His Authority – by Daniel Forster

“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.” Matthew 7:28-29 (NKJV)

Humans will corrupt the Word of God, it is in our nature. It was common place then by the scribes and religious leaders, as it is common place today, to take the Word of God and use it so it is advantageous to our wants; our way of life. When Jesus spoke, this was not the case. He spoke with authority as the Word of God. There was no agenda at all hidden behind His Words. Jesus spoke with a clear agenda, with the authority of God, to remove the facade of religion; to bring us into a relationship with Him.

Jesus in Chapter 7 of Matthew is clearly calling us to do more than just acknowledge His Words; He is calling us to follow Him. To follow others and the ways of the world will only lead to a way of life that is the “wide or broad way“, as opposed to the “narrow” way. There is no room in a relationship with Jesus for judging others, using prayer as a way to show authority on others, or to do to others that you would not want done to you.

This is His authority on which He speaks from. This is the Word of God from God Himself. No scribe or leader would speak this way, for it is not the way of humanity; it is the way of God.

Matthew 7:21 (HCSB)