The Authority of Jesus Questioned

Matthew 21

Matthew 21:23 And when he had arrived at the temple, as he was teaching, the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people approached him, saying: “By what authority do you do these things? And who has given this authority to you?”

Matthew 21:24 In response, Jesus said to them: “I also will question you with one word: if you tell me this, I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.

Matthew 21:25 The baptism of John, where was it from? Was it from heaven, or from men?” But they thought within themselves, saying:

Matthew 21:26 “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we have the crowd to fear, for they all hold John to be a prophet.”

Matthew 21:27 And so, they answered Jesus by saying, “We do not know.” So he also said to them: “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.