Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 7:29
For he taught them as [one] having authority, and not as the scribes.
29. having authority ] He was Himself a lawgiver. His teaching was not a mere expansion of the old law. Much less did he confine himself to the words of any particular Rabbi.
the scribes ] Sopherim = either (1) “those who count;” because the Scribes counted each word and letter of the Scriptures; or (2) “those occupied with books.” The Scribes, as an organized body, originated with Ezra, who was in a special sense the “ Sopher ” or Scribe. This order of Sopherim, strictly so called, terminated b. c. 300. Their successors in our Lord’s time were usually termed Tanaim, “those who repeat, i. e. teach the Law.” They are called “lawyers” (ch. Mat 22:35; Luk 5:17; Act 5:34), also “the wise,” “Elders,” and “Rabbis.”
A scribe’s education began as early as in his fifth year. At thirteen he became a “son of the precept,” Bar-mitsvah. If deemed fit, he became a disciple. At thirty he was admitted as a teacher, having tablets and a key given him. See note, ch. Mat 16:19. His functions were various; he transcribed the law (here the greatest accuracy was demanded); he expounded the law, always with reference to authority he acted as judge in family litigation, and was employed in drawing up various legal documents, such as marriage contracts, writings of divorce, etc. (See Kitto’s Cycl. Bib. Lit. and Smith’s Bib. Dict. art. Scribes.)
The alliance between Scribes and Pharisees was very close, each taught that the law could be interpreted, fenced round and aided by tradition, in opposition to the Sadducees, who adhered to the strict letter of the written law.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mat 7:29
Having authority.
The great authority
There resides in what is called an authority a power which we shall do well to contemplate. By it I mean that position as an adviser which is gained only by diligent study and habitual practical research; or else by the inherent endowment or special gifts of a superior nature. The medicine man, the legal man, gain authority by study. The importance of finding in Jesus the authority in the affairs of the soul, and also of the mind when brought up against eternal questions. There is a class of mind which takes delight to fathom the unfathomable. Faith is as much an integral part as our ignorance, in our imperfect condition. It is the aim of faith to turn ignorance into bliss in the perplexities of life, with respect to most of which it were folly to be wise. What a calamity if in this half-fledged condition we knew all about ourselves and God. We should shake our dispositions with thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls. Christ knows. He is the authority for the soul. (U. P. Philpot, M. A.)
Authority His result of knowledge
We have lately learned among the laws of solar light which have been revealed to us-for science also has its late and lagging revelations-the astonishing fact, that beyond the atmosphere of our world, as of all other worlds, all is blackness and darkness, even till the eye again reaches the airy envelopes of other worlds, and catches the bright particular stars which are the sources, direct or mediate, of the rays that play upon its tiny pupil. And so we find it to be round all the circle of science, round every world of knowledge there is also a darkness which no knowledge can penetrate. We live and move and have our being upon the edge of a ring of precipitous and abysmal darkness. But, as we have seen to be the case in the fiery- citadels of heaven, so we Christians believe it to be in the moral world; that, dark as its surroundings are -in respect of the origin and workings of evil, and all the problems that hang about this inquiry, there abides above and beyond all a Paternal source of Light. God is a central and Personal Sun, Who gives light to all, and borrows none from any, and in Whom, as Jesus shows Him to us, is no darkness at all. In that light Jesus dwells, having no part dark, and from that light He speaks to us, and teaches with an authority which is unique. (U. P. Philpot, M. A.)
Divine audacity
Audacity, in reverent sense, better expresses the word than authority. This He did-
1. In declaring His pre-existence.
2. In declaring His identity with the Godhead.
3. In assuming Divine prerogatives.
4. In arrogating exclusive rights, and exhausting in Himself the similitude of things.
Lessons:
1. A proof that Christ was what He professed to be.
2. This was the only consistent course.
3. An audacious Christ should have an audacious Church. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Authority of our Saviour as a teacher
The nature of this authority.
1. It was the authority of truth. There was no artifice or affectation in His manner; no excess; solemnity. Earnestness of conviction apparent.
2. It was derived from the intrinsic truth of the doctrines which Jesus communicated, as from the sincerity with which they were taught.
3. It arose from the purity of His character. It was the authority of a good life.
4. It was the authority of heaven. The Divine assistance was afforded to Jesus; God confirmed what He said, and miracles were wrought. We are too familiar with Christs doctrine to be astonished at it. (F. W. P. Greenwood, D. D.)
Truth, not beauty, gives authority to doctrine
The question is not whether a doctrine is beautiful, but whether it is true. When we want to go to a place, we dont ask whether the road leads through a pretty country, but whether it is the right road, the road pointed out by authority, the turnpike-road. (Hare.)
Christ an unconventional but model preacher
I. He was A model as to the matter of his preaching, which was unconventional. Christ taught Himself.
1. He had nothing higher to represent than Himself.
2. He had nothing that the world required more than Himself.
II. HE was A model as to the manner of his teaching, which was unconventional.
1. His positiveness.
2. His self-assurance.
3. His naturalness.
4. His freshness.
5. His suggestiveness.
6. His definiteness.
7. His tenderness.
8. His faithfulness.
9. His consistency.
10. His devoutness. (D. Thomas, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 29. Having authority] They felt a commanding power and authority in his word, i.e. his doctrine. His statements were perspicuous; his exhortations persuasive; his doctrine sound and rational; and his arguments irresistible. These they never felt in the trifling teachings of their most celebrated doctors, who consumed their own time, and that of their disciples and hearers, with frivolous cases of conscience, ridiculous distinctions, and puerile splittings of controversial hairs-questions not calculated to minister grace to the hearers.
Several excellent MSS. and almost all the ancient versions read, , and the Pharisees. He taught them as one having authority, like the most eminent and distinguished teacher, and not as the scribes and Pharisees, who had no part of that unction which he in its plenitude possessed. Thus ends a sermon the most strict, pure, holy, profound, and sublime, ever delivered to man; and yet so amazingly simple is the whole that almost a child may apprehend it! Lord! write all these thy sayings upon our hearts, we beseech thee! Amen.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
29. For he taught them as onehaving authorityThe word “one,” which ourtranslators have here inserted, only weakens the statement.
and not as the scribesTheconsciousness of divine authority, as Lawgiver, Expounder and Judge,so beamed through His teaching, that the scribes’ teaching could notbut appear drivelling in such a light.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For he taught them, as one having authority,…. This does not so much respect the subject matter of his ministry, the gravity, weight, and solidity of his doctrine; which, to be sure, was greatly different from that of the Scribes, which chiefly lay in proposing and handling things trivial, and of no moment; such as the rituals of the law, the traditions of the elders, or washing of the hands and cups, c. nor merely the manner of his delivery, which was with great affection, ardour, and fervency of spirit, with much liberty and utterance of speech, and with wonderful perspicuity and majesty in which also he differed from the Scribes, who taught in a cold and lifeless manner, without any spirit and power; but this chiefly regards the method he used in preaching, which was by delivering truths of himself in his own name, and by his own authority; often using those words, “but I say unto you”: he spoke as a lawgiver, as one that had authority from heaven, and not from men;
and not as the Scribes, who used to say, when they delivered any thing to the people, “our Rabbins”, or “our wise men say” so and so: such as were on the side of Hillell made use of his name; and those who were on the side of Shammai made use of his name; scarce ever would they venture to say anything of themselves, but said, the ancient doctors say thus and thus: almost innumerable instances might be given, out of the Talmud, in which one Rabbi speaks in the name of another; but our Lord spoke boldly, of himself, in his own name, and did not go about to support his doctrine by the testimony of the elders; but spake, as having received power and authority, as man, from his Father, “and not as the Scribes”. Some copies add, and Pharisees; these generally going together; and so read the Vulgate Latin, the Syriac, the Persic versions, and the Hebrew edition of Matthew by Munster.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And not as their scribes ( ). They had heard many sermons before from the regular rabbis in the synagogues. We have specimens of these discourses preserved in the Mishna and Gemara, the Jewish Talmud when both were completed, the driest, dullest collection of disjounted comments upon every conceivable problem in the history of mankind. The scribes quoted the rabbis before them and were afraid to express an idea without bolstering it up by some predecessor. Jesus spoke with the authority of truth, the reality and freshness of the morning light, and the power of God’s Spirit. This sermon which made such a profound impression ended with the tragedy of the fall of the house on the sand like the crash of a giant oak in the forest. There was no smoothing over the outcome.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
He taught [ ] . He was teaching. This union of the verb and participle emphasized the idea of duration or habit more than the simple tense.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For he taught them,” (en gar didaskon autous) “Because he was teaching them, repetitously,” with illustration after illustration, to clarify ideas and concepts He desired them to understand and follow in life, and teach to others, Joh 20:21.
2) “As one having authority,” (hos eksousian echon) “As one who has, holds, or possesses authority,” boldly or dogmatically, as having authority vested in himself, in the idea. And He did have authority, for He was the Son of God, Joh 3:35; 5:22,27; 28:18-20.
3) “And not as the scribes.” (kai ouch hos hoi arammateis auton) “And not as their scribes,” taught, with no direct attacks on sin, with a mass of rabbinical questions, quibblings, and quotations of traditions (of the elders) saying, “Rabbi so-and-so said, that Rabbi-so-and-so said, etc,” ad infinatum. Such was the influence of the message on His disciples that day, and perhaps others who overheard.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(29) He taught them.The Greek implies continuity, He was teaching.
As one having authority, and not as the scribes.Some instances have been already pointed out: the I say unto you, which is contrasted with what had been said to them of old time; the assumption that He, the speaker, was the Head of the divine kingdom and the Judge of quick and dead. More striking still is the entire absence of any reference by name to the teaching of other interpreters of the Law. As a rule, the scribe hardly ever gave his exposition without at least beginning by what had been said by Hillel or by Shammai, by Rabbi Joseph or Rabbi Meir, depending almost or altogether upon what had thus been ruled before, as much as an English lawyer depends on his precedents. In contrast with all this, our Lord fills the people with amazement by speaking to them as One who has a direct message from God. It is the prophet, or rather, perhaps, the king, who speaks, and not the scribe.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
29. Having authority Not relying on rabbis, or elders, or prophets, or even upon Moses; but as one greater than they all. The authority, original and unappealable, resided in his own Divine person.
The Sermon on the Mount contains a summary of all the great moral principles and cardinal doctrines of the Gospel, except the atonement. His own divinity, as the superior of Moses and the final judge of men, is fully asserted; man’s fallen and evil nature, the needs of the Holy Spirit to salvation, the duty and success of prayer for its bestowment, are affirmed; faith in Christ as the only rock of safety, the necessity of renouncing self and the world, and giving ourselves by faith to God, whereby we may be regenerated into sons of God, are plentifully explained; holiness of heart, Christian perfection, purity, are described and required in explicit terms; probation, the final judgment, and everlasting retribution, are depicted in the clearest colours; and though the CROSS is not fully presented, yet that spirit of faith is powerfully inculcated, by which the cross, in the fulness of time, would be embraced with full purpose of heart.
The wonderful reports in regard to Jesus had drawn the multitudes from various parts to hear him. (Mat 4:25.) As Jesus arose and walked down the mountain toward Capernaum “great multitudes followed him.” (Mat 8:1.) How much, in regard to the Messiah, they understood, is not clear; but it cannot be doubted that many a heart was beginning to open with receptive faith for his religion. Alas! how may counter influences blast the fairest hopes!
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mat 7:29 . ] expresses more emphatically than a simple imperf. that it was a continuous thing, Khner, II. 1, p. 35. Winer, p. 526 f. [E. T. 437].
] as one who is invested with prophetic authority , in contrast to the , in listening to whom one could hear that they were not authorized to speak in the same fearless, candid, unconstrained, convincing, telling, forcible way. “All was full of life, and sounded as though it had hands and feet,” Luther. Comp. Luk 4:32 ; Luk 4:36 ; Mar 1:22 ; Mar 1:27 ; Rev 9:19 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Ver. 29. For he taught them as one having authority ] Never man spake as he spake, said those catch poles that came to take him, but were taken by him. For matter, his doctrine was not his own, but his Father’s that sent him, Joh 7:16 . For manner, this prince of preachers had the tongue of the learned, Isa 50:4 ; yet without ostentation of learning he delivered himself so plainly that the simplest might conceive him, and so powerfully that his enemies could not but confess that he “was true, and taught the way of God truly,” Mat 22:14 . And for end, he seriously sought his Father’s glory in the salvation of men’s souls. A fair precedent for preachers; who should thus seek to get within the people, and to maintain the credit of their ministry, that their words may carry an authority and command attention.
And not as the Scribes ] Who, 1. Stuck in the bark of the law, and pierced not into the heart and sense of it. 2. Delivered “for doctrines the commandments of men” about washings, tithings, &c. 3. They sought not the glory of God, but praise of men; and were therefore mad at our Saviour, as one that bare away the bell from them for a powerful preacher. 4. They rejected publicans and sinners, though penitent: so did not Christ. 5. They taught coldly and carelessly; but he zealously and imperiously, as the lawgiver, and not as an interpreter only; as that “prophet like unto me,” saith Moses; yea, far beyond him, or any other that ever spake with a tongue. For he could and did speak to the hearts of his hearers; together with his word “there went forth a power,” as to heal the bodies of those, Luk 5:17 , so the souls of his elect; he was a minister of the spirit and not of the letter only. a
a
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
29. ] The assertion is spread more widely, by this resolved imperfect, over His whole course of teaching. Chrysostom’s comment is, , , . , , . Hom. xxv. 1, p. 306.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 7:29 . : Fritzsche supplies, after , , and renders, He taught as one having a right to teach, because He could do it well, “scite et perite,” a master of the art. The thought lies deeper. It is an ethical, not an artistic or sthetical contrast that is intended. The scribes spake by authority, resting all they said on traditions of what had been said before. Jesus spake with authority, out of His own soul, with direct intuition of truth; and, therefore, to the answering soul of His hearers. The people could not quite explain the difference, but that was what they obscurely felt.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
taught = was continually teaching.
having authority: i.e. possessing Divine authority. Greek. exousia. App-172. In the current Hebrew literature of that time it denoted the Hebrew mippi hagg burah = from the mouth of God. See notes on Mat 26:64. Mar 14:62, and Heb 1:3.
and not. Note the Figure of speech Pleonasm (App-6). Jewish teachers always referred to tradition, or to what some other teacher had said; and do so to this day.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
29. ] The assertion is spread more widely, by this resolved imperfect, over His whole course of teaching. Chrysostoms comment is, , , . , , . Hom. xxv. 1, p. 306.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 7:29. , as one having authority) They could not withdraw themselves away.[353] It is the mark of truth to constrain minds, and that of their own free will. See examples of our Lords authority () in the Gnomon on ch. Mat 5:3; Mat 5:18-20, Mat 7:22-23, and also Mat 8:19, and Joh 7:19.-,[354] scribes) to whom the people were accustomed, and who had no authority,
[353] They felt the majesty of the Teacher, and the power of His word.-V. g.
[354] The argin of Edit. A.D. 1753 regards the fuller reading, , as almost equal in probability to this shorter one.-E. B.
Lachm. adds the words with C corrected by the first and second later hand, ac Vulg. Hil. 640, Euseb. . 27b:b also, adding . However the weighty authority of B is against the additional words.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
having: Mat 5:20, Mat 5:28, Mat 5:32, Mat 5:44, Mat 21:23-27, Mat 28:18, Deu 18:18, Deu 18:19, Ecc 8:4, Isa 50:4, Jer 23:28, Jer 23:29, Mic 3:8, Luk 21:15, Act 3:22, Act 3:23, Act 6:10, Heb 4:12, Heb 4:13
and not: Mat 15:1-9, Mat 23:2-6, Mat 23:15-24, Mar 7:5-13, Luk 20:8, Luk 20:46, Luk 20:47
Reciprocal: 1Ki 17:1 – As the Lord God Neh 8:3 – ears Pro 8:6 – the opening Mat 2:4 – scribes Mat 9:3 – certain Mat 22:33 – they Mar 1:22 – they were Luk 4:32 – General Luk 7:1 – when Joh 4:41 – because Joh 7:15 – marvelled Joh 7:46 – Never Act 13:12 – being Tit 2:15 – with
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7:29
Having authority, not as the scribes. The scribes were not inspired men neither were they in any official position. Their business was to copy the law and then quote it to the people for their information; they could only say “it is written.” Jesus was the Son of God and could speak independent of all written documents, although he always respected what had been written by Moses and the prophets.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
[As one having authority, and not as the scribes.] It is said with good reason, in the verse going before Mat 6:28, that “the multitude were astonished at Christ’s doctrine”: for, besides his divine truth, depth, and convincing power, they had not before heard any discoursing with that authority; that he did. The scribes borrowed credit to their doctrine from traditions, and the fathers of them: and no sermon of any scribe had any authority or value, without The Rabbins have a tradition; or The wise men say; or some traditional oracle of that nature. Hillel the Great taught truly, and as the tradition was concerning a certain thing; “But, although he discoursed of that matter all day long, they received not his doctrine; until he said at last, So I heard from Shemaia and Abtalion.”
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mat 7:29. For he taught them. This may refer to His habitual mode of teaching.
As having authority. One is not only unnecessary, but incorrect Christ is not one among others having authority, but the only one having authority, in this highest sense, as the one coming directly from God, and Himself the personal embodiment of the Truth.
And not as their scribes. The scribes were expounders of the Old Testament. Their exposition, too, was in one sense authoritative, but they referred continually to the authority of learned Rabbins. Our Lord introduced His expositions thus: Verily I say unto you. No Old Testament prophet assumed such authority, no mere man has a right to do so. He who uttered this matchless discourse on morals, has personal authority to tell men what is true, to declare what is right, to set up His judgment here and hereafter as the final appeal. None but the God-Man could be the teacher on the Mount of Beatitudes.