The religious leadership of Israel did not like Jesus. They often tried to trap Him with trick questions. In our text today, they asked for His credentials and demanded that He tell them what was the basis of His authority. Accosting Jesus before the people, they were hoping to shame Him publicly by casting doubt on His person. Let’s read this passage. Mark 11.27-33.
Mark 11.27. Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.
28 And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”
29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:
30 “The baptism of John– was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”
31 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
32 “But if we say, ‘From men'”– they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.
33 So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
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