GOT THEM AGAIN!
27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28 “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”
29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”
31 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” Mark 11:27-33
Jesus’ action had thoroughly rattled the Pharisees and religious leaders. They knew they were losing ground with the people. They no longer had them in their power and they were deeply worried about where this was going. Although Jesus had never given any evidence of planning an uprising against Rome, they were not sure of His intentions. His talk about a kingdom was highly suspicious. They had to nail Him so that they could find a cause to eliminate Him.
They had not yet learned that they could never get the better of Him. Never challenge Jesus to a debate because of the environment of His experience. His thinking and His wisdom were in the eternal realm of the kingdom of God and no-one could get better than that. Since He was speaking and acting with authority, they demanded to know the source. He was speaking and acting outrageously, according to their understanding, and they needed to know who gave Him the right to do so.
Jesus was sharp. Once again, His counter-question was designed to expose their hypocrisy. In His question there was a subtle hint at the answer. Their response to His question about John’s authority would reveal their attitude towards Him. Jesus knew that they had rejected John the Baptist’s ministry, although they knew in their hearts that John was a prophet of God. Since the source of John’s authority and the source of His authority were the same, if they acknowledged John, they would have to acknowledge Him. If they rejected John, they would lose the respect of the people because the people acknowledged John as a prophet.
The religious leaders were caught in a dilemma. To answer one way or the other would expose them. They had to back off because Jesus had them cornered. Checkmate! Jesus walked away smiling. Another nail in His coffin, for sure, but the truth would always prevail. As representatives of the false kingdom, they had to bow to truth even if they refused to embrace it. Jesus was slowly building a case for the truth so that, when He was executed as a lawbreaker, the entire superstructure of lies this worldly kingdom was built on, would collapse.