A Question of Authority / Mark 11:27-12:44
Welcome to The Well. It is great to be with you guys again. My name is Mike. If I haven’t met you yet, I had the great privilege of being here a couple of weeks ago, and I get to be with you again today.
We are going to pick up right where Jared left off last week. I invite you to turn in your Bibles to Mark chapter 11. We have some ground to cover today. We are going to start in Mark 11:27, and Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, we are going to finish chapter 12. We have some boogieing to do!
If you were here last week, you heard Jared give an incredible message on the beginning of the Passion Week of Jesus—the final week of Christ’s life. Jesus entered Jerusalem with His eyes fixated on the cross, knowing exactly where He was going. He came in very deliberately during the triumphal entry, riding on the back of a donkey, worshipped as King as the crowds shouted praises. Then, the following day, He went into the temple and cleansed it.
Jesus is making monumental statements about who He is. In the text we are looking at today, the reaction from the religious leaders is fascinating. Jesus is making no small claims about His identity, and there is no small reaction to those claims.
We are going to look at four traps. We are examining Jesus’ authority in every aspect of life—governmental, moral, civil, and theological. Four groups of religious leaders will attempt to corner Him. They start by questioning His authority: “Who gave you the right to do what you did in the temple?” Jesus answers their challenge, tells a devastating parable, and pulls no punches. As Jared said last week, the gloves are off. Jesus is no longer telling people to keep quiet about His identity; He is boldly demonstrating that He is the long-awaited Old Testament Messiah.
Trap One: The Question of Authority
Every group that approaches Jesus in these passages comes with one primary objective: to trap Him and find an excuse not to submit to His authority.
Let’s pick up in Mark 11:27–28.
Mark 11:27-28 (NASB)
They came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him, and [began] saying to Him, ‘By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?’
The chief priests, scribes, and elders made up the Sanhedrin—the supreme Jewish governing body in Jerusalem. They held political, civil, and religious authority, exercising immense power. They sent an official delegation to confront Jesus: “By what authority are you doing these things? Where do you get off cleansing the temple and receiving royal praise?”
To understand their question, we have to understand first-century rabbinic tradition. Jesus was frequently called “Rabbi.” In that era, there were two primary types of rabbis.
The first and most common type were the Torah teachers. These men were master scholars of the Old Testament Scriptures. Many had the entire Torah memorized. In our Bibles, they are often referred to as scribes, lawyers, or teachers of the law. They were brilliant, but they operated under strict limitations. First, they did not have personal disciples; they taught in schools and synagogues, but they did not call followers to themselves. Second, they had no authority to introduce new interpretations of the text. When defending a position, they had to quote Scripture verbatim or cite an established rabbinic authority from the past. They could only repeat the tradition; they held no independent authority.
The second type was a rabbi with authority (semikhah). These rabbis were very rare—some scholars estimate there may have been fewer than a hundred throughout the entire region during Jesus’ day. John the Baptist was recognized as one. These rabbis had personal disciples who followed their way of life, and they possessed the recognized authority to make new interpretations and applications of God’s Word.
What kind of rabbi was Jesus? Clearly, He operated as one with supreme authority. He called disciples to follow Him, and He authoritatively interpreted the Law. Think about the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7, where He repeatedly said, “You have heard that it was said… but I say to you.” When He finished that sermon, the crowds were astonished because He taught as one having authority, not as their scribes.
Matthew 7:28-29 (NASB)
When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as [one] having authority, and not as their scribes.
So the Sanhedrin comes to Him asking the million-dollar question: “Where did you get this authority?”
Mark 11:29-30 (NASB)
And Jesus said to them, ’I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and [then] I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ‘Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.’
Jesus isn’t being evasive; He is using a classic rabbinic method of answering a question with a counter-question. In our culture, if you asked me in July, “Is it going to be hot in Fresno tomorrow?” I would say, “Of course it is! It’s July in Fresno.” But in a rabbinic framework, you might answer, “Does a bear live in the woods?” The answer to the counter-question reveals the answer to the first.
Jesus asks them: “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Answer me!”
Mark 11:31-33 (NASB)
They [began] reasoning among themselves, saying, ’If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ ’But shall we say, ’From men ‘?’– they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet. Answering Jesus, they said, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.’
The religious leaders are completely boxed in. If they say John’s authority was from heaven, Jesus will say, “Then why didn’t you believe him?” John publicly pointed to Jesus and declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” If John was from God, they were obligated to submit to Jesus as the Messiah.
On the other hand, if they say John’s baptism was merely human, they fear the crowd, because the people were convinced John was a true prophet. According to Old Testament law, if you falsely accused a true prophet, or if a prophet lied, severe judgment followed. Because they fear man more than God, they feign ignorance and reply, “We do not know.”
Jesus responds, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Then, to drive the point home, Jesus launches into the Parable of the Vineyard Tenants in Mark 12:1–12. A landowner plants a vineyard, equips it fully, leases it to tenant farmers, and travels to another country. At harvest time, he sends a servant to collect his share of the produce. The tenants beat him and send him away empty-handed. He sends another servant; they strike him on the head and treat him shamefully. He sends a third servant; they kill him. He sends many others, and they beat some and kill others.
Finally, the owner has one left to send: his beloved son. He says, “They will respect my son.” But the wicked tenants say, “This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!” So they murder him and throw his body out of the vineyard.
Jesus asks what the owner will do. He will come, destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others.
Mark 12:1-12 (NASB)
And He began to speak to them in parables: ’A man PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT, AND DUG A VAT UNDER THE WINE PRESS AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. ’At the [harvest] time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive [some] of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers. ’They took him, and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ’Again he sent them another slave, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. ’And he sent another, and that one they killed; and [so with] many others, beating some and killing others. ’He had one more [to send], a beloved son; he sent him last [of all] to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ’But those vine-growers said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ ’They took him, and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. ’What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others. ’Have you not even read this Scripture: ’THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER [stone]; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES ‘?’ And they were seeking to seize Him, and [yet] they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And [so] they left Him and went away.
The Sanhedrin understood exactly what Jesus was saying: the parable was aimed directly at them. God sent the prophets throughout Israel’s history, and Israel’s leaders rejected and murdered them. Now, God has sent His beloved Son, and they are plotting to kill Him too. Because of their hard-hearted rebellion, the kingdom will be taken from them and entrusted to others.
Trap Two: Civil and Governmental Authority
The second trap unfolds in Mark 12:13–17, where the leaders question Jesus regarding civil and governmental authority.
Mark 12:13-17 (NASB)
Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him in order to trap Him in a statement. They came and said to Him, ’Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? ‘Shall we pay or shall we not pay?’ But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, ‘Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.’ They brought [one]. And He said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ And they said to Him, ‘Caesar’s.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they were amazed at Him.
The Pharisees and the Herodians were natural political enemies who occupied opposite ends of the spectrum. The Pharisees were conservative nationalists who hated Roman occupation and were fiercely devoted to Jewish independence under God’s law. The Herodians were political pragmatists aligned with Rome and loyal to the dynasty of Herod. The only thing they could agree on was their mutual hatred of Jesus. It would be like 49ers fans and Raiders fans setting aside their rivalry for five minutes to unite against a common foe.
Together, they pose a loaded question: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?”
They believe they have created an inescapable dilemma. If Jesus says, “Yes, pay the tax,” the Pharisees will turn the crowds against Him, branding Him a traitor to Israel and a Roman sympathizer. If He says, “No, do not pay the tax,” the Herodians will report Him to the Roman governor for sedition and treason.
Jesus perceives their hypocrisy and asks for a denarius. Holding it up, He asks, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”
They reply, “Caesar’s.”
Jesus delivers one of the most profound statements in human history: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Jesus establishes the proper biblical balance. Does government have legitimate authority? Yes. God institutes governing authorities, and since you benefit from the infrastructure, protection, and civil order of the state, pay your taxes. Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar.
However, Caesar does not own your life, your conscience, your soul, or your worship. Those bear the image of the Creator and belong exclusively to God. Render your taxes to the state, but render your heart and life to God alone.
Trap Three: Biblical Authority and the Resurrection
In Mark 12:18–27, the Sadducees approach Jesus with an attack on His theological and biblical authority.
Mark 12:18-27 (NASB)
[Some] Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and [began] questioning Him, saying, ’Teacher, Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN’S BROTHER DIES and leaves behind a wife AND LEAVES NO CHILD, HIS BROTHER SHOULD MARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER. ’There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. ’The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; and [so] all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. ‘In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.’ Jesus said to them, ’Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? ’For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ’But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the [passage] about [the burning] bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ’I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, and the God of Jacob ’? ‘He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.’
The Sadducees were the wealthy, aristocratic ruling class who held immense power within the Sanhedrin. Unlike the Pharisees, the Sadducees rejected the belief in the resurrection of the dead, angels, and miracles. Furthermore, they held that only the first five books of Moses (the Torah) possessed supreme scriptural authority.
To make the concept of the resurrection look absurd, they present a hypothetical scenario based on the Levirate marriage law found in Deuteronomy 25. If a man dies childless, his brother is to marry the widow to raise up an heir for the deceased brother. In their extreme scenario, seven brothers consecutively marry the same woman, each dying without children. Finally, the woman dies. The Sadducees ask smugly, “In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”
Jesus responds with piercing clarity: “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?”
Jesus addresses their errors on two levels. First, they fundamentally misunderstand the nature of the age to come. In the resurrection, human relationships are transformed; there is no marriage in heaven, for we will be like the angels in immortality and direct fellowship with God.
Second, Jesus dismantles their theological skepticism using the very Scriptures they claimed to revere—the Torah. He points them to Exodus 3 and the burning bush, where God declared to Moses, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” God did not say, “I was their God,” but “I am their God.” Long after the patriarchs had physically died, they were alive to God. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Jesus tells them plainly: “You are quite wrong.”
Trap Four: Moral Authority and the Heart of the Law
The fourth encounter involves a scribe who questions Jesus concerning moral authority.
Mark 12:28-34 (NASB)
One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, ‘What commandment is the foremost of all?’ Jesus answered, ’The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ ’The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to Him, ‘Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.
This scribe had witnessed Jesus’ masterful interaction with the Sadducees. As a teacher of the law, he was impressed by how well Jesus handled the text. He steps forward and asks, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
The rabbis had cataloged 613 distinct commandments within the Mosaic Law and frequently debated which were weightier and which were lighter. The scribe is asking: “What is the central summary of God’s demands?”
Jesus quotes directly from the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and Leviticus 19:18.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NASB)
’Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! ’You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
The primary command is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.
The scribe responds with genuine spiritual insight. He affirms that wholehearted love for God and sacrificial love for one’s neighbor are worth far more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. He recognized what the prophets had long proclaimed: God desires authentic heart obedience over hollow religious rituals.
When Jesus saw that the scribe answered wisely, He told him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
The Supreme Authority of Christ
Following these four debates, Jesus turns the tables and poses a question to the crowds concerning Psalm 110.
Psalms 110:1 (NASB)
A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’
Mark 12:35-37 (NASB)
And Jesus [began] to say, as He taught in the temple, ’How [is it that] the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? ’David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ’THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, ‘SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET.’’ ’David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?’ And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.
Jesus asks how the scribes can claim that the Messiah is merely the physical descendant of David when David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, called the Messiah “my Lord.” The Messiah is not merely David’s earthly son; He is David’s divine Lord. Jesus is asserting His supreme identity and eternal authority.
He concludes chapter 12 by contrasting the self-serving religious elite with a poor widow.
Mark 12:38-44 (NASB)
In His teaching He was saying: ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and [like] respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.’ And He sat down opposite the treasury, and [began] observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.’
Jesus warns against the scribes who crave public honor, walk around in long robes, devour widows’ houses, and offer long prayers for show. Then He observes a poor widow putting two small copper coins into the temple treasury—everything she had to live on. While the rich gave out of their surplus, she gave out of her poverty with wholehearted trust in God. Jesus values genuine, humble devotion over external, hypocritical performance.
Examining Our Response to Jesus’ Authority
Why are these accounts recorded for us? Every interaction in this text involves religious people wrestling with authority. This passage is written for religious folks who struggle to surrender control—people just like you and me.
Left to myself, my natural personality does not like submitting to authority. I have wrestled with that reality my whole life. I remember being a rebellious thirteen-year-old in the seventh grade, riding home from school with my mom. I was popping off and talking back, convinced I was the coolest kid around. My mom warned me, “If you don’t stop your back-talk, you are getting out of this car right now.”
I thought, Yeah, right. I’ve heard that an empty threat a thousand times. I kept talking. Within seconds, my mom pulled over, opened the door, and said, “Get out.” I found myself standing on the curb, watching the car drive away, suddenly realizing I wasn’t in charge. We all have that innate resistance to authority within us.
Where do you find yourself in these narratives?
Are you like the Sanhedrin—afraid to submit to Jesus because you fear losing control of your career, your status, or your comfort? Are you clinging to the ownership of your life, refusing to acknowledge the rightful owner of the vineyard?
Are you like the Sadducees—cherry-picking the Bible to justify your personal lifestyle? Do you embrace the passages that comfort you while ignoring the commands that convict you regarding purity, drunkenness, gossip, and integrity? A diminished view of God’s Word leads to a diminished submission to His lordship.
Or are you like the scribe—standing on the threshold of truth, understanding the message, yet hesitating to take that final step of full surrender?
To be “not far from the kingdom” still means you are outside of it. The call of the Gospel is not merely to admire Jesus from a distance, but to bow the knee to His complete authority over your finances, your relationships, your career, and your eternal soul. All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him.
Let us pray.
Father God, we come before You acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. Forgive us for the ways we resist Your authority and attempt to manage our own lives. I pray that we would not merely confess Christ once at the foot of the cross, but that we would yield to His lordship daily, moment by moment.
For anyone here who has stood near the kingdom but has never surrendered their heart, give them the grace and courage to lay down their self-reliance today. May we trust Your sovereign goodness, resting completely in the authority and love of our Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.