Articles
By What Authority - Matt. 21
By What Authority Matthew 21
As we read through Matthew 21 we are reading about the last week of the earthly life of Jesus. He has come to Jerusalem before. In such visits he has done many miracles and had many debates with the Jewish leaders. He has recently raised Lazarus from the dead. This time the crowds greet him with shouts of "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (vs. 9). He then cleanses the temple of those selling animals for sacrifice and the money-changers.
As he enters again into the temple, he is met by the chief priests and elders. They would have been the ones to 'authorize' the sellers and money-changers to do their business in the temple area. Jesus has elevated himself above their authority. Hence they ask: "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" (vs. 23).
Jesus always acted by the authority of the Father. "I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me" (John 8:28, see also John 5:30, 7:16). Again He stated: "The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does His works" (John 14:10).
His claim of authority for cleansing the temple was found in Isa. 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. God authorized the temple as a place of prayer and worship. God had regulated the who, what, and where of the temple religion. God had not authorized it for the selling of sheep or changing of money. While God had authorized the selling of animals to those who needed to offer sacrifice, but such was to be done elsewhere. The same would be said for the changing of money.
In His answer to them, Jesus narrowed the answer to two sources of authority - God or man. That which is authorized by man is of no real authority. God is God and has all right to rule by right of creation. The temple was God's plan so that man could worship. God tells men how they should worship. It was mere men who had changed the essence of the temple turning it from a house of prayer into a house of merchandise. They had no such right to make such a rule.
The same question faces us today. By what authority do we act? The authority of Jesus. He has all authority in heaven and upon earth (Matt. 28:18). Whatever we do in word or deed we are to do by His name (Col. 3:16-17). Yet even today men continue to intrude into the realm of authority that doesn't belong to them. We yet must answer the same question: "By what authority do YOU do these things?" Does your teaching and practice come from the Word of God or the authority of men? Hugh DeLong
