Jesus’ Authority Blesses and Challenges Us
In today’s passage, we witness another double-sided message from Jesus, actions that both bless and challenge us. The topic is again Jesus’ authority. Today’s passage picks up after the report that the Pharisees were plotting to kill Jesus (3:6), and shows us that despite that rejection, nothing can diminish Jesus’ authority, for he continues to draw people to himself, heal diseases and silence demons, and call people to follow him. Let’s look at the passage together, then, and see how Jesus’ authority blesses and challenges us.