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Matthew 21:23-27 NIV
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
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In this chaotic national system, no one has full control or can make decisions independently. Moreover, this must be avoided, to achieve a balance of power. The proof of authority is found in whether others submit. If those in power lose the trust of the people, they essentially lose the essence of their authority. In Jewish society at that time, there was a very complex system of delegated authority. To prevent personal desires from taking over, the highest-ranking scribes and priests had to be authorized by the Sanhedrin. Only those granted this authority could make decisions. The Jewish people lived under the control of these authorized leaders, which included the use of the temple and all the associated details.
When Jesus cleansed the temple, it challenged the authority of the hypocritical Pharisees and Sadducees. Even more alarming to them was that the people recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah after seeing His miracles and welcomed Him. This threatened their control over the hearts of the people, so they sought a way to justify killing Him in front of the crowds. These so-called authorities were not sincerely interested in knowing where Jesus' authority came from, because it was so evident that even children could see it. Diseases obeyed Him, nature obeyed Him, and death obeyed Him. Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, secretly came to see Jesus, saying, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2). However, the scribes and chief priests, blinded by jealousy, continued to ask questions they already knew the answers to.
If Jesus had answered that His authority came from heaven, they would have immediately found a reason to put Him to death (Matthew 26:64-66). However, since it was not yet Passover—the appointed time for Him to become the sacrificial Lamb—Jesus instead questioned those who sought to kill Him. He asked them whether John the Baptist's authority was from heaven. They did not dare answer this question publicly, because if they said "yes," they would have to acknowledge that John had declared Jesus to be the promised Messiah. If they said "no," they would contradict the people's belief that John was the promised Elijah, and they would lose their recognition as "authorities." So they remained silent, and therefore Jesus did not need to answer their question, which was intended to trap Him.
What the one true God intends to accomplish cannot be hindered. It will be completed according to His timing and His way. Are we certain that Jesus is from heaven? Do we believe in His authority? Do we follow His commands and live daily under His authority?
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