By Whose Authority

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

BY WHOSE AUTHORITY

Luke 20:1-8

20:1 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2 "Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they said. "Who gave you this authority?" 3 He replied, "I will also ask you a question. Tell me, 4 John's baptism — was it from heaven, or from men?"  5 They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?' 6 But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet." 7 So they answered, "We don't know where it was from."8 Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." 

NIV

Of course, we know by what authority Jesus taught the people. It was by his own authority, or by the authority of the Father, but Jesus and the Father are one. However, that is not the point of this narrative. What happened here is those who thought they were authority, the chief priests and the teachers of the law together with the elders wanted to silence Jesus by asking who gave him the same authority they thought they had over the people. Some men take it upon themselves to have authority, while only God can give someone the authority to teach the people and preach the gospel. It is also interesting that Jesus did not answer their challenge but challenged them in a way that put them in a trap so they could or would not answer. It is also interesting they had to discuss among themselves as to how they could answer him. If they were indeed men of God, they would have instinctively known the answer and would not be afraid to declare who John was and by whose authority he baptized people, declaring repent make straight the way for the Lord. John was sent by God to declare Jesus was here. We always have to be aware men are pretending to be religious and acting spiritual in an attempt to have authority over people. But their motives, seen in the fruit of their labor, can be seen by their self-edification, self-indulgent and lavish or luxurious lifestyles. They are the silver-tongued purveyors of deception much like those who tried to challenge Jesus. We can also clearly see those who have been called by God, gifted by God, filled with the Spirit by God, by the fruit of their labor, and by their living out their faith among the people God sends them to. God has given his church those gifts of prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors, and teachers,  to prepare God’s people for works of service, and to build them up until we all reach unity in the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God and becoming mature, which is defined as attaining the full measure of Christ. This is only accomplished by God calling some to be those gifts to the church, having His authority rather than the authority of men.