The authority of Jesus Christ is an amazing thing to consider. We have seen glimpses of authority in the natural realm. Some have encountered law enforcement officers exercising their authority, others have served in the military, and others have witnessed judicial authority in a courtroom. We see presidents, kings, governors, and other officials exercising authority over people and nations. These experiences give us some appreciation for what authority means, but they provide only a limited understanding of the authority of Jesus Christ.
The Greek word translated authority in Matthew 28:18 is exousia. It speaks of authority, the right to exercise rule, and the legitimate power to act within a jurisdiction. We must distinguish this word from dynamis, which commonly refers to power, might, ability, or miraculous power. Although the words can overlap in meaning, they emphasize different aspects of what God does. Jesus possesses not only the power to accomplish His will but also the supreme authority to rule over all creation.
The Centurion Recognized the Authority of Jesus
In Matthew 8:5–13, a Roman centurion approaches Jesus because his servant is paralyzed and suffering terribly. The centurion believes Jesus can heal him, and he expresses a remarkable understanding of how Christ's authority operates. He tells Jesus that He need only speak the word, and the servant will be healed.
The centurion explains that he himself is a man under authority, with soldiers under him. He gives orders, and they obey. He recognizes that Jesus likewise possesses authority, but His authority extends beyond the ordinary limits of human command. Jesus does not need to enter the house or perform a physical action in order to accomplish what He intends. He can simply speak.
Matthew 8:10 records Jesus marveling at the man's faith. Jesus declares that He has not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. This is remarkable because the man was a Gentile Roman officer, not an Israelite who had grown up within the covenant community. Yet he recognized something about Jesus that many others failed to understand.
What made his faith so remarkable? He trusted the authority of Jesus. He did not demand to see the healing before believing. He believed that Christ's word was sufficient because he recognized who Jesus was.
The centurion understood that authority is not measured merely by what someone can physically accomplish in front of us. Genuine authority can operate through a command. Jesus could speak, and sickness would have to yield to His will. The centurion's faith rested not in his own authority, but in the authority of Christ.
This is a lesson for us today. Faith is not pretending that our circumstances do not exist, nor is it claiming that we can command God to do whatever we want. Biblical faith trusts the person and promises of God. It rests upon His character, His Word, and His sovereign authority. We do not possess unlimited authority simply because we believe, but we can confidently trust the One who does.
The centurion's example challenges us to consider whether we take Jesus at His word. Do we believe His promises? Do we obey His commands? Do we trust Him when we cannot yet see the outcome? The greater our understanding of who Jesus is, the more firmly we can rest in His authority.
All Legitimate Authority Is Under God's Sovereignty
The centurion understood both sides of authority. He was under authority himself, and he exercised authority over others. His position was not independent of the Roman military structure. He answered to those above him, just as his soldiers answered to him.
That principle helps us understand the difference between earthly authority and God's authority. Earthly authority is limited and accountable. Romans 13:1 teaches that there is no authority except from God and that existing authorities are established under His sovereign ordering. This does not mean that every ruler acts righteously or that every government decision reflects God's moral approval. Scripture shows us repeatedly that rulers can be unjust and that people remain accountable for their actions. Nevertheless, no human ruler possesses ultimate sovereignty.
In Acts 5:29, the apostles declare that they must obey God rather than men when human authorities command them to stop doing what God has commanded. Their response demonstrates that human authority has limits. When human demands conflict with God's commands, our ultimate allegiance belongs to God.
We see the same principle in John 19:10–11. Pilate tells Jesus that he has authority to release Him and authority to crucify Him. Pilate is asserting his judicial position and reminding Jesus that he has the power to make the decision. But Jesus responds by explaining that Pilate could have no authority over Him unless it had been given from above.
Jesus does not deny that Pilate possesses genuine judicial authority. Rather, He exposes the limitation of that authority. Pilate's position is not independent of God, and he is not the ultimate ruler of the situation. Even as Jesus stands before him, Pilate remains a man whose authority is subordinate to the sovereignty of God.
There is an important distinction here. The fact that God is sovereign does not excuse the misuse of authority. Jesus goes on to speak of greater sin in John 19:11, demonstrating that responsibility remains even when human actions unfold within God's sovereign purposes. Pilate is accountable for how he exercises his authority, just as every ruler and every believer is accountable to God.
The lesson is clear: authority does not make a person sovereign. Every earthly office is limited, every human ruler is accountable, and every legitimate exercise of authority must be understood in relation to the ultimate authority of God.
The Creator Stood Before Pilate
Who is this Jesus who stood before Pilate and spoke about authority being given from above? He is not merely a prophet explaining a general principle. He is the eternal Son of God, the One through whom all things were created.
John opens his Gospel with one of the most profound declarations in Scripture. John 1:1 teaches that the Word existed in the beginning, was with God, and was God. John 1:3 then declares that all things came into being through Him and that apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
Jesus did not begin to exist at Bethlehem. His human birth marked His entrance into the world as the incarnate Son, but His existence did not begin there. Before the world was created, the eternal Word already existed. Before Rome became a world power, before Pilate was born, and before the Roman Empire exercised authority over Judea, Jesus Christ already was.
Colossians 1:15–17 develops this truth. Paul explains that all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, were created through Christ and for Christ. Thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities are included in the scope of creation, and Christ Himself is before all things. All things hold together in Him.
Hebrews 1:1–3 likewise teaches that God made the world through His Son. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His nature, and He upholds all things by His powerful word. These passages reveal that Jesus is not merely one created being among many. He is the eternal Son through whom creation came into existence and by whose sustaining power it continues to exist.
Now return to the scene in John 19. Pilate is standing before Jesus, declaring that he has authority to release Him or crucify Him. But Pilate himself belongs to the creation that came into being through Christ. His life, his existence, and the world in which he exercises his office all depend upon the Creator.
What a contrast! The creature is asserting his judicial authority over the Creator, while the Creator calmly reminds him that his authority has been given from above.
When Jesus says that Pilate could have no authority over Him unless it had been given from above, we should understand His words in light of the broader biblical revelation. Romans 13:1 establishes that governing authority comes under God's ordering. John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1 establish that all things were created through the Son and that all things depend upon Him. The Father and the Son are not rival sovereigns. The Son shares the divine identity and acts in perfect unity with the Father.
Pilate's authority was not independent of the God revealed in Scripture. Jesus was not helpless before a power greater than His own. He was willingly proceeding toward the cross in accordance with the Father's redemptive purpose.
Psalm 139:16 also reminds us of God's perfect knowledge of our lives, describing His knowledge of our days before they unfold. God is never surprised by history. The events surrounding Pilate and the crucifixion did not catch Him unprepared. Yet God's sovereignty does not remove human responsibility; the people involved remained accountable for their actions.
John 19:8 adds another remarkable detail. When Pilate heard the accusation that Jesus had claimed to be the Son of God, he became even more afraid. We cannot know everything that was going through Pilate's mind, but the text clearly tells us that the accusation intensified his fear. He questioned Jesus about where He came from, yet Jesus did not give him the answer he wanted.
Pilate may have been struggling to understand what the claim meant, but Scripture does not tell us precisely what he concluded. What we do know is that he was confronting a man whose identity and authority could not be understood merely in terms of Roman politics.
Jesus spoke with restraint. He did not need to threaten Pilate or make an elaborate declaration of His eternal supremacy. He simply told him the truth about the source and limits of his authority.
Never mistake the humility of Jesus for weakness. Never mistake His silence for an absence of authority. The eternal Son of God was standing before a human judge, willingly moving toward the cross for the salvation of sinners.
The One standing before Pilate was the eternal Son through whom Pilate himself had been created. Pilate exercised genuine but delegated authority; Jesus was the sovereign Lord whose authority stands above every earthly office and every human ruler.
Jesus Has Been Given All Authority in Heaven and on Earth
After His resurrection, Jesus made an extraordinary declaration to His disciples. Matthew 28:18 records His words: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (NASB95).
Notice the word all. Jesus did not say that He had received some authority or that His authority was confined to a particular nation or realm. He declared that all authority had been given to Him in heaven and on earth. The Greek word is exousia, meaning authority or the right to rule and act.
This declaration establishes the foundation for everything that follows in the Great Commission. Jesus possesses authority over every realm included in His statement. No earthly government stands above Him, no spiritual power can rival His ultimate supremacy, and no part of creation exists outside His rule.
We should understand that the existence of rebellion, injustice, and spiritual opposition does not mean that Christ has surrendered His authority. Not everything that happens is morally approved by God, but nothing can overthrow Christ's ultimate rule or prevent Him from accomplishing His purposes.
Ephesians 1:19–23 gives us an even fuller picture of Christ's exaltation. Paul describes the mighty power of God displayed in raising Jesus from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. In verse 21, Christ is described as being far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. God has placed all things under His feet and given Him as head over all things to the church.
Consider the magnitude of that language. Christ is far above every rule, every authority, every power, every dominion, and every name. No earthly ruler compares with Him. No angelic power outranks Him. No demonic force can rival Him as an equal. No spiritual principality or dominion occupies a position above Him.
Paul does not merely describe Jesus as powerful. He describes His exalted supremacy over every competing authority. The Father has raised Him from the dead, exalted Him, and placed all things under His feet.
Philippians 2:5–11 adds another dimension to this truth. Jesus humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God highly exalted Him and bestowed upon Him the name above every name, so that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The One who humbled Himself is the One whom the Father exalted. The One who was rejected by men is the One before whom every knee will ultimately bow. His humiliation was not the end of His story, and the cross was not a victory for His enemies. Through His death and resurrection, He accomplished God's redemptive purpose, and He reigns as the exalted Lord.
Daniel 7:13–14 provides a prophetic picture of the Son of Man receiving dominion, glory, and a kingdom, so that peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is everlasting, and His kingdom will not be destroyed. Revelation 11:15 looks forward to the ultimate consummation of God's kingdom, when the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.
Earthly rulers come and go. Governments change. Empires rise and fall. Human authority is temporary, but the reign of Jesus Christ endures forever.
Jesus possesses ALL authority in heaven and on earth, and the Father has exalted Him far above every rule, authority, power, and dominion. There is no throne higher than His, and His kingdom will never end.
Jesus Demonstrated His Authority Over Nature, Sickness, and Demons
The Gospels demonstrate Christ's authority in action. In Mark 4:35–41, Jesus rebukes the wind and commands the sea to be still, and a great calm follows. His disciples marvel that even the wind and the sea obey Him. In Matthew 8, the centurion recognizes that Jesus can heal his servant simply by speaking the word.
We also see His authority over demons. In Mark 1:21–28, Jesus commands an unclean spirit, and it obeys Him. These accounts reveal that His authority is not confined to human institutions or the visible world. He commands nature, heals the sick, and exercises authority over spiritual forces.
Acts 16:18 records Paul commanding a spirit to come out in the name of Jesus Christ. Yet Acts 19:13–16 warns us against treating Jesus' name as a magical formula. The authority belongs to Christ, not to human beings independently of Him. His name is powerful because of who He is: the exalted Son of God, the risen Savior, and the Lord before whom every knee will ultimately bow (Philippians 2:9–11).
The Great Commission Rests on Christ's Authority
Now we come to the practical application of this entire message. In Matthew 28:18–20, Jesus declares that all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth. On that basis, He commands His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach them to observe everything He commanded. He concludes with the promise that He will be with them always, even to the end of the age.
Notice the connection between His authority and their commission. Jesus establishes who He is and what authority He possesses before giving them their assignment. The Great Commission does not originate in human ambition or institutional invention. It comes from the risen Lord who possesses all authority.
Because His authority extends to all nations, His gospel must be proclaimed among all nations. Because His commands are authoritative, His disciples are to teach people to obey them. And because His presence accompanies His commission, His people can carry out this work with confidence even in the face of opposition.
This commission was given directly to Jesus' disciples, and the mission of making disciples continues through His people today. Every believer is called to bear witness to Christ and participate in the work He has entrusted to His church, according to the gifts, responsibilities, and circumstances God has given them. Not every believer holds the same church office or possesses every ministry gift, but no believer should be ashamed of the gospel or assume that witnessing to Christ is someone else's responsibility alone.
When someone questions or challenges a believer's right to preach the gospel, make disciples, baptize believers, or teach people to obey what Jesus commanded, we must remember the source of our commission. Our ultimate authorization comes from Jesus Christ Himself. We do not possess authority independently of Him, but we have been commanded to serve under His authority.
This does not mean that believers may ignore legitimate accountability, biblical qualifications for church leadership, or the commands of Scripture concerning how ministry should be conducted. Nor does the Great Commission authorize us to present our own opinions as though they were the commands of Christ. We are servants of the Word, not masters over it. We must teach faithfully, act humbly, and remain accountable to Scripture.
But neither should human opposition, intimidation, or the desire for approval silence our witness to Jesus. In Acts 4, Peter and John are ordered not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. They respond by asking whether it is right in God's sight to obey men rather than God, and they explain that they cannot stop speaking about what they have seen and heard. Later, in Acts 5:29, the apostles declare that they must obey God rather than men.
Their response was not a claim that every personal preference carried divine authority. They were obeying a clear command from the Lord to bear witness to Him. When human authorities attempted to prohibit what Christ had commanded, the apostles recognized that their highest allegiance belonged to God.
That same principle matters today. We should be respectful toward people, including those who disagree with us. We should not be arrogant or needlessly combative, nor should we dismiss every concern raised by others. But we must not abandon the gospel merely to secure human approval. The One who sends us possesses all authority, and His commands must govern our mission.
We are not commissioned because we are powerful, influential, educated, or popular. We are commissioned because Jesus Christ is Lord. The authority behind the mission does not originate in us. It belongs to Him.
The Great Commission is both a responsibility and an encouragement. We are called to preach the gospel, make disciples, baptize believers, and teach obedience to Christ. And we do this knowing that the One who commands us also promises to be with us. The mission may involve hardship, rejection, sacrifice, and opposition, but the authority of Jesus has not diminished, and His presence has not been withdrawn.
The Authority of Jesus Calls for Our Personal Submission
It is possible to speak about the authority of Jesus, admire His miracles, and proclaim His supremacy while resisting His rule in our own lives. But if Jesus truly possesses all authority, that truth must affect how we live.
We cannot proclaim that He rules the universe while treating His commands as optional. We cannot celebrate His victory over the powers of darkness while refusing His lordship over our own decisions. We cannot insist that His Word is authoritative for the nations while ignoring it when it challenges our own desires.
Jesus calls us to repentance, faith, obedience, and discipleship. We are to love God with all our heart, love our neighbors, forgive those who wrong us, pursue holiness, speak truthfully, and serve others in humility. These are not merely suggestions from a religious teacher. They are the commands of our Lord.
This does not mean that Christians obey perfectly or never struggle. We grow in grace, confess our sins, and continually depend upon Christ. Submission to His authority is not a claim of sinless perfection. It is a posture of faith that recognizes His right to rule and seeks, by His grace, to follow Him.
His authority is also a source of comfort. When circumstances seem beyond our control, we remember that they are not beyond His knowledge or rule. When earthly powers appear overwhelming, we remember that no government possesses ultimate authority. When spiritual opposition seems frightening, we remember that Christ is exalted far above every rule and power.
Our confidence is not that we control every outcome. Our confidence is that Jesus Christ is the risen Lord. He has authority to save, to sustain, to judge, and ultimately to bring His purposes to completion. We can therefore live with courage and humility, trusting His Word and obeying His commands.
Closing Words: Live Under the Authority of Christ
The Roman centurion recognized that Jesus could speak the word and accomplish what no human authority could accomplish. Pilate learned that his judicial authority was not independent of the authority above him. And the risen Christ declared that all authority had been given to Him in heaven and on earth.
The Father has exalted Jesus far above every rule, authority, power, and dominion. He is the eternal Son through whom all things were created, the Savior who conquered death, and the Lord whose kingdom will never end.
This truth calls for a response. Let us trust His Word, submit to His commands, and faithfully carry out the Great Commission. When we face opposition, let us remember that our commission comes from the One who possesses all authority. We are His servants, entrusted with His gospel and called to make disciples of all nations.
Jesus has promised to be with His people as they carry out His mission. Therefore, let us serve Him faithfully, proclaim Him confidently, and remain obedient to His Word.
All authority belongs to Jesus Christ. Let us live under His lordship and faithfully make Him known until He comes.
Attribution notice: This article was written by the author of this blog with assistance from artificial intelligence.
Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, I invite you to read my articles Name Above All Names, Coronation of Christ as King, The Name of Jesus, The Titles of Christ. You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and you may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."
Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus. Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15). He preached that we must repent and believe.
Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.
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