Mark 11:27-33

Mark 11:27-33

Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem.

As he was walking in the temple area,

the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders

approached him and said to him,

“By what authority are you doing these things?

Or who gave you this authority to do them?”

Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question.

Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.”

They discussed this among themselves and said,

“If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say,

‘Then why did you not believe him?’

But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?” –

they feared the crowd,

for they all thought John really was a prophet.

So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”

Then Jesus said to them,

“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, do not let me harden my heart. Replace my heart of stone with a spirit-filled heart. Show me how to grow in my faith today and imitate your merciful love.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Questioning Jesus’ Authority: As he journeyed along the way to Jerusalem, Jesus predicted three times that members of three groups – the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders – would condemn him to death. Now, three days after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the groups openly confront Jesus and ask him two questions about his authority. Throughout Mark’s Gospel, the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders has revolved around the issue of authority (Gray, The Temple in the Gospel of Mark, 56). The leaders questioned Jesus’ authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:7), heal on the Sabbath (Mark 3:2-6), and cast out demons (Mark 3:22). Here, the leaders question Jesus’ authority to judge the temple and its rulers. 

2. Jesus’ Answer: The answer to their questions is that Jesus has the same authority granted to the Son of Man in Daniel 7. Jesus’ condemnation of the Temple is the beginning of the end-times judgment foretold in Daniel 7 (see Gray, The Temple in the Gospel of Mark, 59). Instead of answering the questions about his authority directly, Jesus answers them indirectly with a question of his own about John the Baptist’s authority. The leaders wanted to respond to Jesus that John’s baptism wasn’t sanctioned either by them or by God, but they feared the crowds who believed that John’s baptism was “from heaven.” The leaders refused to believe John’s claim to be sent from God, and now show that they refuse to accept that Jesus has been sent from God. They are truly acting like the wicked tenants in the parable we will read on Monday (Mark 12:1-9). Like the wicked tenants, the religious leaders rejected the prophetic messenger sent by God – John the Baptist – and are now plotting to kill Jesus, the beloved Son sent by God the Father.

3. The Failure of Spiritual Discernment: The religious leaders’ refusal to answer Jesus revealed more than political caution; it exposed a deeper spiritual blindness. Ironically, those entrusted with discerning the things of God proved incapable of recognizing either John the Baptist or Jesus himself. Their concern was not primarily for truth but for preserving their own status before the crowds. In Mark’s Gospel, this stands in sharp contrast to the faith of the disciples and ordinary people who, despite their weaknesses, remained open to God’s action. Jesus’ response also demonstrated divine wisdom: he did not submit his authority to the judgment of those who had already hardened their hearts against God’s revelation. The passage, therefore, becomes a warning to every reader of the Gospel. One can possess religious learning, office, and influence, yet still resist God through pride, fear, or attachment to power. True recognition of Jesus’ authority requires humility, conversion, and a willingness to follow the truth God has revealed.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I believe that you, the Son of God, have the supreme authority from the Father. I trust that you know the path that leads to eternal life. I will follow that path and am confident that you will guide me.

Living the Word of God: What is my attitude toward authority in the Church? Am I too lenient and accept everything from my bishop and the pope without caution or critical thought? Am I too strict and look at everything with suspicion? How can I be more balanced in my judgments and distinguish between what, on the one hand, is essential and primary, and what, on the other hand, is more peripheral and secondary?