Words of Authority

#luke #gospel #greeknewtestament #biblestudy #exousia #didache #expleessoo

LUKE 4:32 
"and they were astonished at his teaching 
for his word was with authority"

Let's look at 3 key words in this verse!

first a transliteration ...

kai eksepleessonto epi teei didakheei autou hoti en eksousiai een ho logos autou

and they were "outstruck" / struck at imperfect passive  of ekpleessoo
upon / by / after  epi plus dative
the teaching of him that in authority / power was the word / speech of him

Struck at sounds too strong in English yet that is what this verb means.

So one of the reasons Jesus' teaching had such an impact on the eyewitnesses Luke mentions at the beginning of his gospel is that his word had power, exousia which can be personal spiritual or political.

Those who heard it were struck by the teaching didakhee what you learn from teaching.
Didakhee became doctrina in Latin hence our doctrine but teaching is its meaning.
Not Luke emphasizes the TEACHING over PREACHING

We use for in English where Greek starts a secondary clause with hoti that as a clause marker and we would say with in English where Greek uses en.

The power was within him and coming out of him as expressed as speech.

EXOUSIA

#greeknewtestament #wordstudy #biblestudy #koinegreek

The last words of Jesus in Matthews Gospel are an exhortation even an order to go and make students of all the nations to baptize them and teach people to keep on doing what Jesus taught.

( I should note there that matheuoo could also be translated as instruct rather than make to learn though it was strengthened by the use of the Imperative)

I'm going to analyze this paragraph in more detail over the next few weekends but first I want you to consider one word:

EXOUSIA

Verse 18 in the final chapter 

"It has been given to me ..."

Power and Authority over all heaven and earth!

What a startling statement this is when you give it deeper thought.

Many of my readers may be thinking "Yes Jesus is Lord!" but think about how great this power is!

Jesus is saying to his disciples that he has power greater than the Roman emperors and the magistrates and officials who served i,t or the temple theocracy or other powers, human , and more than human! Think how shocking that use of exousia would be to people in the first century who saw Rome dominating the known world.

Does he tell the disciples to worship him or rebuke them for doubting his resurrection?

No he commands them to do what he did, to travel about and teach others, to continue and complete the ongoing mission.

I end by reminding you what Jesus stated to be the two greatest commandments.

Love God and your neighbors with all your heart mind and soul.