43- Christ's Authority over Himself

 

St-Takla.org Image: Modern Coptic icon of the Resurrection of Christ. صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: أيقونة قبطية حديثة تصور قيامة السيد الرب يسوع المسيح.

With Respect to His Authority over Himself

(1) No one has authority over himself and over his spirit because the Lord is "the God of all flesh," and He said: "Behold, all souls are Mine" (Ez. 18:4). And St. Paul the Apostle said that Christ is the Father of spirits when he said: "Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?" (Heb. 12:9)

(2) Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus Christ says: "I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again" (Jn. 10: 17,18). Who can dare claim this authority? The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who said this statement because He is God.

(3) Christ's authority over Himself was manifested in the Resurrection when He rose by Himself and was not raised by another as those before Him were. He came out of the sealed tomb by Himself, without anyone seeing Him.