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

 

 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.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  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:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me."  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,'" -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  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."  

 

- Mark 11:27–33 

 

Yesterday we read of Jesus' second day in Jerusalem, after His Triumphal Entry:  In the morning when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response Jesus said to it, Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.  So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And he would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.  Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter remembering, said to Him,  "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  so Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

 

  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.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  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:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me."  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,'" -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  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."   The setting of our reading is now what we know as Holy Week, the final week of Christ's earthly life.  This is the third day He is in Jerusalem.  He has cleansed the temple the day before (see yesterday's reading above), and so these religious leaders demand to know, "By what authority are You doing these things?"  Christ is not a Levitical priest, and so the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders challenge His authority to do so.  My study Bible comments that, as Christ is careful not to reveal Himself to scoffers, He confounds them with a different question about John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-8).  Both the elders' question and Christ's question demand the same answer, my study Bible explains, and so would lead a person to confess that Jesus has come from heaven.  By not answering them directly, it notes, Christ teaches us not to answer people who come asking about holy things with a malicious intent.  

 

What I always admire about Christ's style of engagement here is His vigor.  So often in popular culture He is portrayed as a very meek character; in the secular mind which does not correctly interpret "meekness" in the Christian sense, this may be seen as weak or ineffectual.  But when He verbally spars with the religious authorities, we come to understand quite the opposite.  Jesus' vigor shows here, and He doesn't give an inch.  These religious leaders, although nominally in authority in the temple, do not intimidate Him and they do not persuade Him away from His mission and what He needs to do.  On the contrary, He answers their question with a question -- and thoroughly gives them back the argument they wish to avoid.  He turns the tables on them both in the sense that they cannot answer, and that He reveals that it is they who are afraid of the people.  On the contrary, for the past three years, Jesus has courageously preached, taught, and healed all over the territories of the Jewish communities that constitute greater Israel.  Here, perhaps, He shows the greatest courage of all, for He knows that these men wish to have Him put to death (and they will).  See this reading in which He predicted for the third time what would happen to Him in Jerusalem, and in detail, for His apostles, including the suffering He will endure.  Christ's defense of His cousin and saint, John the Baptist, also tells us about Jesus' character.  Like a heroic warrior as portrayed in any kind of traditional story of what it means to be valiant and loyal, Jesus will always step in to defend His own.  He intervenes for His disciples in this reading, and here in today's reading He defends John as sent by God, although the religious leaders did not treat John as such.  What we may observe of Jesus' character then is what truly defines meekness or gentleness in the Christian sense.  That is, strength under control.  He knows what He is to be about, He is thoroughly loyal to God the Father in living His mission in the world as the Incarnate Jesus, and He stands up for that which is His, in the provenance of His Kingdom -- be it the truth and light He is here to teach, or for those who bear that light and truth into the world and belong to Him.  One thing He is not -- He is not going quietly, so to speak.  Until it is time to do so, He continues His mission, and that includes here in this confrontation with the religious leaders over His conduct in the temple.  In St. John's Gospel, we're told that in one of His confrontations with the religious leaders, prior to Holy Week, they asked Him, "Who are You?"  Jesus replied, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him." They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father (John 8:25-26).  The One who sent Him is true, Christ is loyal to Him in all ways, speaking those things which He hears to speak.  In the Revelation, we read that Christ Himself is like His Father, He is "Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war" (Revelation 19:11).  This is the reality of Christ, a spiritual reality we are to follow and live ourselves in the world.  He is faithful and true to the One who is true, and so we are meant to be as well.  He defends His own, and is obedient in freedom and out of love.  In the Orthodox tradition, this is understood more fully as "the love of the beautiful" -- and in that beauty is goodness, and truth, and righteousness.  Let us pay attention and learn from Him.

 

 

 

Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you

 

 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- where was it from?  From heaven or from men?"  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet."  So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know."  And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.  But what do you think?  A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.'  He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went.  Then he came to the second and said likewise.  And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?"  They said to Him, "The first."  Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.  For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him."

 

- Matthew 21:23-32 

 

Yesterday we read that, following His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.  But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?"  And Jesus said to them, "Yes.  Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"  Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.  Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.  And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again."  Immediately the fig tree withered away.  And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.  And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

 

Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- where was it from?  From heaven or from men?"  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet."  So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know."  And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."  My study Bible explains that since Christ is not a Levitical priest, the chief priests and the elders challenge His authority to cleanse the temple.  It notes that as He is careful not to reveal Himself to scoffers, He confounds them with a different question about John.  Both questions require the same answer; they would lead a person to confess that Jesus has come from heaven.  But by not answering them directly, Jesus teaches us not to answer to people who come asking about holy things with a malicious intent.

 

 "But what do you think?  A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.'  He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went.  Then he came to the second and said likewise.  And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?"  They said to Him, "The first."  Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.  For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him."  My study Bible says that, using their own principles, the elders convict themselves in their answer to Christ's parable.  

Christ's parable is interesting, as it illustrates for us something that we touched upon in yesterday's reading and commentary.  It is an illustration of Jesus' earlier quotation to the religious leadership of the words of Isaiah:  "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me" (see Matthew 15:8-9, Isaiah 29:13-14).  If we finish that quotation from Isaiah and take it further, we see the action of the Lord:  "Therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden" (Isaiah 23:14).  In a sense, it is a prophecy of the ministry of Jesus, in which wonders are openly performed, and yet the wisdom of the wise is perishing with this leadership, for they have no discernment, and are far too busy protecting their positions to honor the wisdom of Christ.  It's also a quotation that echoes through the centuries regarding our own attitudes and hearts when we do the same.  There is always a challenge of valuing the wisdom of God over our conventional or worldly attitudes about what is expedient and desirable.  So often we look for faith simply to affirm whatever it is that we are currently living, to help us to accept what seems to be the zeitgeist of our current affairs or events in our lives, to make our lives easier and less bumpy.  But if we take a look at Christ, the last thing He seems to do is make the lives of His disciples "less bumpy," so to speak.  No, He draws them out of the conventions of their world and into a new life, in which their own identity is realized through His wisdom and where the Spirit will lead them.  Isaiah affirms this as proper in his words, that we must draw near to God with our hearts:  what we offer to God is nothing less than ourselves, and God will shape an identity in us, draw out what is possible, help us to define and correct misconceptions, and draw us toward something new and possibly a self-identity we could not expect in our limited perspectives otherwise.  So often this is true in the lives of the faithful, and we can see it illustrated throughout the Bible, and especially in the lives of the Twelve.  Jesus' parable of the two sons illustrates how we can draw near to God with our lips, and yet our hearts are far away.  It is also a vivid illustration of how faith is more than confession, but must also be lived.  There is no separation between what is in the heart and what we do, but our lives are rather both together, and so our lives are lived out.  Everyone else may not clearly understand the meaning of our actions, but in the long run it is the true state of the heart that plays out, for good or ill, for the love of God or the love of something else.  In today's reading, Jesus shows us what it is to stand up for truth, even when one wants to avoid casting pearls before those who will simply trample upon them.  A great feat, indeed.  Let us remember that it is Christ who is our true Judge, who knows the heart -- and that ultimately it is the heart that must be open to His truth.

Was it from heaven or from men?

 

 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 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 chief priests, the scribes, and the elders ask Jesus, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things?"  My study Bible comments that by these things they are referring to Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as Messiah (Luke 19:35-38), the cleansing of the temple (see yesterday's reading, above), and also His preaching, which verse 1 of today's reading tells us He was doing in the temple.  The elders confront Jesus as it was the duty of the priestly descendants of Levi to manage the temple.  And here is the question of authority.  My study Bible comments that while Christ was descended from Judah (Luke 3:33), He is also the High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 110:4), which is a priestly line far greater than that of Levi, as Christ's authority is from the Father.

Authority seems to be a central question which these "authority figures" are insistent upon.  After all, it is their authority that often seems to be called into question by Jesus, as repeatedly He does things like healing on the Sabbath, which the authorities declared was a violation of the Sabbath rule.  In reality, their pronunciation that He was violating the Sabbath was an over-reaction and exaggeration of the prohibitions of the Sabbath, as necessity or saving life or healing was permissible.  The question of the authority of these individuals is not about how the temple was established or even the Law given by Moses.  At issue with these authorities is their overt legalism, a strictness applied simply out of the zeal of authoritative position.  Moreover, we are to understand Christ's identity in this question as well.  He is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, and His authority -- like John the Baptist's to baptize -- clearly comes from holiness.  That is, "from heaven," as He phrases His question to them.  Jesus is clearly justified in terms of authority by virtue of His identity as the Christ, but there seems to be a deeper reality at work here that we are called to note.  Why are these people's hearts so hard that they cannot see the blameless violation as intrinsically good when a person is healed?  Is their authority more important to them than the well-being of the people for whom they are meant to be spiritual guardians?  The Gospel has offered us Christ as the Physician, His gospel message as that which heals on all levels.  By contrast, we see demonic activity as harmful to human beings, destructive to life -- even as some of these religious leaders have gone so far as to accuse Jesus of casting out demons (exorcism) by the power of the ruler of demons (see this reading).  This story invites us to understand what is healing and what is not, and to consider the aims of our faith in terms of God's real desires for human beings.  The Law was given to Moses with those same purposes and aims, but the religious leaders understand their own power and authority as a priority over these deeper purposes of God, and remain blind to the One who is in front of them out of those same priorities.  Christ's preaching is meant to draw people back to God, to understand the truth that is in front them.  He has referred to Himself as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets (see Matthew 5:17; Luke 16:17, 24:44).  The question here is one of higher authority, which these guardians of the faith have failed to recognize.  As with all else in the Gospels, it remains a lesson for us today, in terms of our hearts dedicated to the love of God, and the humility to follow where God leads -- even when we fail to understand God's always surprising and eye-opening path.

The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me

 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.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  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:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me."  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'" -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  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."

- Mark 11:27-33

Yesterday, we read that the day after Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (commemorated as Palm Sunday), when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.  So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'   And the scribes and the chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.  Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

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.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"   The religious leadership questions Jesus after His cleansing of the temple.  Who gave Him authority to do such a thing?  How can He prove this authority?  Jesus has been welcomed into Jerusalem (the Triumphal Entry) by those heralding Him as Messiah.  His first act was to cleanse the temple.  This challenge is like so many others; they want Him to prove He is Christ, the Messiah (see for example Mark 8:11-15).

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:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me." Jesus has consistently refused all demands that He "prove" His authority and identity.  This time, He responds to their question with a question of His own, turning the tables on those who quiz Him.  He never takes up the temptation for "proof" from those without faith, who ask out of malicious motive.

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'" -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  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."   Both the question to Jesus and Jesus' question back to the elders require the same answer.  John the Baptist was widely understood by all the people to be a holy man; if his authority was of heaven, then so much Jesus' authority be so.  In this answer of Jesus, we see exposed the cowardice of the leadership on two accounts:  they fear the people, and they cannot answer honestly.  My study bible tells us that Jesus' refusal to answer directly teaches us not to answer those who ask about holy things with malicious intent.

We can understand the anger and even frustration of the authorities in the temple (the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders).  Jesus has been welcomed into Jerusalem by those who greet Him as Messiah, but where is their authority?  They have not recognized Him as such.  He has come into Jerusalem, and after being welcomed into the city by those who believe He is the Christ, His first act is the cleansing of the temple -- throwing out the money changers and traders in animals for sacrifices (yesterday's reading).  It is an open and direct confrontation of the practices going on inside the temple.  Repeatedly Jesus has been asked for proofs -- a sign from heaven -- as a challenge from the religious authorities.  Here is yet another one.  But Jesus refuses any and all challenges for "proofs."  His response to the leadership turns their own question on its head, as it is they who must answer His question about the baptism of John the Baptist, whom they don't dare criticize.  We know what these men will eventually plan against Him, but for now He has won the day, so to speak, at least here openly in the temple before the people, whom the leadership fear.  Jesus will say to them at His arrest, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me" (see Mark 14:48-49).  The issue of the anger of these men teaches us a great deal about the use of power, and about position, and how we either use what we have carefully or we do not.  But the really important question here truly is about authority.  What gives the temple its authority?  From where does the authority of offices of temple leadership come?   We could ask with Jesus, is it from heaven or from men?  Clearly the authority of the temple itself, and of all the offices and ranks of those who serve in the temple, comes from heaven, or at least is meant to.  Without that authority, what is there?   In their failure to discern the reality of the presence of God, the holiness that is clearly in Jesus' works and ministry, they fail also to uphold the power by which their own authority has rank or is given.  They've forgotten their own purpose, neglected their duties.  Jesus cleansed the temple (in yesterday's reading), saying that it was meant to be a house of prayer for all nations, and they had made it a den of thieves.  Here we see the hollowness of rank without the authority which comes from truly honoring God, as all they are concerned with is to plot against the Man who seems to be denying them their places.  What it does is give us a picture of a lack of self-awareness and what that does to us.  These men project their own vainglory and envy onto Christ, whom they seem to assume is simply trying to take their places.   This is what they fear.  They have no insight into their anger and envy, no self-examination that would give them the self-knowledge to try to understand honestly whether Christ's power is indeed from heaven or from men.  They don't understand Him.  This becomes the crux of the matter that they ignore; their own hard-hearted incapacity for self-knowledge makes them blind.  Their outrage means they can't see straight.  Their unwillingness or inability to serve God first becomes a stumbling block to insight.  It would mean giving up too much of what it is they prefer before all else, and this turns them into the kind of hypocrites Jesus will rail against in His sermons (see Matthew 23).  They are the blind guides who fail truly to honor that which sanctifies the temple and the altar which they serve.    The great teacher Gamaliel will have wiser words of guidance when he counsels the Sanhedrin to let Jesus' early followers and their plan or work alone, for "if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God" (Acts 5:28-29).  A lack of real humility leads us to this type of blindness, in which we act as judge and authority without the love of God coming as first priority in our hearts, and so we cannot help but project our own flaws onto others.  This is the crux of the need for humility, particularly in any one of us who wishes to have authority.  We run the danger of preferring the "praise of men" to the praise of God.  It is a warning to all of us, for it's perhaps our greatest temptation.   We never know where God is calling us; it's our job to be always aware.   One needs humility for discernment.  The blindness here is a common problem for each one of us, perhaps our greatest vulnerability.