JESUS CHRIST: GOD-MAN - Vital Christianity

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Jesus' teaching, whether it was the Sermon on the Mount, which captures the essence of
His message, or any other truths, was distinctive not only in their teaching—His message of
radical discipleship—but it was unique in that the Preacher and Teacher "taught as One who
had authority" (Mt 7:29).
People recognized it as such:
● "When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished . . ." (Mt 19:25).
● "They were amazed at His teaching, because His message had authority" (Lk 4:32).
● "The large crowd listened to Him with delight" (Mk 12:37).
● "No one ever spoke the way this man does,' the guards declared" (Jn 7:46).
● "When Jesus had finished saying these things [from the Sermon on the Mount],
the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as One who had
authority, and not as their teachers of the law" (Mt 7:28-29).
The word "amazed" is a strong Greek word meaning "astonished" or even
"dumbfounded" or "shocked." Why were these people shocked since they were used to listening
to all kinds of teachers? Although Jesus was a Jew His teaching was not typically Jewish. While
the teachers of the law interpreted God's Word, Jesus proclaimed it afresh. Their only authority
lay in the authorities they were constantly quoting. Jesus, who was not even educated properly in
the rabbinic schools, swept away the traditions of the religious establishment and spoke God's
truth with boldness which impressed some and infuriated others.
A. B. Bruce shows the distinction between the scribes' and Jesus' teachings:
"The scribes spake by authority, resting all they said on traditions of what had been
said before. Jesus spake with authority, out of His own soul, with direct intuition
of truth; and, therefore, to the answering soul of his hearers."1
Not only did Jesus not teach like the scribes, He also did not teach like the prophets. For
the prophets introduced their messages with the phrase, "Thus says the Lord" whereas Jesus
merely said, "Truly, truly I say to you." Jesus dared to speak in His own name and by His own
authority, which He knew to be identical to that of God the Father (Jn 14:8-11).
Jesus' attitude toward teachers and authorities that might come after Him would be
peculiar if He were not God. Whereas none of the prophets, not even John the Baptist, regarded
themselves as the final or supreme authority, Jesus did since He did not expect His words to be
even supplemented, much less supplanted.