Sabbath School

Adult Sabbath School Bible study guide.

What was the basis of Jesus’ authority? What was the evidence of this authority? See Matt. 21:23–27 and John 17:2.

While Jesus was teaching, the priests came to Him and demanded to know who had given Him the authority to do this ministry. After all, Jesus had not graduated from any of the local schools, nor had He received training in the traditional schools of the rabbis. Rather than answering their questions, Jesus pointed the way to the answer, asking His interrogators about the unmistakable authority exhibited by John the Baptist. By refusing to answer, they not only rejected the power of God that crowned the ministry of John but also the authority of Jesus who, like John, was also sent by God.

What do the following verses also tell us about Jesus’ authority? Matt. 7:28, 29; Mark 1:21–27; Luke 8:22–25; Luke 9:1; John 5:25–27; and John 7:38.

All authority belongs to Jesus as humanity’s Creator (John 1:3) and Savior (Rom. 3:24). He is the Word of God. The divine authority possessed by Jesus during His earthly life and ministry could not be imitated or self-generated by anyone. Jesus’ teaching astonished listeners because He taught as One having authority (Matt. 7:29).

All the Gospels record Jesus’ otherworldly prophetic authority. Jesus forgave sins (Mark 2:10, 11), drove out demons (Mark 3:15), and knew what people were thinking (John 2:24, 25). He raised the dead and offered eternal life (John 10:28). While on earth as our Redeemer, Jesus exercised authority given to Him by God the Father (John 17:2), and He depended on and cooperated with the Father (John 5:19) at all times, often referring back to the Scriptures, which, He claimed, testified about Him. Jesus also possessed absolute authority and could delegate that authority to His disciples (Mark 6:7). As the Word of God, His testimony also came to the prophets through whom He spoke (Rev. 19:10).

Even with all the evidence Jesus gave, some people still rejected Him. How can we be careful not to fall into the same trap of unbelief, given all the reasons we have to believe?

Supplemental EGW Notes

In the scribes, Pharisees, and rulers, Jesus found not the bottles for His new wine. He was obliged to turn from them to humble men, whose hearts were not filled with envy, covetousness, and self-righteousness. The lowly fishermen obeyed the call of the divine Teacher, while the scribes and Pharisees refused to become converted. The disciples that Jesus called were uneducated, and were far from being perfect in character when Jesus united them with Himself; but they were willing to learn from the greatest Teacher the world ever knew. They were truly converted men, and became the new bottles into which Jesus could pour the new wine of His kingdom. But though they were converted to Christ, yet, because of their limited earthly comprehension—the result of the teaching they had had from the Jews—they were unable fully to understand the spiritual nature of the truth He could impart. The burden of His instruction was the necessity of His followers having pure and holy hearts, for holiness alone would fit them to become subjects of His heavenly kingdom. The divine Sower scattered grains of precious seed, which we cannot see until a skillful laborer, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, gathers them together and presents them to us as a complete system of truth, unfolding the depths of divine love. For all ages Jesus, the author of truth, through prophets and people, had presented­ truth upon truth to the Jews, from the pillar of cloud and fire. But the truth He had given had become mingled with error, and it was necessary to separate from the companionship of heresy and evil. It was necessary to readjust it in the framework of the gospel, in order that it might shine forth in its original luster and illuminate the moral darkness of the world. Wherever He found a gem of truth that had been lost from its setting, or had been marred with error, He reset it, and stamped upon it the signature of Jehovah. He proved Himself to be the word and the wisdom of God. The commonplace matters of time and earth had engrossed the minds of the people at the time of Christ, just as Satan had designed that they should. Sin had expelled from the heart the love of God, and instead of the love of God there was found in the heart the love of the world, the love of sinful indulgence of evil passions. Christ alone could adjust the claims between heaven and earth. Man’s vision had become blinded, because he did not keep in view the spiritual and eternal world. . . . In the person and work of Christ the holiness of God is revealed; for Christ came to reveal the Father.—Lift Him Up, p. 259.

The above quotations are taken from Ellen G. White Notes for the Sabbath School Lessons, published by Pacific Press Publishing Association. Used by permission.