Matthew 21:23-27

do you do these things?

The baptism of John, where was it from?

Matthew 21:23, 25

By what

And who gave you this authority?

From heaven or from men?

authority

AUTHORITYInherent in “authorship” (i.e. creation) is thepower or right to command or to act

DEFINITION:

AUTHORITY

God is the source of absolute AUTHORITY

DEFINITION:

SOURCE:

› The Father: Author of CREATION› The Son: Author of our FAITH, our SALVATION › The Spirit: Author of the revealed COMMAND (Word)

His word: how He chose to express His authority

AUTHORITYDEFINITION:

SOURCE:

Necessary any time someone speaks or writes to us and is not here to ask

INTERPRETATION:

“Hermeneutics” Conservative or Liberal?

Correct or Mistaken?

Objective or Subjective?

AUTHORITY

Conservative

Correct

Objective

Interpretation

Who? What? When? How? Where? Why?

AUTHORITYConservative Correct Objective

Interpretation

How are authority’s expectations (commands) determined?

› Direct Statement or Simple Command

By far the most common method Deut. 29:29

Dt. 4:1-2; 5:32-33 God laid out a path to be followed

“You shall not add to the word…nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord”

“You shall be careful to do as…God…has commanded… you shall not turn aside to the right…or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways…God has commanded you”

Compare:Gl. 1:8; 3:151 Pet. 4:112 John 9-11

Rv. 22:18-19

Direct StatementJesus, speaking to the apostles, said:“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” [Mark 16:15]

The apostles obeyed the command:“And they went out and preached everywhere” [Mark 16:19]“…because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in…the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world.” [Colossians 1:5-6]“…the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven…” [Col. 1:23]

AUTHORITYConservative Correct Objective

Interpretation

How are authority’s expectations (commands) determined?

› Direct Statement or Simple Command

Valid form of teaching 1 Co 10:11

3 Jn 11; Gl 2:11-13 Not all examples are to be imitated

Jesus’ actions; apostles’ actions (where not rebuked); churches’ actions when following apostles’ instructions

› Apostolic or other Approved Example

1 Pt 2:21

1 Co 11:1 Good examples are those approved of God!

Phil 4:9

AUTHORITYConservative Correct Objective

Interpretation

How are authority’s expectations (commands) determined?

› Direct Statement or Simple Command

Valid form of teaching 1 Co 10:11

3 Jn 11; Gl 2:11-13 Not all examples are to be imitated

› Apostolic or other Approved Example

1 Pt 2:21

1 Co 11:1 Good examples are those approved of God!

1 Co 3:4-9; 4:6 Even in the case of examples, we are not to “think beyond what is written”

Phil 4:9

As they are, examples help teach us “all things” we

need to know2 Pt 1:3

Approved ExampleAfter the Samaritans were converted:“Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard…they sent Peter and John to them… Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money…” [Acts 8:14-18]

Observe also:“…I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” [2 Tim 1:6]

Though no Direct Statement is recorded telling the apostles to

distribute Spiritual gifts by laying on their hands, we know that God told

them to do so, because we SEE them doing it

[cp. Acts 6:1-8]

AUTHORITYConservative Correct Objective

Interpretation

How are authority’s expectations (commands) determined?

› Direct Statement or Simple Command

Jesus Himself used this method

To be a valid means of determining what God authorizes, the conclusion must be inescapable or necessarily drawn from the information that has been provided in scripture

› Apostolic or other Approved Example

Mark 10:2-9; 12:24-26

› Unmistakable Conclusion (Necessary Inference)

Unmistakable ConclusionSome conclusions are not inescapable:

Scripture Unnecessary Conclusion

Jn 21:21-23 John will not die [not what Jesus said]

Acts 16:30-34 Infants also must have been baptized[contradicts context: “believed”]

Rm 10:8-11 Baptism is not necessary for salvation[contradicts other scriptures]

Unmistakable ConclusionSome conclusions are necessary:

Scripture Necessary Conclusion

Acts 2:22-32 David was not speaking of himself

Acts 10:44-48Acts 11:15-18

God has offered to Gentiles the same salvation He has offered to Jews

Heb 7:1-24 Levi “offered tithes” to Melchizedek; thus, Levitical priesthood is inferior

AUTHORITYConservative Correct Objective

Interpretation

How are authority’s expectations (commands) determined?

› Direct Statement or Simple Command

A natural outgrowth of verbal revelation

What God has not spoken of “belongs” to Him; thus, we are limited by revealed commands, examples, inferences

› Apostolic or other Approved Example

Deut. 29:29

› Unmistakable Conclusion (Necessary Inference)

› Scriptural Silence

Silence of the Scriptures

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed…” [Deut. 29:29]

“You shall not add to the word…” [Deut. 4:2]

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of the Lord.” [Romans 10:17]

“…for whatever is not from faith is sin.” [Romans 14:23]

Positive Assertions

Negative Assertions

“For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.” [Hebrews 7:14]

Putting it all together

v. 1-5 The problem defined: circumcision necessary?Acts 15

v. 6-11 Peter makes an Unmistakable Conclusion: “…we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”v. 12 Paul and Barnabas show God-Approved Examples

v. 13-21 James appeals to Direct Statements of God: “…I will…rebuild the tabernacle of David…So…the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles…”v. 22-29 Their letter appeals to Scriptural Silence: “…to whom we gave no such commandment” [24] “…to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things…” [28; circumcision not mentioned]

AUTHORITY

Next Time: How doesGeneric and Specific instruction affect the

determination of what authority expects?

Matthew 21:23-25

God’s Authority is the only one that matters when the issue is salvation!

Mark 16:16