his authority in a remarkable way. In particular, he had taught in his own name without appeal to any higher authority. He did not, like the rabbis, appeal to his predecessors (in fact, he explicitly contradicted the teaching of ‘the ancients’). Nor had he, like the prophets, introduced his teaching with the formula, ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ He repudiated, innovated, clarified and stipulated in his own name: ‘I say to you.’ Important as the teaching ministry was during the earthly sojourn of Christ,