Matthew wrote his gospel from the point of view that "Jesus is King". The Apostle John records that Jesus was born to be a king (John 18:37).

Kings have authority and power over their land and territory. They rule over their subjects and they enforce the laws of their kingdom.

Following Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount of Olives, Matthew records in his gospel account: "And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, {29} for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes" (Mat 7:28-29 ).

The people were astonished because the scribes and the Pharisees always referred to the tradition of the elders or what other rabbis and teachers had said, but when Jesus spoke with authority, He was more or less saying "this is the way it is!"

Matthew wrote most of his gospel account in a topical manner rather than a chronological manner. Keep this point in mind as we go through chapters eight and nine of the book of Matthew.

Now let’s notice what Jesus has authority over.

(Mat 8 ) "When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. {2} And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." {3} Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. {4} And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

{5} Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, {6} saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." {7} And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." {8} The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. {9} "For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." {10} When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! {11} "And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. {12} "But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." {13} Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.

{14} Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever. {15} So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

{16} When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, {17} that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses."

{18} And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. {19} Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." {20} And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." {21} Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." {22} But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead." {23} Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. {24} And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. {25} Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" {26} But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. {27} So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"

Another Example of Jesus’ Authority over Demon Possession  

{28} When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. {29} And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" {30} Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. {31} So the demons begged Him, saying, "If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine." {32} And He said to them, "Go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. {33} Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. {34} And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region."

(Mat 9 ) "So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. {2} Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you." {3} And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!" {4} But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? {5} "For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'? {6} "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"; then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." {7} And he arose and departed to his house. {8} Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

{9} As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him. {10} Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. {11} And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" {12} When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. {13} "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." {14} Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" {15} And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. {16} "No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. {17} "Nor do they put new

wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

{18} While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live." {19} So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. {20} And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. {21} For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." {22} But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour. {23} When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, {24} He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. {25} But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. {26} And the report of this went out into all that land.

{27} When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" {28} And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." {29} Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." {30} And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See that no one knows it." {31} But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

{32} As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. {33} And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel!" {34} But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons."

{35} Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. {36} But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. {37} Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. {38} "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.""

(Mat 10:1-4 ) "And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. {2} Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; {3} Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; {4} Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him."

"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Mat 28:18 ).

Jesus was born to be a king and as king he has power and authority over everything.

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, will return and set up the Kingdom of God and will rule for one thousand years. He will rule with power and authority as King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16.)