“BY WHAT AUTHORITY?” – Part 3 of 4

“By what authority are You doing these things,

and who gave You this authority?”

 (Mt. 21:23). 

Authority is inherent with God. This is by virtue of being the creator and sustainer of life. Only God is eternal. We need not only to understand that authority belongs to God but also understand how God purposed for His authority to be exerted. Remember, God’s authority is God’s will. God chose how to dispense His will to man. In dispensing His will, God is delegating His authority. He first spoke through prophets, then through His Son (cf. Amos 3:7; Heb. 1:1-2).

Prophets had no authority to alter God’s will (Prov. 30:5-6); or, as Jonah, fail to deliver God’s message (Jonah 1:2-3). The ‘binding and loosing’ of God’s will was explained in Mt. 16:19. Jesus did not speak on His own initiative (Jn. 8:42). He was ‘given’ (delegated) power on earth to forgive sins at His word (cf. Mt. 9:6; Lk. 5:20; 7:48; 23:43). However, what He spoke and did was by command from His Father (cf. Jn. 7:16; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10, 31). Jesus promised the twelve apostles that the Holy Spirit would empower them with God’s authority. This began in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost following His ascension, when the Holy Spirit descended upon them (Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:4).

The apostles were stewards of Jesus’ words and spoke and wrote under guidance of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 2:12-13; 11:23; 14:37; Gal. 4:11-12). God’s authority now resides in these inspired words (Eph. 3:3-4). In our teaching, we are to speak these oracles from God (1 Pt. 4:11). Remember, delegated authority is our stewardship of God’s authority.