A Study of Authority Title Page for every Lesson on Authority

A Study ofAutho

rity“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).

A Study ofAutho

rityLesson 5The Authority of Jesus Christ is Set Forth in the New Testament

(Presentations are basically an adaptation of material found in Billy W. Moore’s classbook, A Study of Authority)

The New Testament is the Will of Jesus

• Jesus does not speak to us directly, we have not seen him personally

• God had promised to make a New Covenant• Jeremiah 31:31-34• First covenant was made “old” by giving

of the New Covenant

Jeremiah 31:31-34"Behold, the days are coming, says

the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD…”

Jeremiah 31:31-34(cont.), …“But this is the covenant that

I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 "No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."




of the New Covenant• The N. T. is the New Covenant

• He is mediator (Heb. 9:15-17; 8:6-13)

Hebrews 9:15-17“And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.”

Hebrews 8:6,13“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”

“In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”





• He is mediator (Heb. 9:15-17; 8:6-13)• Dedicated by His Blood (Matt. 26:28)

Matthew 26:28“For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”





• He is mediator (Heb. 9:15-17; 8:6-13)• Dedicated by His Blood (Matt. 26:28)• Preached after death (Heb. 9:16-17)

Hebrews 9:16-17“For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.”


• The first covenant (old law) was abolished that the new covenant might be inaugurated• Jesus came to fulfill the law and prophets,

Matt. 5:17

Matthew 5:17“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”



Matt. 5:17• Old law was taken away, Heb. 10:9-10

Hebrews 10:9-10“Then He said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.’ He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”



Matt. 5:17• Old law was taken away, Heb. 10:9-10• Old law was the middle wall of partition,

broken down by Christ, Eph. 2:14-17

Ephesians 2:14-17“For He Himself is our peace, who

has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.”




broken down by Christ, Eph. 2:14-17• Old law, “handwriting of ordinances”

taken away, Col. 2:14-17

Colossians 2:14-17“Having wiped out the handwriting of

requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”




broken down by Christ, Eph. 2:14-17• Old law, “handwriting of ordinances”

taken away, Col. 2:14-17• Old law, schoolmaster we are no

longer under, Gal. 3:24,25

Galatians 3:24-25“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”

The New Testament is God’s Message to Men in This Dispensation

• God speaks to us by His son, Hb. 1:1-2• In Old Testament days… Prophets• Today, His Son through the New Test.

Hebrews 1:1-2“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.”



• Jesus spoke through the apostles who were his witnesses and ambassadors• Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20

Luke 24:46-48“Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.’”

Acts 1:8“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

2 Corinthians 5:20“Now then, we are ambassadors for

Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.”



• Jesus spoke through the apostles who were his witnesses and ambassadors• Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20• Apostles were eyewitnesses (Acts 1:21-22;

2 Peter 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:8)

Acts 1:21-22“Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

2 Peter 1:16“For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

1 Corinthians 15:8“Then last of all He was seen by me

also, as by one born out of due time.”

Paul was also an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord, hence qualified to be an apostle



• Jesus spoke through the apostles who were his witnesses and ambassadors• Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20• Apostles were eyewitnesses (Acts 1:21-22;

2 Peter 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:8)• Apostles were chosen ambassadors

(2 Cor. 5:18)

2 Corinthians 5:18“Now all things are of God, who has

reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Paul was given the ministry of reconciliation. Sent especially to the Gentiles who once were “afar off”

The New Testament is God’s Message to Men in This Dispensation• When the apostles spoke, they

represented Christ, and their words must be respected• Matt. 10:40; Luke 10:16; John 13:20

Matthew 10:40“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

Luke 10:16“He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

John 13:20“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."


represented Christ, and their words must be respected• Matt. 10:40; Luke 10:16; John 13:20• They were guided by the Holy Spirit, Jn

16:13; Gal. 1:11-12

John 16:13“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

Galatians 1:11-12“But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”



16:13; Gal. 1:11-12• These ambassadors and other inspired

men wrote the New Testament• Divine (1 Thess. 2:13)

1 Thessalonians 2:13“For this reason we also thank God

without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”




men wrote the New Testament• Divine (1 Thess. 2:13)• Complete (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

2 Timothy 3:16-17“All Scripture is given by inspiration

of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”




men wrote the New Testament• Divine (1 Thess. 2:13)• Complete (2 Tim. 3:16-17)• Final (Jude 3)

Jude 3“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”

ConclusionIn this lesson we have: Established that the New Testament is

the Will of Jesus It is the New Covenant, and the Old Covenant

has been taken away Established that the New Testament is

God’s message to man in This dispensation God speaks today through his son The apostles were ambassadors of Christ The apostles and other inspired men

wrote down the truth for us today

Questions

Lesson 5The Authority of Jesus Set forth in

the New Testament

?

Question 1 What does it mean that Jesus is the Mediator of

a New Covenant (cf. Heb. 9;15-17; 8:6-13)?

The word simply means a go-between. Jesus, by means of his death, established a new agreement between God and man. It is through his efforts that redemption is made available to all men!

Question 2 What are some of the scriptural designations for

the Old Covenant which indicate that it is insufficient for our redemption (cf. Eph. 2:14-17; Col. 2:14-17; Gal. 3:24,25)?

“the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances…”“contrary to us… a shadow of things to come…”A “tutor” we are no longer under

Question 3 Why are the apostles called “ambassadors”?

The term indicates and official representative. They were to give to the world “all truth”, as supplied by the comforter. (cf. Matthew 16:19; John 16:12-13).

Question 4 When the apostles’ spoke, why was it necessary

to heed them?

What the apostles’ spoke was from God! “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” (1 Th. 2:13)

Question 5 Name three things about the New Testament

which makes it significant?

• It is Divinely inspired (1 Thess. 2:13)• It supplies man with all needed for

redemption (2 Tim. 3:16-17)• It is the final word of God to men

(Jude 3)

Documents

A Study of Authority Title Page for every Lesson on Authority