Where does Jesus get His Authority?

 Read Matthew 8.

Crowds of people began following Jesus as He preached.  This chapter begins the documentation of a series of healings and miracles that Jesus employed to validate His message and identity as the Messiah.  He certainly did not use the healings to draw a crowd.  They were already there.

It is interesting to note that there is no formula in the Scriptures concerning these healings.  The leper came to Jesus, expressing his faith in the Lord's ability.  However, Jesus went to Peter's mother-in-law to heal her.  The centurion was a Gentile and Jesus did not go to see his daughter but merely spoke and it was done.  Some He touched.  Some He did not touch.  In verse 16, He cast out demons "with a word."  And, in that same verse we are told that He "healed all who were sick," not just some.  These lives were instantly changed!  One can only imagine what stories they communicated about Jesus for the rest of their lives.  They had been physically helped (temporal) and spiritually transformed (eternal).

The crucifixion was still more than a couple years away, yet the Holy Spirit had Matthew cite part of Isaiah's prophecy at this point in His life.  From Isaiah 53: "He took our illnesses and bore our diseases." (v.17)  Indeed, Jesus was fulfilling the predictions concerning the Messiah.

All of these signs of the Messiah were meant intentionally to demonstrate His full authority as God in the flesh.
1. Authority in His teaching. (7:29)
The Scribes, who were the scholars of the day, took the Scriptures and added rabbinical teachings.  They argued among themselves as to which rabbi was right and what behavioral applications should be required.  But, instead of presenting the opinions of men and options of thought, Jesus declared the truth of God's word.  They were not used to hearing such.  After all the Scripture is the written word of God. 

2. Authority over evil spirits. (8:16)
The Temple priests, Rabbis, and other religious leaders had no cure for one obviously possessed by demons.  Some tried to deny the existence of Satan and evil spirits.  Others thought only to protect themselves by treating them as outcasts.  Instead, Jesus cast out the demons.  Though believers can resist the Devil and he will flee (James 4:7), only God has true authority over Satan and his hordes.  Even Michael, the archangel, when he fought against Satan, as recorded in Jude 9, said, "The Lord rebuke you."  God did, can, and will judge the Devil and his demons.  To prove He was God, Jesus did it in verses 16 and 31-32.

3. Authority over creation. (8:27)
Colossians chapter one is clear that Jesus is the Creator of all things.  He created hydrogen and oxygen.  He commanded them to fuse together and form the waters.  It was not something unusual, then, for Jesus to command the movements of the winds and the Sea of Galilee.  Yet, the disciples "marveled."

No one had ever seen anything like this before.  "What sort of man is this?”, they asked.  He is Immanuel, God with us.