In any society some recognised system of authority is essential. It determines who has the right to take action and tell others what to do. It applies in the workplace, the civil society, the military ... and in homes too. Religious groups also need an authority structure; and Israel was no exception. God had divided the nation into tribal groupings with land entitlements, a leadership structure which was scaled according to ability, and a complex system of civil laws and religious practices.
 
However, over the years, God's instructions had been encrusted by many more man-made regulations. These enabled the religious leaders to control the whole country, maintaining their powerbase. The ministry of Jesus was a great dilemma for them. He did not submit to their petty authority and challenged their understanding of the Scriptures. More than that, He claimed to be God, which, in their eyes was the ultimate blasphemy.
 
The key issue was: who had given Jesus the authority to teach about God and do miracles? The religious leaders knew that they had not authorised Him so they assumed He had appointed himself, and they believed that their question would expose Him in public as a fraud. But they had asked the right question, although they did not want to hear the answer that Father God had appointed Him (Matthew 3:17) and the Holy Spirit had validated His ministry (Luke 4:1) and the Scriptures spoke about Him (John 5:39).
 
Jesus understood the importance of authority structures (so did the apostles: Romans 13:1-7, Ephesians 6:1-9). He had no intention of being a self-promoter. He said, "Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me." (John 8:42). His authority was direct from God; He was one with God because He was God (John 1:1; 10:30). These truths are the basis for our confidence to place our trust in Jesus Christ. They are the bedrock of our faith and the springboard of our gospel proclamation. Be awed by the security of these truths, and live in the assurance that as you trust in Jesus you will never be disappointed (1 Peter 2:6).