The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
Chapter eight of Matthew might be subtitled: Jesus displays His authority!!! In each of the miracles recorded in this chapter by Matthew, Jesus is "commanding" something. It opens with some leapers diseases being removed and it will end with a group of demons being asked to be cast into a group of pigs. A centurion, who tells Jesus he is a man of authority and can command people to do this or that, expresses that same recognition that Jesus can command the ill health of his servant to leave that servant ... without even going to the centurion's home. This chapter is complete with example after example of the sovereign power and authority of Jesus Christ. Matthew, a tax collector (he knew about power) gives us these stories so that we will recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God. Since Matthew was written to the church during a time when Nero was persecuting the church (most put the date that the gospel was written around 70-80 A.D.). The church would be 25-30 years old at the time Matthew wrote his gospel. There was still a large group within the church and, obviously, outside the church that questioned the status of Jesus within the trinity. John wrote his first epistle after Matthew wrote his gospel. In 1 John 4 we are told that there were some in the church who denied that Jesus was the Son of God. What Matthew is giving us here is the historical evidence that Christ had the authority to control health, demons and the very elements of the weather. Why does Matthew spend so much time writing to the church to remind them of Christ's authority? It is not just because the church was under attack by false teachers, but, also, because recognizing, by faith, that Christ has authority over everything, is at that center of the Gospel and the resurrection. Remember, salvation is only possible if Christ can defeat death. And He did!!! That is the ultimate authority. The wages of sin is DEATH, but Christ defeated DEATH, therefore He forever lives to satisfy our penalty and to brings us into the throne room of His Father. Note what Paul told the Colossian believers, even before Matthew wrote his gospel account:
Colossians 2:13-15
When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
Our forgiveness of our sins is only possible if Christ has authority over all things. This is a truth we must hold to in faith. This is why those outside the church want to teach that Jesus was a "good person" but not the Son of God. If they can diminish His sovereign rule they can undermine His ability to save. The disciples asked the perfect question, that all men should ask, in the above verse: "What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" He is the kind of man who is not a man ... He is the God-Man and He has perfect authority over sin and death. He has perfect authority over disease and demons. He has perfect authority over circumstances and struggles. He doesn't have to earn it in our lives ... we are to recognize it and believe it. He calms the seas and storms in our lives. He is the Son of God, in complete authority ... that is a truth to believe by faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment