1. A Study of Authority
Title Page for every Lesson on Authority
A. Christ Saves Us
B. Christ’s Words Judge Us
C. If we want to be saved by the Savior, we must conform to the standard of Judgment!
“And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:47-48).

2. Lesson 1 The Need for Authority
A Study of Authority
Lesson 1
A. Introductory lesson on Authority
B. Man needs authority in the area of Religion. (Serving God)
Note: The Presentations in the study are taken from Billy W. Moore’s classbook entitled, A Study of Authority
Lesson 1
The Need for Authority
(Presentations are basically an adaptation of material found in Billy W. Moore’s classbook, A Study of Authority)

3. Areas where Authority is Needed
Home
School
Business
Nation
Religion!
If we can see the need for authority in these other areas… Surely we can see the need for authority in our religious practices?

4. Definition - Authority
Greek Word – Exousia (exousia)
Vine: “The power of authority, the right to exercise power… the power of rule or government… the power of one whose will and commands must be obeyed by others.” (page 89).
Thayer: “The power of authority and of right… the power of rule or government”

5. Matthew 21:23 “Now when He came into the temple,
The chief priests and the elders of the
People confronted Him as He was
teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are
You doing these things? And who gave
You this authority?’”

6. Matthew 28:18
“And Jesus came and spoke to them,
saying, ‘All authority has been given to
Me in heaven and on earth.’”
We must recognize the need for authority, and have respect for authority once it has been established!

7. Man’s Need for Authority in the Religious Realm
The Chief Priests and Elders of the Jews recognized the Need for Authority
Matthew 21:23-27

8. Matthew 21:23-27
“Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?’ 24 But Jesus answered and said to them, ‘I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of John; where was it from? From heaven or from men?’…”

9. Matthew 21:23-27
(cont.), “…And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘If we say, “From heaven,” He will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” 26 But if we say, “From men,” we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.’ 27 So they answered Jesus and said, ‘We do not know.’ And He said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.’”

10. Man’s Need for Authority in the Religious Realm
The Chief Priests and Elders of the Jews recognized the Need for Authority
Matthew 21:23-27
Some deny that authority from God is needed for all that man does in Religion
Some look to self as authority
Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 14:12

11. Jeremiah 10:23
“O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

12. Proverbs 14:12
“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

13. Man’s Need for Authority in the Religious Realm
The Chief Priests and Elders of the Jews recognized the Need for Authority
Matthew 21:23-27
Some deny that authority from God is needed for all that man does in Religion
Some look to self as authority
Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 14:12
Some look to other men
Colossians 2:20-23; Matthew 15:8-9

14. Colossians 2:20-23
“Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations; 21 ‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ 22 which all concern things which perish with the using; according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”

15. Matthew 15:8-9
“These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

16. Modern Expressions Regarding Authority
“We do not need authority for everything we do.”
“Thus saith the Lord.”
A Basic Bible Principle: (cf. 2 John 9-11)
We may act without divine authority from God, but we cannot do so and have God’s approval and fellowship!

17. 2 John 9-11
“Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”

18. Man’s Need for Authority, seen in Examples
Cain and Abel
Genesis 4
Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17

19. Genesis 4:3-7
“And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

20. Hebrews 11:4
“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.”

21. Romans 10:17
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

22. Man’s Need for Authority, seen in Examples
Cain and Abel
Genesis 4
Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17
Nadab and Abihu
Leviticus 10:1-2

23. Leviticus 10:1-2
“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 2 So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.”

24. Man’s Need for Authority, seen in Examples
Cain and Abel
Genesis 4
Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17
Nadab and Abihu
Leviticus 10:1-2
King Uzziah
2 Chronicles 26:16-20

25. 2 Chronicles 26:16-20
“But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD; valiant men. 18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, ‘It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God.’…”

26. 2 Chronicles 26:16-20
(cont.), “…19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him.”
When Uzziah turned from divine authority, he became a source of authority unto himself.

27. Conclusion In this lesson we have:
Determined what authority is, and shown man’s need for authority
Shown that those who scorn the need for authority overlook a basic principle taught in God’s word
Shown the need to learn (from the examples cited) the need for divine authority in our practices (cf. Rom. 15:4)

28. Romans 15:4
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

29. Lesson 1 The Need for Authority
Questions ?
Lesson 1
The Need for Authority

30. Question 1
Since the Genesis 4 account of Cain and Abel does not mention the kind of sacrifice they were to make, how do we know God told them what to offer? (Read Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17; and Acts 10:34) Since God did not authorize Cain's sacrifice, by whose authority did he offer it?
Faith comes by hearing God’s word… Since Abel’s sacrifice was offered in Faith, it must have been in response to God’s instructions.
Cain offered sacrifice by his own authority (Will worship)

31. Question 2
Nadab and Abihu were priests, thus were the right men to burn incense; they were burning incense, so were doing the right thing; yet, they were rejected. Why?
Though they were the right men, doing the right thing, they were not doing it in the right way! God cares how we do things. If He has specified a way it is to be done, we must respect His will in this.

32. Question 3
What should be the attitude we hold toward the commandments of men? (cf. Matthew 15:9; Colossians 2:20-23).
Recognize that such commandments are examples of self-willed expression (self-imposed religion), and as such constitute a vain attempt to please God. God, not us, has the right (authority) to determine what pleases Himself.

33. Question 4
From reading Matthew 21:23-27, how do we know that both Jesus and the Jews recognized the need for divine authority for their practices?
Jesus accepted the legitimacy of their question, though he sought to convict them of their hypocrisy.
“By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
If from heaven, “Why then did you not believe?”

34. Question 5
What is the basic Bible principle established by 2 John 9-11, as discussed in our lesson?
That we may act without divine authority, but if we do, we cannot have God’s approval and fellowship.
“Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God.”