Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 21:23 - 21:27
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_21:23-27
23When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?" 24Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?" And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,'He will say to us, "Then why did you not believe him?" 26But if we say, 'From men,'we fear the people; for they all consider John to be a prophet." 27And answering Jesus, they said, "We do not know." He also said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
Mat_21:23 "the chief priests and elders of the people" Notice in Mat_21:15 they are called "chief priests" and "scribes." These three groups made up the Sanhedrin. Whether they were an official or unofficial delegation is uncertain, but they represented the Jewish leadership. The phrase " elders of the people" is unique to Matthew (cf. Mat_21:23; Mat_26:3; Mat_26:47; Mat_27:1).
▣ "while He was teaching" Jesus taught under Solomon's portico (cf. Act_3:11; Act_5:12) in the Court of the Gentiles within the Temple area. He was still trying to reach the Jewish leadership.
▣ "'By what authority are You doing these things'" This was the central question! "These things" could refer to the cleansing of the Temple (cf. Mat_21:12-16), Jesus' rejection of oral tradition, or His public miracles. They could not deny the miraculous acts, so they attacked the source of His authority. Apparently the religious leaders of Jesus' day thought Jesus was an extremely powerful demon possessed person (cf. Mat_12:24; Mar_3:22; Luk_11:15; Joh_7:20; Joh_8:48; Joh_8:52; Joh_10:20-21).
Mat_21:24-27 This discussion sets the stage for the three parables that follow. It shows the compromising position of the religious leaders. These men had been trying to catch Jesus on the "horns of a dilemma" for several months. Now He reversed their strategy.
Mat_21:24-26 There are three third class conditional sentences, which meant potential future action.
Mat_21:26 "'a prophet'" See hyperlink at Mat_11:9.