On Whose Authority?

PRAY: Lord of heaven and earth, you existed eternally before us, and yet you saw fit to bring us into being. You are immeasurably above us in holiness, and yet you stooped in Jesus to rescue us from our sin. You are infinitely beyond us in wisdom and perfection, and yet you have given us Jesus to reveal your wisdom and to make us right with you by his righteousness. While we cannot repay you, O God, we can and we do kneel before you in submission and we make it our aim to live for you by following and proclaiming Jesus. Humble us more today with your supremacy and teach us to follow Jesus more faithfully. We pray these things with confidence knowing that we are your children because you have poured out your Holy Spirit into our hearts, by whom we cry Abba, Father. Glorify yourself in the proclamation and application of your word. Amen.

Context: Controversy and Confrontation - Jesus & the Religious Rulers

In our study of the book of Luke, we have reached the last section of Luke’s narrative of the gospel of Jesus, which includes the final week of conflict with the religious authorities in Jerusalem that culminates in a secret betrayal and arrest, an unjust trial and killing on a cross, and the burial of Jesus. But what follows on that catastrophe is the ultimate confirmation of Jesus’ true identity and mission when he rises from the grave and appears to many witnesses.

In Luke 20, we are near the beginning of that series of events, set in motion by Jesus approaching Jerusalem this last time (toward the end of chapter 19) in a manner that fulfilled messianic prophecy and allowed the gathering crowds to proclaim him with messianic praise.

That creates some major controversy with the religious authorities, because they are concerned for their own power and influence being toppled, not only by Jesus, who is immensely popular at the moment, but also due to the risk that the Romans might not allow their religion and authority to continue in Israel if they consider it in any way to be a threat.

Jesus has just cleared out the commercial activity on the temple grounds, and from the end of ch. 19 we also learn that during this week Jesus is teaching in the temple daily, and that the religious and civil leaders have made up their minds to destroy him.

The priestly aristocracy is grasping for something to pull Jesus down in the eyes of the people. And they need ammunition to bring legal charges against him (whether religious or political).

In our text for today they will attack him personally (20:1-8), then they will try a political snare with a question about taxes (20:19-26), and finally they’ll try a theological trap with a complicated issue concerning marriage in heaven (20:27-40). Each time Jesus deftly sidesteps their trap with wise answers while simultaneously stumping and silencing these opponents.

Luke 20:1–8 ESV

One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they answered that they did not know where it came from. And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

As the religious elite attempt to embarrass Jesus into submission, they first try the approach of attacking his credentials. They ask, “What gives you the right to speak and act the way you do?” - On whose authority are you doing these things?

Jesus answers their question with a question: Was John behaving (preaching repentance and baptizing people as a symbol of cleansing and new way of life) on authority from heaven or on human authority (his own invention or some other earth-bound authority)?

They talk among themselves to decide what answer they might give, but with great skill Jesus has avoided their trap and set his own. His question leaves them trapped between two options they don’t like, so they opt for an answer of “no comment.”

Jesus then also refuses to further response to their initial question, demonstrating that he answers to a higher authority than these earth-bound religious leaders.

Let’s look more closely at the details of this conversation and make application to our own lives.

Snare #1: Attack His Personal Credentials (vv. 1-2)

Who makes this attack? With mention in v. 1 of chief priests (rulers among the priests) and scribes (experts in the law) and elders (older members in the community involved in important religious and social decisions), it’s likely that these are members of the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin, who gathered and coordinated their efforts in these attacks. Many times certain factions within the group were at odds, but they find a common enemy in Jesus and work together to bring him down.

Luke describes these coordinated attacks on Jesus taking place “one day.” For Luke the particular day of the week is inconsequential to the issue. As Bible readers piece together the many events from four different gospel authors, however, we find it helpful to keep events straight and in their likely order. If the approach to Jerusalem occurred on a Sunday (which has become the traditional understanding), then this would be Tuesday. If the so-called triumphal entry took place on Monday, though, which some consider to be a plausible possibility, then this would be Wednesday. Either way, we know it has now been two days since that occurence (the “hosanna” approach to Jerusalem) because in Mark’s parallel to these events, he stated that clearing the temple was “the following day” and then describes another departure from the city that evening and return next morning, where these discussions take place.

On this day Jesus is teaching in the temple and proclaiming the good news. The text of Luke says Jesus is evangelizing (preaching the good news—all one verb in Gk). He’s telling the good news concerning the now present kingdom of God by his coming. Remember that he has also told his disciples now several times that he must die and rise again, which is absolutely central to the way of salvation offered in the gospel. So it is possible that he even includes that element here as well (even though none would understand it until after the fact). Most likely, though, Luke means this generally at this point to describe Jesus proclaiming the kingdom of heaven as being ushered in in a new way and that he himself is the invitation into it. (As you have time, go over to the parable of the wedding feast in Matt 22:1-14, which Jesus taught on this same day. I believe this would qualify as an example of what Luke means by Jesus proclaiming the good news of the kingdom.)

As Jesus teaches, the religious leaders come up and ask him, what authority do who have, and who gave it to you? - They’re asking him to answer for not only what just took place when he cleared the commerce out of the temple’s outer court, but also for teaching with such authority about the nature of the kingdom and with such rebuke toward the religious establishment.

They’re thinking that Jesus will be unable to point to any source for having such authority, because they know they hadn’t given it to him, and surely neither had Rome.

Again, their goal is likely to embarrass Jesus into submission. How does that work out for them?

A Question to Answer the Question: What Do You Say About John’s Ministry? (vv. 3-4)

“Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?”

Young people, here’s an example of why understanding figurative language matters… even if we are unable to give a name for the type of figurative language. - Jesus uses a prominent feature of John’s ministry—baptism—to refer to the whole of John’s ministry: calling people to repent and be cleansed in preparation for the coming of God’s Messiah. (that “part representing the whole” is called synecdoche) - Jesus also uses “from heaven” as a metonymy for “from God,” which was fairly common practice in biblical literature and in Judaism. Jesus demonstrated this ordinary usage in his parable of the Forgiving Father, where the prodigal son returns and admits he has “sinned against heaven and before you” to his father. (We do similarly when we say “suits” to refer to business executives and “the crown” to mean “the king or queen.”)

But here’s what Jesus is driving at. Pointing to John with his question isn’t a direct answer, but it points to the answer. - A truly God-fearing person should see that Jesus and John are both God’s messengers, speaking and acting for Him. - Luke is keenly aware of the irony that his readers ought to see clearly that this is the case, but the spiritual guides in Israel are blind to what God is plainly doing among them.

Secondly, tying himself to John means that since John’s ministry was about repentance in preparation for the Messiah, that makes Jesus who? Exactly, the promised Messiah. But these blind guides are ignoring all the evidence from God.

So to be clear, Jesus is not dodging the question, but rather raising the stakes. When they answered, he could then use their answer to answer. For example, if they answered correctly that all the people could tell that John was a prophet from God, then Jesus might say, “Isn’t the evidence for my ministry even more abundantly obvious as authorized from heaven?” But if they should say that John’s ministry was either worldly (merely for drawing attention to himself) or evil (from Satan), then Jesus would undoubtedly ask them for evidence of that conclusion.

However, at this point in Luke’s presentation of Jesus, we would expect that Jesus already anticipates their unwillingness to answer the question. What makes them unwilling?

Stuck With Two Undesirable Options, They Opt for “No Comment” (vv. 5-7)

They don’t like option A (eg., that John’s ministry was from God) because that would mean that they should have listened to him, repented, and been looking for the Messiah. And that would mean that Jesus is the fulfillment of John’s prophetic word from God.

Option B (John was merely from man) is a no-go as well because the people were convinced he was a prophet. These religious rulers expose that they fear man more than God.

Even though it would have been embarrassing, they probably think that they’re being wise by opting for a non-answer, “we don’t know.” - But as we see, refusing to give an answer backfires on them because then Jesus also refuses to answer.

Jesus uses their plea of ignorance against them. For if they cannot tell whether John’s ministry was from God or merely earthly, then how would they recognize Jesus? For his part, though, Jesus fully understands that they didn’t respond appropriately to the forerunner ministry of John, and they certainly aren’t going to respond rightly to the Messiah.

Jesus’ Refusal to Answer Is the Answer (v. 8)

…because the question was one of his authority. The thick irony for the reader of Luke is that an attack on Jesus’ person… authority. ***

Jesus’ refusal to answer would not only embarrass and enrage the religious leaders, but it is a way of saying that they are refusing to acknowledge the obvious answer.

Jesus’ refusal to answer contrasts his courage with their cowardice.

(Most significantly) Jesus’ refusal to answer demonstrates that he answers to God and is not beholden to submitting to these religious authorities who have proven themselves false toward God (as the next parable will plainly show).

On whose side does wisdom reside? On whose side does God’s authority reside?

Superior Wisdom and Authority in Jesus

Luke wants you to see the superiority of Jesus in wisdom and Jesus’ supremacy in authority from God. In fact, he is Lord!

Jesus outmaneuvers them so deftly that it is almost painful to watch them squirm. (although when you’re on team Jesus you admit to enjoying it a bit)

Jesus is in full control of the events taking place, and his authority from God could be plainly seen by anyone who is not blind in their self-interest and folly.

Luke demonstrates Jesus’ control over the events, and he contrasts the wisdom and superiority of Jesus with the blindness and self-interest of the religious establishment.

Remember that Luke was Paul’s contemporary and traveling companion.

1 Corinthians 1:23–24 ESV

but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

It’s worth reading the whole context there, which you will particularly appreciate in light of this context of Jesus’ wisdom and authority in the face of these prominent religious men.

1 Corinthians 1:18–31 ESV

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”