Authority

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Matthew 7:28-29

The events on which Matthew focuses in the 8th chapter of his Gospel are many early miracles Jesus performed in his Galilean ministry. He heals a leper, a centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law (who knew?) and many other people afflicted with diseases and demons. (Notice that both sickness and demons are mentioned as being healed or cast out. I think it goes both ways in saying that they are real things that happen to people.)

So Jesus’ power for healing and miracles are the topic here. However, Matthew’s theme that under-girds these accounts is His authority to do these things.

Very many people have power. How many really have authority to exercise it? Having authority implies legitimacy and qualification fit for the position or task. There was something giving legitimacy to what Jesus did, whether teaching or miracle-working. Its true nature came from who He was and where He came from.

The centurion did indeed recognize this authority. From the account Luke gives us of this event, the centurion communicated to Jesus through servants and friends, and apparently, he had thought through everything he would say to Jesus. He understood the implications of Jesus’ authority because he himself was in the middle of an unbreakable chain of command. He knew if he told someone under him something to do, it would get done. His concern and focus was not Jesus’ power, but His authority.

We get more excitement from seeing a demonstration of power. And perhaps as Christians we may put more trust in in God for the benefits of His power, rather than in His authority to reign over our lives.

So, do I submit to Jesus’ authority? The centurion did. He only needed the word, the OK, from Him and he knew that his servant would be healed. What if Jesus says I need to relinquish some area of my life to His authority, because I now see it exposed for what it is? Will I submit? Before, I said that Jesus’ authority also implies He is worthy to exercise it. This makes submission a part of worship as well, ascribing that worthiness to Him which He deserves.

This authority also reaches to our motivation to share and spread the Gospel. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” the ending of Matthew’s Gospel quotes Jesus saying. “Therefore go,” He says. The one thing this command shows us is there is no earthly authority that supersedes Jesus. If any government, PAC or non-profit celebrity-led group says the Gospel is illegal to share or promote, they are going against Christ's authority, and that kind of edict is not legitimate and is usurping God's authority.

If we seek to walk in Jesus’ authority, He will make the way we need to accomplish His call to bring the Gospel to our friends, neighbors and the world. That's at least, what our submission to Jesus should lead us to.