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Authority -- (ejxousiva
, (1849)) denotes authority (from
the impersonal verb exesti,
“it is lawful”). From the meaning of leave or permission, or
liberty of doing as one pleases, it passed to that of the
ability or strength with which one is endued, then to that of
the power of authority, the right to exercise power, e.g., Matt.
9:6; 21:23; 2 Cor. 10:8; or the power of rule or government, the
power of one whose will and commands must be obeyed by others,
e.g., Matt. 28:18; John 17:2; Jude 25; Rev. 12:10; 17:13; more
specifically of apostolic authority, 2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10; the
power of judicial decision, John 19:10; of managing domestic
affairs, Mark 13:34. By metonymy, or name–change (the
substitution of a suggestive word for the name of the thing
meant), it stands for that which is subject to authority or
rule, Luke 4:6 (R.V. “authority,” for the A.V. “power”); or, as
with the English “authority,” one who possesses authority, a
ruler, magistrate, Rom. 13:1-3; Luke 12:11; Tit. 3:1; or a
spiritual potentate, e.g., Eph. 3:10; 6:12; Col. 1:16; 2:10, 15;
1 Pet. 3:22. The R.V. usually translates it “authority.”
II.
Summary
The term ‘authority’ is used
10 times in Matthew. The predominant usage of the term is in
reference to the ‘power’ or ‘ability’ to do miraculous things.
It is used once in Matt. 7:8-9 in the context of political
power.
In Matt. 10:1 the term is
used when Christ sent out his twelve disciples and gave them the
‘authority’ to do miraculous things.
The same ‘sending’ with
‘authority’ is repeated in Mark.
Mark 3:10-15 (NKJV) For
He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about
Him to touch Him. 11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw
Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the
Son of God." 12 But He sternly warned them that they should not
make Him known. 13 And He went up on the mountain and called to
[Him] those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 14 Then He
appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might
send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal
sicknesses and to cast out demons:
The disciples and Matthew
would have understood ‘authority’ in a context of sending out in
the same was it was used in previous occurrences, the ability to
do miraculous.
[Authority of do miraculous]
Matt 7:28 - 8:7 (NKJV) And so it was,
when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were
astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having
authority, and not
as the scribes. 8:1 When He had come down from the mountain,
great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and
worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make
me clean." 3 Then Jesus put out [His] hand and touched him,
saying, "I am willing; be
cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your
way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses
commanded, as a testimony to them." 5 Now when Jesus had
entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,
6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed,
dreadfully tormented." 7 And Jesus said to him, "I
will come and heal him."
[Political authority]
Matt.
7:8-9 The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy
that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and
my servant will be healed. 9 "For I also am a man under
authority,
having soldiers under me. And I say to this [one], `Go,' and he
goes; and to another, `Come,' and he comes; and to my servant,
`Do this,' and he does [it]." Matt
[Authority of do miraculous]
Matt 9:6 (NKJV) "But that you may know
that the Son of Man has power
on earth to forgive sins"--then
He said to the paralytic, "Arise,
take up your bed, and go to your house." 7 And
he arose and departed to his house. 8 Now when the multitudes
saw [it], they marveled and glorified God, who had given such
power to men.
[Authority of do miraculous]
Matt 10:1-5 (NKJV) And when He had
called His twelve disciples to [Him], He gave them
power
[over] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all
kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon,
who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the [son] of
Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas
and Matthew the tax collector; James the [son] of Alphaeus, and
Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite,
and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 5 These twelve Jesus
sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of
the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.
[Authority of do miraculous]
Matt 21:23-27 (NKJV) Now when He came
into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people
confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what
authority
are You doing these things?
And who gave You this authority?"
24 But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one
thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what
authority
I do these things:
25 "The baptism of John--where was it from? From heaven or from
men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say,
`From heaven,' He will say to us, `Why then did you not believe
him?' 26 "But if we say, `From men,' we fear the multitude, for
all count John as a prophet." 27 So they answered Jesus and
said, "We do not know." And He said to them, "Neither will I
tell you by what authority
I do these things.
Matt 28:18 (NKJV) And Jesus
came and spoke to them, saying, "All
authority has been given
to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them
to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am
with you always, [even] to the end of the age." Amen.
[Authority of do miraculous]
Mark 1:22 (NKJV) And they were
astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having
authority, and not as
the scribes. 23 Now there was a
man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit.
And he cried out, 24 saying, "Let [us] alone! What have we to
do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I
know who You are--the Holy One of God!" 25 But Jesus rebuked
him, saying, "Be quiet, and come
out of him!" 26 And when the unclean spirit had
convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of
him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned
among themselves, saying, "What is this?
What new doctrine [is] this? For with
authority
He commands even the unclean spirits,
and they obey Him."
[Authority of do miraculous]
Mark 2:10 (NKJV) "But that you may
know that the Son of Man has
power
on earth to forgive sins"--He
said to the paralytic, 11 "I say to you,
arise, take up your bed, and go to
your house." 12 Immediately he arose, took up
the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all
were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw [anything]
like this!" 13 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the
multitude came to Him, and He taught them.
[Authority of do miraculous]
Mark 3:10-15 (NKJV) For He healed
many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to
touch Him. 11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him,
fell down before Him and cried out, saying,
"You are the Son of God." 12 But He sternly warned them that
they should not make Him known. 13 And He went up on the
mountain and called to [Him] those He Himself wanted. And they
came to Him. 14 Then He
appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might
send them out to preach, 15 and to have
power
to heal sicknesses and to cast out
demons:
[Authority of do miraculous]
Mark 6:7 (NKJV) And He called the
twelve to [Himself], and began to send them out two [by] two,
and gave them
power
over unclean spirits.
[Authority of do miraculous]
Mark 11:28 (NKJV) And they said to
Him, "By what authority
are You doing these things?
And who gave You this authority
to do these things?"
29 But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one
question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what
authority
I do these things: 30
"The baptism of John--was it from heaven or from men? Answer
Me." 31 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say,
`From heaven,' He will say, `Why then did you not believe him?'
32 "But if we say, `From men' "--they feared the people, for all
counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 33 So they answered
and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said
to them, "Neither will I tell you by what
authority
I do these things."
[Political authority]
Mark 13:34
(NKJV) "[It] [is] like a man going to a far country, who left
his house and gave
authority
to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the
doorkeeper to watch.
[Satan / demonic authorities]
Luke 4:6
(NKJV) And the devil said to Him, "All this authority
I will give You, and their glory; for [this] has been delivered
to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
[Authority of do miraculous]
Luke 4:32-36 (NKJV) And they were
astonished at His teaching, for His word was with
authority. 33 Now in
the synagogue there was a man
who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he
cried out with a loud voice, 34 saying, "Let [us] alone! What
have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to
destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!" 35 But
Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be
quiet, and come out of him!" And when the demon
had thrown him in [their] midst, it came out of him and did not
hurt him. 36 Then they were all amazed and spoke among
themselves, saying, "What a word this [is]! For with
authority
and power He commands
the unclean spirits, and they come out."
[Authority of do miraculous]
Luke 5:24 (NKJV) "But that you may
know that the Son of Man has
power
on earth to forgive
sins"--He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you,
arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
[Political authority]
Luke 7:8
(NKJV) "For I also am a man placed under
authority,
having soldiers under me. And I say to one, `Go,' and he goes;
and to another, `Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, `Do
this,' and he does [it]."
[Authority of do miraculous]
Luke 9:1 (NKJV) Then He called His
twelve disciples together and gave them power and
authority
over all demons,
and to cure diseases. 2 (NKJV) He sent them to preach the
kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
[Authority of do miraculous]
Luke 10:17-19 (NKJV) Then the
seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are
subject to us in Your name." 18 And He said to them, "I saw
Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 "Behold, I give you
the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all
the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt
you. 19 (NKJV) "Behold, I give you the
authority
to trample on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and
nothing shall by any means hurt you.
[Authority of Christ in life and judgment]
Luke 12:5
(NKJV) "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who,
after He has killed, has
power
to cast into hell;
yes, I say to you, fear Him!
[Political authority]
Luke 12:11
(NKJV) "Now when they bring you to the synagogues and
magistrates and
authorities,
do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you
should say.
[Political authority]
Luke 19:17
(NKJV) "And he said to him, `Well [done], good servant; because
you were faithful in a very little, have authority
over ten cities.'
[Authority of do miraculous]
Luke 20:2 (NKJV) and spoke to Him,
saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You
doing these things? Or
who is he who gave You this
authority?" 3 But He answered and said to them,
"I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4 "The baptism
of John--was it from heaven or from men?" 5 And they reasoned
among themselves, saying, "If we say, `From heaven,' He will
say, `Why then did you not believe him?' 6 "But if we say,
`From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded
that John was a prophet." 7 So they answered that they did not
know where [it] [was] from. 8 And Jesus said to them, "Neither
will I tell you by what authority
I do these things."
[Political authority]
Luke 20:20
(NKJV) So they watched [Him], and sent spies who pretended to be
righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to
deliver Him to the power and the
authority
of the governor.
[Satan / demonic authorities]
Luke 22:53
(NKJV) 53 "When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not
try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the
power
of darkness."
[Political authority]
Luke 23:7
(NKJV) And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's
jurisdiction,
he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
John 1:12 (NKJV) But as many
as received Him, to them He gave the
right to become children
of God, to those who believe in His name:
[Authority of Christ in life and judgment]
John
5:26-27 (NKJV) 26 "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He
has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 "and has
given Him authority
to execute judgment
also, because He is the Son of Man.
[Authority of Christ in life and judgment]
John
10:18 (NKJV) "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of
Myself. I have
power to lay it down,
and I have power
to take it again.
This command I have received from My Father."
[Authority of Christ in life and judgment]
John
17:1-2 (NKJV) Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to
heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son,
that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 "as You have given Him
authority
over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as
You have given Him.
[Political authority]
John 19:10
(NKJV) Then Pilate said to Him, "Are You not speaking to me? Do
You not know that I have
power to crucify You,
and power
to release You?" 11 Jesus answered, "You could have no
power
at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.
Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."
[Authority of God]
Acts 1:7 (NKJV) And He said to them,
"It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has
put in His own authority.
Acts 5:4 (NKJV) "While it
remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not
in your own control?
Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not
lied to men but to God."
[Authority of do miraculous]
Acts 8:18-19 (NKJV) 18 And when
Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the
Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give
me this
power
also, that anyone on whom I lay
hands may receive the Holy Spirit."
[Political authority]
Acts 9:14
(NKJV) "And here he has
authority
from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."
[Political authority]
Acts
26:10-16 (NKJV) "This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the
saints I shut up in prison, having received
authority
from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast
my vote against [them]. 11 "And I punished them often in every
synagogue and compelled [them] to blaspheme; and being
exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted [them] even to
foreign cities. 12 " While thus occupied, as I journeyed to
Damascus with authority
and commission from the chief priests, 13 "at midday, O king,
along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun,
shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 "And when
we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me
and saying in the Hebrew language, `Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me? [It] [is] hard for you to kick against the
goads.' 15 "So I said, `Who are You, Lord?' And He said, `I am
Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 `But rise and stand on your
feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a
minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen
and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.
[Satan / demonic authorities]
Acts
26:17-18 `I will deliver you from the [Jewish] people, as well
as [from] the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 `to open
their eyes, [in] [order] to turn [them] from darkness to light,
and [from] the
power of Satan
to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an
inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'
[Authority of God]
Romans 9:21 (NKJV) Does not the potter
have power over
the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and
another for dishonor?
[Political authority]
Romans
13:1-3 (NKJV) Let every soul be subject to the governing
authorities.
For there is no authority
except from God, and the
authorities that exist
are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the
authority
resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring
judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good
works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the
authority?
Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
1 Cor. 7:37 (NKJV) 37
Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no
necessity, but has power
over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he
will keep his virgin, does well.
1 Cor. 8:9 (NKJV) But beware
lest somehow this liberty
of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.
[Paul’s authority as an apostle]
1 Cor. 9:4-6
(NKJV) Do we have no right
to eat and drink? 5 Do we have no
right
to take along a believing wife, as [do] also the other apostles,
the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or [is] [it] only
Barnabas and I [who] have no
right
to refrain from working?
[Paul’s authority as an apostle]
1 Cor. 9:12
(NKJV) If others are partakers of [this] right over you, [are]
we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this
right,
but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
[Paul’s authority as an apostle]
1 Cor. 9:18
(NKJV) What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I
may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not
abuse my authority
in the gospel.
1 Cor. 11:10 (NKJV) For this
reason the woman ought to have [a] [symbol] [of]
authority on [her] head,
because of the angels.
[Satan / demonic authorities]
1 Cor.
15:24 (NKJV) Then [comes] the end, when He delivers the kingdom
to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all
authority and power.
[Paul’s authority as an apostle]
2 Cor. 10:8
(NKJV) For even if I should boast somewhat more about our
authority,
which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your
destruction, I shall not be ashamed--
[Paul’s authority as an apostle]
2 Cor. 13:10
(NKJV) Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being
present I should use sharpness, according to the
authority
which the Lord has given me for edification and not for
destruction
[Satan / demonic authorities]
Eph.
1:20-21 (NKJV) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from
the dead and seated [Him] at His right hand in the heavenly
[places], 21 far above all principality and
power
and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not
only in this age but also in that which is to come.
[Satan / demonic authorities]
Eph. 2:1-2
(NKJV) And you [He] [made] [alive], who were dead in trespasses
and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of
this world, according to the prince of the
power
of the air, the spirit who now works in
the sons of disobedience,
[Satan / demonic authorities]
Eph. 3:8
(NKJV) To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this
grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what [is]
the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the
ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus
Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God
might be made known by the church to the principalities and
powers
in the heavenly [places],
[Satan / demonic authorities]
Eph. 6:12
(NKJV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against
powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of
this age, against spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the
heavenly [places].
[Satan / demonic authorities]
Col.
1:13-16 (NKJV) He has delivered us from the power of darkness
and conveyed [us] into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14
in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that
are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All
things were created through Him and for Him.
[Satan / demonic authorities]
Col.
2:9-15 (NKJV) 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the
head of all principality and
power.
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made
without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh,
by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism,
in which you also were raised with [Him] through faith in the
working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being
dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He
has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all
trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements
that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken
it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having
disarmed principalities and
powers,
He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
[Paul’s authority as an apostle]
2 Thess. 3:5
(NKJV) 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for
we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone's
bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and
day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because
we do not have authority,
but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
[Political authority]
Titus 3:1
(NKJV) Remind them to be subject to rulers and
authorities,
to obey, to be ready for every good work,
Heb. 13:10 (NKJV) We have an
altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no
right to eat.
[Satan / demonic authorities]
1 Pet.
3:22 (NKJV) who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of
God, angels and authorities and powers having been
made subject to Him.
[Authority of God]
Jude 1:25 (NKJV) To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise, [Be] glory and majesty, Dominion and
power, Both now and
forever. Amen.
[1]Vine,
W. E., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New
Testament Words, (Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H.
Revell) 1981.
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