You may remember the refrain from a Bob Dylan song: “Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”
If you have GPS on your phone or a spouse riding in your car, you know Dylan is right and you’re not completely free. When the nice female voice on your phone says, “Turn right in 500 feet,” you obey. The same can be said when your spouse gives you similar directions, with the exception that an argument may first take place.
The religious authorities, by the very definition of their function, believed that they were in control. They challenged Jesus’ authority on many occasions, culminating in His trial and crucifixion. As Jesus was on the temple grounds, they came to Him and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23).
When we pray, “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10), we confess the belief that we are part of God’s kingdom and that He has authority over our lives.
Because of God’s kingship, Paul could write: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship” (Romans 12:1).
One astute preacher said this about Paul’s words: “The problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps trying to crawl off the altar.”
That brings us back to the question of authority. We can affirm that Jesus has “all authority in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). At the same time, we may give the GPS on our phones more loyalty than our Lord and Savior.
A Bad Question and a Good Answer
The religious leaders wanted to know about Jesus’ authority because they wanted to accuse Him of some sort of crime. The way He answered them put them on the spot in front of a listening audience that was probably more favorable to Jesus than to them.
Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” (Matthew 21:24-25).
The temple authorities believed that they had a corner on the market for dispensing forgiveness. John’s baptism was for repentance and forgiveness of sins. They didn’t recognize John’s authority any more than they did Jesus’. Matthew records their discussion:
And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” (Matthew 21:25-27).
Their response of “We do not know” is typical of people who don’t want to give an honest answer. If you are a news junkie like me, pay attention to the number of times business and political leaders refuse to answer by saying, “I don’t know.”
And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
The next parables in Matthew 21 will provide Jesus’ answer. It was one that the religious authorities didn’t want to hear.
Reflections
So, who is running your life today? It’s easy to point fingers at those religious leaders, but we often play the same game. When Christ’s authority challenges our comfort, our wallets, or our pride, it’s tempting to plead ignorance and let our “living sacrifice” slide right off the altar.
Let’s stop giving our phones more loyalty than our Savior. This week, let’s take an honest look at who is steering our daily decisions. Instead of dodging the question like a cornered politician, let’s gladly surrender the driver’s seat to the Lord.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Matthew 21:23-27 on YouTube today.
Real Voices 