One of the most powerful questions in the New Testament is the one posed by the chief priests and elders of the people to Jesus after he rebuked the fig tree on his way from Bethany to Jerusalem, "By what authority do you these things?" (Matthew 21:23, Mark 11:28, Luke 20:2).
The question is powerful not because of who asked the question, or the circumstances leading up to the question, but because it is core to our understanding of the Word of God.
In His earthly ministry, Jesus taught with authority, with conviction, and without hesitation or wavering. Matthew 7:28-29 records, "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes" (English Standard Version).
In Mark 1:21-28, soon after Jesus had called his first disciples to follow Him, "Jesus and his disciples came to the town of Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath Jesus went to the synagogue and began to teach. The people who heard him were amazed at the way he taught, for he wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.
Just then a man with an evil spirit came into the synagogue and screamed, 'What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are – you are God's holy messenger!'
Jesus ordered the spirit, 'Be quiet, and come out of the man!'
The evil spirit shook the man hard, gave a loud scream, and came out of him. The people were all so amazed that they started saying to one another, 'What is this? Is it some kind of new teaching? This man has authority to give orders to the evil spirits, and they obey him!'
And so the news about Jesus spread quickly everywhere in the province of Galilee" (Good News Bible).
As God in the flesh (Colossians 2:9) and Creator of all things (John 1:3), Jesus had power over the spirits – power that the religious leaders of His day (or since) did not have.
As Christians today, we accept the complete authority of Jesus. We do not question it, and as Peter said in John 6:68, To whom [else] could we go? No one speaks with the authority of Jesus – no other teacher – no preacher, pastor, priest, prelate, pontiff or pope, church president, or latter-day prophet of any faith.
As Jesus was returning to His Father following his resurrection from the tomb, he addressed his disciples one last time. He declared to them that all authority in Heaven and in earth was given to Him (Matthew 28:18).
Earlier, he had said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man" – John 5:25-27, ESV.
Only the Son of Man, Jesus, will judge the world at the end of time. So we could ask modern-day Pharisees and learned men, "By what authority do you do and teach these things?"
If they do not teach the uncorrupted Word of God with authority, then we need to turn back to Jesus.
