Last time in the post Was Jesus only a prophet? we looked at some passages in the gospel of John and spoken by Jesus that show that He is no mere prophet.  Now we turn to the gospel of Matthew.

In Matthew 5:21-44 Jesus in addressing the crowds by repeating "you have heard it said" and follows that with "but I say".  For example:

Matthew 5:43-44 "You have heard that it was said, 'you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you"

Notice how Jesus repeated says "I say", not "the Lord says"; He speaks as one in authority.  Speaking the laws of God but attributing them to himself!  Does a mere prophet speak like this?

In Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.  Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'"

Again, the authority of Jesus is clear.  He says that He will sit in judgment and declare to them "depart from me, I never knew you."  What kind of prophet speaks like this?  Judgment belongs to God does it not?  But here we see Jesus judging who will enter the kingdom of heaven!

Matthew 7:28-29 "When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes." 

Jesus was no mere prophet.