Public reaction demonstrates that Jesus is a compelling speaker and leader. Crowds follow him and hang on his every word, fascinated by his message. His preaching is electric, unconventional, disturbing. And as we saw yesterday when he entered the Temple, so are his actions (19:45).

No wonder the religious leaders are angry, jealous, challenged. They would give anything to be able to ‘put him in his place’ whether by their wit or their wise words. They challenge Jesus about the source of his authority (v 2). Or, as The Message has it, his ‘credentials’. Is Jesus going to say his power is from God and risk a charge of blasphemy?

Jesus always speaks and acts with full authority as God’s own Son. Think of him as a 12-year-old in the Temple at Jerusalem sitting among the teachers: ‘Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding…’ (Luke 2:47). The apostle Paul describes him as ‘the head over every power and authority’ (Colossians 2:10). How many other titles of Jesus can you recall? What ‘credentials’ do they give him? What do they mean to you? 

‘Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”’¹

Luke leaves out the cursing of the fig tree,² though he mentions fig trees elsewhere.³ Rather, Luke’s Jesus is back teaching in the Temple courts. He does not seek to woo the leaders to revolt, but enters into debates over matters of authority and law. The first encounter is initiated by Jewish leaders who challenge Jesus’ authority. These religious leaders are determined to protect their national identity and faith. After all, ‘who does this Jesus think he is?’ They are like leaders who observe the rise of a zealous star and feel threatened. They remind me of the prodigal’s older brother. In reality, their question is ridiculous, since Jesus had earlier challenged them very directly⁴ and they had observed him and seen his phenomenal power to heal and perform miracles. Indubitably, such authority can only come from God. Their problem is hardness of heart.⁵

Jesus’ response shows his debating skills. As so often, he answers their enquiry with his own question. He forces them into a corner. If they state that John was not divinely authorised, they will incur the wrath of the people who believe he was a prophet. If they admit that John had God’s authority, they admit that Jesus does too, because John endorsed Jesus!⁶ To evade Jesus’ snare, they refuse to answer. Quite rightly, Jesus does the same.

Four things stand out. First, we must search our hearts for hardness and ask God to soften them. Second, God is always at work doing new things, raising new workers. Like Priscilla and Aquila with Apollos in Acts,⁷ we must celebrate this and nurture it. Third, we learn one of the essential skills of sharing our faith – meeting questions with questions that challenge people’s heart-states. Finally, we are reminded that Jesus is the embodied Wisdom of God.

Read Ezekiel 36:26: ask God to soften our hearts. Ask him to show us what he is doing. Pray for it and join in.

¹ 1 Cor 1:30,31, ESV  ² Eg Mark 11:12–21  ³ Eg Luke 13:6–9  ⁴ Luke 11:37–52  ⁵ Mark 3:5  ⁶ Luke 3:16  ⁷ Acts 18:18–28