(27) And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple there come to him the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. (28) And say unto him, By what authority dost thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? (29) And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. (30) The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men? answer me. (31) And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? (32) But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John that he was a prophet indeed. (33) And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell: and Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
I am inclined to think, that those sworn enemies to CHRIST, who are said here to have come to JESUS in the temple, demanding his authority, came in a public body, by way of confronting him; and as those who were sent by the Sanhedrim for that purpose, and determined to silence him, and put an end to his preaching. The LORD Jesus had turned out the buyers and sellers from the temple, and had healed the blind and lame which came to him for that purpose into the temple; and was now teaching the people while walking about the temple, as was the custom in those days among a set of philosophers, who walked with the pupils as they taught them. Let the Reader figure to himself the LORD JESUS thus attacked, and observe the wisdom of the LORD in his answer. By directing not only the minds of his enemies to the subject of John's ministry, but also those to whom he was preaching his Gospel, the LORD took the most effectual method to throw to the ground their opposition, and establish his mission. They dared not admit John's ministry to be of divine appointment; for in so doing they would have acknowledged CHRIST, for the whole of John's office pointed to CHRIST. And most probably the congregation to whom Jesus was then preaching, had been among John's disciples; so that to have denied John's mission, would have been dangerous. The wretched state to which they were reduced, therefore, in confessing their ignorance, serves to shew the awful delusion under which those men were. And Reader, when we recollect that this transaction took place only a few days before CHRIST's death, the matter becomes yet more awful concerning them; for though put to silence and unable to answer CHRIST, they departed from him only with more determined hatred to seek his immediate death. Reader! You and I shalt have read this account to very little profit, if it doth not teach us to what a desperate state the heart of man is capable of being hardened; and at the same time the distinguishing mercy of GOD in every instance where grace is given to believe the record GOD hath given of his dear SON! 1 John 5:10-11.