Authority Beyond Words
When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matt. 8:1-3, NASB.
Words are cheap. Anyone can make great statements or preach a powerful and insightful sermon. Some years ago a minister came through town proclaiming that if people had the right kind of faith they could leave his meetings and "never sin again." I had heard that one before. At one time I myself used to teach it. I would have been more impressed if the man had said that he had faith enough to leave the auditorium, go down to Lake Chapin, and walk on water. Real authority has demonstrable action, not mere verbiage.
Jesus had genuine authority not only in His words but also in what He was able to do. That is what Matthew 8 and 9 are all about. Chapters 5-7 set forth Jesus as an authoritative teacher (see Matt. 7:29), then immediately follow two chapters demonstrating that He has authority in deeds as well as words. And once again His authority would astonish the crowds (Matt. 7:28, 29; Matt. 9:33).
There is a plan to Jesus' life just as there is a plan to Matthew's Gospel. Between Matthew 8:1 and 9:33 the first Gospel has Jesus performing nine miracles that demonstrate His authority in a way that leaves no doubt about who He is. The first miracle finds Jesus healing a leper. Leprosy was the most dreaded disease in the ancient world. Beyond the physical deterioration of the victim was the social ostracism. Lepers were banished from human society immediately upon diagnosis. They had to leave family and friends, cover their faces, and cry "Unclean" wherever they went.
Yet Jesus could heal even a leper. He has authority even over such a dreaded disease. The eight subsequent miracles demonstrate that He has power not only over disease but also over the forces of nature and the demonic world. In the end of the demonstration of authority, Matthew writes that "the crowds marveled, saying, 'Never was anything like this seen in Israel' " (Matt. 9:33, RSV).
Jesus not only speaks as God, He acts as God. He has authority. And that authority is meant for our own cleansing just as much as it was for the unclean 2,000 years ago.
When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matt. 8:1-3, NASB.
Words are cheap. Anyone can make great statements or preach a powerful and insightful sermon. Some years ago a minister came through town proclaiming that if people had the right kind of faith they could leave his meetings and "never sin again." I had heard that one before. At one time I myself used to teach it. I would have been more impressed if the man had said that he had faith enough to leave the auditorium, go down to Lake Chapin, and walk on water. Real authority has demonstrable action, not mere verbiage.
Jesus had genuine authority not only in His words but also in what He was able to do. That is what Matthew 8 and 9 are all about. Chapters 5-7 set forth Jesus as an authoritative teacher (see Matt. 7:29), then immediately follow two chapters demonstrating that He has authority in deeds as well as words. And once again His authority would astonish the crowds (Matt. 7:28, 29; Matt. 9:33).
There is a plan to Jesus' life just as there is a plan to Matthew's Gospel. Between Matthew 8:1 and 9:33 the first Gospel has Jesus performing nine miracles that demonstrate His authority in a way that leaves no doubt about who He is. The first miracle finds Jesus healing a leper. Leprosy was the most dreaded disease in the ancient world. Beyond the physical deterioration of the victim was the social ostracism. Lepers were banished from human society immediately upon diagnosis. They had to leave family and friends, cover their faces, and cry "Unclean" wherever they went.
Yet Jesus could heal even a leper. He has authority even over such a dreaded disease. The eight subsequent miracles demonstrate that He has power not only over disease but also over the forces of nature and the demonic world. In the end of the demonstration of authority, Matthew writes that "the crowds marveled, saying, 'Never was anything like this seen in Israel' " (Matt. 9:33, RSV).
Jesus not only speaks as God, He acts as God. He has authority. And that authority is meant for our own cleansing just as much as it was for the unclean 2,000 years ago.
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