This will be the first of 3 discussions about God's Chain of Authority as revealed in the Bible. It is noted in the New Testament that the people were astonished at what Jesus taught them in what is commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount. They recognized that Jesus taught as one having authority and not as the Scribes. Arnie and Fred will discuss the passages where references to divine authority are found and who it is that possesses such authority and how they obtained such authority. Take about 30 minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy to verify the references we make.
This will be the first of 3 discussions about God's Chain of Authority as revealed in the Bible. It is noted in the New Testament that the people were astonished at what Jesus taught them in what is commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount. They recognized that Jesus taught as one having authority and not as the Scribes. Arnie and Fred will discuss the passages where references to divine authority are found and who it is that possesses such authority and how they obtained such authority. Take about 30 minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy to verify the references we make.
spk_0: 0:00
Fred This is a presentation of the Woodland church of Christ, meeting at 3370 Broad Street in Sumter, South Carolina. We meet for worship on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p. m. We meet for Bible study at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday and at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. If you have questions or comments on this lesson, you may email them to Fred Gosnell at fgosnell@ftc-i.net or to Arnie Granke at agranke440718@twc.com.
spk_1: 0:34
Arnie Good afternoon. This is Arnie Granke and Fred Gosnell with Woodland Church of christ, and this is what does the Bible say. After reporting what Jesus had said in the sermon on the Mount in Matthew, Chapter 28, Chapter seven, Verse 28 and 29, Matthew observed that the people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. Typically, the faith and doctrine and practice of the scribes were superficial and hypocritical, based upon the doctrines and traditions of men, generally lacking the authority and approval of God. A master on the other hand taught as one vested with power and jurisdiction and command and who had divine sanction right and approval. Many today fail to recognize any difference between divine and human authority and often do not even realize the importance of divine authority. Many, in fact, aren't even aware that such a thing exists. But believe in, teach and do what suits them. As the Proverb has said in Proverbs Chapter 16 Verse 25 there is a way that seemeth right onto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. So Fred and I decided that we would like to spend the balance of this study with you and two more discussions to consider the teaching and observances that are authoritative, based on what God says in His word, rather than the doctrines of traditions of men.
spk_0: 2:20
Fred So there are chains of authority, you might say in the Bible, and they go from the highest to the lowest. Of course, we recognize that God has the ultimate authority, and Paul points that out in Romans 13:1 where he writes, he says, let every soul be subject to the higher powers, for there is no power but of God, the powers that be are ordained of God. Of course, he's talking about civil authorities there, and God has all power. And he has the power to delegate authority to others in this case, civil authorities. Then in John 19, 10 and 11 Jesus was before Pilate and Pilate says in Verse 10, Then saith Pilate to him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee and I have power to release thee? Jesus answered thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above. So Jesus acknowledged Pilate's authority or his power to basically tell Jesus or tell them to crucify him. But then he said, Now you're authority comes from God, and ultimately you wouldn't have any unless God gave it to you.
spk_0: 3:29
Arnie It's interesting that that Pilate began to realize at that particular point that Jesus was, ah, a unique individual, unlike anybody that he had ever tried before. Christ's Authority follows that in both Romans 13 and in Matthew, Chapter 28 the Greek word in the Koine Greek original original recording of the Bible is a word that means authority and its number 1849 there. I don't think you had mentioned that. Had you okay? All right. I don't want to be duplicating what you say it, but but a Matthew Chapter 28 beginning and in verse 16 after Jesus Resurrection. Then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him. But some doubted and Jesus came and spake unto them, saying all power is given unto me in heaven and in in earth. So, He uses that same word that I just mentioned here a moment ago. And then in John, Chapter seven is an occasion when Jesus had gone, had gone to Jerusalem for a feast and ah in the midst of the feast in verse 14. Now, about the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught, and the Jews marveled, saying how knowth this man letters having never never learned, they assume since he hadn't gone to the rabbinical schools that he didn't know anything. Maybe that he was just a country bumpkin from from Galilee. Jesus answered them and said My doctrine is not my own but His that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine and whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory. But he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true and no unrighteousness is in him. So so here. Jesus is even saying that God's authority had been delegated to him when he came here to earth.
spk_0: 6:02
Fred Yes, and then in Acts 3 Peter is Ah, preaching his second sermon there and beginning in verse 19 he says to them, repent ye therefore be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preaching to you, whom the heaven must receive until the time's of restitution of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of all his Holy Prophets since the world again. For Moses, truly said unto the fathers a prophet Shall the Lord your God raise up into you of your brethren likened to me him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you and it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed for among people. So Moses is saying that now, you know, uh, of course, they were under Moses Law. But he says now that God has sent another prophet and he said, you're gonna have to listen to what he has to say. Of course Peter makes the application. That Moses was speaking of Jesus. So, Jesus had the authority given by God To, ah to listen to provide to the people a means for them to be saved.
spk_1: 7:15
Arnie Very good. And And John 16 also indicates that as as well And, uh, let me find the passage here that I want, John Chapter 16 beginning in verse, Verse 12. Jesus is with his disciples on the night that he was betrayed. It was during the his last supper and he said, I have yet many things to say unto you. Many things he says to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. How be it when he the Spirit of truth is come,, , He will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of himself. But what soever He shall hear that shall He speak and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. So here's the Holy Spirit's authority. Number one, Jesus hasn't told them everything that the apostles were going to need to know because they weren't ready to bear that those things yet. So there was more yet to come. The Holy Spirit was going to be the one who would reveal that he not only would remind them of the things that Jesus had already talked, but then he'd lead them into the remainder of the things that they had not learned yet. He will show you things to come. So that's that's the authority that the Holy Spirit has as a helper, really, and a guide to the Apostles.
spk_0: 8:57
Fred Sure and the apostles also have been given authority. To some some people, when they read their bibles, they seem to pay more attention to the red letters and what Jesus says then sometimes what the apostles have to say. But but again, uh, notice what Jesus says in Matthew 28 beginning in verse 18 and Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power, and there's there's our word, is given, given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them name with Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world. Amen. So, So Jesus acknowledges he has all power, But then he gives the disciples the apostles some instructions to do so. He delegates to them this power, the authority to teach certain things and He names them specifically, go, to teach all nations and then tells them what to do Then, then again in the second Corinthians 10 8 and 9 Paul there writing, he says in verse eight. For though I should boast somewhat of our authority. And there's, there's the word, which the Lord hath given us for edification and not for your destruction. I should not be ashamed that I may not seem as if I would terrify you, by letters. So So Paul acknowledges the authority that they had as the apostles.
spk_1: 10:32
Arnie Jesus, again speaking in John chapter 13 on that last night with his apostles, before he was crucified, John, Chapter 13 and and beginning in verse 19. Now I tell you before it come that when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am "he". The King James version has the word "he" after it in italics. And that means that that word has been added because they thought that that would complete the sentence. Jesus is not saying that I am he as if a particular person, but rather that he is, I AM. That's a term for God. The name Jehovah actually means I am and so here He's saying that he's Jehovah. Verily verily, I say unto you he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth Me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. So that kind of illustrates this what you called a chain of authority there a few minutes ago that God had sent them, sent him, He's sending them and giving them the authority that God had given him. First John, Chapter four There, if I may, while we're on that thought is beginning in verse six, John writes, he says, we are of God. He that knoweth God heareth us. Obviously the opposite is true of those who do not know God. Of course, he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby, know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. So it's a dangerous business to say that I only believe in the red, in the red passages or I only believe in the four Gospels because because here, John is saying he that doesn't hear us doesn't know God.
spk_0: 12:34
Fred Seems pretty clear.
spk_1: 12:35
Arnie That's dangerous, a dangerous territory,
spk_0: 12:37
Fred So, so that some people, they deny the authority of the rest of the written words. The rest of the what we would call the epistles. And, as you said, they only accept the Gospels. So in first Corinthians 14, 36 and 37 Paul there says, What? Came the word of God out from you? Or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. So again they here Paul acknowledges the authority that they had in what they wrote. So the things that the apostles the writers wrote in the New Testament come from God and they're commandments of the Lord. Then again, in Acts chapter two, Uh, there, Peter there in verse 14, Peter, standing up with the 11 lifted up his voice and said unto them You men of Judea and all ye that dwell in Jerusalem. Be this known unto you and hearken to my words. For these are not drunken as you suppose seeing it is, but the third hour of the day. It's nine o'clock in the morning. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel . It shall come to pass in the last days. Saith God, I will pour out of my spirit, upon all flesh, and your sons, and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams and my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out In those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath blood and fire and vapour of smoke. The sun should be turned to darkness and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. So Peter says what's happening here was prophesied by Joel, comes from God and what we're doing, the apostles, but we're saying comes from God and we are doing what Jesus told us to do preaching the gospel to everybody.
spk_1: 14:37
Arnie Fred, I think we have enough time here to continue on with that same passage a little bit further because Peter continues by, of course, showing Jesus having been crucified by these people and God having made him Lord and Christ. And he says, beginning in verse 22 Ye men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you. As you yourselves also know him being delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of God. Ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain him being delivered by the determinant coun.... I just read that verse 24, whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore, did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad. Moreover, also, my flesh shall rest in hope because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades. Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life. Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, Let me freely speak unto you of the Patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that His soul was not left in Hades. Neither His flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth, this which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, The Lord said unto My Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, What shall we do? Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you and your children, and to all that are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words, he did testify and exhort saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation And it occurs to me that God gave the Holy Spirit the authority to tell these things to David. David. Uh, wrote them down and the Apostles are quoting from them, and the Holy Spirit gave the apostles the authority to say the things that they said We better heed that authority and listen to what they say and not make up our own ideas as to what we ought to be doing
spk_0: 18:20
Fred Exactly. And a little bit later on in acts Chapter 4, 8 through 12 they had they had healed a man who had been crippled from from his ah, birth, and they were examined, questioned by the religious leaders of the day and in Acts four eight, Peter says. Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost said unto them, Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel. If we this day be examined, of the good deed done to the impotent man by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus, when, now, when you see that "by the name of Jesus", that's that's another way of saying by the authority, the authority of Jesus here. So by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. That's a specific comment there. There is none other name under heaven
spk_1: 19:31
Arnie .. and and that doesn't just mean the name. That means the authority
spk_0: 19:34
Fred ... authority whereby men must be saved. And then in in first Corinthians, two to twelve and 13 there Paul again writing beginning verse 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, which things also we speak not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Some newer translates with spiritual words. So what Paul says is what we have to say, it comes from the Holy Spirit. These are not words from mere men,. uninspired men who don't know what they're talking about. The words that we have, they come from God, and that's what we're teaching.
spk_1: 20:16
Arnie And these passages all relate to the work that the apostles were doing using the spoken word and of course, they were quoting from the Old Testament, which was the written word. But they're speaking on and passing on God's word, verbally or orally. It also applies to the written word. John Chapter 20, I think, is a good example of that. As John is about to wrap up, he still has another chapter to go in The Gospel of John. Chapter 20 beginning in Verse 30 he said that many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name
spk_0: 21:11
Fred and again First John, John writes in his First John letter, beginning in Chapter two Verses one through three, he says, Now, these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins, not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby, do we know that we know him if we keep his commandments. So John says , I write these things to you and then he tells them why Jesus came. He's a propitiation, He paid the price. And so we know that we know him if we keep his commandments, that you can know whether or not you're a child of God if you do what he says And these commandments are written down for us so that we might know 2000 years after after the event what to do in order to please the Lord and be saved.
spk_1: 22:10
Arnie Paul had started the Galatian letter with a rather stern statement because of the fact that some of them had been moved away from from the truth of the Gospel. You can read about that in in Galatians chapter one. But chapter six is also kind of stern as well. In verse seven, Paul says Be not deceived. God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh will of the flash reap corruption: but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. You see how large a letter I've written onto you with my own hands? So again, another passage that has to do with the work that the apostles and and New Testament writers were doing in the written word..
spk_0: 23:19
Fred Yes, and so we go on, to Luke. Luke has has something to say to us about that, beginning in the very first portion of his letter beginning in Luke one verse one, he says now, For as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning, were eye witnesses and ministers of the word. It seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order most Excellent Theophilus. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed. So Luke's writing to Theophilus, a government official. And he says, Now these things I've had perfect understanding, and I'm going to write these things to you. And, of course, Theophilus has the ability to check the Roman records. He was a government official so he could check the things out that Luke was going to write to him to see whether or not this guy's telling me the truth or not. And of course, we know that that's the truth. That's God's work,
spk_1: 24:28
Arnie He had documentation. So, just a short review here for a moment. God has ultimate authority. He, gave that authority to Christ. He gave it also to the Holy Spirit. They gave it to the Apostles and the the Apostles used that authority and the New Testament writers used that authority through both the written word and through the spoken word. And, uh, and now the great commission extends that authority to anyone who obeys the gospel in Matthew, Chapter 28 Verse 20. Remember teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded you. So so now we, as Christians when we obey the Gospel, received that authority to pass on to the next generation. That that allowed for the propagation of of the faith, from generation to generation that God made made available. Acts Chapter eight and and Verse four speaks about disciples who had been scattered because of the, from Jerusalem, because of the murder of Steven. Therefore, they went, they that were scattered abroad went everywhere, preaching the word. They put that authority into use and began to execute it. We ought to be doing that ourselves today,
spk_0: 26:08
Fred Right. We don't have any authority to change what the word has to say. We have to say, preach and teach what it says, not not our own opinions. So So basically the New Testament, then we might call it the Constitution for Christians today. And when we go to Ephesians Chapter three, Paul writes there, he says how that by revelation, he made known unto me the mystery as I wrote afore a few words whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed to the Holy Apostles and prophets by the Spirit. So Paul says now, it was a mystery at one time, but not anymore, because it was revealed to me. And then I wrote it down, and by reading it, you can understand my knowledge. So So Paul, by inspiration says the Bible is understandable. All you have to do to understand it is read it and study it and you'll understand what he has to say. It's it's written for the common man.
spk_1: 27:09
Arnie I'm thinking about that word mystery because a lot of times people think that that there are still mysteries out there, you know, things that God hasn't revealed so forth. And the word mystery doesn't mean anything of a spooky nature or anything like that. It simply is an old timey English word for secret. It had been secret. Now God has revealed it all, and and there's nothing left to be revealed except when the end of time is gonna be, and that will take us all by surprise. In Colossians Chapter three, and in verse 16 Paul writes, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another. Down in verse 17 he said. Whatsoever you do, whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. In other words, doing all by the authority that Christ has given you in his word. But nothing additional than that.
spk_0: 28:14
Fred Yes and Peter says in first Peter 4, 11 There, he says, If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God, if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God, in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever, and ever. If we're going to speak, we've got to speak according to what God says, so that he gets the glory. I don't get any glory out of this, and I shouldn't expect it. And I don't want it. We want to glorify God and the way you glorify God is about doing what he has to say.
spk_1: 28:43
Arnie Well, let me have a thought to that. Fred if you're faithful as a Christian you will receive glory. I know you want that. We really appreciate you listening to us this afternoon. And we hope that this lesson will be beneficial. Well, and that the next two on this subject will be useful to you as well. Thank you for listening. Have a good Lord's Day afternoon, Bye, bye.