“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

Matthew 21:23–27 ESV

And when he entered the temple, 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, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Discuss “these things”

Triumphant entry into Jerusalem

Withered fig tree

Driving out the money lenders

Mark 1:27 ESV

And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

Matthew 7:29 ESV

for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

By What Authority?

Luke 9:1 ESV

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,

We’re In Charge Here!

Matthew 21:23 ESV

And when he entered the temple, 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, and who gave you this authority?”

The questioners represented temple authority and had not given Jesus any authority,

Jesus must, they would have reasoned, cite some source of authority,

Any human authority he claimed must necessarily be inferior.

And if he claimed to have God’s authority, they would be able to accuse him of blasphemy

Jesus’ Answer

Matthew 21:24 ESV

Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.

Matthew 21:25 ESV

The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

Matthew 21:26 ESV

But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

Matthew 21:27 ESV

So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Jesus was not uncertain about the source of his authority

In the proper circumstances, he would answered the question

These men had be asked a question they knew the answer to but refused to answer for political correct reason

So there is no reason for Jesus to answer loaded questions from men like these

Matthew 28:18 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.