Mark 11:27-33
Let’s remember to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” It’s a small difference, but somewhat informative; Matthew 21:23 has the chief priests and elders confronting Jesus “…as He was teaching…”; Mark 11:27 says they approached Him “…as He was walking in the Temple…”. Matthew’s account makes more sense, that they would challenge His authority as He was teaching. But with Mark’s account we can see the Jewish leaders on the lookout for Jesus at any time that He might be in the Temple and challenging Him before He begins teaching. That is, they were so concerned about more and more people following Jesus that they tried to intercept Him before He began. Intriguing…!
Jesus had a great answer to their questioning, reflecting the questioning back to the Jewish leaders about the baptism of John. But it’s strange that He did not answer their question outright, that He had all authority on earth given to Him by His Father. We’ve seen Him totally upfront about His relationship with His Father, especially in John’s Gospel. So I wonder that He did not make a stronger response here. But I totally like that He befuddles His questioners…!
Slava Bohu!
Fred, I am thinking that maybe Jesus didn’t want to get into anything like a back-and-forth with the temple leaders over authority at that point in time. He knew it wasn’t His “time” because they weren’t going to arrest him in front of the people. He had more teaching to do in the daytime, until they sent guards in the dark.
I think He also knew the hearts of the chief priests and the elders — that they weren’t actually interested in knowing where His authority was from, just as they weren’t really interested in listening to John and discerning whether his baptism was from heaven or from man. The Lord’s question reveals the condition of their hearts in their refusal to provide an honest answer.