And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
~Matthew 23:23-27
The chief priests and elders put up a tough front, demanding that Jesus tell them by what authority He performed miracles. But Jesus turned the tables on them and asked them a question they wouldn’t answer out of fear of the crowds. It had to have been obvious that Jesus got His authority from God, and they wanted to hear Him say that so they could denounce His words as blasphemy. But He was too wise to give them that opportunity.
Almighty God, nothing man could do could obstruct Your plan for our salvation. You knew exactly how the religious leaders would respond, and You thwarted their plans to fulfill Your own. Thank You that Your plan for me and for each of Your children is perfect. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
These daily devotions are available in a book The Grace of God, with all profits donated to Love for the Least to share the compassion of Christ with an unreached world. L4L shares the Good News of the Gospel with the least and unreached by making disciples of Jesus who make disciples (2 Tim 2:2) and by helping to meet the physical needs of the poorest of the poor.