Getting to Know Jesus Even Better #28

During Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, He spent a fair amount of time handling last-ditch efforts by the religious leaders to challenge Him. Luke 20:

One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” 3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: 4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?” 5 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.” 8 Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

They questioned Jesus' authority on what they viewed as their turf: the temple.  They had taken it upon themselves to be the ones who determined what went on there, but Jesus had come in, driven out the merchandisers, and opened up His school of discipleship. In typical form Jesus answered their question with a question about John the Baptist.  Inferred in His answer is that His authority in part came from the same source: God had sent and authorized their message; just because these leaders did not authorize it did not make it untrue; it made them unwise. They proved their foolishness, inability to lead, and lack of authority by not being able to answer Jesus truthfully. After all, it was actually His Father's house, not theirs.