Mark 1:21-28
Authority of Jesus
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
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 evil spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
Deuteronomy 5:7-11
The First Three Commandments
7 “You shall have no other gods before me.
8 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
John 8:10-11
Jesus Says Go and Sin No More
10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Matthew 11:27
No One Knows God but His Son
27"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
John 10:25-30
Jesus and His Father are One
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Matthew 28:18
All Authority is Given to Jesus
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
John 4:24
God is Spirit
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
John 10:33
Jesus Claims to be God
33 "We are not stoning you for any good work," they replied, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."
Often authority and power are given to one who are leaders of their companies or organizations...Authority is also given to those elected from the political field...And these people seem to gain more power and status as they stay in office longer and in their positions for long periods of time...But Jesus was not an organization leader or an elected official...No, He was a Itinerant Jewish Teacher, who traveled from village to village giving lessons and teaching about God...In His life, especially by today's standards and different ways to travel, He never traveled far...And as He traveled and taught others, He taught with this unusual authority...He taught with Great Words...This Teacher had no ego, and was completely unselfish, and taught much helping others and on forgiveness and mercy...And He only traveled around for three years...So career wise, by today's standards, He did not work to long in His life...Most would have thought His popularity and power would have dropped off the earth by now...But the people He taught were so amazed by not only His teachings, but also of this authority that He exuded and seemed to have about Him...And His personal teaching style was like no other...It is an understatement to say that He is the Most Unique Teacher ever to be on earth...His words and His parables were so mighty that He still has students two thousand years after His death..
Authority is defined as the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience...Authority is the power to act and command...And authority for the most part comes from someone else, or from the position you hold...This Traveling Teacher had such great authority that the people He touched and was around -noticed it...I also think many even felt His authority...And not only did He have this authority, He always seemed to be in control of the situations He was in -and those situations were not always friendly...And He was always referring about and teaching about God...And I am sure, this had a lot to do with His looking authoritative and always being in control...Yet, this particular Teacher was not one of the religious leaders of His time...No that would come...But it would come much later...His large following of people would come after He died...
And maybe only partly because of this authority He seemed to have, this would lead to His arrest and His death...I use the words "only partly" in reference to Him getting arrested...After all, who really wants to label a Traveling Teacher a criminal, let alone putting a Traveling Teacher on a cross and killing Him...And He really wasn't even put to death for His teachings about God...His arrest and death was more for Him claiming to be Someone...And that Someone He claims to be is God...He also went around forgiving others of their sins against man and God...In His time and through today the Jewish people have a long history of religion and knowledge of the God of Israel...So in their knowledge of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He was arrested for breaking the first three commandments of the Ten Commandments of God...When this Teacher went around saying things like no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him...And that He and the Father are One, then the Jewish leaders of His day, felt that they had to intervene and take care of this Teaching problem they saw...After all, they had been around for years and knew quite a bit about the God of Israel themselves...And there is Only One God of Israel and the world...The religious leaders with the actual authority of Roman Law would bring an end to this Itinerant Teacher's teachings and Him saying that He and God are One...The religious leaders, especially the High Priest and the Sanhedrin, had much authority in His time...
And if one could have ask all those who heard this Teacher teach, I think even most of His opposition would have stated, this is a Bright, Young, and upcoming Teacher and Rabbi...And for His opposition, if He would and could have left certain parts of His Teachings and conversations out about His relationships with God, and (things like) Him claiming God to be His Father and to be God, His opposition would conclude He was also a good Moral Teacher...But this Teacher could not leave and omit these statements, because He is given all authority from God His Father...
So there things one must realize in the Teacher's arrest and death...Some of the things that the religious leaders with the legal-type authority should have considered were: Maybe He could be God, or the Son of God...Or just maybe Him and the Father could be One, a Duality (or even a Trinity) of sorts, if one believes God can do anything...Or just maybe God who is Spirit could leave heaven and could become flesh, and dwell on the earth...