“1One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up 2and said to him, ‘tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.’” – Luke 20:1-2 (ESV)
Now these priests and scribes may have been right to question someone teaching in the temple. In this instance, they knew Jesus and were challenging His authority to be there. Jesus turns the tables on them in the next couple of verses.
“3He answered them, ‘I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, 4was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?’” – Luke 20:3-4 (ESV)
Jesus simply asked them a question to help understand their knowledge. All they had to do was declare their beliefs or simply ask more questions to seek knowledge and understanding. They chose instead to declare ignorance without ambition, and Jesus gives His response to their original question.
“7So the answer that they did not know where it came from. 8And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.’” – Luke 20:7-8 (ESV)
It would seem that Jesus is being difficult and avoiding, when in fact, when you look closer, He is simply following their lead. He is demonstrating His authority by choosing to not waste His time by explaining something that will not be received. Jesus understood that whatever it was He said at this moment would not be understood and those receiving would not seek to understand. Based on the feigning of ignorance by the priests and scribes, Jesus elected to hold His tongue as opposed to speaking to a wall.
Jesus demonstrated His authority by asking one question allowing them to take a stand, and they refused. It may look like Jesus “refused” to answer, and He did, however when/if the priests and scribes would have answered, I feel confident that Jesus would have seized the opportunity to explain and preach to them as well. Jesus was now the one in the room with the authority and showed that He did indeed have true authority.
When you are in situations, are you aware of the authority of those around you? Are you aware of your own authority? Are you aware that no matter your authority, we give way to the true authority in Jesus?
Trevor's Thoughts 