First Discourse in Matthew: Hearers & Doers

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”
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. ~ Matthew 7:24-28
Authority and power are two different things: power is the force by means of which you can oblige others to obey you. Authority is the right to direct and command, to be listened to or obeyed by others. Authority requests power. Power without authority is tyranny. ~ Jacques Maritain, "The Democratic Charter", Man and the State


The first part of this quote by Jesus serves as a good summary of some of what we already looked at this week, so I want to focus on the reaction of the crowds as they listened to him.

As he astounded them with his authority.

And it makes me wonder just how we know authority when we see it?

Is it by virtue of position? Is it because someone was elected, called, chosen, promoted?

Is it having power?

Or is it something else?

Jesus teaches with authority here that is different from the authority of the scribes and religious leaders of the day - the ones who were elected, called, chosen, or promoted.

The ones who had power.

How was it different?

What did they see in him that made them recognize his authority?

Was it truth in his words?

Was it integrity that showed he lived what he said?

Was it love and compassion from him?

Was it being challenged by him?

Who are the authority figures in your life?

How do they show it? How do they get it?

Is it authority they have, or is it power? Or both?

And is it different or the same as the authority the crowds saw from Jesus?


Meditation: Spend some time in silence answering these questions.

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