Just answer the question!’ How many times have you said or thought that as you watched or listened to a politician respond to an interviewer’s question with anything but a direct answer? You could be forgiven for thinking that Jesus is attempting to evade the question put to him here by the chief priests and elders, but his interrogators wouldn’t have seen it that way. Responding to one question with another, to elucidate more precisely the matter in hand, was common practice in first-century rabbinic circles. 

The focus of the debate is authority (v 23). Jesus’ actions on arrival in Jerusalem had asserted his own authority and, therefore, challenged the authority of the Jewish religious leaders. Understandably, they wanted the upstart rabbi to lay out his credentials. Their question immediately betrays their conviction that Jesus has no authority, and so reveals their spiritual blindness. 

Christ’s counterquestion (vs 24–25) exposes the hard-heartedness of his inquisitors. Since they refused to accept John the Baptist as a prophet acting under God’s authority (vs 25–26), they are hardly ready to recognise the authority of Jesus whom John publicly endorsed as God’s Messiah through baptism (John 1:29–34). So, there is little point in Jesus answering their question (v 27). Here is the wisdom of God at work to disarm deceit. 

God, forgive us for failing to perceive your wondrous creation, deeds and signs in our world and universe, for demanding signs and more! May we simply believe in you. Amen.

As Jesus re-entered the Temple, the still-angry Jewish leaders attacked him with questions. Their first foray is the source of his authority. This is ridiculous considering the miracles Jesus had performed the day before. Surely, God’s leaders would have recognised that he must be imbued with God’s power and authority? As so often with the Jewish leaders, Jesus seized control, refusing them a straight answer and replying with a question back to them. He tests them on their view of the authority of John the Baptist: was it from God or from people? 

In Matthew, John is Jesus’ baptiser, God’s prophet and the Elijah who was to come.¹ He was believed by tax collectors and prostitutes, who were received into God’s kingdom.² The Jewish leaders repudiated John after he called them snakes, warned them of God’s wrath and demanded that they bear the fruit of repentance.³ By asking this question, Jesus cleverly put them between a rock and a hard place. To acknowledge John’s divine mandate would give Jesus ammunition to challenge their rejection of John. To deny John’s authority would alienate the crowd. Lacking courage to make a stand, the leaders took a third option, ignorance. This gave Jesus leave to refuse their question. 

Sadly, religious leaders can get lost in their own theologies and traditions, unable to see God’s fresh work and lacking in courage. Slowly, the wineskins of their traditions dry out and they can no longer hold the new wine. We must stand firm to the gospel, but also be open to God’s new thing. Maybe if we open our eyes and courageously stand with God, we can halt the tragic decline of the church that is taking place in many parts of our world.

Consider your religious tradition and church. Is it standing on God’s Word? Is it open to the fresh work of God? Pray for renewal and for what you can do.

¹ Matt 3:13; 11:13,14  ² Matt 21:32  ³ Matt 3:7–11