Jesus And The Agnostics - Mark 11:27-33 Series

Mark 11:27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28 "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?" 29 Jesus replied, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John's baptism--was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!" 31 They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 32 But if we say, 'From men'...." (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) 33 So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

Introduction

Mark’s Emphasis on Jesus’ Authority

I enjoyed watching the first season of The Chosen, about the life of Christ. If you were producing a program like that, how would you depict Jesus? What truth about Jesus would you want to stand out the most? Or to put it another way, if you could watch actual video footage of Jesus’ ministry, what do you think would stand out you as the most noticeable, striking truth about Jesus? His love? His power? His wisdom? If we look at the reactions of the people who really did see Jesus firsthand, we’d have to say the thing about him that really blew people away the most was his authority. That’s what they commented on more than anything else.

Mark 1:22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

The teachers of the law (scribes) were the most authoritative teachers there were. Jesus preached with far greater authority. Then Jesus drove out a demon.

Mark 1:27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."

Of all the things they could have commented on, that’s what amazed them most.

Mark devotes the opening chapters of his gospel to establishing Jesus’ authority. He begins with John the Baptist pointing to him as the Messiah, the God the Father affirming him as his Son, then he calls men to follow him and they leave their careers and families and follow. Then he preaches his first sermon and drives out a demon and the people respond in those verses I just read, amazed with his authority. All of that is in ch.1: Messianic authority, divine authority, authoritative preaching, authority over demons, and authority over men. Then in ch.2 it’s his authority to forgive sins. In ch.2 Jesus proves his authority to forgive sins.

Mark 2:10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."

That’s really extreme authority because as the Pharisees correctly observed, only God has the authority to forgive sins.

Mark 4:41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

So the first quarter of the book of Mark is devoted mainly to establishing Jesus’ awesome authority.

Matthew 28:18 … "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

In Ephesians 1:21 says Jesus has been exalted far above all rule and authority. One thing you never see Jesus doing is asking permission from anyone to do anything. He needs a colt, he takes one. He rides into Jerusalem as a king, goes into the Temple and tears the place up. No one had that kind of authority. No matter how high up you were in the Israeli government—even if you were the high priest—you didn’t have the right to do that. Jesus doesn’t apply for a permit, he doesn’t consult the authorities, he doesn’t have a conference with the Twelve. He had absolute freedom to do and say whatever he decided to do and say. And he acted like it.

And that raised some eyebrows, to put it mildly. Will pick up right where we left off—the very next day after Jesus ransacked the Temple. He returns to the scene—right back to the Temple. You watch the sellers all backing away from him, still smarting from the welts on their backs from yesterday. And now here come the authorities.

Their Question

Mark 11:27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.