Mark 11:27-33

2. JESUS-' AUTHORITY CHALLENGED. 11:27-33.

TEXT 11:27-33

And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders; and they said unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? or who gave thee this authority to do these things? And Jesus said unto them, I will ask of you one question, and 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 with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? But should we say, From menthey feared the people: for all verily held John to be a prophet. And they answered Jesus and say, We know not. And Jesus saith unto them Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 11:27-33

635.

How many times had Jesus been to Jerusalem since He was found in its precincts by His mother?

636.

Why were Jesus and His apostles in the temple?

637.

Who did these three groups represent?

638.

What things were of particular interest to those asking the question?

639.

Why did Jesus ask the question about John the Baptist?

640.

Did these men know the correct answer to Jesus-' question?

641.

Why fear the multitude?

642.

Why did Jesus refuse to answer the question of His authority?or did He refuse? Discuss.

COMMENT

TIME.A.D. 30Tuesday, 4th April, 12th of Nisan, the third day before the great Jewish Passover.
PLACES.In the temple courts.

PARALLEL ACCOUNTS.Matthew 21:23-27; Luke 20:1-8.

OUTLINE.1. The place and people of the question, Mark 11:27. Mark 11:2. The question, Mark 11:28. Mark 11:3. The answer, Mark 11:29-33.

ANALYSIS

I.

THE PLACE AND PEOPLE OF THE QUESTION, Mark 11:27.

1.

In the temple in Jerusalem.

2.

Representatives of the Sanhedrin: chief priests, scribes and elders.

II.

THE QUESTION, Mark 11:28.

1.

By what power do you do what you do?

2.

Who gave you permission to do what you do?

III.

THE ANSWER, Mark 11:29-33.

1.

You answer my question and I will answer yours.

2.

Was John the Baptist a prophet or a pretender?

3.

This forced an admission they were unwilling to voice.

4.

They lied and said, we do not know.

5.

Jesus kept His word.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

I.

THE PLACE AND PEOPLE OF THE QUESTION.

And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, etc. This was, no doubt, on the Tuesday.

As He was walking in the temple, very probably employed in works of mercy, according as St. Matthew says, The lame and the blind came to him in the temple, and he healed them. St. Luke also adds, As he preached the gospel.
There come to him the chief priests, etc. This was the one public intimation which He received from these very dignified persons that His pretensions were known to them. Hitherto they had simply ignored Him as a body, though individual priests or rulers may have remonstrated with Him.

II.

THE QUESTION.

Mark 11:28. By what authority doest thou these things? What is meant by these things? If it was the healing of the lame and the blind, such power of doing good, especially in the very temple of God, must have come from the Author of all good; and they ought to have been the very first to confess it. If they alluded to His preaching and teaching, there seems to have been among the Jews a very great liberty for preachingthe rulers of the synagogues frequently sending to strangers to ask them if they had any word of exhortation. But if, as no doubt was the case, it was because He had interfered in the management of the temple, then, as rulers of the temple, they had a perfect right to ask the question, only they must come with clean hands, which they were not doing, as their hands were defiled with the ill-gotten gains of sacrilege. They must also ask the question in sincerity, which they were not doing: for they had prejudged Him, and were watching for their opportunity to destroy Him.

III.

THE ANSWER.

But the question arises, seeing that they were the religious rulers and leaders of the Jewish nation,how was it that they were so late in inquiring personally into His claims? They had sent a deputation to the Baptist on the banks of the Jordan to inquire who he was: how was it, then, that they allowed the Lord to teach and preach and perform miracles in the most open way, all over the Holy Land, for three years, and did not solemnly, and as the God-appointed leaders of Israel, require publicly and personally of Him to give account of Himself? It was surely their duty to do so. It was clearly the most cowardly dereliction of their highest functions, as judges in matters of religion, to ignore such claims. They knew well all that He had done. They knew well the resurrection of Lazarus, which had taken place but a very short time before. They had had their solemn conclave, and an animated discussion about it (John 11:47); but all conducted with the determination of condemning Him, no matter what the signs of His Messiahship. Such was the spirit in which they approached the Lordinsincere, hypocritical, crafty, bloodthirsty. And the Lord met themmet not their words only, but the secret machinations of their hearts, and at once and effectually silenced them, not only by a simple question, but by one which, above all men, He had a right to ask. They had sent to John to ask who he was, and John had told them that he was but a forerunnera voice to call men's minds to the One Who should come after. They must have known, their emissaries must have told them, that the One Whom John pointed to was Jesus; and the Lord fulfilled in His own person all that John had foretold: for He had filled the Holy Land, and the neighbouring territories, even Jerusalem itself, with the fame of His mighty deeds. John baptized, but it was not into the belief of himself, but of One that should come after him. What was the significance of John's baptismHis baptism, of course, including his whole missionwas it earthly or heavenly?

Mark 11:30. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? And, apparently, they were confounded by the question; and, after pausing for an answer, He, no doubt, looked them in the face, and said, Answer me.

Mark 11:31. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, etc. Why then did ye not believe him? Of course, here means, Why did ye not believe him when he testified of Me? John's mission and baptism had no meaning, except as preparing for Another'S. He founded no Church, no institution, no sect. He was a herald, and, so far as office was concerned, nothing more; and yet he had so stirred the religious heart of the whole people that they were persuaded that he was a prophet indeed. And the chief priests and scribes dare not shipwreck their whole influence with the people by denying this. And so they were in a dilemma. The Lord in His wisdom conducted them, with their eyes wide open, into the snare. And they were forced to say, We cannot tell. We, the judges of the faith and worship of Israel, cannot tell whether the greatest teacher who has appeared amongst us for many centuries is from God or not.

To have to make such a confession was to seal their own condemnation as the leaders of the people of God.
And so the Lord answered them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. If they had possessed the smallest residue of the spirit of their great and holy predecessors, Phinehas, Abiathar, Zadok, Jehoiada, Joshua, the Lord would not have answered them thus. (M P. Sadler)

FACT QUESTIONS 11:27-33

711.

What was Jesus doing in the temple besides walking?

712.

To what three areas could these things of Mark 11:28 be applied?

713.

Show proof that the spirit of these who asked the question was insincere, hypocritical, crafty and bloodthirsty.

714.

Indicate the very valid right Jesus had to ask the question He did.

715.

What was the mission of John?

716.

Show how their answer sealed their influence as leaders of the people.