“BY WHAT AUTHORITY?” – Part 2 of 4

 “By what authority are You doing these things,

and who gave You this authority?”

(Mt. 21:23).

 

The need for authority is seen from the encounter between Jesus and the chief priests in Mt. 21:23-27. It identifies the only two sources by which religious convictions and practices are drawn: God (heaven), or men (self). Authority is defined as lawful right or power. Every religious practice must meet with God’s approval. Therefore, not all worship is acceptable to God. (cf. Cain & Abel; Nadab & Abihu; the Canaanites – Gen. 4:4; Lev. 10:1; Deut. 12:4, 8, 31-32).

God has revealed to man what is and is not acceptable as worship (cf.  Jn. 4:24; Col. 2:23). John’s baptism was not by his own initiative. He was “sent from God” (Jn. 1:6). Therefore, it was binding (cf. Mal. 3:1; Lk. 1:76-77). Likewise, our convictions and practices must be according to the oracles of God (1 Pt. 4:11).

Authority exists in one of two ways: absolute or delegated. Only God has absolute authority. This simply means that no one prior to God possessed authority and then gave it to God. God possesses absolute authority by virtue of creation (cf. Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 8:6; 11:12; Col. 1:16).

The absolute nature of God’s authority is seen from Isa. 55:10-11, “My word…shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” The absolute power of God’s word is seen in that the Creation was spoken into existence (Psa. 33:6, 11). Next week, we will examine some aspects of delegated authority.