Matthew 7:28-29

Posted by DJL on Mar 1, 2014 in Daily Bread | 2 comments

Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

So I wonder what Matthew means when he says that Jesus taught “as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” I mean, I have to imagine that their scribes weren’t totally lame, or inept, or unable to teach with any confidence. In fact, in the various scenes where Matthew describes Jesus interacting with the scribes and Pharisees they always seem to speak with great confidence. So what’s going on?

Well, I wonder if Matthew is using “authority” in a way different than we sometimes do. That is, often we think of speaking with authority in one of two ways. Either someone speaks from a particular role – a teacher, a boss, a police officer – and they speak with the authority of their office backing up their words. Or, and as I mentioned above, we think of speaking with authority as speaking with confidence, speaking as if you are absolutely sure you are right.

Both of those make sense. But I also think there might be something deeper here. The word Matthew chooses can also be translated as “power” – not merely power as in brute strength, but the power that one is naturally endowed with and comes to expression in word and deed. That is – and this is a bit of a linguistic stretch, I’ll admit, but I’m persuaded by it – perhaps the power Jesus exercises is the integrity of speaking truly what is in him and acting truly in accord with who he really is. There is absolute consonance, that is, between what he says and what he does and between what he does and what he says.

When he speaks of blessing, he blesses. When he counsels against judgment, he forgives. Before he calls others to be real, he is real, giving us himself completely. And when he tells us to turn the other cheek, he offers his whole body to us and the world in love upon the cross. Jesus speaks with authority because his word and his life are the same. His authority, I think, comes from being exactly who he is called to be.

I believe that kind of authority is available to all of us. No, we’re not Jesus. But, then again, we’re not called to be Jesus. We are called to be like Jesus in that, confident of God’s love, we can share that love with others. And we are called to be like Jesus in that we are invited to live the life God gave us with integrity. We can exercise authority, that is, by speaking and acting in accord with the person – and child of God! – God has called us to be.

On occasion, St. Augustine used to say something rather interesting to folks when they came up to receive Communion. “Receive who you are,” he would say, pointing them to the promise that in this meal God was once again calling them blessed children of God and citizens of the Kingdom. And then he would continue, “Now go and be who you have been called,” charging his parishioners to live into the identity God had given them as a gift.

That’s what Jesus did – he lived as he had been called – and so spoke with authority. And that’s what we’re called to do as well.

Prayer: Dear God, remind us of our identity as your beloved children, and equip us to live as we have been called. In Jesus’ name, Amen.