All His Words Are Equal To Scripture
In the Gospels, Jesus' teachings are presented not just as teachings but as ultimate truths, God's Word itself. In passages like Mark 2:1; Matthew 5:20-22, 7:24-29, 24:35. Jesus takes God's commands in the Old Testament and adds to them, teaching that what He explains is what the God's words and Laws really meant.
In Matthew 5:20-22, Jesus doesn't just interpret the Law; He fulfills and expands it, stating, "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to those of old... But I say to you..." This shift from "You have heard" to "But I say to you" emphasizes His authority to redefine and deepen the understanding of the Law. The frequent use of the phrase "Amen, I say to you" throughout the Gospels is a testament to this divine authority. The Book of Acts continues this theme by referring to the spoken word and the Gospel as "the word of the Lord" (Acts 8:25, 13:44, 48-49;).
Similarly, in Matthew 7:24-29, Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount by comparing those who heed His words to a wise man who built his house on the rock, enduring all storms. The passage concludes with, "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." This astonishment arises from His direct assertion of authority, contrasting with the scribes who relied on existing interpretations. Luke 4:32 and Mark 1:22 similarly notes the reaction to His teaching in the synagogues.
The Son Of Man Has Authority
Jesus' uses of the title "Son of Man" to show His divine authority. For example, in , while healing a paralytic, Jesus says:
10. But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he said to the paralytic — 11. “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”
This act and statement assert his divine role, as forgiving sins is traditionally exclusive to God. In Matthew 25:31-32, he describes the Son of Man's role in judgment:
31. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
In a previous conversation with the Pharisees, Jesus references Psalm 110:1 to pose a critical question about the Messiah's lineage and nature:
41. Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42. saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43. He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, 44. “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’? 45. If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46. And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
By referring to Psalm 110:1, where David calls the Messiah 'Lord,' Jesus challenges their conventional understanding of the Messiah as merely a descendant of David. He implies that the Messiah, while a physical descendant of David, possesses a higher, divine status and nature.