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they." (Acts 15:10-11)

Peter necessarily inferred from the conversion of those in the home of Cornelius that binding circumcision on the Gentiles would be testing God and putting a yoke on the neck of those disciples.

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. (Acts 15:12)

Barnabas and Paul necessarily inferred from their success on their first missionary journey that Gentile converts do not need physical circumcision. They never demanded it, yet God endorsed their preaching with "miracles and wonders."

And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, "Men and brethren, listen to me: Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:

'After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;

'So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.' "Known to God from eternity are all His works. Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those

from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath." (Acts 15:13-21)

"By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" (Matt. 21:23)