One day, as Jesus was teaching…in the temple…the chief priests…said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.”
Luke 20:1-8
In the last days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He continued to teach and preach the gospel message, even in the Temple, in Jerusalem, which is the setting for today’s verses. As Jesus was teaching and preaching in the Temple, He was confronted by the chief priests, scribes and, elders, in the Temple, as to His authority to do what He was doing in the Temple. The common people, who came to hear Jesus, were awed at the Authority with which Jesus taught. Even, Temple guards, sent to arrest Jesus for alleged illegally teaching in the Temple, did not arrest Him for, as they told their “bosses,” this man taught with such Authority that they could NOT arrest Him. To show their disdain for their guards lack of action ordered, the religious leaders accused their own guards of having become followers of Jesus. On this occasion, these leaders “order” Jesus to tell them by what authority He was saying the things He was teaching. In His response, Jesus proposes that these religious leaders answer a question of His and, if answered, He would tell them His Authority by which He teaches and preaches. Jesus’ question had to do with John the Baptist, asking them if John’s baptism was from heaven or from man. Jesus knew the “am horesch,” the common people, thought of John the Baptist as a prophet of God but, the religious leaders thought him to be a mere man, a “kook.” As they discussed their response to Jesus’ question, they came to a conclusion that to answer either way, heaven or man, would not be to their advantage. So, they answered “they did not know.” Jesus, then, told them that He would not tell them by whose Authority He was teaching and preaching. These evil religious leaders sought Jesus’ destruction until they “thought” they had accomplished their goal in His crucifixion. Little did these men know that they had “played” right into the Redemption Plan of God the Father, made before God ever created the first molecule of this universe. As our Creator, humanity cannot outsmart God or defy Him without impunity. He works ALL things for good to those who love and obey Him and to destruction in the eternal fires of hell to those who dishonor Him.
Source: S C Ball April 20, 2023
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