Lots of people say that Jesus was a good teacher. They point to the sermon on the mount as an example of His great teaching. But have they ever read what Jesus said?
Recently I've been thinking about the sermon on the mount and I've been struck by Jesus' authority. And it appears I'm not the only one
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. Matthew 7:28-29.
In Matthew Chapter 5 Jesus repeats the phrase “You have heard that it was said...” and quotes part of the Law, and some of the Jewish interpretation of it, and then says “But I tell you...” seven times. When He does this Jesus doesn't contradict the Law. He extends it. He shows that it applies to our hearts, to how we think and not just to how we act. But what gives Him the authority to do this?
Jesus doesn't say “God says this” or “I think the Law means this.” He says “I say” and that's the end of the matter. He is the final authority. Who does He think He is to make these claims, to base the authority of what He is saying on who He is?
Through this sermon Jesus is implicitly claiming to have equal authority with God. He states that how we respond to Him and what He teaches will determine our eternal fate. These are not things that someone who is just a good teacher would claim. So my question for people who say Jesus is just a good teacher is this:
How can a man have moral authority if the basis of that authority is that he thinks he is God?
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