The reaction of the people in the synagogue does not firstly concern the content of the doctrine, but the way in which it is presented. They do not realize at that moment that the way has everything to do with the content. They are just perplexed by the way in which Jesus teaches. For the teachers of the law never speak on their own authority, but always on the authority of Scripture and their forefathers, the prior rabbis. The Jewish writer, Ben-Chorin1 says the following about this: They (the rabbis) find it important that they always cite their sources: When you say something in the name of him who said it, you bring deliverance to the world
(Aboth VI 6). The teachers of the Talmud go so far as quoting more than one authority for a statement. It is striking that Jesus never mentions an authority (his appeal to Scripture lies on another level).2
22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.