27 Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 28 And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?” 29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30 “The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.” 31 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 “But if we say, ‘From men’ ”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 33 So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Devotional
Jesus’ return to Jerusalem and specifically the Temple was the day after He cleansed the Temple of the selling of wares that was going on inside of God’s House. And so it was that as He was walking in the Temple that “...the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 28 And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?” Vs. 27-28 Notice that it is the three main elements of power within the Temple; the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders who approach Jesus in regards to His having cleansed God’s House. For these were the men who were permitting these practices, and likely were themselves profiting from such practices, and thus these are the men who now confront Jesus about His doing so. Notice to that the Pharisees are not mentioned in regards to this incident since their authority lay outside of the Temple’s domain. While the Sadducee's, the other frequently mentioned group in the gospels is akin to the chief priests, since the high priest was generally drawn from their ranks. While the elders were leading elder men in Israel who like the Sadducee's formed a type of ruling aristocracy both within the Temple and the Sanhedrin counsel (of which the Pharisees belonged, but again did not have any authority in regards to Temple affairs), and thus through the Sanhedrin, Jewish religious affairs were governed, while they were under the auspices of the Romans, through their appointed tetrarch’s or regional governors, which came from the Herod family dynasty and Pontius Pilate in Judea and Samaria.
That’s the backdrop of their authority and their approaching and questioning Jesus on what authority He was doing these things, which was His ending the buying and selling of goods within God’s House. Therefore they rather emphatically want to know who gave Jesus the authority to do so. Now we know the answer and that is God gave Him His Authority, both as His Son, (Luke 20:9-19) as well as Jesus being the Messiah. Therefore their questioning Jesus’ Authority in doing these things, which He did in His Messianic Authority (Mal. 3:1-3) is both their blindness too and their rejection of Him as the Messiah. Something that they demonstrate over and over again throughout the gospels, and so it will be with their questioning Jesus on whose authority He did those things that He will likewise question them, saying: …“I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30 “The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.” Vs. 29-30
Now Jesus’ questioning them about John’s baptism as to whether it was from heaven or from men is linked directly with Himself. For John’s Baptism of repentance was to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord (Matt. 3:1-12). It didn’t bring salvation, it prepared all those who believed him and repented at his preaching, to receive God's salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:15, 18-34, 3:22-36; Acts 19:3-4). For God does not allow men and women to pick and choose what they will believe about Himself, or His Son, or His messengers (that is the Biblical prophets) and thus His Word which He sent by His Spirit into the world through them. You either accept all the revelation of God as declared in the Scriptures (that is both New and Old Testaments) or ultimately you will receive none of it (consider John 5:31-46). Therefore with their reply that they did not know whether John’s baptism was from heaven or from men. Jesus says He will not tell them by what authority He was doing these things. Since they having already the rejected God’s witness given them; first through John the Baptist, then through the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, no more will be added (Luke 7:30). So with their reasoning amongst themselves by which they seek to avoid any further inquiry by the Lord, as well as any potential hostility from the crowds, they only go on to deny acknowledging that John’s baptism was indeed from heaven and so with that Jesus says to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” vs. 33 For again revelation from God is always directly linked to how much one receives and believes about His Son.
Have you then come to believe in Jesus Christ, putting all of your hope and faith for God’s forgiveness on Him? For it is only by the righteous work of God through the crucifixion death of His Son Jesus who suffered and died in our place, that God has ransomed back everyone who believes in Him from their sins and death. For the Scriptures having declared “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rom. 3:23 There is nothing we can do to deserve or earn God’s salvation. We can only believe in Jesus and thus receive it by faith through God’s grace. For God in His love for us all gave His only Son Jesus Christ to suffer and die on a cross to pay for all our sins and thus ransom us back from sin and death. Then three days later Jesus rose from the dead so that we might have new and everlasting life when we believe in Him. That is why it is only said of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Scriptures: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
If you have not made a personal decesion for the Lord Jesus Christ please do so today. For there is nothing that is more life changing than that! For when you do you will find and experiance both the peace and love God in your heart and soul. Now to do that Jesus says it is just a matter of inviting Him in; of opening ones heart to Him and saying yes Lord Jesus I believe in You and I want you in my life (Rev. 3:20). Now you can do that by prayer, by simply praying something like this: Dear Lord Jesus I believe that You suffered and died on the cross so that I might have remission of all my sins, then You rose from the dead three days later so that I might have new and everlasting life. Therefore I now invite You into my heart and life to be my Lord and Saviour, amen.
Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
Devotional
Jesus’ return to Jerusalem and specifically the Temple was the day after He cleansed the Temple of the selling of wares that was going on inside of God’s House. And so it was that as He was walking in the Temple that “...the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 28 And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?” Vs. 27-28 Notice that it is the three main elements of power within the Temple; the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders who approach Jesus in regards to His having cleansed God’s House. For these were the men who were permitting these practices, and likely were themselves profiting from such practices, and thus these are the men who now confront Jesus about His doing so. Notice to that the Pharisees are not mentioned in regards to this incident since their authority lay outside of the Temple’s domain. While the Sadducee's, the other frequently mentioned group in the gospels is akin to the chief priests, since the high priest was generally drawn from their ranks. While the elders were leading elder men in Israel who like the Sadducee's formed a type of ruling aristocracy both within the Temple and the Sanhedrin counsel (of which the Pharisees belonged, but again did not have any authority in regards to Temple affairs), and thus through the Sanhedrin, Jewish religious affairs were governed, while they were under the auspices of the Romans, through their appointed tetrarch’s or regional governors, which came from the Herod family dynasty and Pontius Pilate in Judea and Samaria.
That’s the backdrop of their authority and their approaching and questioning Jesus on what authority He was doing these things, which was His ending the buying and selling of goods within God’s House. Therefore they rather emphatically want to know who gave Jesus the authority to do so. Now we know the answer and that is God gave Him His Authority, both as His Son, (Luke 20:9-19) as well as Jesus being the Messiah. Therefore their questioning Jesus’ Authority in doing these things, which He did in His Messianic Authority (Mal. 3:1-3) is both their blindness too and their rejection of Him as the Messiah. Something that they demonstrate over and over again throughout the gospels, and so it will be with their questioning Jesus on whose authority He did those things that He will likewise question them, saying: …“I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30 “The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.” Vs. 29-30
Now Jesus’ questioning them about John’s baptism as to whether it was from heaven or from men is linked directly with Himself. For John’s Baptism of repentance was to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord (Matt. 3:1-12). It didn’t bring salvation, it prepared all those who believed him and repented at his preaching, to receive God's salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:15, 18-34, 3:22-36; Acts 19:3-4). For God does not allow men and women to pick and choose what they will believe about Himself, or His Son, or His messengers (that is the Biblical prophets) and thus His Word which He sent by His Spirit into the world through them. You either accept all the revelation of God as declared in the Scriptures (that is both New and Old Testaments) or ultimately you will receive none of it (consider John 5:31-46). Therefore with their reply that they did not know whether John’s baptism was from heaven or from men. Jesus says He will not tell them by what authority He was doing these things. Since they having already the rejected God’s witness given them; first through John the Baptist, then through the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, no more will be added (Luke 7:30). So with their reasoning amongst themselves by which they seek to avoid any further inquiry by the Lord, as well as any potential hostility from the crowds, they only go on to deny acknowledging that John’s baptism was indeed from heaven and so with that Jesus says to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” vs. 33 For again revelation from God is always directly linked to how much one receives and believes about His Son.
Have you then come to believe in Jesus Christ, putting all of your hope and faith for God’s forgiveness on Him? For it is only by the righteous work of God through the crucifixion death of His Son Jesus who suffered and died in our place, that God has ransomed back everyone who believes in Him from their sins and death. For the Scriptures having declared “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rom. 3:23 There is nothing we can do to deserve or earn God’s salvation. We can only believe in Jesus and thus receive it by faith through God’s grace. For God in His love for us all gave His only Son Jesus Christ to suffer and die on a cross to pay for all our sins and thus ransom us back from sin and death. Then three days later Jesus rose from the dead so that we might have new and everlasting life when we believe in Him. That is why it is only said of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Scriptures: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
If you have not made a personal decesion for the Lord Jesus Christ please do so today. For there is nothing that is more life changing than that! For when you do you will find and experiance both the peace and love God in your heart and soul. Now to do that Jesus says it is just a matter of inviting Him in; of opening ones heart to Him and saying yes Lord Jesus I believe in You and I want you in my life (Rev. 3:20). Now you can do that by prayer, by simply praying something like this: Dear Lord Jesus I believe that You suffered and died on the cross so that I might have remission of all my sins, then You rose from the dead three days later so that I might have new and everlasting life. Therefore I now invite You into my heart and life to be my Lord and Saviour, amen.
Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
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