Matthew 21:23-27

Numbers 24:2-7, 5-17a

Psalm 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9

Matthew 21:23-27

When Jesus had come into the temple area,

the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him

as he was teaching and said,

“By what authority are you doing these things? 

And who gave you this authority?” 

Jesus said to them in reply,

“I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me,

then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. 

Where was John’s baptism from?

Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” 

They discussed this among themselves and said,

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

‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 

But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd,

for they all regard John as a prophet.” 

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

He himself said to them,

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

Opening Prayer: Lord God, help me to hear more clearly the voice of John the Baptist this Advent. I want to repent from my sinful ways and embrace the way that leads to eternal life with you. I trust in the divine and royal authority of your Son. Without him, I can do nothing. With him, all things are possible.

Encountering the Word of God

1. By What Authority? Today’s Gospel was chosen to continue our daily meditation on the figure of John the Baptist. Just as John prepared the people to welcome the Lord’s Messiah two thousand years ago, John’s message and example prepare us to welcome Jesus into our lives this Advent. Today’s Gospel passage takes place the day after Jesus entered into the Temple and cleansed the Court of the Gentiles of the money-changers and sellers of animals for sacrifice. We see Jesus teaching, and the chief priests and elders of the people approach in an attempt to put an end to Jesus’ actions and teaching. When they ask by what authority Jesus is doing what he has done (cleansed the Temple) and what he is doing (teaching), they think they are setting a trap for Jesus. If Jesus answers that he hasn’t received authority from God, they will cast him out of the Temple. If Jesus answers that he has authority from God, they will accuse him of Blasphemy and cast him out of the Temple. Instead of answering their question, Jesus asks them a question about John the Baptist’s authority. “This counterquestion is not a change in topic. In this question Jesus implies continuity between John’s ministry and his own: just as John’s authority came from God, so does his” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 274).

2. Jesus’ Divine Authority: The chief priests and the elders know they cannot answer Jesus’ question. If they say that John’s baptism was not from God, they will face the anger of the people who regarded John as a prophet. If they say that John’s baptism was from God, Jesus will ask them why they did not follow John’s exhortation to repent and be ready for the coming of the Lord’s Messiah. If they accepted John’s baptism, this would mean accepting that the time of the Messiah has come and that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. In the parables that follow today’s Gospel passage, Jesus compares the chief priests to a son who says one thing but does another. The priests and elders say they will work in the vineyard but don’t. By contrast, the people recognize that they have sinned and need to repent and set out to work in the Lord’s vineyard. Am I imitating the hypocrisy of the chief priests or the repentance of the crowds this Advent?

3. Balaam’s Prophecy about the Future King of Israel: The First Reading, from the Book of Numbers, was chosen because it contains a prophecy about the future king of Israel. It tells the story of Balaam, a Mesopotamian seer who was hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the people of Israel as they wandered in the desert. Each time Balaam tried to curse Israel, the Lord God inspired him to pronounce a prophetic blessing upon Israel. In total, he pronounced four such blessings. We read the third and fourth blessings today. The third blessing promises that the future Kingdom of Israel will be exalted. King David brings about the initial fulfillment of this prophecy by completing the conquest of Canaan and making Jerusalem his capital. Jesus, however, brings about its ultimate fulfillment by establishing the New Jerusalem and leading us to the heavenly Promised Land. In the fourth prophetic blessing, Balaam sees a star and a scepter rise from Israel. Once again, the initial fulfillment of this prophecy is David, and the ultimate fulfillment is Jesus. In fact, the star will guide the Magi to Bethlehem to worship the newborn king of Israel.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, Star of David, guide my steps as I walk toward you this Advent. Help me to overcome any pharisaical hypocrisy and embrace the path of metanoia. Purify my mind, especially in my workplace, to think as you do.

Living the Word of God: How am I responding to the call of John the Baptist to repent? Have I made plans to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation at my local parish? Can I invite my entire family to participate?