Jesus never sees it necessary to claim an authoritative position. Instead, he demonstrates an authoritative power. Authority means nothing if it doesn’t have POWER. You can have POSITION, but it doesn’t mean anything if there is no ability to influence.

Verse 22 – They were astonished at His teaching because he taught them as one having authority, not like the scribes

The reason for their astonishment was that Jesus taught on the basis of his own authority and not by citing previous scholars like other teachers of that day.

He preached God’s Word, not about God’s Word. PREACHING about God’s word INFORMS.  Preaching God’s word TRANSFORMS.

Verse 27b… He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

The demon knew something that the crowd did not. He refers to Jesus as The Holy one of God.

Interesting The demon acknowledged the true identity of Jesus – something that the disciples were SLOW to do. In fact, only at the crucifixion did a human confess Jesus as the Son of God, and he was not one of the disciples.

This passage is an incredible description of REACTIONS to AUTHORITY.

  • The crowd was astonished at his authority, but not submissive to it.
  • The demon was compelled by his authority, though ultimately resistant to it.

Summary: Jesus used (and uses) His authority for FREEDOM not FAME.

Today: We don’t necessarily have religious SECTS, but we do have secular TRIBALISM.

Secular tribalism is what happens when people lose a shared sacred center but still crave MEANING, MORALITY and belonging – so they build substitute religions out of politics, culture, or ideology.

Rabbis = Influencers

MORALITY without Jesus authority is nothing more than MORAL THERAPEUTIC DEISM

  • A god exists who created and watches over the world
  • God wants people to be good, nice and fair to each other as taught in the Bible and by most world religions
  • The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
  • God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when need to resolve a problem
  • Good people go to heaven when they die

Jesus is not an intellectual or moral authority.  Jesus is the ultimate authority.

  1. Who are you listening to?
  2. What is Jesus asking you to believe that requires trust?
  3. What is Jesus asking you to do that you are resistant to?