The Authority of the King: Part 1 (Matthew 7:28–8:17)

In the early days of his earthly ministry,  Jesus made many bold claims. He said he was going to make fishers of men  (4:19). He declared himself humanity’s final Judge (7:22–23) and the  ultimate fulfiller of the law (5:17), a law he asserted had been  mishandled and mis-taught by Israel’s religious leaders (5:20–48).  Yet, perhaps Jesus’s boldest claim was that he was the God-promised  King they’d been waiting centuries for and that, if they repented as a  nation, he would establish the anticipated eternal reign of peace and  prosperity. That’s big talk! But why would Israel believe him? How could  they tell if Jesus actually was who he was claiming to be and could do  what he was claiming to do? They’d need proof and, that’s exactly what  Jesus gives them in Matthew 8 and 9 as he demonstrates his authority  over people, diseases, demons, and even nature itself.

Key Passage: Matthew 7:28–8:17

Speaker: Josiah Boyd