I. There is something just and legitimate in the words of Christ's enemies. The idea of a Divine revelation is inseparable from the idea of authority. Jesus to the scribes is a person without authority. For them authority is wholly in the priestly institution. Now Jesus did not belong to the tribe of Levi and to the descent of Aaron. He had not received the official consecration, He had not demanded the investiture of the synagogue. He was without authority. Christ lived in their sight; they had been able, day after day, to look on His conduct and to scrutinise His acts. The whole of His life had been holiness and mercy. The scribes saw that, and it did not move them. It was not a question with them to know of Christ's accomplished works of holiness, but in virtue of what authority He did them. Holiness, justice and mercy may burn with a superhuman brilliancy, may inspire a sublime teaching, may bring forth magnificent works, all will be nothing; rather than that they will prefer a parchment of the synagogue conferring on its possessor all the rights of authority.
II. A grand teaching comes out of this scene. Let us never put questions of hierarchy and of the Church above the truth. That is a miserable narrowness which we must hold in abhorrence. The sectarian spirit is not peculiar to small sects, as is too readily believed. Perhaps nowhere does it grow and develop with more intensity and in a more unconscious manner than in the shelter of great institutions and ancient traditions. There is a moment when it becomes a crime; it is when it shuts its eyes to the light, it is when it judges with disdainful pride all that is done outside of its regulations, it is when it attributes to Beelzebub the most manifest works of the Spirit of God. We must choose between the Pharisaical spirit that says to Christ, "By what authority doest Thou these things?" and the spirit of truth which, when it sees the light, comes to the light, and says, God is here.
E. Bersier, Sermons,2nd series, p. 61.
References: Mark 11:27; Mark 11:28. Preacher's Monthly,vol. iv., p. 98. Mark 11:27-33. H. M. Luckock, Footprints of the Son of Man,p. 249. Mark 11:29. Preacher's Monthly,vol. iv., p. 53.Mark 11:30. Homiletic Magazine,vol. x., p. 99. Mark 11:27-28. E. Cooper, Practical Sermons,vol. i., p. 47. Mark 11-13 A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve,p. 329. Mark 12:1-9. Homiletic Magazine,vol. vii., p. 40. Mark 12:1-12. R. Calderwood, The Parables,p. 317; A. B. Bruce, Parabolic Teaching of Christ,p. 447; H. M. Luckock, Footprints of the Son of Man,p. 254; W. Hanna, Our Lord's Life on Earth,p. 382.Mark 12:6. Homiletic Magazine,vol. ix., p. 284.Mark 12:10. Ibid.,vol. xiii., p. 145.Mark 12:10; Mark 12:11. Preacher's Monthly,vol. iv., p. 108. Mark 12:10-12. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. v., p. 318. Mark 12:15. F. O. Morris, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxvii., p. 195.