Someone has defined a scholar as "a person who learns more and more about less and less until he knows almost everything about almost nothing." By that definition, the religious teachers of Jesus' day were scholars indeed. They specialized in trivia and knew almost everything about almost nothing. When they had a point to prove, they simply piled up quotes from other scholars. The voice of God was no longer heard.

How different when Jesus spoke! "The crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." People exclaimed, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?" (John 7:15) "No one ever spoke the way this man does" (John 7:46). Jesus didn't base his teaching on scholarly opinion; he did the opposite. "You have heard it said [by your experts]," Jesus would say as he introduced a subject, "but I tell you"--and then, on his own authority, he would declare the real truth of the matter. As Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), his voice rang with the same authority as the voice on Mount Sinai that thundered forth the Ten Commandments. It was the voice of God.

Scholars and experts abound still today. But only Jesus speaks with final authority. Only Jesus maps out the narrow road that leads to life. Only by building your life on his words will you have a rock-solid foundation that withstands every storm.

PRAYER--Lord Jesus, the authority of your teaching staggers me. On this day of worship, open my ears to hear your words, and move my will to put those words into practice. Amen.