Mark 1.21-22,
Matthew 7.28-29.
Luke 4.31-32.
As Jesus wrapped up
Matthew 7.28-29 KWL 28 It happens when Jesus finishes these lessons,- the masses are amazed at his teaching:
29 Jesus’s teaching isn’t like their scribes,- but like one who has authority.
It’s much the same way Mark and Luke described it when Jesus first began teaching in synagogue. Even walking-around rabbis like Jesus would teach in synagogue: They’d teach their kids on weekdays, and the general population
Anyway, debates kept synagogue really interesting. But if the synagogue president (and later the Christian
Into the belly of this beast, Jesus went to teach
Mark 1.21-22 KWL 21 Jesus and his students enter Capharnaum.- Next, on entering synagogue on Sabbath,
- Jesus is teaching—
22 and people are amazed at his teaching.- For in his teaching, Jesus acts like one who has authority,
- and not like scribes.
Luke 4.31-32 KWL 31 Jesus comes down to Capharnaum,- a city in the Galilee.
- He’s teaching the citizens on Sabbath.
32 and they’re amazed at Jesus’s teaching—- because his word is given with authority.
Wrongly interpreting “with authority.”
Incorrectly, preachers tend to claim this whole “not like scribes, but someone with authority” has to do the attitude Jesus brought with him when he taught. You know, like Jean Calvin described it: Jesus wasn’t some cold dead expounder of the scriptures, but a spellbinding public speaker who taught with charisma and enthusiasm.
The meaning of the Evangelists is, that the power of the Spirit shone in the preaching of Christ with such brightness, as to extort admiration even from irreligious and cold hearers. Luke says that “his discourse was accompanied with power,” that is, full of majesty. Mark expresses it more fully, by adding a contrast, that it was unlike the manner of teaching “of the Scribes.” As they were false expounders of Scripture, their doctrine was literal and dead, breathed nothing of the power of the Spirit, and was utterly destitute of majesty. The same kind of coldness may be now observed in the speculative theology of popery. Those masters do indeed thunder out whatever they think proper in a sufficiently magisterial style; but as their manner of discoursing about divine things is so profane, that their controversies exhibit no traces of religion, what they bring forward is all affectation and mere driveling; for the declaration of the Apostle Paul holds true, that “the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.”
1Co 4.20 In short, the Evangelists mean that, while the manner of teaching, which then prevailed, was so greatly degenerated and so extremely corrupted, that it did not impress the minds of men with any reverence for God, the preaching of Christ was eminently distinguished by the divine power of the Spirit, which procured for him the respect of his hearers. This is the “power,” or rather the majesty and “authority,” at which the people were astonished. Commentary at Mk 1.22, Lk 4.32
You might already recognize the massive problem with this interpretation: If Jesus’s authority comes only from his pesonal charisma, from the fact he’s a dynamic public speaker… it follows that anyone with those traits must therefore be from God. Anyone whose teaching makes the audience feels interested, entertained, and captivated. And plenty of winsome con men are kinda counting on us to think like that. Makes their job easier.
Calvin got it wrong ’cause he was way more interested in doing
So how did scribes teach?
Pharisee custom wasn’t to speak like you had authority. ’Cause you don’t. God does. So their practice was to speak like the bible has all the authority. All they did was report what bible said; what God stated through his prophets. Kinda like a lot of
How they preached was they’d first read the bible—and they’d read the original text, translating the Hebrew into Aramaic as they went, just to emphasize how they’re not just reading a bible translation; they’re reading authentic bible. But of course as they translated, they interpreted. And expounded a bit. Kinda like we see Ezra the scribe do in the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 8.1-8 NLT 1 …all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had given for Israel to obey.2 So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand.3 He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.5 Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.6 Then Ezra praised the LORD , the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—then instructed the people in the Law while everyone remained in their places.8 They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.
The scribe who taught the synagogue lesson, the
Ostensibly this was what those other Pharisee experts thought, not the speaker. But that’s not really what was going on here. If you ever get round to reading what those rabbis taught—namely, their books which make up the Mishna—you’ll find the great Pharisee rabbis had all sorts of opinions. On every major topic, you’d get two to 10 comments from the major rabbis… and they’d contradict one another. There’s an old joke, “Ask two Jews, get three opinions.” It’s absolutely true of the Mishna.
So if any scribe wanted to preach their own point of view, it’s mighty easy to find one of the rabbis who’d kinda lean their way. So they’d emphasize the heck out of that favorite rabbi. All while “remaining true” to the elders’ tradition. Well one elder’s tradition, at least.
Preachers still do this. Sometimes you’ll hear a preacher read the scripture, then tell us what St. Augustine thought of it, or what John Wesley thought, or what C.S. Lewis thought, or what John MacArthur thought. They’ll use a bunch of quotes from this commentary or that. What about other notable Christians who had different ideas? Ah, they won’t quote those guys. And I guarantee you there are thousands of
Yep, whenever Christians quote other Christian authorities, get your guard up. Even when I do it.
And don’t get the idea Pharisees were passive morons who didn’t realize what their scribes were doing. They read the Mishna too; they knew exactly what was going on. They observed this behavior for years, and learned to do likewise. When it came their turn to teach, they did it. It’s why Pharisee lessons would deteriorate into debates: Other scribes would respond, “But what about what this rabbi said?” or “But Rabbi Such-and-so says just the opposite.” In theory this is a good Socratic education; in practice it’d too often turn into wasteful, stupid squabbles. Just like you’ll find in any seminary coffeehouse.
Okay,
How Jesus teaches.
Jesus doesn’t quote rabbis. He quotes bible; he quoted the Law a bunch of different times. He might say similar things to the rabbis, but he never says, “And like Rabbi Shammai said,” or “as Rabbi Hillel would say.” The only authority he appeals to is himself.
Matthew 5.21-22 KWL - 21 “You heard this said to the ancients:
- ‘You will not murder.’
Ex 20.13, Dt 5.17 - Whoever murders will be subject to judgment.
- 22 And I tell you this:
- Everybody angry with their sibling
- will be subject to judgment.
- Whoever tells their sibling, ‘You dumbass,’
- will be subject to the Senate.
- Whoever says, ‘You moron,’
- will be subject to a trash-heap of fire.”
“And I tell you this.” That’s not how Pharisees taught. That’s what they avoided saying. For Pharisees it was always “Moses told us,” or “Rabbi Whatshisface says.” Never “I tell you.”
Jesus didn’t only do it once either. It’s all over his Sermon.
Matthew 5.27-28 KWL - 27 “You heard this said:
- ‘You will not adulter.’
Ex 20.14, Dt 5.18 - 28 And I tell you this:
- Everybody who looks at a woman to covet her,
- has now adultered with her in their heart.”
Matthew 5.33-34 KWL - 33 “Again, you heard this said to the ancients:
- You will not perjure.
Lv 19.12 - You’ll make restitution to the Lord for your oaths.
Dt 23.23 - 34 And I tell you:
- Don’t swear at all.
- Not ‘By heaven!’—it’s God’s throne.”
Ps 11.4 Matthew 5.38-39 KWL - 38 “You heard this said:
- ‘Eye for eye. Tooth for tooth.’
Ex 21.24, Lv 24.20, Dt 19.21 - 39 And I tell you:
- No comparing yourself to evil.
- Instead, whoever punches you on the right side of your jaw:
- Turn from them all the more.”
Matthew 5.43-44 KWL - 43 “You heard this said:
- ‘You’ll love your neighbor.’
Lv 19.18 - And you’ll hate your enemy.
- 44 And I tell you:
- Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors.”
All over the gospels, really. Every time Jesus says, “Amen, I promise you” (
Various translations have Jesus say, “But I say to you,” following the
People weren’t used to this practice. It startled them. Some of them likely thought, “Can he do that?”—and either figured no he couldn’t, and were outraged; or figured he could, ’cause
In our day, we too often get the idea anybody can.
A defiance of Pharisee tradition.
Not only does Jesus claim the right to make definitive statements: You’re gonna see in the gospels how he sometimes goes entirely against Pharisee tradition.
Yep. Critiqued it. Criticized some of its teachings as violations of the Law. Deliberately violated Pharisee customs, like when he cured people on Sabbath. Called all their loophole-seeking
Part of the reason Jesus came to this earth is to reroute his people back onto the right path. The rabbis had unwittingly made some devilish errors. But Jesus came to destroy the devil’s works.
But as you recall, people hate being told they’re wrong. Hate being proven wrong. Hate anybody who shows them so; instead of reforming their behavior and getting back on track, they attack the messenger. It’s why so many Pharisees decided Jesus was their mortal foe, and tried to get him killed. And succeeded.
It wasn’t because they were jealous of his charisma.
