By What Authority?

During the last week that Jesus walked the earth as a man, He did many things.

Every event, even the seemingly small ones, took on new meaning.

I've been thinking this morning.

Jesus spent a lot of time in the temple.

Teaching.

Out in the open.

A stationary target for His enemies.

Matthew 21:23 (NKJV) 23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?"

More of the same.

John tells us about an earlier time when Jesus was teaching in the temple.

They sent some officers to arrest Him.

John 7:31-32 (NKJV) "And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him."

But it wasn't yet time for that.

John 7:45-49 (NKJV) Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?" The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"

Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."

The so-called authorities who knew the Old Testament scriptures inside and out missed it.

"Hey... we're the educated ones here. Unless we say he's legit... he's not legit!"

We can be sincere.

And we can be sincerely wrong.

The plan is hatched.

Judas will sell Him out.

Under the cover of darkness.

But the plan of man is really the plan of God.

Isaiah 53:10 (ESV) Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

John 19:10-11 (ESV) So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above."

When true authority meets evil intent take heart, believer.

In some mysterious way it's all a part of the plan.