Christ's Authority

Another area of interest is the power or authority Christ had which enabled Him to perform the mighty miracles which He did, ranging from blessings, prophecies, blessings, healings, casting out devils, and miracles. 

Many have taught that Christ was able to do these works because of who He was. They teach that because He was the Son of God that He had access to divine powers that mortal men do not possess. Later His apostles learned how to do many of these same works because He granted them His power. These same teacher then by reason propose that the reasons why men today cannot do such things is that the power was lost. 

So let's examine this with what the scriptures teach. 

“And when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?"

And Jesus answered and said unto them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.  The baptism of John, whence was it? from Heaven, or of men?"

 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we shall say, 'From Heaven'; he will say unto us, 'Why did ye not then believe him?'  But if we shall say, 'Of men'; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet."

And they answered Jesus, and said, "We cannot tell." And he said unto them, "Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things."”

Matthew 21:23-27

From this passage it makes it clear that authority was a serious issue among the men of the day just as it is with many today. Now Christ's response not only confounded the Jewish priests, but it gives us a very real insight and a serious question for us to ponder and think upon. Where did John The Baptist get his authority?  The priests may not have followed John and his teachings, but the feared and respected him. Many of them acknowledged the power of his teachings and many acknowledged him as a prophet of God. For that matter, going back further in history, where did Noah obtain his authority? Abraham? Isaac? Jacob? Joseph? Moses? Aaron? Joshua? Samuel? Elisha? Elijah? Isaiah?  

Were any of these men the Son of God as Jesus was?  And yet did they not have power to heal the sick?  Prophecy? Bless? Command the elements? Raise the dead? The definitive answer if the scriptures are to be believed is yes!  If these men were not Jesus and yet were able to do many of the same works, then the reason Christ could do what He did must not have been a result of who He was. One must by reason alone conclude that there is another important key here. Something that all these mighty prophets had in common.