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 

 

Yesterday we read that as Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "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.  For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  And He was teaching daily in the temple.  But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear 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?"  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."  The religious leadership in the Temple ask Jesus, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things?  Or who is he who gave You this authority?"  My study Bible says that these things refers to Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as Messiah and the cleansing of the temple (in yesterday's reading, above), as well as His teaching of the people and preaching the gospel (see the first verse of today's reading).  These elders confront Him since it was the duty of the priestly descendants of Levi to manage the Temple.  My study Bible comments that while Christ was descended from Judah (Luke 3:33), yet He is the High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 110:4), which is a priestly line far greater than that of Levi, for this authority is from God the Father. 

 

 It's important to note, in this beginning of the account of events which happened in Jerusalem during Holy Week, that despite the fact that we know Jesus will go voluntarily to His death (and has told the disciples this three times), Jesus gives His all here in disputing with the religious leaders.  He will not back down from the truth, nor telling the truth.  His decision to accept the will of the Father, His mission of going to the Cross (which He discussed with Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration in chapter 9), does not mean that He is going without a fight.  That is, without His own defense of His gospel and His teaching -- nor even without His criticism of the religious leaders.   As He has said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here" (John 18:36).  But this does not mean there is no spiritual battle going on in which He engages, nor does it mean that He will cease from preaching and defending the truth He is here to bring to the world.  In this context, Jesus shows us yet another example, for while His kingdom may not be "of this world," it certainly is of the truth.  As He has said, He is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), and while He must go to the Cross, this does not mean that the words spoken in truth do not also come from the Father (John 12:49), that these debates in which He engages the religious leadership -- in front of all the people who listen attentively (per yesterday's reading) -- are not also an essential part of His ministry.   Here, He gives as good as He gets, so to speak -- and this powerful speaking and dogmatic teaching is in no way contradictory to His acceptance of the Cross and voluntary death.  We should not confuse His refusal to do earthly battle with a refusal to speak in vigorous defense of His ministry, and neither should we be confused ourselves between our need for the virtue of humility and the times when we are called to tell the truth, and especially to live the gospel of our faith.  For Christ here is the great example.  He says of Himself that He is gentle and lowly of heart, but the "yoke" He brings to us is one He will exhaust every effort to bring, without reservation or hesitation, with clarity, and with the most remarkably effective speech we know.  In this He is dynamic and powerful, and astonishes all the people, including the leaders, who cannot stop the spread of His gospel -- not even with crucifixion.  So let us not confuse humility with submission to lies and falsehoods, with a denial of our faith, or with reluctance to live our faith.  There will be a time when Jesus will not speak, but that time will come when there is no more to say, when every opportunity for repentance on the part of those who reject Him has been exhausted -- and that is the time of Crucifixion (John 19:8-12).  Above all, His is a saving mission, and we read mistakenly if we do not see His words in this context.  Everything He says is done not in the spirit of self-defense, but a defense of the Kingdom and His ministry, and especially in the effort to save all who listen, before the hour of His Passion.  Let us ponder these mysteries, and the One who does everything to save us, even going to His death as He does.  In today's reading, let us note, Jesus does not leave room for needless fighting and dispute, but responds to their refusal to answer with His own distinctive choice, asserting His authority in His own way:  "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."  Let us learn from Him!

 

 

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy

Adoration of the Magi, 1260, T'oros Roslin, MS 251 of Hromkla; Jerusalem, Armenian Patriarchate

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

- Matthew 2:1-12

Yesterday we read that, after Christ's crucifixion, when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.  Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? . . . "  Herod is Herod the Great, also known as Herod the Builder, among whose projects was the refurbished and expanded Second Temple, so splendid it was known as one of the wonders of the world.  Herod was also known as a particularly ruthless ruler even in a time when all rulers were known for their violence, even murdering some of his own children in his pursuit of power.  He is the father of Herod Antipas, who will rule Galilee at the time of Jesus' ministry.  The wise men, also known as magi, come from the East (most likely Persia, my study bible says).  They were the scholars of their time.  My study bible notes that in the Old Testament, Balaam (Numbers 23, 24) was one of their predecessors.  He was a Gentile who anticipated the Messiah.  These foreigners, it notes, are prefiguring the Church, in which membership is constructed upon faith, and not ethnic lineage.  Note their respect for the leadership of the foreign country to which they go; they go to Jerusalem where they address Herod the king.

"For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."   My study bible says that the star proclaims the extraordinary birth of Christ.  For the ancient pagans, a star signified a god, a deified king (Numbers 24:17).  That Christ is born under this star is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Psalm 109:3 Septuagint/DRA (110:3).  It shows all of creation participating in the Incarnation.  See also Psalms 19:1, 148:3.

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.' "  My study bible points out that Herod had to summon the Jewish leaders because he knew so little about the Jewish Messiah, and he is afraid to lose his throne to this newborn King.  The chief priests, we understand, were the political and religious leaders of the Jews.  The scribes were high cabinet officers.  Their expertise in Scripture means that they knew well where the Messiah was to be born, but, as my study bible says, in spite of all the signs being in place, they had no idea that He had come (see 16:3).  The text quotation is from Micah 5:2.

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.  The text tells us that the magi went into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother.   My study bible explains that Luke tells us the Jewish shepherds worshiped the Savior in the cave (or manger) on the day that He was born (Luke 2:8-20).   But the Gentile magi came to worship Him some time later.  By this time, Joseph and Mary have found a house in which to live.  This indicates that Christ first came to the Jews, and then afterward was worshiped by the Gentiles.  The Magi's gifts have a significance revealed in an Orthodox hymn sung at Compline of the Nativity:  "Gold is for the King of ages.  Frankincense is for the God of all.  Myrrh is offered to the Immortal One, who shall be three days dead."   We note also the divine warning in a dream.  In the stories that surround Christ in Matthew's Gospel, particularly of His infancy and childhood, dreams figure repeatedly in which divine messages are given (see 1:20, 2:13, 19, 22; see also 27:19).

In the story of the Ascension (see yesterday's reading, above) we're given to understand that Christ's human nature ascends into heaven.  That is, even His body and blood are glorified with Him in His ascent, where in His fullness He will be worshiped by the angels.  It is significant for our own participation in the communion of Christ, as it teaches us all about the Incarnation, that it is meant to save us -- and that means God's grace works fully within us and among us.  At Jesus' Ascension, He tells the disciples His final command, called the Great Commission.  In the Greek of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus literally says, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15).  In fact, the word for "world" is cosmos/κόσμος, indicating all of created universe.   There is no place, and no thing, no creature left out.  What this, in fact, tells us is the very purpose of the Incarnation, that it is for the salvation and life of "the world" (John 6:33, 51).    In today's reading, the wise men from the East follow a star to find Jesus.  As my study bible says, the star does indeed indicate to us that all of creation participates in this central point in the history of the cosmos.  The Creator is born as creature, so that we all -- and indeed, all of creation -- may become more like Him, restored to the proper order of things in communion with Creator.  As we read, the grace of God is already working through all things:  even through the wisdom and "old testament" so to speak, of the pagan world of the East, in the dreams of these Gentiles forewarned of the danger from the murderous Herod.  And, as we can also see, this Child's life which He brings for the whole of the world is immediately in danger from the worldly power, as will be His story in its fullness.  Let us ponder how God may work through all things, through us, through all aspects of our lives and being, through all of creation -- as our Creator is born as human being in order to heal all the cosmos.

The unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God." But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known

 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea.  And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."  But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:  Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 

- Mark 3:7-19a

Yesterday we read that it happened that Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.  And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"  But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:  how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?"  And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."  And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.  And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward."  Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?"  But they kept silent.  And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him. 

But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea.  And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."  But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.  Jesus withdrew because the Pharisees and Herodians (of Galilee) are plotting against Him.  We get a taste of His fame, which is now also in Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, all to the south of Galilee.  But also those from Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile region north of Galilee, come to Him.  There are so many people crowding round that Jesus must have a boat ready in case He should be crushed by the crowd, as simply touching Him is seen as healing.  Once again, although the authorities are plotting against Him, and He continues to spread His ministry to obviously great public acclaim, it is not the time to reveal His messianic identity; thus He forbids the spirits to speak.

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:  Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.   We get a sense of the unfolding of Jesus' ministry.  There are so many coming to Him, and His fame has spread throughout the regions of Jewish communities.  He appoints twelve in order to distribute and share His power -- to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.  The names of the disciples aren't the same on all lists in the Gospels, as many people had more than one name.  Judas is always referred to as the one who betrayed Him, reminding us that the Gospels are written with the perspective given after Pentecost. 

Mark's gospel moves very quickly.  It is the shortest of the Gospels.  But it gives us a sense of the important "scenes" of Jesus' ministry, giving us a perspective on its significant events and how it unfolds.  Jesus' fame spreads very quickly.  As hostility to His ministry begins among the authorities, so grows His greater fame, and so spreads the word about Him to all regions of Jewish communities.   It's at this turning point that the twelve are appointed.  It's very significant that Jesus' power is shared, because it gives us a sense of His authority, His central place and divine identity.  It's important to note how Jesus goes about His ministry.  He doesn't wait for others to approve, He doesn't explain His identity as Messiah.  He preaches the Kingdom, as He's been sent to do.  He goes where God the Father has sent Him to go.  He heals and He casts out demons.  He uses His divine power.  But He never explains His messianic identity, and in fact He forbids the unclean spirits from identifying Him.  We've repeatedly discussed, in this blog, the reasons for such secrecy and lack of fanfare about His identity:  the hostility of the leadership, the people's misunderstanding and false expectations of the Messiah as political leader, and the importance of genuine faith that is not coerced in any way.  But Jesus is also teaching us clearly about living the Kingdom, the life of the holy.  He just does it.  He lives it.  He doesn't wait for the world to accept Him first.  He doesn't try to convince everyone He's "right."  He doesn't even explain His actions.  And, at least until the end of His ministry, when the authorities grow hostile in one place, He simply moves forward to the other places He must go.   Understanding will come via faith to those who can accept His ministry.  When accused, He will loyally defend His followers, His disciples and John the Baptist.  And He will stand up for Himself when it comes time to spar with the leadership.  But He makes no prior justification of why His ministry will unfold as it does, and no excuses.  It teaches us a lesson about the life of the Kingdom.  Is there something that needs doing?  Are you called to study Scripture?  Is there an impulse for prayer?  Does God ask you to live a certain way?  Christ is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, but He calls each one of us to also be good servants, to respond as His servants to what is necessary.  He doesn't ask us to wait for the world to accept our beliefs, or to convince everyone else we're "right," nor to expect that everybody will approve.  He calls us to live the life of the Kingdom, as His servants, as His friends, alert for where and how we can simply do so.  There is no great ideological struggle we need to engage in -- but there is a truth at work, the truth of the mercy and love of God, which we seek to serve, for He is the Person who is Truth.  If we are to be like Him, we live like Him, and we serve His truth.  In this way we express His life in the world, and participate in His life as He asks us to.  This is what is truly necessary -- not useless debate and fruitless argument.  Let us be alert and ready and wakeful servants, responding quickly to His call -- and learn from Him.