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The Authority of Jesus Questioned (Lk. 20:1-8)

One day as he was teaching the people in the temple area and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, approached him 2 and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Or who is the one who gave you this authority?” 3 He said to them in reply, “I shall ask you a question. 4 Tell me, was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?” 5 They discussed this among themselves, and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ then all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know from where it came. 8 Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus had just finished driving the money changers out of the Temple and was teaching the people when the chief priests, scribes and the elders, confronted him and asked about the source of his authority.  Jesus turned it into a theological dispute by asking them to tell him the source of John the Baptist’s baptism.  The Pharisees and Scribes had previously rejected JBap’s baptism; “(All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, and who were baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged the righteousness of God; but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves [Lk. 7:29-30].)”  

JBap was sent with the spirit and power of Elijah the prophet (Lk. 1:17; Mt. 11:13-14) and the people listened to him and were baptized, but the religious leaders rejected him.  The people in the Temple believed Jesus was sent from God (Jn. 9:33), listened to him, and were being converted but the religious leaders rejected him.  The religious leaders were afraid to answer Jesus’ question because if they denied JBap’s authority was from God they risked the wrath of the people.  If they said it was from God, then a fortiori (by stronger argument) so does Jesus’ because he did greater things than JBap (Lk. 3:16).  

Almighty God, mercifully increase the gifts of your grace so that we may increase in faith, hope, and love.  Bring us to a fuller understanding of your word and a renewed commitment to keep your commands.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

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