And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. As one that had authority - From God, to do what he was doing; and to teach a pure and beneficent system of truth.
And not as the scribes - Who had no such authority, and whose teaching was not accompanied by the power of God to the souls of the people:
1. because the matter of the teaching did not come from God; and
2. because the teachers themselves were not commissioned by the Most High. See the note on Matthew 7:28.