As one with Authority
Authority is an issue that affects each of us most days of our lives. Inevitably as we go about our days we raise questions of authority. “Who has the authority here?” Many times the answer to this question comes by position. As children enter a classroom, the teacher has authority. You will abide by their rules. You are speeding and see some bright blue lights behind you and you pull over. The bright blue lights have the authority by position. Police have authority to enforce the rules set by society.
Even if you have a position that may grant you some authority, inevitably questions arise about how much authority? When and where does it end or stop? In recent weeks our country has been inundated with asking questions of who has the authority to do what and when and how?
Generally these discussions are rooted in deeper issues of respect (or lack thereof) that lend themselves to challenging established authority.
Real authority often is achieved not through position. In any system there are leaders on paper and then there are the real leaders. The influencers, and “ghosts of Christmas past”, the people who are really who people listen too, whose thoughts, opinions, actions matter. those are the people with real authority in a system.
Recently my daughter and I were speaking and I shared that of one of her former youth pastors has been or will be soon ordained to the priesthood. I was not sure where he was exactly at this time, and, she replied, “Yeah she had just heard from him.” It has been four years since we were a part of this congregation, and I was stunned and grateful. She went on to share that he had sent a link to a group of them to listen to a sermon, which she had, that morning. She listened to the sermon and had interacted with it and why did she do that? Because Michael (her former youth pastor) has spiritual authority in her life - not by his current position in her life or in a church, nor by his words necessarily, but by his deeds. His life interactions with her gives Michael credence, precedence, authority in her life that she has granted him.
Michael has not officially been her youth minister for at least 4 years - she grew up and he discerned a call to seminary to follow God’s calling in his life - but because of his love and care for her, because she as an impressionable youth who had watched him and interacted with him - Michael has some pull in her life. If Michael asks her to do something or whatever Michael says or thinks - she gives credence too, because she respects Michael. I, as a mother, could not be more grateful and thankful for Michael, and stand slightly in awe of him - who 4 years after leaving his post is still engaging with his youth because he understands the importance of relationships and though he is not officially in the position any longer at this church as youth minister- he has earned the right and authority to speak into this group of young adults. If Michael says it, my daughter pays attention. I am eternally grateful for this now Priest who has such influence and pull in two of my children’s lives.
Our gospel reading today begins with Jesus entering the synagogue in Capernaum and teaching. The text says he taught as one with authority and not as the scribes. The text today follows a few big events and begins what we refer to as Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus has been baptized where the Spirit descended upon him and it was declared, “this is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased” and he went into the wilderness for a time of preparation, he has called his disciples, and here we have him entering the synagogue on the sabbath. He is at home in his own religious tradition among his own people - and he teaches. The people are amazed not just that he teaches but that he teaches with authority and “not as the scribes”. Ouch.
Scribes in ancient Israel were learned men whose business was to study the Law, transcribe it, and write commentaries on it. They were also hired on occasions when the need for a written document arose or when an interpretation of a legal point was needed. Ezra, “a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses,” was a scribe (Ezra 7:6).
The scribes took their job of preserving Scripture very seriously; they would copy and recopy meticulously, even counting letters and spaces to ensure each copy was correct. We can thank the Jewish scribes for preserving the Old Testament portion of our Bibles.
Jews became increasingly known as “the people of the Book” because of their faithful study of Scripture, particularly the Law and how it should be followed. In the New Testament era, scribes were often associated with the sect of the Pharisees, although not all Pharisees were scribes. They were teachers of the people (Mark 1:22) and interpreters of the Law. They were widely respected by the community because of their knowledge, dedication, and outward appearance of Law-keeping.
Something was noticeably different between Jesus’ teaching and the scribes teaching.
The people who heard him teach were astonished, “for he taught them as one having authority (exousia), and not as the scribes.”
The central question and theme is the nature and issue of Jesus’ authority (exousia).
The word for authority, exousia, is related to the verb exesti, meaning “it is free” or “it is permitted.” In other words, exousia is the “sovereign freedom” of one who acts without hindrance. Jesus’ teaching in sovereign freedom is contrasted with the teaching of the scribes. The difference is that the scribes’ teaching authority depends on their knowledge of and adherence to tradition–especially the traditional interpretation of the Torah. However, Jesus teaches with an independent authority–or rather, on the authority of God (cf. 11:28-33).
A confrontation occurs with a demonic - someone possessed by a demon. The demon knows to whom he is speaking. Jesus tells him to be silent. He is set free.
Those who are confronted with Jesus and his divine authority experience a freedom - a setting free.
This text portrays Jesus as the one who brings something radically new and different - it speaks to a new way of doing things and it was noted by all the difference -as one with authority.
As the gospel accounts continue, Jesus’ new practices bring him into deadly conflict with the worldly authorities, who represent the old way of being and doing (3:6). And ultimately, it is Jesus’ claim to act on divine authority that leads to his death (14:62-64).
Mark has already set up a major theme of his gospel– the issue of Jesus’ divine authority, his bringing of something radically new, and the eventual result of which will be his death. Just as putting new wine into old wineskins causes the wineskins to break and the new wine to be lost (2:22), so Jesus’ bringing of the radical newness of the kingdom will lead to the breaking of the old (cf. Mark 15:38) and the spilling of his “wine” for the sake of many (14:24).
In a worldly sense, Jesus did not have any power at all. He was not a worldly king with political or military power. He was not of the priests, who had the power in Roman Judea. He was not even a scribe with the authority of Jewish tradition.
His authority lay in the sheer power of his words and in the example of his deeds. His authority lay in his living as God’s servant. Jesus used his authority not to obtain power for himself but to serve humanity
Jesus’ acting in authority brought blessings to people–health and healing (1:23-28). His authority possessed an irresistible power that drew people not through manipulation, but simply by the person that he was and the truth of his own existence and the gifts that he gave.
I am reminded of my friend Michael and his presence in my children’s lives. They are experiencing Christ not necessarily by Michael’s words, but by his existence and the gifts he gives to others of himself.
I would be remiss to not mention that with this authority, Jesus came to set things free. This person in this encounter was set free from an unclean spirit. In contemplating this text, we may do well to ask ourselves what things we may need to be set free from? What unclean spirits may possess us? What things do we need to release in order to live fuller, more peaceable lives? What things can Jesus release for us?
Jesus’ authority and kingdom ministry invite us to imagine a different world — and to live towards it. May our own lives reflect this freedom - may our own lives speak to a newness and a different way of doing things that will naturally draw others in to the kingdom, reflecting the authority of God. Amen.
Even if you have a position that may grant you some authority, inevitably questions arise about how much authority? When and where does it end or stop? In recent weeks our country has been inundated with asking questions of who has the authority to do what and when and how?
Generally these discussions are rooted in deeper issues of respect (or lack thereof) that lend themselves to challenging established authority.
Real authority often is achieved not through position. In any system there are leaders on paper and then there are the real leaders. The influencers, and “ghosts of Christmas past”, the people who are really who people listen too, whose thoughts, opinions, actions matter. those are the people with real authority in a system.
Recently my daughter and I were speaking and I shared that of one of her former youth pastors has been or will be soon ordained to the priesthood. I was not sure where he was exactly at this time, and, she replied, “Yeah she had just heard from him.” It has been four years since we were a part of this congregation, and I was stunned and grateful. She went on to share that he had sent a link to a group of them to listen to a sermon, which she had, that morning. She listened to the sermon and had interacted with it and why did she do that? Because Michael (her former youth pastor) has spiritual authority in her life - not by his current position in her life or in a church, nor by his words necessarily, but by his deeds. His life interactions with her gives Michael credence, precedence, authority in her life that she has granted him.
Michael has not officially been her youth minister for at least 4 years - she grew up and he discerned a call to seminary to follow God’s calling in his life - but because of his love and care for her, because she as an impressionable youth who had watched him and interacted with him - Michael has some pull in her life. If Michael asks her to do something or whatever Michael says or thinks - she gives credence too, because she respects Michael. I, as a mother, could not be more grateful and thankful for Michael, and stand slightly in awe of him - who 4 years after leaving his post is still engaging with his youth because he understands the importance of relationships and though he is not officially in the position any longer at this church as youth minister- he has earned the right and authority to speak into this group of young adults. If Michael says it, my daughter pays attention. I am eternally grateful for this now Priest who has such influence and pull in two of my children’s lives.
Our gospel reading today begins with Jesus entering the synagogue in Capernaum and teaching. The text says he taught as one with authority and not as the scribes. The text today follows a few big events and begins what we refer to as Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus has been baptized where the Spirit descended upon him and it was declared, “this is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased” and he went into the wilderness for a time of preparation, he has called his disciples, and here we have him entering the synagogue on the sabbath. He is at home in his own religious tradition among his own people - and he teaches. The people are amazed not just that he teaches but that he teaches with authority and “not as the scribes”. Ouch.
Scribes in ancient Israel were learned men whose business was to study the Law, transcribe it, and write commentaries on it. They were also hired on occasions when the need for a written document arose or when an interpretation of a legal point was needed. Ezra, “a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses,” was a scribe (Ezra 7:6).
The scribes took their job of preserving Scripture very seriously; they would copy and recopy meticulously, even counting letters and spaces to ensure each copy was correct. We can thank the Jewish scribes for preserving the Old Testament portion of our Bibles.
Jews became increasingly known as “the people of the Book” because of their faithful study of Scripture, particularly the Law and how it should be followed. In the New Testament era, scribes were often associated with the sect of the Pharisees, although not all Pharisees were scribes. They were teachers of the people (Mark 1:22) and interpreters of the Law. They were widely respected by the community because of their knowledge, dedication, and outward appearance of Law-keeping.
Something was noticeably different between Jesus’ teaching and the scribes teaching.
The people who heard him teach were astonished, “for he taught them as one having authority (exousia), and not as the scribes.”
The central question and theme is the nature and issue of Jesus’ authority (exousia).
The word for authority, exousia, is related to the verb exesti, meaning “it is free” or “it is permitted.” In other words, exousia is the “sovereign freedom” of one who acts without hindrance. Jesus’ teaching in sovereign freedom is contrasted with the teaching of the scribes. The difference is that the scribes’ teaching authority depends on their knowledge of and adherence to tradition–especially the traditional interpretation of the Torah. However, Jesus teaches with an independent authority–or rather, on the authority of God (cf. 11:28-33).
A confrontation occurs with a demonic - someone possessed by a demon. The demon knows to whom he is speaking. Jesus tells him to be silent. He is set free.
Those who are confronted with Jesus and his divine authority experience a freedom - a setting free.
This text portrays Jesus as the one who brings something radically new and different - it speaks to a new way of doing things and it was noted by all the difference -as one with authority.
As the gospel accounts continue, Jesus’ new practices bring him into deadly conflict with the worldly authorities, who represent the old way of being and doing (3:6). And ultimately, it is Jesus’ claim to act on divine authority that leads to his death (14:62-64).
Mark has already set up a major theme of his gospel– the issue of Jesus’ divine authority, his bringing of something radically new, and the eventual result of which will be his death. Just as putting new wine into old wineskins causes the wineskins to break and the new wine to be lost (2:22), so Jesus’ bringing of the radical newness of the kingdom will lead to the breaking of the old (cf. Mark 15:38) and the spilling of his “wine” for the sake of many (14:24).
In a worldly sense, Jesus did not have any power at all. He was not a worldly king with political or military power. He was not of the priests, who had the power in Roman Judea. He was not even a scribe with the authority of Jewish tradition.
His authority lay in the sheer power of his words and in the example of his deeds. His authority lay in his living as God’s servant. Jesus used his authority not to obtain power for himself but to serve humanity
Jesus’ acting in authority brought blessings to people–health and healing (1:23-28). His authority possessed an irresistible power that drew people not through manipulation, but simply by the person that he was and the truth of his own existence and the gifts that he gave.
I am reminded of my friend Michael and his presence in my children’s lives. They are experiencing Christ not necessarily by Michael’s words, but by his existence and the gifts he gives to others of himself.
I would be remiss to not mention that with this authority, Jesus came to set things free. This person in this encounter was set free from an unclean spirit. In contemplating this text, we may do well to ask ourselves what things we may need to be set free from? What unclean spirits may possess us? What things do we need to release in order to live fuller, more peaceable lives? What things can Jesus release for us?
Jesus’ authority and kingdom ministry invite us to imagine a different world — and to live towards it. May our own lives reflect this freedom - may our own lives speak to a newness and a different way of doing things that will naturally draw others in to the kingdom, reflecting the authority of God. Amen.