I. INTRODUCTION
A. While Jesus was on earth, His work and teachings were constantly opposed by the religious authorities of the time.
1. Throughout His ministry, the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, chief priests, and elders accused Him of transgressions, blasphemy, coalitions with demons, and other false charges intended to discredit Him.
2. The Lord received greater opposition from these than from any others because they felt threatened by Him. They knew that their authority was endangered by this man who acted so authoritatively without them.
B. Matthew 21:23-27 is the account of one of the final times that the Lord’s opponents interrogated Him before they finally took Him to be crucified.
1. On the day previous to this episode, Jesus made His last great entrance into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:1-11), cleansed the temple from corruption, and performed miracles of healing (Matt. 21:12-17).
2. Because of these things, those who considered themselves authorities demanded to know by what authority Jesus had acted.
II. BY WHAT AUTHORITY?
A. When the chief priests and elders asked Jesus by what authority he acted, they were truly challenging His authority against their own.
1. Although it is not explicitly stated, the implication of the question seems to be that Jesus was unauthorized to perform these works.
2. The true meaning of the question was not really a question at all, but rather it was a statement of protest, for Jesus had not sought the approval of the chief priests and elders before doing these works.
B. The Lord’s response expressed the inevitable truth that authority either comes from God or it comes from men.
1. Jesus brilliantly framed His answer with a question about John’s baptism, which the chief priests and elders feared answering.
a. The religious authorities had rejected John just as they rejected Jesus. John, like Jesus, had not sought their approval before performing his work.
b. This question froze the Lord’s opponents, for they feared self-incrimination or political backlash (more on this later).
2. The basis of Christ’s question was valid, for the only sources of authority that men can claim for what they do are God and men. It is obvious that the chief priests and scribes understood that to act on the authority of men is to act in disrespect toward God.
a. By virtue of His power and creation, God has all authority and sovereignty.
b. Man has no authority except that which is delegated to him by God (John 19:10-11; Rom. 13:1-4; 2Cor. 10:8; 13:10). Any usurpation of God’s authority by men is rebellion and sin.
C. The authority of Jesus was obviously from God, as proved by His miraculous works, but where did the chief priests and elders get their authority?
1. God gave all authority to Jesus (Matt. 9:6; 28:18-20). The evidence of God’s choice was manifested through the undeniably miraculous works of the Lord (John 5:36).
2. Jesus had proof of His authority, but His opponents had none. They derived their authority from fear, intimidation, and influence, but the Lord’s disregard for their authority made Him very threatening to them.
D. Let us consider the possible reasons for Jesus answering His interrogators as He did.
1. First of all, the answer to their question was made apparent by the works that Jesus did. There was no need for Jesus to state the obvious.
2. Secondly, the true answer to the question was given by Jesus, although it was indirect.
a. The Lord, like John, was either acting by the authority of God or the authority of men. By bringing the only two possibilities to the attention of the chief priests and elders, Jesus was suggesting the answer.
b. Therefore, by virtue of His miraculous works, the chief priests and elders should have known that Jesus must have worked by the authority of God.
3. Furthermore, the motive of the chief priests and elders was evil.
a. They did not want to obtain the truth, but rather they were seeking to challenge Him, intimidate Him, and perhaps discredit Him.
b. Had these men sought the truth in sincerity, they would have received it. As Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matt. 5:6).
c. The Lord once said, “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6). Jesus did not offer the plain truth about Himself to those who had already rejected it and did not want it to be told. See also Matthew 13:10-15.
d. Proverbs 26:4-5 states, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, let he be wise in his own eyes.” Thus, the answer of Jesus was fitting for the fools who interrogated Him.
E. Notice the political reasoning of the chief priests and elders.
1. Just as these men did not question Jesus with a sincere desire for the truth, neither did they attempt to answer the Lord’s question truthfully or sincerely.
a. If they were honest and sincere, then they would have answered Jesus plainly about what they really believed to be true. If they were right, then they had nothing to hide.
b. The truth was that they did not accept that the baptism of John was from heaven, which is evident in that they refused to be baptized by John.
2. Their only concern was in how their answer would affect them and their standing before the people.
a. They had not obeyed John, so they would not dare say that his commandments were from heaven lest they confess to disobeying God.
b. Yet they would not denounce John, for they feared the reaction of all the people who accepted John to be a prophet of God.
3. Therefore, they refused to commit themselves to an answer, and said, “We do not know.”
III. APPLICATIONS
A. Let us be certain that we always seek the authority and approval of God rather than the authority and approval of influential men.
1. Too often, people look to the perceived religious authorities for guidance and approval in spiritual matters. They consider that higher education, approval by religious institutions, or esteemed reputation are sufficient to give a man authority over spiritual issues.
a. Even within the Lord’s church, there are some who will follow certain preachers or writers without researching for themselves to determine what the truth is.
b. Let us remember and be warned that it was the religious authorities who rejected Jesus and ultimately determined to have Him crucified to protect their own positions.
2. Our search for authority should always begin and end with God, and for that we have the holy word of God to guide us in all truth (2Tim. 3:16-17; 1Cor. 4:6).
B. Let us seek after knowledge with sincerity and honesty rather than seeking for self-justification.
1. For one who is self-serving and desirous of soothing his own conscience, he may falsely justify himself in his own mind by twisting the Scriptures as he pleases (2Pet. 3:16).
2. Our desire for knowledge must come from sincere hearts that want the truth and seek to be closer to God. Consider Romans 6:17-18; Psalm 51:17.
C. Let us accept the truth that we find regardless of how it may affect us.
1. Many times people reject the truth because it calls on them to make drastic changes.
a. For the chief priests and elders to accept the truth about Jesus, they would have needed to admit that they were wrong, give up their power, and repent of their sins. They were so unwilling to do this that they even denied the undeniable evidence about who Jesus was.
b. Likewise many others are so ingrained in traditions of men or self-indulgence that they simply will not accept the undeniable truth about God and themselves.
2. However, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will not be satisfied with anything else.
a. No false justification or soothing of the conscience will satisfy one who truly wants to be right with God.
b. The Lord comforts us with the assurance that if we seek it we may certainly be satisfied.