Jesus’ Authority

²⁷ Again they (Jesus and His disciples) entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to Him. ²⁸ They demanded, “By what authority are You doing all these things? Who gave You the right to do them?” ²⁹ “I will tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. ³⁰ “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer Me!” ³¹ They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, He will ask why we did not believe John. ³² But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet. ³³ So they finally replied, “We do not know.” And Jesus responded, “Then I will not tell you by what authority I do these things.” Mark 11:27-33 (NLT)

Once again, Jesus returned to Jerusalem after He cleansed the Temple of the moneychangers and merchants who were using the Temple as a marketplace (Mark 11:27; see also Mark 11:15-17; Matthew 21:12-13; Luke 19:45-46). This begins Tuesday of Holy Week – week of Jesus’ arrest, suffering, sacrificial death, and resurrection to bring world salvation. While Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the religious leaders who witnessed Jesus’ clearing of the Temple came up to Him (Mark 11:27). Matthew and Luke’s Gospel add that Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News (Gospel) in the Temple when confronted by the religious leaders (see Matthew 21:23; Luke 20:1). These religious were the “heavy weights” of the first century – the leading Jewish priests, religious elders, teachers of the law, Pharisee, and Sadducees. These religious leaders will all join forces to kill Jesus.

In the days that followed Jesus’ cleansing, the Jewish religious leaders and political establishment descended on Jesus as He ministered in the Temple. These religious leaders were not seeking truth from Jesus. Instead, they were looking for evidence to use to destroy and kill Jesus (Mark 11:18; see also Mark 3:6). Jesus’ cleansing not only defied the religious leaders’ authority but also hurt their monetary profits! Jesus previously told His disciples to expect conflict and suffering when they arrived in the Holy City of Jerusalem (e.g., see Matthew 16:21; Mark 10:33-34; Luke 9:22). Once in Jerusalem, these religious leaders challenged Jesus and asked Him various questions to find fault with His ministry. Jesus had called these religious leaders “thieves” and “robbers.” These religious leaders were to protect God’s Temple but instead they had turned God’s Temple into a “religious business” for profit (see Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46; John 2:13-17; 2 Corinthians 2:17).

The religious leaders demanded from Jesus, “Show us Your credentials. Who authorized You to speak and act like this?” (Mark 11:28, MSG; see also Matthew 21:23; Luke 20:2). After witnessing the Temple cleansing, the religious leaders wanted to know who gave Jesus the authority to stop their “religious business” in God’s Temple. Jesus countered the religious leaders’ question with a question about John the Baptist to expose their hypocrisy. He asked, “I will tell you if you answer one question!” (Mark 11:29, TLB; see also Matthew 21:24; Luke 20:3). Jesus asked the religious leaders, “John’s baptism -- was it from heaven or from men? Tell Me!” (Mark 11:30, NIV; see also Matthew 21:25; Luke 20:4). The religious leaders discussed Jesus’ question with one another and said, “If we reply that God sent him, then He will say, ‘All right, why did you not accept Him?’ But if we say God did not send him (John), then the people will start a riot” (Mark 11:31-32, TLB; see also Matthew 21:25-26; Luke 20:5-6). The religious leaders were afraid of the people for all believed strongly that John was a true prophet sent from God (Mark 11:32; see also Matthew 21:26; Luke 20:6).

As God-appointed messenger, John authoritatively preached repentance from sin and obedience to prepare the way for Jesus’ coming (Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:15-34; see also Isaiah 40:3). The people were moved by John’s preaching because he spoke God’s truth and did not preach for personal profit. John preached God’s Word with sincerity to further God’s Kingdom (see also 2 Corinthians 2:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; 1 Timothy 6:5-10). Thus, the religious leaders admitted to Jesus that they did not know the answer to His question (Mark 11:33; see also Matthew 21:27; Luke 20:7). In response to the religious leaders’ admission, Jesus said, “Then I will not answer your question either!” (Mark 11:33, TLB; see also Matthew 21:27; Luke 20:8). Jesus knew if the religious leaders could not recognize God’s authority in John the Baptist, no amount of argument would persuade them that He acted on God's authority.

References

Life Application Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005).

The Apologetics Study Bible: Understanding Why You Believe (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2012).

Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).

Loyd, Melton, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament (Due West, SC: Erskine Theological Seminary, 2015).

Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament (Victor Books, 1989).