Questioning the Authority of Jesus
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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.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
Introduction
Jesus is in Jerusalem in the temple’s outer courts & he plays into his enemies hands. On Saturday he rode into Jerusalem and the people cheered and laid Palm branches on the road before him. Yesterday he kicked over the tables in the temple and the rabbis couldn’t do anything because he was so popular. Today he is in the courtyard where it was normal to debate and question Jesus’ credentials. The Pharisees set a trap, to try and get him arrested.
Here is the Pharisees trap. They ask Jesus this question: “by what authority are you doing these things v28 who gave you this authority?” They know Jesus can’t claim to be priestly or be on the level of the Sanhedrin. They are ready for Jesus to declare that he’s acting on God’s authority or that he himself is divine.
Like two chess players Jesus goes for a quick checkmate. Jesus cleverly answers their question with a question about John the Baptist (who had been martyred). Not a random question, remember John had said Jesus was ‘the one who is to come.’ Now Jesus asks them ‘Were John’s Baptisms of God or human origin?’ If they admit it was of God – why did they oppose him and celebrate his death. If they say from men they will be in trouble with the crowd. In the end they say ‘we don’t know’ and Jesus says likewise says ‘I make no comment’ and they have failed to trap him.
Then Jesus gives a parable that shows up the Jewish leaders who said they would obey God’s word and did not but the ones who said they would go their own way (tax collectors and prostitutes) ended up going God’s way. For those who were disgraced, failed, shamed, Jesus message was one of acceptance, grace and inclusion. Society thought little of them but they saw God’s word as truth and God saw potential in them as followers and spreaders of his word.
In life we meet types of people who will promise something or make out that they are holier than thou but they aren’t. [Like the man who worked for the stop smoking campaign and was caught lighting up after giving a talk!] He didn’t come out smelling of roses and neither did the Pharisees. Good words do not mean good deeds. Grace of LJC can’t be earned by empty ritual or empty promises.
The challenge for us is to be neither the ones who break promises or don’t make promises, but to trust in Gods promises and be obedient to God’s promptings to us and to do it humbly and courteously. Our Lord and model is Jesus who “tho he was God… emptied himself…born in human likeness and humbled himself to death...even death on a cross.”
[Illustration] Last week, we took our youngest daughter to Leeds Uni to start her 4-year degree course. 4 weeks ago, our eldest daughter got married and moves to London today. Next April, our middle daughter gets married to a Canadian man. All three girls have flown the nest in a short period. Those we have nurtured, cared for, loved and invested ourselves in are changing into young women. And we have to change too, moving into this new chapter of our lives. The reason I am finishing this way is that the Pharisees invested much in the old ways, old rituals, old order, Old Testament. However they wouldn’t accept the change or God’s new age!
Jesus was the new order heralding a New Testament, a Gospel of good news that by grace we could be cleansed not by ritual washing but by trusting that Jesus has taken our sin upon himself. We are cleansed because of what Jesus has done on the cross not by what we do or have done in our lives. Thus we can know him in a personal way and be saved and receive eternal life. How will you react to changes, will you trust Jesus’s promises that he will never leave you of forsake you. I trust you will !
