The FaithOfJesus2 Daily Devotional

Focus:

kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

( FaithOfJesus thread begun by rRandyP )

Today's Verse:

kjv@Matthew:21:23-27

kjv@Matthew:21:23 @ And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

kjv@Matthew:21:24 @ And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

kjv@Matthew:21:25 @ The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

kjv@Matthew:21:26 @ But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

kjv@Matthew:21:27 @ And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

Today's notes: From Heaven or of Man

Context:

Before - whatsoever ye ask
After - in the way of righteousness

What is man believing/doing?:

leadership questioning the authority of Jesus directly

What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:

they do not believe Jesus has God's authority, did not fear the possibility of this being God as much as that being the public sentiment
they are publicly attempting to differentiate themselves from Jesus
the authority they require is essentially their own approval, which they are not about to give Him

Notes:

There is a connection between John/the Pharisees/the fig tree (of the previous passage). John told them to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance and they did not; they have not still. This is the fruit of hardened hearts leading them to something they may not be able to repent of later should they even want to.

Context - If a chief priest asks for whatsoever he wants in prayer, believing, is God obliged to give it? Even if it means removing Jesus into the sea? What is God to do if say Peter at the same time believes just as strongly Jesus should stay? Whose whatsoever is God obliged to perform? Did John the Baptist not believe strongly enough to save himself? You see the sticky nature of such an interpretation, don't you?

Key Messages:

What does this say about our present condition?

When you are talking authority, you are talking one of the key issues between men, who has it and where did it come from. Authority encompasses empowerment, right, possession, enforcement, reason, leadership, direction, judgment, profit, concession. Is their anything that it does not touch? Authority on this plane is largely a matter of majority perception, benefit, fear and immediacy. Those that typically have it specialize in conveying these elements.
The critics of our Lord don't come to hear His teaching, they come to separate others from Him to retain/restore their own authority. One way they attempt is to insist on their unchallengeable authority while questioning His. Challenge their authority in the same manner they have challenged yours and you are bound to see what they consider their authority - force and unrelenting accusation.
What gives certain people today their authority? Is it their constant skepticism? Their position or ambition? Their own and their adorning public's perception of them? Their inability to commit to any one doctrine outside of themselves or that diminishes their own authority? Their willingness to belittle and slander those that disagree with them? Their quick and stinging wit? Their confederation with those of the same ilk?

Further Resources:

Comment Board:Matthew:21:23-27
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Matthew:21:23-27 rwp@Matthew:21:23-27 mhcc@Matthew:21:23-27
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index

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