Matthew 7: The Authority of Jesus' Teaching
Matthew 7: The Authority of Jesus' Teaching
11 "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
People were astonished by Jesus' teachings and his interpretations of the law. They sensed a difference between the approach of the scribes and that of Jesus. Why were they so amazed? The editor suggests that the reason for the controversy was 'authority.' In what ways did the people and the editor perceive authority in Jesus' teachings?
In the Sermon on the Mount and throughout the Gospels, Jesus interprets the existing laws of the Torah more radically. He reinterprets the law of "an eye for an eye" with directives such as: give your cloak as well to the one who wants to sue you for your shirt, and do not judge your adversary. Could it be the intensity of Jesus' reinterpretations that left people astounded? Possibly. However, while such forceful interpretations might surprise, they are unlikely to inspire or convey authority on their own.
The authoritative nature of Jesus' teachings requires time to be recognized. The initial reaction of amazement is immediate and synchronous. Since the people had already gathered near Jesus, their ears were ready to respond to his words in real-time. Yet the pinnacle of astonishment is not the same as authority. Authority is a secondary reaction. Like the parables of Jesus that need time to bear fruit, authority requires a period to manifest. One cannot expect to harvest figs immediately after planting a fig tree. The sense of authority felt instantly in Jesus' teachings is merely the peak of amazement. The authority of Jesus is granted through the fruits of his entire life.
The fruits borne by Jesus are none other than the 'cross and resurrection!' The cross and resurrection transform his teachings on the mount from cornering moral edicts into the Gospel. It is here that the Sermon on the Mount becomes the Gospel of the Mount. This is where his teachings gain their authority. The Gospels are the result of interpreting his words and deeds in the light of the cross and resurrection. The editor of Matthew discovered God's true intentions within Jesus' teachings, as exemplified in verse 11. Confronted with Jesus' directive to transcend the law of retaliation, both people and the editor were made acutely aware of their own limitations. God gives good things to those who reach such limits. The 'cross and resurrection' that permeate Jesus' life enabled people to discern God's true intentions in his teachings and, in reflecting upon his teachings, to experience their authority.