Saying and Doing
171
The priests and elders had had unmistakable evidence of Christ’s
power. In His cleansing of the temple they had seen Heaven’s authority
flashing from His face. They could not resist the power by which He
spoke. Again in His wonderful deeds of healing He had answered their
question. He had given evidence of His authority which could not be
controverted. But it was not evidence that was wanted. The priests and
elders were anxious for Jesus to proclaim Himself the Messiah that
they might misapply His words and stir up the people against Him.
They wished to destroy His influence and to put Him to death.
Jesus knew that if they could not recognize God in Him or see in
His works the evidence of His divine character, they would not believe
His own testimony that He was the Christ. In His answer He evades
the issue they hope to bring about and turns the condemnation upon
themselves. “I also will ask you one thing,” He said, “which if ye tell
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Me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The
baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?”
The priests and rulers were perplexed. “They reasoned with them-
selves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, He will say unto us, Why
did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men, we fear the
people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and
said, We can not tell. And He said unto them, Neither tell I you by
what authority I do these things.”
“We can not tell.” This answer was a falsehood. But the priests saw
the position they were in, and falsified in order to screen themselves.
John the Baptist had come bearing witness of the One whose authority
they were now questioning. He had pointed Him out, saying, “Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
John 1:29
.
He had baptized Him, and after the baptism, as Christ was praying,
the heavens were opened, and the Spirit of God like a dove rested
upon Him, while a voice from heaven was heard saying, “This is My
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:17
.
Remembering how John had repeated the prophecies concerning
the Messiah, remembering the scene at the baptism of Jesus, the priests
and rulers dared not say that John’s baptism was from heaven. If they
acknowledged John to be a prophet, as they believed him to be, how
could they deny his testimony that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of
God? And they could not say that John’s baptism was of men, because