Jesus Reveals His Authority

GOLDEN TEXT: “For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” —Matthew 7:29

MATTHEW 21:12, 13, 23-27

JESUS’ cleansing the temple of the money changers, the record of which is a part of today’s lesson, followed his triumphal entry into Jerusalem seated upon an ass. It was at this time that he was acclaimed king by many in the city, and this would seem to have a bearing on the authority which he later exercised by driving the commercialists out of the temple, and thereby, for the time, cleansing this typical place of worship.

Ordinarily Jesus did not concern himself with the wrong practices of the people of Israel, except to call attention to them when fitting opportunities were presented for so doing. Jesus was not a reformer in the sense that we think of that term today. He realized that Israel, under the influence of selfish and corrupt religious leaders, had drifted too far away from God to be turned back by anything short of his coming kingdom of authority and power.

Jesus, of course, loved his people according to the flesh. Even when saying to them that their house was left unto them desolate, he explained that he would have liked to have gathered them together as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but that they “would not.” Aside from cleansing the temple by driving out the money changers, Jesus had used no other method for gathering the Israelites hack into the fold of God than to proclaim to them the Gospel of the kingdom, and to call upon them to repent. His was not a ministry of force or coercion, but of persuasion based upon love.

“The chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?” (vs. 23). Jesus did not give a direct answer to this question, but instead asked those who were opposing him about John’s baptism, whether it was “from heaven, or of men.” (vs. 25) These religious leaders of Israel disclaimed John the Baptist as a prophet, but many of. the people believed that he was a prophet, so Jesus’ question placed them in a difficult position, and they refused to answer. Therefore Jesus was under no obligation to answer them.

The question of authority, or of ordination, as it would be called today, is an important one. Jesus could easily have explained to his opponents by what authority he taught and preached, but apparently he felt that their hearts were not in the right attitude to receive the truth on the subject. In a synagogue in Nazareth, soon after he began his ministry, Jesus called attention to his divine authorization by explaining that the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1,2 was being fulfilled by him.

The opening statement in this prophecy reads, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” This is a statement of the true ordination by God, the ordination or authority of the Holy Spirit. Jesus received this directly from his Heavenly Father, and without the benefit of a college degree. Nor did he need the approval of the religious leaders of his day. His ordination by God needed no confirmation from them.

The authority of God, through his Spirit, to preach the Gospel is described as an “anointing.” The use of this word stems from divine regulation for installing the priests of Israel into office. A special oil was poured upon their heads, and this was described as an anointing. This anointing oil was symbolic of the Holy Spirit which was to come upon Jesus, designating him to be the great antitypical High Priest, the Anointed of God.

The Apostle Peter explained that all the true followers of Jesus constitute a “holy priesthood,” and these likewise receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and are thereby authorized or ordained to preach the Gospel. (I Pet. 2:5,9) The Apostle John wrote, “The anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you.” (I John 2:27) This “anointing,” John further explains, “teacheth you of all things,” meaning, of course, all things which a minister of Christ needs to know in order to preach the Gospel of Christ.

Thus, just as Jesus received his authority to preach directly from God, through the Holy Spirit, so do all his faithful followers. Theological schools and human ordination are not prerequisites for the ministry of the Gospel. All consecrated Christians are authorized to be ministers of the Gospel, according to their talents and opportunities

QUESTIONS

What important event in the life of Jesus preceded his cleansing the temple?

Was Jesus a “reformer” in Israel?

Why did Israel’s religious leaders refuse to answer Jesus’ questions concerning John the Baptist?

By what authority did Jesus conduct his ministry?

Is human ordination necessary in order for one to be a minister of the Gospel?

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