Why did the crowds marvel at Jesus' authority in Matthew 7:28? Text Under Consideration “Now when Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29) Cultural Backdrop: How Rabbis Normally Taught • Scribes cited chains of earlier rabbis to establish credibility. • Interpretation was cautious, hedged with tradition and oral commentary. • Application stressed external conformity rather than heart transformation (Matthew 23:1-4). • Authority was viewed as derivative—never claimed personally. How Jesus’ Sermon Displayed Unmatched Authority • Repeated refrain “But I tell you…” (Matthew 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44) replaced rabbinic citation with His own word. • Declared Himself the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets (Matthew 5:17). • Set His commands as the decisive foundation for life (Matthew 7:24-27). • Spoke with divine certainty: “Truly I tell you” (amen lego hymin) rather than speculative opinion. • Addressed inward motives—anger, lust, deception—as only the Law-giver could (Hebrews 4:12-13). • Issued eschatological claims: He will judge on the last day (Matthew 7:21-23). • Promised Fatherly response to prayer on His own authority (Matthew 7:7-11). Divine Self-Disclosure Woven Into His Words • Claimed lordship over the narrow gate leading to life (Matthew 7:13-14). • Identified Himself with the rock of true security (Matthew 7:24-25; cf. Psalm 18:2). • Asserted possessing all authority later affirmed after the resurrection (Matthew 28:18). • Anticipated Deuteronomy 18:18—the Prophet who would speak God’s very words. Contrasts the Crowd Could Not Miss • Jesus’ direct speech vs. scribal footnotes. • Heart-piercing focus vs. external ritualism (Matthew 6:1-18). • Compassionate tone of shepherd vs. legal specialists (Mark 1:22; John 7:46). • Coherence of message—Law, ethics, eschatology—all flowing from one Person. Witness of Other Gospels • “They were astonished at His teaching, for His message was with authority.” (Luke 4:32) • “The people were amazed at His teaching, because He taught them as one having authority.” (Mark 1:22) These parallel accounts confirm the same reaction across regions and audiences. Why the Crowd Marvelled • They heard the voice of the ultimate Law-giver, not a mere interpreter. • They sensed the power of truth unalloyed by tradition. • They recognized a call that penetrated conscience and offered true righteousness. • They glimpsed divine presence in human words—“the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). Continuing Relevance The same authority that silenced first-century crowds still speaks through Scripture today (Hebrews 1:1-2). Submitting to His words brings the unshakable foundation He promised and proves that the astonishment of Matthew 7:28 was—and is—fully warranted. |
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