HIS ASTONISHING DOCTRINE

Matthew 7:28-29 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

The many lessons taught by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in His "Sermon on the Mount" are, indeed, astonishing. This was true at the time He delivered this message, and it is just as astonishing today. It is the word of God taught in its truest form, brought to all men and women of the world by His Son, the Messiah, the Savior of mankind. It should come as no surprise to those that study the prophesy of Isaiah. In his inspired message he foretold of the coming of Christ, that He would be exalted above all human creation, and His teaching would be astonishing to all. Of Christ, Isaiah wrote that He would sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider (See Isaiah 53:13-15). Jesus, the Supreme Teacher, as well as the message He taught, was, and continues to be today, astonishing.

His teaching became astonishing at a very early age during His life on earth. At the age of twelve, He accompanied His earthly parents up to Jerusalem to observe the Feast of the Passover. He disappeared from Mary and Joseph and they searched for Him. Luke's rendering of the Gospel of Christ Jesus tells us thatthey found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers (See Luke 2:41-47). After beginning His earthly ministry, He returned to His hometown of Nazareth and taught in their synagogue. Although they were astonished at his doctrine, both He and His message were rejected. Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in Him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house (See Matt. 13:54-57). We find in Mark 1:21-22 that Jesus journeyed to Capernaum and taught there in the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and they were astonished at His doctrine, for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And it was during the Feast of the Tabernacles that Jesus, while abiding in Galilee, entered the temple and taught. His audience marveled at His doctrine knowing He had no formal training in Jewish law. Jesus confessed that the doctrine about which they marveled is not Mine, but His that sent Me. The doctrine Jesus preached during His ministry on earth - the doctrine that astonished the world, was that of God, and it was to Him that Jesus gave the glory (See John 7:14-18).

With the exception of the covetous, hypocritical Jewish leadership, the doctrine of Jesus was accepted with enraptured attention as He delivered His sermonon this mount.Their attention hung on every word that He uttered. Realizing that Jesus was a humble man of Galilee, ordinary in every sense, with a common occupation, and without formal biblical training, made the doctrine He taught even more astonishing to His audiences. Indeed, He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. His speech belied His human background. He spoke, not as a man with human limitations. There were no hesitations and haltings in His speaking demeanor. He spoke knowingly as one omniscient and divine. He spoke, not as the scribes as they attempted to explain the Law of Moses by using previous teachings of influential rabbis, but as one teaching the truths of God's word with confidence and authority.

Indeed, Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount," in its entirety, was astonishing to those privileged to sit at His feet, and it remains astonishing to all that read it today. Some of His concluding words in this astonishing discourse told all listeners of two courses, or pathways, in the life of men and women as they sojourn here on earth- one is strait and narrow way thatleads to eternal life, and the other is broad and wide way that leads to eternal destruction. One is built on the solid rock of hearing and doing the will of God. The other is built on the shifting sand of hearing God's word alone. Jesus Christ assures us that false teachers, with the encouragement of Satan, will attempt to make the narrow way much broader and the strait gate extremely wider in order to win a "religious" following. Jesus' teaching is astonishing, but for one to follow false teachers, offering nothing but eternal destruction, is even more so. These are the astonishing words of God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Hear them, believe them, and obey them as you travel the strait and narrow way that leads to eternal life.