URC Daily Devotion 26th March 2025

One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders and said to him, ‘Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?’ He answered them, ‘I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ 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, “Of human origin”, all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet.’ So they answered that they did not know where it came from.  Then Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’

Reflection

Jesus is getting close to his death on the cross. Jesus had seen to it that the religious leaders could not ignore his arrival. He has entered the city triumphantly, he has shown authority in clearing the temple court, and now he is dominating the whole temple area to call out the unrighteous practices. If you read the gospels closely, you will see that Jesus is constantly teaching and preaching the gospel to the crowds. The authority of his teaching was the very reason why the people were hanging onto his every word – such as the importance of the Word. 

Ultimately, there is no difference between the nature of Jesus’s authority and its source as his reply makes clear. He answers with a counter question, a familiar technique in contemporary literature, not to delay his answer but because it will leave the religious authorities exposed.  In framing their catch question, they assumed no one is entitled to exercise authority unless they have received authorisation through the proper channels.  But here they are mixing authority with power.  Social theorist Max Weber describes power as having a coercive element (I have to do) and authority as having a noncoercive one (I want to do): the difference between the two motives is huge. Jesus has no political clout, no military to command, no prestige or wealth to his name.  He does not make people do what he commands.  Instead, the people have to want what he proposes.
  
The religious authorities refuse to answer because they cannot admit to their rejection of a John whom the people regard as a prophet. Jesus immediately goes on to tell a parable which will make them uncomfortable. It did not occur to the religious leaders to give him their support and, in doing so, they failed to see that those who sacrifice the most in the way of love end up with the greatest authority. 
 
Prayer
 
O Lord, 
all power is yours to mould and shape, to love and forgive; 
all authority is yours to challenge the unjust, to judge the world; 
all love is yours to sacrifice yourself on the cross and not count the cost  
that we may discover our place in your kingdom. Amen.