March 22, 2024

Matthew 21:23-27 (HCSB)

Messiah’s Authority Challenged
23 When He entered the temple complex, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to Him as He was teaching and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I will also ask you one question, and if you answer it for Me, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from men?” They began to argue among themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we’re afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Trey Manor
The day after Jesus overturns money tables and drives out merchants, He returns to the temple, unafraid. As Jesus is confronted, He challenges the chief priests’ awareness and understanding of who John the Baptist is. If they realize the nature of John’s baptism, then they will know the source of Jesus’ authority. Both came from Heaven. Their response reveals their priorities. The elders never considered the true nature of John’s baptism because it was irrelevant to them. They cared far more about how the Jewish people saw and responded to them than they cared about prophecies coming true before their eyes. Jesus realized that these leaders did not value God’s will, so He did not open Himself up to them.