Matthew 21:23-27
Chapter 21
23
Jesus had entered the temple and was teaching, when the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish authorities came to him and asked:
“What authority do you have to act like this? Who gave you the authority to do all this?”
The Authority of Jesus
24
Jesus answered them:
“I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.
25
Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?”
They discussed this among themselves, saying:
“If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’
26
And if we say, ‘The baptism of John was merely something human,’ we need to be cautious of the people, because they all consider John to be a prophet.
27
So they replied to Jesus:
“We do not know.”
And Jesus said to them:
“Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Commentaries
The Authority of Jesus.
Jesus’ actions make the chief priests and elders of the people uncomfortable. They ask him about his authority to enter the city, to purify the Temple, to heal the sick, and to teach. Jesus promises to answer them if they publicly state whether John’s baptism is from God or from men. His accusers are forced to respond (“We do not know”), which humiliates them and reaffirms Jesus’ authority (27). Matthew’s readers understand that both John’s and Jesus’ activities come from God.