Holy Tuesday: From Heaven or of Humans?
Mark 11: 27-33
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
Jesus often answered a question with another question. His questions sought to expose people’s motives and reveal His nature. As patient as Jesus was, in this passage, as He’s making His way to the Cross, we see His unwillingness to tolerate attacks on His identity or entertain doubts about His authority to curse figs, flip tables, and cleanse temples. The self-righteous religious leaders were not questioning Jesus out of curiosity but out of their obsession to please the crowds. Jesus was not having it.
John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!” Mark 11:30
His counter-question brought them back to John’s declarations of Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and His authority as Messiah. The authority of Jesus was rooted in His identity as the Son of God and rested on His obedience to the Father. So when He responds with this question, He isn’t trying to defend or prove Himself, He’s just echoing what Heaven had already said about Him.
When Jesus sent out His disciples, He said,
Luke 10:19 - I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Our authority and identity do not require approval or applause from the critics or the curious but we do have to decide whether we will live according to Heaven’s voice over us or according to the earthly noise around us. Here’s what we know for sure - it’s only a matter of time before the questions arise,
Who do you think you are?
What qualifies you?
Are you sure you were called?
Do you have what it takes to___________?
Like Jesus, we do not have to defend or prove ourselves. All we have to do is echo what Heaven has already said about us. We cannot afford not to know or be unsure about Who has called us. That revelation rooted in communion will be the rock on which we stand when everything around us, sometimes within us, is shaken. So, who called us? Heaven or Humans? The questions will come, but we will not fold. May we boldly question the accuser and stand on what Heaven has already said.
