Matthew 21 23

Matthew 21:23 kjv

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?

Matthew 21:23 nkjv

Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?"

Matthew 21:23 niv

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"

Matthew 21:23 esv

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?"

Matthew 21:23 nlt

When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, "By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?"

Matthew 21 verses

Matthew 21 23 Meaning

Matthew 21:23 recounts the direct confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish religious authorities—the chief priests and elders—within the Temple complex. As Jesus was teaching, these leaders challenged Him, demanding to know the source and legitimacy of His actions, particularly His public ministry and previous deeds such as the temple cleansing and healings. Their inquiry, "By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?" was a legalistic trap designed to expose Jesus as operating without official sanction or divine authorization, thereby undermining His credibility and providing grounds for accusation.

Matthew 21 23 Context

This verse is situated during Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, following His Triumphal Entry and His cleansing of the Temple. The Triumphal Entry publicly declared His messianic claims, recognized by the crowds. The Temple cleansing, a prophetic action against the commercialization and corruption of the sacred space, directly challenged the authority and revenue streams of the chief priests and Temple elite. By expelling the merchants and healers, Jesus asserted an authority over the Temple that rivaled or superseded that of the established religious leaders. The question of "authority" thus becomes a direct consequence and culmination of Jesus' prior actions and pronouncements, initiating a series of crucial dialogues and parables that further highlight the spiritual blindness and rejection of these leaders. Historically, the chief priests and elders represented the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish religious and judicial body, who saw Jesus' independent actions and teachings as a direct threat to their religious control and the established order.

Matthew 21 23 Word analysis

• And when he was come: Connects the event to Jesus' regular activity, implying His return to the Temple precincts.
• into the temple: (Greek: hieron) Refers to the entire sacred precinct or complex, not just the inner sanctuary. This was where public teaching and interactions occurred.
• the chief priests: (Greek: archiereis) This group represented the priestly aristocracy, largely Sadducean. They were the religious and political power brokers, closely tied to Rome, whose power and wealth derived heavily from the Temple system. Their authority was based on lineage and position.
• and the elders of the people: (Greek: presbyteroi tou laou) These were influential lay leaders, often heads of families or communities, and members of the Sanhedrin, often associated with the Pharisees. They represented the traditional civic and religious authority among the populace. Their presence signifies a combined official challenge from the full spectrum of Jewish leadership.
• came unto him as he was teaching: Jesus was engaged in His primary ministry. This indicates a public, deliberate challenge to His activities and claims during a period of high tension and significant crowds.
• and said: Marks the direct confrontation.
• By what authority: (Greek: En poia exousia? - "In what kind of authority?") Exousia (authority) here means power, right, or jurisdiction. It implies legal or rightful permission. They demand to know the specific type of authority Jesus wields. Is it self-assumed, delegated by human institutions, or from God?
• doest thou these things?: Refers specifically to His actions mentioned in previous verses: teaching, casting out sellers from the Temple, healing the blind and lame, and allowing children to praise Him loudly. These acts implicitly challenged their control and theological interpretations.
• and who gave thee this authority?: This part intensifies the previous question, demanding not just the nature of the authority but its source. They seek Jesus' credentials, asking who sanctioned His ministry and actions. This question served as a legal and theological trap; if He claimed divine authority, they could accuse Him of blasphemy. If He cited human authority, they could discredit Him as a mere man.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "When he was come into the temple...as he was teaching": Sets the scene of public ministry and direct interaction with the religious establishment in a prominent location during Passover week, a highly volatile time.
• "The chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him": Highlights the official and combined nature of the challenge from the most powerful religious and community leaders. This was not a casual inquiry but a formal interrogation.
• "By what authority doest thou these things?": This is a direct challenge to Jesus' legitimacy. It questions the basis of His power, whether spiritual, political, or social, given His unconventional methods and claims.
• "and who gave thee this authority?": This phrase further pinpoints the challenge to the source of Jesus' authority, aiming to categorize Him as either divinely appointed (which they rejected) or humanly unauthorized (making Him illegitimate by their standards). Their ultimate goal was to entrap Jesus and find a reason for His arrest and condemnation.

Matthew 21 23 Bonus section

The question of "authority" (ἐξουσία - exousia) is a profound theological theme throughout the New Testament, encompassing various aspects of inherent power, delegated power, and the right to act. The religious leaders understood authority through institutional lineage and ordination, whereas Jesus' authority was inherent, divine, and self-evident to those with spiritual discernment. Their challenge was a formal inquiry under Mosaic law, which permitted questioning prophets or teachers (Deut 13:1-5, 18:20-22). This interrogation was intended to determine if Jesus was a false prophet, acting without God's authorization or within prescribed legal frameworks. Ultimately, this specific question also forces a crucial theological choice for the reader: Do we recognize the divine authority of Christ, even when it challenges our preconceived notions or humanly established systems, or do we, like the leaders, cling to tradition and control, missing the manifest presence of God?

Matthew 21 23 Commentary

Matthew 21:23 presents a pivotal moment where Jesus' messianic ministry squarely clashes with the entrenched power of the Jewish religious hierarchy. The question regarding "authority" is central not only to this passage but to Jesus' entire earthly ministry. The leaders, guardians of traditional interpretation and Temple practice, cannot comprehend or tolerate an authority that operates independently of their Sanhedrin-approved system, especially one that exposes their hypocrisy and disrupts their vested interests. Their query reflects a demand for credentials, a validation that Jesus consistently refused to give on their terms. Instead, He exposes their spiritual blindness by posing a counter-question about John the Baptist, whose authority was also from God, but whom they had rejected. This confrontation sets the stage for a series of parables (the two sons, the wicked tenants) and pronouncements (the woes to the Pharisees) where Jesus explicitly condemns their rejection of divine authority, signaling God's transfer of the kingdom to others. This moment highlights the fundamental opposition between humanly established religion and divine, authentic authority. It serves as a profound example of how spiritual truth can be obscured by clinging to worldly power and rigid interpretations.