Saturday 05 March 2011

Background

The question of Jesus' authority is like a thread runningthrough the Gospels. The people of Galilee early in his ministrycommented that Jesus spoke "as one having authority" (Matthew 7:28-29). When Jesus read from thescroll in the synagogue in Nazareth, people were amazed at the wayhe spoke (Luke 4:16-22). Time and again the religiousleaders of the day felt threatened by the natural authority thatJesus was able to display when he spoke either to small groups orlarge crowds. Those who held official roles in the Jewish hierarchyfelt a mixture of threat, jealousy and bewilderment when faced withthe impact of Jesus on the ordinary people.

The religious authorities of the temple in Jerusalem were nodifferent. They turn to Jesus and say, in effect: "Just who do youthink you are? This temple has been here for hundreds of years,going about its business in a time-honoured way and now you come inand disturb the peace and try to take charge."

As so often when the religious leaders ask Jesus a question aboutthe source of his authority, he refuses to give a straight answer.He teases his questioners and refuses to play their game. He posesa question to them in return which he knows that they cannot answerone way or the other without getting into hot water: "Did thebaptism of John come from heaven or was it of human origin?" (verse30)

But, in a way there was a coded answer in Jesus' reply because heknew and many people believed the Jesus had been anointed by theSpirit at the time of his Baptism by John (Mark1:9-11). But Jesus was not ready to give that answer yet andcertainly not to those who wished to do away with him.

To Ponder

'Authority' is a difficult issue for many peoplein church. In some people defer automatically to those in'authority' positions; in others it is the charisma of leaderswhich commands authority; in yet other circumstances leaders (andpeople) balk at anything or anybody which smacks of 'authority'.Think about your experiences with authority in churches: which havebeen positive or negative experiences?What can you draw out ofthis, in terms of the exercising of authority?

Part of our discipleship is to act in Jesus' nameand to exercise 'his authority'. We may be called to break a logjamor challenge the comfortable rut into a church has fallen. How fardo you see that as part of your discipleship and do you feelequipped and ready to carry out such a task?

Where are you exercising Jesus' authority in yourdiscipleship today?