Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things

Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?" But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me. The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet." So they answered that they did not know where it was from. And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

- Luke 20:1-8

On Saturday, we read of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, and the destruction that is to come there after He is gone (A.D. 70). He says, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes." He then taught in the temple, and drove out those who bought and sold animals for sacrifice, saying, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" Jesus quotes from the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, indicating further a lack of spiritual sight and understanding about "the things that make for the peace" of Jerusalem. While the people wish to hear Him, the chief priests, scribes and temple leadership plot to destroy Him.

Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?" My study bible notes here: "Jesus is questioned about His authority. These things include the cleansing of the temple [see yesterday's reading] and His preaching of the gospel [v. 1, here] with messianic claims." Authority is an important concept, and central to the idea of Jesus' identity and the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. By what authority can Jesus preach when He has not trained with a famous rabbi, has not come from a recognized background of formal education? Faith or trust in Christ does not come from worldly authority and credentials, but from the perception of faith, the spiritual eyes and ears He has so often preached are necessary for real salvation.

But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me. The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet." Jesus plays on their fears of the people -- and all along the Gospel gives us a taste of the ardor or great desire the people have to hear Jesus, and His good news. This is a factor we see repeatedly at work in all of the Gospels - the deep desire of the people, the thirst for spiritual substance, and the envy of the leadership. Here this dynamic is at work in a double way: it is reflected in the people's faith that John the Baptist was a prophet, while the leadership - Herod - destroyed Him, and the religious leadership criticized John and His disciples as they now do Jesus. Just as we were told in yesterday's reading that the leadership plots in secret to trap Jesus, for fear of the people, so Jesus plays on this fear of the people with the example of John the Baptist. Note the secret and hidden dynamics at work: there is no honest criticism that can openly be made -- only plotting behind the scenes. Jesus does not shrink from confronting them and using this dynamic in His own effective way.

So they answered that they did not know where it was from. And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." My study bible notes here: "Perceiving their intent to trap Him, Jesus answers with a question of His own -- and reduces His opponents to silence (v. 7)." This is a very clever answer to the experts in the Law. They have posed a question to Him and demanded an answer, but fail to give Him an answer to the same question. And there is a great deal of insight to be gained by pondering Jesus' question. Just where does His authority come from? In fact, this central question we might say is the great riddle of the Gospels. Who is this man? Where does His authority come from? How is it bound in His identity, and bound in His earthly appearance as a vulnerable human being, without an army or a kingdom in the material sense? Why is this authority not apparent to everyone?

We can ask ourselves these same questions today, as we continue to fight, in some ways, over Christ's identity. Who was He? What did He really want, and what is His true nature? Does He abide within us - and from whence should our own worldly religious authority in the Church come? How do we recognize truth and know whom to trust in these matters? All of this is part of the secret hidden reality of the Spirit that is among us, as it was in what Jesus offered, the gospel He taught. How will you find it, and develop your own spiritual eyes and ears to hear? I think there is perhaps a great secret in today's reading -- that if we are true to our true nature, we will find a deep thirst for He has to offer, and we in turn develop spiritual sight and hearing by acknowledging and recognizing that thirst. In this way, the people ardently seek to hear Him, and so do we, if we are honest with ourselves, and seek to find that which we truly need. The leadership fails to see, and fails to acknowledge the true thirst within themselves for fear of losing their positions. So they receive no answer.