He Taught with Authority #2447

31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. 32 And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority (Luke 4:31–32, NKJV).

Jesus taught in the synagogues of Galilee with the fellowship and endorsement of the Spirit of God (Luke 4:14, 18-21). His teaching so enraged the Nazarenes they tried to kill Him (Luke 4:23-29). Yet, those who heard Him testified and marveled at His “gracious words” (Luke 4:22). In Capernaum, people were astonished at the authority of His words (cf. Matt. 7:29). The Jewish leaders marveled when they heard Him teach in the temple. “How does this Man know letters, having never studied,” they said (John 7:14-15). Jesus spoke what the Father gave Him to teach (John 7:16). His words were authoritative because He spoke heaven’s words (John 12:49-50). Titus, the evangelist, was to teach the gospel “with all authority” (Titus 2:15). These men were not certified by the scribes and lawyers of the day. (The apostles were “uneducated and untrained,” Acts 4:13.) Yet, men presume to have the authority to maintain seminaries to certify a person as acceptable (having authority) to preach and minister the gospel. (Only credentialed preachers will do.) Sadly, some churches of Christ seem to trend in the same direction. (Only the credentialed preacher will do for their pulpits.) It makes you wonder whether a simple fisherman (like Peter) could stand in some pulpits today. The preacher’s authority does not come from himself, other men, or credentials earned from men. The gospel preacher speaks by heaven’s authority (1 Tim. 4:11; 5:7). We do well to remember that and humble ourselves before the authority of God and His word instead of men (Gal. 1:11-12; 1 Cor. 14:37).

The Gifts Christ Gave #1213

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, (Ephesians 4:11, NKJV)

After Christ defeated sin at the cross, and death by His resurrection, He ascended to heaven, sat down at the right hand of God, and “gave gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:7-10). These gifts are enumerated for us in verse 11. These gifts, both inspired (apostles and prophet) and uninspired (evangelists, pastors, teachers), constitute 1) the revelation of the gospel of Christ from heaven to earth, and 2) its proclamation to the whole world. Inspired men received revelation from God, and with confirming miracles, by inspiration they “spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (Hebrews 2:3-4; 2 Peter 1:21). Evangelists preach the same word of God (2 Timothy 4:2-5). Pastors “tend the flock” among them, feeding the local church the same word (1 Peter 5:1-2; Acts 14:23; 20:28). Faithful teachers teach the same word to others (2 Timothy 2:2). If we fail to value Bible teaching and learning, we fail to honor and benefit from these gifts Christ which Christ gave the world; gifts that are for our salvation, our spiritual strength, our service and our unity as we grow in Christ. Tomorrow, we will explore the reasons for these gifts, as we consider Ephesians 4:12-13.