ALL AUTHORITY IN JESUS
Matthew 28:18
In a discussion I had with an AD 70 brother (now termed “Realized
Eschatologist”) I was making the point that the Law of Moses was nailed to the
cross and that after Jesus’ resurrection the Law of Moses no longer had
authority to bind people because Jesus now announced that He had “all authority
in heaven and on earth”(Matt.28:18). This means that the Law of Moses did not
hold authority that would only end in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70,
but that it ended 40 years before that at the time of the cross (Col.2:12-16; Eph.2:11-15). My opponent argued that Jesus’ atoning work
could not be made available until He “came back out of the Most Holy Place”,
which he argued happened when He left heaven and came again in the destruction
of Jerusalem in AD 70. That means that Jesus did not really have any authority
and could not atone for sins until AD 70. Well, even the most casual reading of
the New Testament would show that that argument is not so, and it took a gospel
preachers many years to convince himself of such an absurdity. Let us make some
simple observations.
1. After Jesus’ death
on the cross, Jesus said that "all authority in heaven and on earth had
been given to Him".
2. He instructed the
disciples to make disciples and teach them to "observe all things whatsoever
I have commanded you". The following are implications of Jesus’ statements:
3. Obligation to the
Law of Moses had ceased. It could not have part authority at the same time that
Jesus had ALL authority.
4. The Law of Moses
did not command people to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. This command comes out of the authority of Jesus Christ. Jesus now had full authority to command this
baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Law of
Moses had to be out of the way in order for Jesus to have ALL authority and
command people to be baptized in His name.
Baptism = Commitment to Jesus
1. Based on Jesus having ALL Authority (Matt.28:18-20; Acts
2:38).
2. If Jesus did not yet have ALL AUTHORITY, none should be
baptized in His name until He does.
Remission of sins cannot be offered on the basis of Jesus’ death, unless
the system of animal sacrifices has been removed AND the priesthood of Jesus is
ready to take over.
3. Many were baptized from Pentecost forward. Acts 2:38-41 This shows that the law of Moses was replaced
with the new and living way, and it did not wait till AD 70 to end its
authority, nor did Jesus have to wait till then to begin His kingly and
priestly work. Baptism in Jesus’ name was legitimate for 40 years before the
destruction of Jerusalem and anything associated with it.
4. Therefore, Jesus had full authority, and He had that full
authority long before AD 70..
5. Moses now has NO AUTHORITY, not even a little “phasing
out” authority.
6. Realized Eschatology is WRONG. Jesus was king and priest and offered full
services long before AD 70.
Baptism = For Remission of Sins
1. Remission of Sins is in Jesus’ name.
2. But, RE (Realized Eschatology) brethren contend that
Jesus could offer real remission of sins
until AD 70 when He supposedly “came back out of the MHP”
fulfilling the priestly typology.
3. But, Jesus did the priestly work long before AD 70 that
allowed “remission of sins to be taught
and enjoyed by all nations” (Luke 24:46-48)
4. Therefore, baptism for remission of sins had full
authority to begin long before AD 70.
5. RE brethren are wrong
Baptism = For Remission of Sins
1. Baptism for remission of sins had full authority to begin
long before AD 70.
2. RE brethren are wrong
a. If they are right, baptism for remission of sins should
have both began AND ended in AD 70
1) Began in AD 70 because Jesus’ priestly work could only be
offered after He “came out of the
MHP in AD 70”(according to them)….. And
2) Ended because the commission was “till the end of the
age” (which they claim also is AD 70).
Get the significance of this point. If Jesus’ cannot provide
remission of sins as High Priest until he “comes back out of the Most Holy
Place”(supposedly accomplished when He came back out of heaven in His coming
upon Jerusalem), then baptism in His name for remission of sins should not have
begun until Jesus accomplished that in AD 70.
So, baptism in Jesus’ name for remission of sins should have begun in AD
70. It didn’t. It began right after
Jesus resurrection in Acts 2. But, it
should have also ended in AD 70. Why?
Because Jesus also said He would be with them “until the end of the age”(Matt.28:20)
and that is also identified by our AD 70 brethren as ending with the destruction
of Jerusalem in AD 70. So, this puts
them in a position of absurdity. They
argue that the Law of Moses was binding until AD 70. They argue that Jesus’
atoning work could not come into application till AD 70. They argue that AD 70
was also the “end of the age”. Thus baptism in Jesus’ name should have begun
only in AD 70, and also ended in AD 70, because that was also “the end of the
age”.
1. If the disciples are obligated to the Law of Moses at the
same time that they are obligated to Christ, then Christ does not have ALL
authority.
2. Combining this thought with Romans 7:4 ("you have
become dead to the law through the body of Christ")…
a) we find that it would be spiritual adultery to remain
bound to Moses’ law and to also be bound to Christ and His law at the same
time. Two laws could not be bound at the same time. The right to die to the Law of Moses and be
joined to Christ had begun long before AD 70.
b) We have to become dead to the law in order to be alive to
the full authority of Jesus Christ. Paul
and all other Christians were not under Moses any more because they rightfully
died to that law and came alive to the full authority of Jesus, and they rightfully
enjoyed remission of sins because Jesus was now in full operation as High
Priest long before AD 70.
Conclusion
Not only is the AD 70 doctrine a big mess, but so is a huge
segment of the religious world who things that the Old Testament holds equal
authority with the New Testament. The New Testament is the expression of the
will of God through Jesus Christ Who has ALL authority. We can use the Law of Moses for strength of
faith, and for testimony of God’s plan, and for testimony of righteousness. But,
we are not bound to obey the abolished rules of the Old Testament. We are now
under the law of Christ expressed to us in the New Testament (Heb.9:15-17;
Matt.28:18-20; Isa.2:1-4). But, it also
means that you cannot take His authority into your own hands. It means that you
have to prove that what you do in life and collective service to God must be
first authorized by Jesus (Rom.12:1-3; Eph.5:10; 1 Thess.5:21). This means that
you will have to refer to book, chapter, and verse in the New Testament, and
make sure you are using the verses correctly if you would know Him, love Him,
and serve Him (1 Tim.2:15). -Terry
W. Benton
