Mk 11:27-33
27[Jesus and his disciples] returned once more to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him 28and said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?”
29Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” 31They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘[Then] why did you not believe him?’ 32But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”—they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. 33So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
By what authority. Jesus answers all questions thrown at him: whether the Jews should pay taxes, why his disciples do not fast, whether an adulteress should be stoned to death, and on whose authority he does the things he does. He could be a lawyer, a philosopher, a public relations manager, a consultant, or a businessman because of his intelligence and quick thinking.
But Jesus is none of the above, I believe. He is an honest, sincere man whose only arm is his integrity. Truth is his weapon. God is his support. He has nothing to hide, no one to please, nothing to protect. Jesus has something to offer: freedom. He has only one thing to promote: his Father. His methodology is the truth, and his challenge is love!
It is not his concern if he fails or not. This is freedom and confidence—the kind of freedom we long for, the peace we dream of, blessed assurance, and confident blessedness. There is no other way but to be like Jesus: dare his dream, share his vision, and live his word. And eternal peace will be yours, the peace the world cannot give. Read him please, not just his lips but his heart!
Authority. Authority (Greek exousia) is the ability to have an effect on the behavior of others. In antiquity, authority derived from the honor rating or social standing of a person as recognized by the community. Honor was usually ascribed (derived from birth) or acquired (honor won). Actions out of keeping with one’s standing required some form of legitimation. Jesus refuses to provide legitimation for his actions because, like John, he already has credibility in the eyes of the people.