Matthew 21:23

ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐ. τ. ἱ.: coming on the second day to the temple, the place of concourse, where He was sure to meet His foes, nothing loath to speak His mind to them. διδάσκοντι : yet He came to teach, to do good, not merely to fight. ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ, by what sort of authority? the question ever asked by the representatives of established order and custom at epoch-making initiators. So the Judaists interrogated St. Paul as to his right to be an apostle. ταῦτα, vague (cf. Matthew 11:25) and comprehensive. They have in view all the offences of which Jesus had been guilty, throughout His ministry all well known to them whatever He had done in the spirit of unconventional freedom which He had exhibited since His arrival in Jerusalem. καὶ τίς : the second question is but an echo of the first: the quality of the authority (ποίᾳ) depends on its source. ταύτην, this authority, which you arrogate, and which so many unhappily acknowledge. It was a question as to the legitimacy of an undeniable influence. That spiritual power accredits itself was beyond the comprehension of these legalists.