By What Authority?
After Jesus had run the money-changers out of the temple, the chief priests and elders asked Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” (Mt. 21:23). These were good questions, but they really were only interested in the authority by which Jesus acted, not the authority by which they acted! Jesus certainly had authority to act as He did, but they had none for their actions.
Everything we do in our service to God originated either in heaven or on earth. Many have no higher authority than human traditions. Jesus was in constant conflict with the Pharisees because they considered their traditions the same as God’s word. When they asked why His disciples “transgressed the tradition of the elders,” He asked them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Mt. 15:2,3). No one can know the will of God by appealing to the practices of men. A thing is traditional simply because it has been practiced, not because it came from heaven!
Many today are relying on their emotion as evidence of God’s revelation, rather than depending upon God’s revelation for their emotion. The Ethiopian heard the Scripture that Philip taught and obeyed it, then “he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:35,39). He was happy because he knew that he had obeyed the truth. He did not believe he had obeyed the truth simply because he was happy! Feeling good about our religion only proves that we are doing what we feel is right. It proves nothing about what God feels. We will be judged by what Jesus said (Jn. 12:48), not by how we felt about ourselves Jeremiah said: “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23). The apostle Paul taught the same, when he wrote: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). Jesus told the apostles to “preach the gospel,” and then said “He who believes” (the gospel), “and is baptized” will be saved (Mk. 16:15,16).
God’s word is the authority whether men believe it or not, but it functions as authority only for believers. There are not as many religious truths as there are religious thinkers. Each person does not determine what God’s truth is, but each determines whether he will accept that truth.
When Jesus was challenged about His teaching, He never appealed to traditions of men nor to emotions. He always appealed to what was written. When He was asked about divorce, He said “Have you not read…” and then quoted Genesis 2:24 (Mt. 19:4). When a young lawyer asked Him about eternal life, He said, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” (Lk. 10:26). True followers of Christ have the same attitude toward authority that He had. They “search the Scriptures” to see what is true (Acts 17:11). If it is from God, it is in His word.
Everything we do in our service to God originated either in heaven or on earth. Many have no higher authority than human traditions. Jesus was in constant conflict with the Pharisees because they considered their traditions the same as God’s word. When they asked why His disciples “transgressed the tradition of the elders,” He asked them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Mt. 15:2,3). No one can know the will of God by appealing to the practices of men. A thing is traditional simply because it has been practiced, not because it came from heaven!
Many today are relying on their emotion as evidence of God’s revelation, rather than depending upon God’s revelation for their emotion. The Ethiopian heard the Scripture that Philip taught and obeyed it, then “he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:35,39). He was happy because he knew that he had obeyed the truth. He did not believe he had obeyed the truth simply because he was happy! Feeling good about our religion only proves that we are doing what we feel is right. It proves nothing about what God feels. We will be judged by what Jesus said (Jn. 12:48), not by how we felt about ourselves Jeremiah said: “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23). The apostle Paul taught the same, when he wrote: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). Jesus told the apostles to “preach the gospel,” and then said “He who believes” (the gospel), “and is baptized” will be saved (Mk. 16:15,16).
God’s word is the authority whether men believe it or not, but it functions as authority only for believers. There are not as many religious truths as there are religious thinkers. Each person does not determine what God’s truth is, but each determines whether he will accept that truth.
When Jesus was challenged about His teaching, He never appealed to traditions of men nor to emotions. He always appealed to what was written. When He was asked about divorce, He said “Have you not read…” and then quoted Genesis 2:24 (Mt. 19:4). When a young lawyer asked Him about eternal life, He said, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” (Lk. 10:26). True followers of Christ have the same attitude toward authority that He had. They “search the Scriptures” to see what is true (Acts 17:11). If it is from God, it is in His word.