He Taught With Authority: Jesus Is A Case Study In Teaching and Preaching

Ben-Hur (1959) is a film directed by William Wyler showing Judea and Nazareth of Jesus’ time; it has depicted the Sermon on the Mount and the crucifixion of Christ. It is an adaptation of the 1880 novel by Lew Wallace, called, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. It is a big film, winning 11 academy awards at the Oscars. In this grand tale of the Christ, interestingly, we never see the face of Jesus on screen. Realistically speaking, at the time of Jesus, that is all the visibility and prominence that Jesus had. He wasn't famous. He was just a carpenter’s son living in Nazareth. But to the astonishment of the people, he preached with authority, he healed with power; even the evil spirits obey him (Mark 1: 21-28) —and therefore the question where does this authority and power come from?

The people of the time had the privilege of listening to scribes and other rabbis, but they did not convey the authority and power that Jesus did; and therefore people were astonished and said, ‘this is a new kind of teaching’; nobody has taught us like this. Yes, Jesus is a case study in teaching and preaching.

Often people have an authority that is given to them by some external factors like the offices that they hold, the various labels that they have acquired on the course of their life. But, if we strip ourselves off all our external labels do we have any authority to influence our fellow pilgrims?

Jesus had no office; he occupied no place of recognition, but he carried along people with authority. A wise man has beautifully written a soul boosting biographical note on Jesus. He was born in an obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. He then became an itinerant preacher. He never held an office. He never had a family nor owned a house. He never went to a college. He never traveled two hundred miles beyond from the place he was born. He had no credentials but himself. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned have not affected the life of humans on this earth as much as he did.

What gave Jesus authority? We might dodge the question conveniently blurting out some theological jargons, like, his salvific mission, his god-son status, his god-given power, etc. Being fully human living under the obedience of his parents, I incline to think that there may not have been any mysterious display of divine supremacies at play. Jesus had lived last 30 years as a just man, as a god-fearing man, a man who embodied what he would eventually preach and become the gospels: kindness, compassion, concern for the other, upholding truth and justice, and integrity of life. He did what he preached, and he preached what he did. After instructing the people to love and accept others, he exhibited it in embracing and being with lepers and sinners. After teaching the people to pray he did not go to sleep, instead he went up on the hill to pray. He told the people to forgive one another, and he showed the height of Christian forgiveness even on the cross. Be kind, compassionate, inclusive, and uphold truth; your words and deeds will have power. Christian authority comes from one’s allegiance to the truth, and integrity of life. Christian power comes from one’s kindness. The pompous christian religion, and the massive Church hierarchy et cetera came in only in the fourth century with emperor Constantine making it the official religion of the state.

Without kindness, compassion, and inclusivity we will have no authority at all. The scriptures highlight an incident in the life of a preacher in the early church. He commanded an evil to go out of a possessed man; but the evil spirit yelled back, I know Jesus, I know Paul but who are you? And the devil refused to go out (Acts 19:15). Kindness makes a parent, a parent with authority; kindness make a teacher, a teacher with authority; kindness makes a leader, leader with authority.

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