God’s Word for You

Mark 11:27-28 By what authority

by Pastor Timothy Smith on Thursday, December 23, 2021

Jesus’ Authority Is Questioned
27 They went into Jerusalem again.

This “again” (palin, πάλιν) is a return or repetition of something that was done before. In this case, Jesus was still entering the city on Tuesday morning (they encountered the withered fig tree before entering). Even if the Lord had stayed at Bethany once again, and we have seen that this might not have been the case, there is no reason to insist on his entry to the city through any particular gate. The city had entrances and gates of many shapes and sizes and in many locations. Nehemiah mentions ten that needed repairs in his time: the fish gate (Nehemiah 3:3), the Jeshanah (or “old”) gate (Nehemiah 3:6), the valley gate (Nehemiah 3:13), the dung gate (Nehemiah 3:14), the fountain gate (Nehemiah 3:15), the water gate (Nehemiah 3:26), the horse gate (Nehemiah 3:28), the east gate (Nehemiah 3:29), the inspection gate (Nehemiah 3:31), and the sheep gate (Nehemiah 3:32). Nehemiah’s “east gate” may have been the beautiful golden gate of Jesus’ time, which the Muslims bricked up in an attempt to keep the Messiah from entering Jerusalem about a thousand years after Palm Sunday.

As he was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the elders came to him. 28 They asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”

Luke says that this took place “as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel” (Luke 20:1). This is not necessarily at odds with what Mark says, although someone might say that here in Mark 11 this same incident happened “as he was walking in the temple courts,” thinking that the Sanhedrin, with their robes billowing around them, waited until he was done preaching to confront him. The difference can lead to different applications, although these don’t really have any lasting bearing on any doctrine or the message of the Gospel:

Option 1 - Jesus was interrupted while teaching.
Option 2 - The Sanhedrin waited for a break in Jesus’ teaching.

Option 1 is possible if we understand that Mark means that Jesus was teaching while walking around, probably in Solomon’s colonnade, the covered cloister or walkway that surrounded the large outer Court of the Gentiles. This covered walkway was part of the barrier between the city and in the temple. Since Jesus taught while walking with his disciples at other times (Matthew 24:1; Mark 16:12; Luke 9:57-62, 24:15-27; John 10:23-30) it is at least fair to say that he might have taught in the same way even here in the temple, walking the circuit of the colonnade as he spoke. I have known more than one professor who preferred to walk or pace as they taught. One of my sainted professors at the seminary didn’t even pause in his peregrination when he lost one of the lenses from his glasses. He noted where it rolled to (spinning to a slow stop like a quarter on a bar) and then kept teaching as he paced.

Option 2 is a popular thought because it seems to highlight the Sanhedrin’s fear of the crowds. Rather than stop Jesus while the potentially hostile crowds were gathered, the council waited for a quiet moment to pounce.

I don’t see a way that we can accept option 2 without violating Scripture. If Luke says that they came while he was teaching, and Matthew agrees with Luke (Matthew 21:23), then Mark must also be talking about Jesus teaching as well. Mark simply describes the way he was teaching, which was “as he was walking in the temple courts.” The modern fad of “pushing back” against the text of the Bible will not end well for those who give it a try. It’s a rare scholar who is willing to say, “I’m not sure” or “I don’t know,” but the one who does has entered the outer courtyard of wisdom.

The question of the Sanhedrin could have been asked from faith (but it wasn’t). It could even have been turned into an assumption. One of the members of the Sanhedrin, Gamaliel, would later say about the preaching of Peter and John: “If it from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (Acts 5:39). Instead, they challenged Jesus as an imposter.

There is a parallel here between the Sanhedrin and certain Christian groups today. Jesus stood in the place of authentic worship of God, reformed by prophets from time to time, but descended intact from Adam to Abraham to Moses to David to the prophets and to Jesus, its fulfillment. Just the patriarchs had religious leaders who opposed them, so also did Jesus. Abraham was challenged by Bera the vile king of Sodom (Genesis 14:2,21), Moses was challenged by Korah, Dathan, Abiram and On (Numbers 16:1), David was challenged by his wife Michal (2 Samuel 6:20), and the prophets were challenged many times (1 Kings 18:4; 2 Chronicles 24:21; Jeremiah 28:1-4, 38:6; Amos 7:12-13; Daniel 2:13, 6:16; Matthew 14:10).

Today, the church is often assailed from within by those who think that their new teachings, practices and innovations have all come with God’s blessing, such as open communion, baptism only for those who are “of age,” decision theology, women pastors, permissiveness toward homosexuality or living together outside of marriage, or even salvation apart from Christ. All of these changes came at first with the promise: “We only want to be tolerated. We’re not saying we’re the only ones who are right.” Except that now, in every single case, they have changed their tune: “You are wrong if you don’t do exactly as we do.” And more than that, their argument sounds more and more like that of the Sanhedrin attacking Jesus: “By what authority do you refuse open communion? How dare you!” There is more to say about this, but Jesus will say it clearly enough in the verses that follow.

Behold, the Savior comes! For the people of Jerusalem during Holy Week, his arrival was as much a shock as it had been for the shepherds of Bethlehem thirty-three years before. But his coming is good news for all people (Luke 2:10). He is the God who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the people (Micah 7:18). As long as the world turns, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6), and let everyone who breathes serve him. Cast away the teaching of false teachers, no matter what their high and mighty-sounding titles might be. Peter warned about them: “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud” (2 Peter 2:22).

As to restrictions around baptism: Baptism is for all the world without any hedge or barrier (Matthew 28:19).

As to so-called open communion: Communion is not for all, but for those Christians who can examine themselves (1 Corinthians 11:28-29) and who have been properly instructed (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We who are one loaf as a body of believers receive the Lord’s body and blood, but we are not to offer it to those who believe otherwise (1 Corinthians 10:17).

As to decision theology: A man who is dead in his sins cannot decide to be a Christian or to follow Christ, but is raised to spiritual life only through the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13).

As to women pastors: Women are not to have doctrinal authority over men or speak with such authority in public worship (1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:12).  See also the note below.

As to sexual sins: Sexual sins including living together and homosexuality are condemned by the moral law and remain condemned by God (Romans 1:27; 1 Corinthians 6:9) as are all sexual sins (Exodus 20:14, 22:16; Deuteronomy 22:23-24).

And as for salvation apart from Christ alone? If, somehow, John 14:6 “no one comes to the Father except through me” is not enough, then Acts 4:12 is: “Salvation is found in no one else.”

Do not attack the gospel or the law of our God. Salvation is found in no one else. “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). So we praise God for his grace, which we have received through faith.

Note: We will soon talk about this in devotions on 1 Corinthians beginning in September. But this statement from Luther draws all the facets of the subject into one place:

    “They are all priests. All may proclaim God’s Word, except that, as St. Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 14:34, women should not speak in the congregation. They should let the men preach, because God commands them to be obedient to their husbands. God does not interfere with the arrangement. But He makes no distinction in the matter of authority. If, however, only women were present and no men, as in nunneries, then one of the women might be authorized to preach.” (LW 30:55).
    “Therefore order, discipline, and respect demand that women keep silent when men speak; but if no man were to preach, then it would be necessary for the women to preach. For this reason we are firmly convinced on the basis of the Holy Scriptures that there is not more than one office of preaching God’s Word, and that this office is common to all Christians.” (LW 36:152)

In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith

 

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