Whoever never acknowledges the overall authority of the Lord, whether due to simple ignorance or outright refusal, remains subjected to the flawed authority of others.

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HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST

Not long before He ascended to heaven, the Lord Jesus announced that He possessed ALL authority in both heaven and earth. This means He has the very highest level of authority in both the spiritual realm and the physical realm. One might also note that He always accepted worship:

But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” [Matthew 28:16-18]

Yet even on this late date, after His entire earth-shattering, miraculous, and beautiful ministry, His sacrificial death and His glorious resurrection, and the better part of His post resurrection forty days prior to His Ascension, there were still some who were doubtful! And according to the narrative, it appears that the doubters were among His own eleven apostles. It is no wonder, therefore, that the Lord had to continue stating the otherwise obvious right up to the very end in an ongoing effort to combat the dreaded spiritual disease of unbelief. 

The otherwise obvious, of course, is that the Lord Jesus is the one God, something even most “Christians” still are not aware of in that they really don’t know who the Lord Jesus really is because they have yet to receive the full revelation. However, once we at last find success in wrapping our heads around the Lord’s actual authority level, the fullness of His deity will begin to dawn on us.

Regarding the preceding Scriptural passage, the Greek word used for “authority” must be addressed since this teaching begins there. The word is ἐξουσία exousía (ex-oo-see’-ah). It has a range of specific contextual definitions but does not vary in its most elemental general form. In this particular verse, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon applies the following specific definition which contains Matthew 28:18 as a reference. It is followed by my selected applications from the greater lexicon text including the full Scriptural passages mentioned therein:

4. The Power of Rule or Government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed (generally translated authority);

A. universally: Matthew 28:18; Jude 1:25; Revelation 12:10;

• • authority over all mankind, John 17:2

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” [Matthew 28:18]

To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. [Jude 1:25]

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.” [Revelation 12:10]

Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.” [John 17:1-2]

B. specifically,

• • of the power of judicial decision; with an infinitive of the thing decided: John 19:10; followed by the power of deciding against one, John 19:11;

So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” [John 19:10-11]

C. metonymically,

• • one who possesses authority; (cf. the Latin use of honestates, dignitates, auctoritates (so the English authorities, dignities, etc.) in reference to persons);
  • a ruler, human magistrate: Romans 13:1-3; plural: Luke 12:11; Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1.

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; [Romans 13:1-3]

“When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” [Luke 12:11-12]

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. [Titus 3:1-2]

• • the leading and more powerful among created beings superior to man, spiritual potentates; used in the plural of a certain class of angels: Colossians 1:16; 1 Peter 3:22, Ephesians 3:10; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 1:21; Colossians 2:10;

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. [Colossians 1:15-16]

Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. [1Peter 3:21-22]

To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. [Ephesians 3:8-12]

But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. [1Corinthians 15:23-24]

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. [Ephesians 1:18-23]

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. [Colossians 2:9-12]

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The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” [John 2:18-19][1]

© 2025 by RJ Dawson. All Rights Reserved. [To Be Continued…]

[1] Unless otherwise noted all Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.