And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”
Jesus stood right in the middle of the space between recognized authorities. The Roman empire and the high priests and their officials stood as authorities in the area. The Romans held authority because of their military backing, and the high priests held authority because of the nature of their schooling.* Rabbinic schools viewed authority as coming from some outside source. Everything spoken had to come from somewhere credible (like another Rabbi), so citation of arguments was key.
When Jesus appeared on the scene, He came neither with military might nor with a defense of citations of previous teachers. The question of the elders of the people implies that they recognized that Jesus spoke and acted from a place of authority, but knew it was “other.”* Their question, however, was not asked for enlightenment; it was asked for entrapment.*
Questions can be asked for a lot of reasons. I think back over my own life at the various situational contexts of when I asked, “God, what is happening?”
When times were so exciting that I could fly, I asked, “God, what is happening?” The smile on my face and the thrill in my heart was really saying through my question, “This is so amazing it’s overwhelming!”
When times were so tough that I want to run away, I asked, “God what is happening?” The heaviness and desperation in my soul was really saying, “God, this is not as it should be and I want you to do something about it.”
When I have been at peace, desiring to find God’s hand working in, through, around, or despite the circumstances in my life, I asked, “God what is happening?” In this moment, I meant it, and many times I learned something rich.
What did the high priests and leaders really want to know when they asked Jesus, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”
Jesus did not answer their question not because He had no answer nor because He was trying to avoid confrontation. Had they asked with the right heart, Jesus would have answered.* They were trying to set a political trap for Him.
Jesus responds to honest questions from honest learners.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to identify the real questions behind the questions you have been asking God. Perhaps God has been answering your real questions all along, but the step He wants you to take is to change your heart so that you can hear. Maybe God wants to help you with the hurt that lies beneath your questions, but He needs your direct honesty first.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 532–535, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 21:23–27) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).