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Lesson 17 Hope of Israel Ministries BIBLE Correspondence Course 3
Judean Centralized Government
LESSON 17 scribes, and high priests ask Peter and John in
Acts 4:7?
Control Through Centralized Power and COMMENT: In the above verses
Authority Yeshua and his disciples were being criticized
for speaking and acting without having received
We saw in Lesson 15 that many of the proper AUTHORITY and POWER from the
Judeans criticized the Messiah because he taught so-called “recognized authorities.” In essence
the people without having received formal these Judeans were setting themselves up as the
training by the “so-called” Judean educational ONLY proper source of authority and power,
experts -- the “teachers of the law.” He did not and anyone acting without their permission was
have proper credentials (degrees, diplomas, doing so “illegally.” This is a standard trademark
certificates, licenses, etc.) issued by the of Babylonian-style central government and has
recognized Judean authorities. Thus, they been used throughout history to CONTROL and
considered him to be an “unlearned” man (John SUBJUGATE people.
7:15). They also questioned his “authority.”
Difference Between Authority
and Power
At this point, we need to
distinguish between the terms
“authority” and “power,” as they
refer to different concepts. They are
often INCORRECTLY inter-
changed, misleading people into
thinking of them as equivalent
terms. However, they are NOT
equal in meaning as the definitions
below illustrate. It should be noted
that most English dictionaries
confusingly treat POWER and
The Tower of Babel -- An Ancient Attempt to Centralize
Power and Authority.
Authority
1. As the Messiah was teaching in the
Temple, what did the chief priests and the elders In the New Testament the word AUTHORITY
of the people (so-called “authorities”) ask him? is translated from the Greek word exousia
Matthew 21:23, first part. Did they ask him who (#1849 in Strong’s Concordance). It refers
gave him the authority to teach? Same verse, to “jurisdiction” or “commission” to act.
last part. Exousia is derived from the root word exesti
2. What did the Judean rulers, elders, (#1832), meaning “it is lawful, it is free, it is
permitted.”
Judean Centralized Government
