Sunday, May 28, 2017



The Authority Given Unto Christ
by R.P. Woitowitz Sr.

18 And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me, in heaven, and in earth.
The Gospel According to Matthew 28:18
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to all them that thou hast given him.
The Gospel According to John 17:2

Brethren:

It must be prefaced that this sermon has been a long time coming within the mind of this author. It was long mull over and rewritten, several times, until you have it as it is now to read.

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, we find the scribes and pharisees inquiring by “whose authority” does Christ teach and speak. In fact, the word authority appears in the New Testament, (depending on which translation one uses), some 50 times. Likewise the word power also appears a great deal, as well.

Now friends, let us look at both words.

In Strong’s Concordance, we find that both words have almost the same meaning. That word is exousia (pronounced ex-oo-see'-ah) - delegated influence, authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength. Right below it is the word exousiazo (pronounced-oo-see-ad'-zo), whose root is from the above word - to control:--exercise authority upon, bring under the or have [the] power of. So as far as the Greek translation goes both words are interchangeable.

Moving forward we find in Webster’s Dictionary Ed. 1913 both words defined as such:

Authority - Legal or rightful power; a right to command or to act; power exercised by a person in virtue of his office or trust; dominion; jurisdiction; authorization
Power - The exercise of a faculty; the employment of strength; the exercise of any kind of control; influence; dominion; sway; command; government.

Note again above, that both words seem to, at the very least compliment each other.

So, where does Christ’s authority, and power emulate? Let us look again, above to the quoted scriptures. In the former one, that being Matthew’s Gospel we read that all power is given unto to Him from heaven. This is to say from God the Father. In the latter of John’s Gospel, we likewise read that He has received power over all flesh to give eternal life, again from God the Father.

It always boggles the mind of this author as to how those scribes and Pharisees just could not make the connection. It is true, many of them thought Him to be a madman at best or a blasphemer of the worst sort, for He was comparing Himself to the Almighty God of Israel. Still, in the Gospels, it is written that He spoke as one with much authority. His words were not only words of life, but words of power.

In the Interlinear Greek Translation we read the following:

and toward coming (approaching), The Jesus talks to them saying ‘was given to me every (all) authority in heaven and on land’”

Powerful words indeed. All authority, all power, given unto to Him. Not a little, not some, but all authority were given unto Him by the Father, our Creator.

Friends, if there is any doubt as to why Jesus is our Lord and our Master, look to the Gospels for yourselves and read, study, as to where His powerful word emanates.

Below are two links wherein one might find the times these words were used