Matthew 20:17-28; Mark 10:32-45; Luke 18:31-34; Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-19:27; John 12:1-11; Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44;       John 12:12-19; Matthew 21:12-17;   Mark 11:12-19; Luke 19:45-48; Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:20-26; Matthew 21:23-32; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8; Matthew 21:33-46

Jesus was walking steadily day-by-day toward Calvary. The journey would bring Him through Jericho, Bethany and Jerusalem. He healed, taught and chastised. The encounters included children, tax collectors and Pharisees. Jerusalem welcomed Him with palm leaves and shouts of “Hosanna!” and would soon usher Him out with shouts of “Crucify Him!”

And He warned His disciples about what was about to occur…

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Matthew 20:17-19

That prophecy is amazingly precise. No one wanted to hear this. Peter wanted to forbid this. James and John saw an opening to get a good seat at the table of power. Still, Jesus healed and taught and chastised. His steps led Him to the Temple. Although not up to the standard of the one built by Solomon, Herod had expanded and upgraded to the point that it was quite impressive. Allowing the troublesome sacrifices to justify a special arrangement, Hebrews came to the Temple from all over, but were forced to exchange their money so they could buy turtle doves and animals for sacrifice conveniently in the Temple courts. It was very profitable. In fact, Caiaphas’ family raised turtledoves outside Jerusalem for this very purpose, and the High Priest made money when the Jews came obediently to sacrifice. Nice.

Should it really surprise the Pharisees or the Sadducees or the Jewish people when Jesus began overturning tables and “cleansing” the Temple? The man who change water to wine, raised the dead to life, produced an overabundance of food from meager amounts, gave sight to the blind was the same one who went to John in the Wilderness to be baptized. Everyone there that day heard the voice come from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” as the dove descended upon Him. John began pointing folks to Jesus, and it was the miracles He did that finally and fully convinced John that Jesus was Messiah.

The Pharisee Nicodemus said, “We know you are a teacher come from God because no one could do the wonders you have done unless God sent you.” Jesus’ response was to lead him in his thinking to accept that Jesus is not merely from God, but rather the Son of God – God in the flesh. The people who heard the Sermon on the Mount (and, doubtless the others hearing Him wherever He spoke) acknowledged the inherent authority of His words. After all, He IS the Word of God become flesh.

So when Jesus disrupted the corrupt selling in the Temple courts, the priests and scribes noticed. In confronting Jesus they went directly to the question of His authority. Interestingly, they didn’t seem to have a problem with the authority needed to sell animals at a profit to poor people required to offer turtledoves as sacrifice. The One who knows the hearts of men wouldn’t answer them. Instead, He directed them back to John. Jesus placed them in a quandary and they knew it. They could not afford to answer, so they did not. Neither would Jesus tell them the source of His authority – even though it should have been crystal clear when He raised Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus’ teachings had inherent authority and He taught in a manner the scribes and priests simply could not match. Jesus’ wonders had obvious divine authority as Nicodemus (and any other leaders willing to admit it) could so easily see. The question of authority came from the Pharisees believing the religion belonged to them and Sadducees believing the Temple belonged to them. God was no longer a factor. THEY did not give Jesus permission, therefore Jesus should stop.

Even today we struggle with the same conception of authority in the church. Some feel doctrine and practice are a matter of the vote of a majority. Others designate a single man and empower him to make decisions as if he speaks for God. Still others empower the individual to choose what they prefer. Precious few stop to ask “By whose authority?” Fewer still restrain themselves to only submit to Jesus’ authority…

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Matthew 28:18

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!