The Sovereignty of God
The Authority of Christ Jesus Challenged
The Authority of Jesus and the challenge
As we know from chapter 19 Jesus is with his disciples in
Jerusalem. He had made his triumphal entry into the city riding on the back of
a colt. He then lamented over the covenant-breaking city and proclaimed the
coming judgment upon them. And then he cleansed the Tabernacle of the filth of
the profiteers.
So, we come to Jerusalem on a day and Jesus is teaching the
people in the temple and proclaiming the Gospel. Note that He, Jesus, is
teaching his own Gospel. Matthew Henry states that “He not only purchased the
salvation for us, but published it to us, which is a great confirmation of the
truth of the gospel, and gives abundant encouragement to us to receive it, for
it is a sign that the heart of Christ was much upon it, to have it received.”[1]
It was then that the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up to him.
“The priesthood held considerable authority in NT times. Most internal
and religious matters in the Roman province of Judea were within the authority
of the Sanhedrin, which functioned as a kind of provincial government though
its powers were limited in certain matters by Rome. Its membership included the
ruling and former high priests and a large number of Sadducees, many of whom
belonged to influential priestly families. This priestly influence in the
Sanhedrin was indicative of the important role of the temple in Jewish life
during the first-century ad.[2]
The scribes
appear predominantly in the ministry of Jesus as those concerned with the
circumspectness of legal observance. Luke refers to the scribes as “lawyers,”
thereby describing their chief function as interpreters of the Jewish law in a
way that communicated to his gentile audience. It is often found, therefore,
that the scribes were critical members of Jesus’ audience, accusing him of
violating the law on numerous occasions[3]
Each Jewish community had its council of elders, who had general administrative oversight
and represented the community in relations with Roman authorities. Their
primary duty was judicial. They were custodians of the law and its traditional
interpretations (see Mt 15:2), and they were charged with both its enforcement
and the punishment of offenders.[4]
They came
upon Jesus as if to frighten Him. “But how could he be terrified with the wrath
of men, when it was in his own power to restrain it and make it turn to his
praise?”[5]
This is a large group of men with “Authority.” Chief priest had the highest authority,
scribes had the authority of the law, and the elder had the authority of civil
law. They were judge, jury, and executioner and swarmed upon Jesus like gnats on
a hot summer day. They attempted to trip him up by asking him a question that
challenges His authority. Therefore, we see two authorities meeting head-on. They
asked or demanded of him; “Tell us by what authority You are doing these
things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?”
“Tell us”
is a command, by their perceived authority they make it a point to command
Jesus to give an answer. “By what authority?” They are the Chief priests and
they do not know what authority operates in Jesus. “who gave you?” and they do
not know who would give this authority. But if they knew the scriptures truly
they would know by what and whom His authority comes. But I proffer this, that
they do know, they just choose to suppress it.
Jesus
responds with a question in his own authority “I will ask you a question, and
you tell me:” This is a great retort. Why, have you read in Job when Yahweh
confronts him?
Job
38: 1Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, 2“Who
is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3Dress for
action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4“Where
were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have
understanding.” [6]
Jesus is
God in the flesh, he is asking the same question of those who perceive to have
authority over Him because they just see a man with the ability to do miracles.
They know what prophets are, it’s in the scriptures, at the minimum they knew
by what and whom prophets had authority, by Yahweh.
Jesus asks
them “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” This is not a simple
question to answer, we know because we have the Scriptures and can read ahead.
I could even go into the background of John and how he was the last of Old Testament
prophets. But we are focusing on the battle of authority. The chief priests,
scribes, and elders reasoned amongst themselves. In a huddle, they ponder “If we say, “from heaven”, he will say “why did you not believe him?”
it is here where we see that they know already that Jesus’ authority is given
by the power of God and by God. But here is the kicker, they also reason “If we
say, “from men” all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced
that John was a prophet.” They have a choice, either admit John’s baptism was
by Yahweh or admit it was by man and make John out to be a false prophet that
would result in their death. Fear takes hold of them. They came upon Jesus
attempting to intimidate him and here they show whom they really fear for their
answer to Jesus is “they did not know where it came from.” Their quasi answer
negates any action one way or another because they feared the truth and power
of God and suppressed it and at the same time feared people, “What good can be
expected from men of such a spirit?”[7]
Jesus
replies with all justification “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do
these things.” “Those that bury the knowledge they have are justly denied
further knowledge. It was just with Christ to refuse to give an account of his
authority to them that knew the baptism of John to be from heaven and would not
believe in him, nor own their knowledge.”[8]
Jesus
continued to speak to the people, those gathered were the chief priest,
scribes, elders, and the people he was teaching in the temple. He spoke a
parable.
“First, one
should be aware that the Greek word for parable and its Hebrew counterpart are
both broad terms and can be used for anything from a proverb to a full-blown
allegory, including a riddle, a dark saying, an illustration, a contrast, or a
story[9]
Second,
“parable” can be used of any story with two levels of meaning (literal and
figurative) that functions as religious and ethical speech."[10]
I make
these quick points so that when I read the parable you get the picture of what
Jesus is saying.
“Christ
spoke this parable against those who were resolved not to own his authority,
though the evidence of it was ever so full and convincing and it comes very
seasonably to show that by questioning his authority they forfeited their own.”[11]
Yahweh is
the “Man who planted the vineyard.” He planted the Garden of Eden and left it
to Mankind to tend it. Adam’s job was to work the soil and be a good steward of
it. This was before the fall of man. So, it is with those who are the priest of
Yahweh. They were to tend and produce fruit in keeping with the commandments of
God, but instead as it is written in the Gospel of Mark 7:9 “You are good at
setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.” They
didn’t want God as their authority and challenged Him by asserting their own. What
did the vine-growers do? They beat, shamed, and cast out all those who are sent
to collect the harvest. These are the Prophets in the old testament. “35…Some
were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a
better life. 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains
and imprisonment. 37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they
were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats,
destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38of whom the world was not
worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the
earth.”[12] (Hebrews 11:35-38) This
is the mournful lament of Jesus towards His people. The priests and those that
followed them in their hypocrisy over God’s decree for Mercy. We see this expressed in
Luke 13: 34-35 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and
stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together
just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you did not want it!”
But worse the Owner of the vineyard sends his son to collect the fruit of the vine. What do the vine-growers do? They kill the son in an attempt to take his inheritance. Let’s look at his; The vine-growers are those whom he is talking to, the Priests, Scribes, Elders, and the people. They have rejected the owner of the Vineyard, in other words, they have rejected God, Yahweh. They attempt to take what is not theirs and make it their own. They attempt to usurp God. Scripture tells us what happens to God’s Son, He is betrayed by his people who cry out “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” and when Pilate asked, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” (John 19:15) And so Jesus was crucified and killed by his people. They chose their own autonomous authority over Yahweh, over Jesus the messiah.
Jesus asks “What,
then, will the owner do to them?”
What should the owner do? Jesus said, “He, the owner, will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others.” Yahweh, the owner of the vineyard will come and destroy the covenant-breaking, authority-denying people and give His salvation to the Gentiles.
Paul makes
this clear in Acts 28:25-27 “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the
prophet to your father, saying, “Go to this people and say, You will keep on
hearing, but will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, but will not
perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, and with ears they
scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes; Lest they might see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I
will heal them.” “Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God
was sent to the gentiles-they also will hear.”
The people
cried out “May it never be!” they understood the parable was about them. Can we
be honest with ourselves? Do we not say this every day? We say “May it never
be, may we never be judged for our actions, our sins against God and man. We
walk in our own authority not even realizing who is truly in authority.
Jesus looked
at them. He was grieved and had compassion and pity that they would cheat
themselves to their own ruin. He asked them “What then is this that is
written?” He brings up a passage of scripture that is written “The stone which
the builders rejected; this became the chief cornerstone?” He is asking them to recognize that He is the cornerstone and that their rejection of him becomes a
stumbling block to them, but he becomes the building block that His kingdom is
built upon, and he becomes the God of a new people, the gentiles and Jews who
believe upon Christ. And then he adds the seriousness of the rejection, that
everyone who falls on the stone “will be their ruin but as to those that not
only reject him but hate and persecute him, as the Jews did, he will fall upon
them and crush them to pieces--will grind them to powder. The condemnation of
spiteful persecutors will be much sorer than that of careless unbelievers.”[13]
Finally,
the scribes and chief priests understood that the parable was spoken of them and
instead of repenting, they tried to lay hands on them but were afraid of the
people.
Are you
like the Priests, Scribes, and elders? Do you deny who Christ Jesus is? Do you deny His authority, His lordship? Do you continue to go your own way which leads
to destruction?
Be like Job
then, when faced with the awesomeness of Yahweh, Repent as he did. Throw
yourself upon the mercy of the savior Jesus and believe.
42 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
2 “I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself,
and repent in dust and ashes.” [14]
Repent and
trust in the death and resurrection of the Messiah Jesus.
He died
carrying your sins, He was buried carrying your sins, and he rose without your sin.
This is a free gift of God, take it, and hold on to it and submit to the
authority of Christ.
Amen
[1] Barnes, Albert; Calvin, John; Clarke,
Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles H.; Wesley, John. The Ultimate
Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The Bible (p. 1448). Kindle Edition.
[2]
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible
dictionary (p. 1078). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[3]
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible
dictionary (p. 1172). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[4]
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible
dictionary (p. 415). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[5] Barnes, Albert; Calvin, John; Clarke,
Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles H.; Wesley, John. The Ultimate
Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The Bible (p. 1448). Kindle Edition.
[6] The Holy Bible:
English Standard Version. (2016). (Job 38:2–4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[7] Barnes, Albert;
Calvin, John; Clarke, Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles H.; Wesley, John.
The Ultimate Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The Bible (p. 1449).
Kindle Edition.
[8] Barnes, Albert;
Calvin, John; Clarke, Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles H.; Wesley, John.
The Ultimate Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The Bible (p. 1449).
Kindle Edition.
[9]
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible
dictionary (p. 989). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[10]
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible
dictionary (p. 989). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[11] Barnes, Albert;
Calvin, John; Clarke, Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles H.; Wesley, John.
The Ultimate Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The Bible (p. 1450).
Kindle Edition.
[12] The Holy Bible:
English Standard Version. (2016). (Heb 11:35–38). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[13] Barnes, Albert;
Calvin, John; Clarke, Adam; Henry, Matthew; Spurgeon, Charles H.; Wesley, John.
The Ultimate Commentary On Luke: A Collective Wisdom On The Bible (p. 1452).
Kindle Edition.
[14] The Holy Bible:
English Standard Version. (2016). (Job 42:1–6). Wheaton, IL:
Crossway Bibles.
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