Mark 11:27-31

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 of human origin? 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, ‘Of human origin’ …” (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.”

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Answer the Question

In this short but interesting passage, you can feel the increasing tension between the religious leaders and Jesus. The religious leaders are trying to get Jesus to say something "heretical" that could go against the teaching of the Jewish religion. But rather than answer directly, Jesus answers with a question regarding the authority by which John the Baptist baptized people. The question leaves the religious leaders dumbfounded, but Jesus uses their uncertainty to refuse to answer their question.

I could imagine this would be the kind of situation that people today would be able to create some pretty funny Internet memes, in which Jesus comes off as the brazen victor and the religious leaders as humiliated or confused.

But in all fairness, the religious leaders did ask a good question to Jesus... “By what authority are you doing these things?” If some high school student showed up up at AYL club and started doing miracles and things, I think we leaders may ask a similar question, like, "How are you able to do this?"

I think the answer to Jesus's question may have gone something like this... "I can do these things because God enables me. I am God in human form."

I am pretty sure if Jesus had said this so directly, the religious leaders would have gone crazy. But in essence, this is what we later learn to actually be true about Jesus. His authority comes from God because He is God.

Let that sink in for a moment... If this is true that Jesus is God in human form, then shouldn't we be following Him in everything we do?