What It Means To Teach With Authority

Mark 1:22
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

Mark 1:27
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.”

Jesus taught as one who had authority. What does that mean? This can only be understood by a study of the way teachers of the law of that time taught. The authority of the teacher was the school that he attended. Therefore the teacher kept making a reference to his school and his teacher(s).

Acts 22:3
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

This is an example of Apostle Paul claiming authority from his teacher Gamaliel. He was doing this to explain his life before conversion. A life that was defined by such achievements. This was the authority used by those teachers. Making reference to your teacher all the time.

Philippians 3:5
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;

Paul not only made reference to his teacher, but he also claimed authority based on the socio-political group he belonged to. He was a pharisee. Pharisees had a firm grasp of the law. He is explaining his life before conversion and he tells us where he gained his authority from. But now after conversion, his authority changed and his past is now considered as a loss.

The people were used to listening to teachers of the law and religious leaders referring to their teachers and schools as the basis of what they were saying. They sought to get some respect and attention from listeners based on where they studied and who taught them.

That meant that if the religious leader or teacher of the law was stripped of their school and teacher, they would remain an empty shell. If their school was for some reason discredited they had no self-defense. If their teacher was declared a fraud that would mark the end of their careers too. They were fully dependent on the schools and teachers they attended.

John 7:15
The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”

Jesus attended no school of the day. Jesus had no teacher to refer to. Jesus was taught basic scripture at home by the mother. Jesus must have attended synagogue schools to learn how to read scripture. Jesus did not go to advanced theological seminaries of His day. Therefore by the standards of His day, Jesus had not been taught, He was not educated.

It is good to clarify that this does not rubbish the need for schooling and theological training. We still need to send children to school. The clergy need theological training. But the authority must not be the seminary or the teacher or a textbook, but the word of God!

Acts 4:13
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Unschooled therefore does not mean a total lack of education. They had the basic reading skills from the synagogue. What they missed was the advanced theological training in schools by various opposing Rabbis. They did not avoid those schools because they were righteous and avoiding corruption, it is because they were poor and couldn’t afford them. They were ordinary citizens and not high class. But now the world that had been astonished by Jesus, discovered that their authority was Jesus.

When Jesus came preaching and teaching without citing any school or teacher, but only God’s word, the people were astonished. They had never heard such a teaching. He was different and also made sense. He was easily understood. He was different from their teachers of the law. He spoke with authority. That means Jesus spoke with certainty of what He was saying without depending on making reference to others.

Their teachers of the law kept referring to their teaches of the law and therefore did not seem authoritative themselves. They seemed so dependent on those they cited. They lacked authority, they only made a reference to authority. Jesus spoke with certainty and depended on God’s word and made reference to it only. Jesus did not refer to authority, His words were final and authoritative.

While it is important that proper research cites sources that are authoritative, the final conclusion of the findings should show the authority of the researcher and not just a reflection of what other authorities said. We must come out and make our positions clear. We should not be afraid of failing or taking unpopular sides. Jesus took a clear position and He was immediately noticed to be an authority and not just a person who refers to authority.

It is important to minimize references to school or teachers that expose the possibility that since we left school we have not read further or learned anything else. “My professor told me” “When I attended this college or that one.” A once in a while reference is necessary, but if it is your only source of authority there is a problem. We must grow up and be of age, and say what we think and not just what we were told.

All who belong to Jesus are not afraid to take a clear stand on any matter that touches on scripture. If they are wrong they are willing to be corrected. They may read all sources but they come up with their own conclusion. The weight of their decision is that Jesus through the Bible says so.

To teach with authority means, to have a clear position on a matter. A position based on God’s word. A position that finds its weight inning biblical. Authority is in confidence and certainty that you are right on this one. matters of faith require a conviction. You can’t teach with authority if you lack conviction. Jesus taught with authority and we too should teach with authority that comes from Jesus!

May I, like Peter and John be known to have been with Jesus and not by my earthly studies and achievements. May my authority be Jesus and convictions based on sound scripture interpretation, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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