Thought of the Day !!

One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders and said to him, ‘Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?’
Luke 20:1-2 (NRSV)

The religious rulers come to Jesus and ask the question, “By what authority are you doing all these things?” It’s not just his teaching that’s in question here; it’s the events of the past day. For it was then that Jesus came into the Temple and drove out the moneychangers and those making his Father’s house a “den of thieves”.

The religious rulers want to know what gives Jesus the audacity to come into their backyard and take control of their people. Even though they are asking for the wrong reasons, at the heart of this debate between Jesus and the religious rulers lies a legitimate question. By what authority does Jesus do and teach the things that he does? What gives him the right?

If you'll look at the root word for authority, you'll find the word author. It only makes sense that the author of something (or the creator) would be the one who has authority over it.

Jesus…being God’s Son…being God Himself…being in the beginning when everything was created…is Himself the Author of creation. And thereby He becomes the one with all authority to teach what He…or what His Father…determines is valid or true. He alone knows what's best for us and what will bring us true joy.

We can't take part of the teachings of Jesus and say we believe them and will live by them, while discounting other parts. This is because the one who has the authority to teach the parts we like also teaches the parts we don't. And all the teachings are for our own benefit and to bring us closer to each other and to Him.

In the love of Christ,
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