Luke 20:1

Luke 20:1 says, And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,  Once again when Jesus was preaching and teaching in the temple, the scribes and chief priests with the elders and they confronted Him.  These would have been most of the religious leaders.  Verse two adds, And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?  These religious leaders wanted to know whose authority Jesus was teaching under, since they had not authorized Him to do so.  There may be religious leaders today who question someone who is preaching and teaching about Jesus who gives them the authority, but they should just listen and make sure that what they are preaching and teaching is the truth of God.  We can become so caught up in religious authority that we begin to leave God out of who is authorized to preach and teach if we aren't careful.  Verse three states, And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:  Jesus said He would ask them one thing and they could answer Him.  Though we are not Jesus, if we are doing what He has called us to do, I believe He will give us the answer.  Verse four adds, The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?  Since John the Baptist had been followed by many, Jesus asked these religious leaders by whose authority he had baptized people, by the authority of heaven or by the authority of men.  Our authority to teach and preach, even if endorsed by religious institutions, must come from God.  Verse five says, And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?  These religious leaders where in a quandary.  They attempted to figure out the answer that would be the best to support their authority on their own without asking God about it.  If we find ourselves in such a situation as Christians, or even as Christian leaders, our first step should be to pray about it.  These religious leaders said that if they said that John the Baptist's authority was from God, then they would have to answer the question of why they didn't believe him.  Verse six adds, But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.  These religious leaders then said if they said that John the Baptist's only baptized by the authority of man and not God that they would be stoned, because too many people believed that John the Baptist was a prophet.  Religious leaders might not be stoned today, or even removed from their position, if they attempt to stop someone who is preaching and teaching without their authorization. but they will still have to answer to God as to why they did so.  Verse seven continues, And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.  These religious leaders, those who were supposed to be closest to God and be His representatives said they could not say under whose authority John the Baptist baptized.  It would be sad indeed if religious leaders today can not say whether someone is acting under the authority of God when they preach and teach the gospel, and even worse if they attempt to stop them simply because they did not authorize them to do so.  Verse eight declares, And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.  Jesus said if they couldn't say Whose authority John the Baptist acted under, then He wouldn't answer their question about Whose authority He was preaching and teaching under.  If they could not recognize and acknowledge that John the Baptist was acting under the authority of God, would they recognize and acknowledge that Jesus was.  If we are acting under God's calling and authority today as we preach and teach, we really don't have to have the authority of anyone to do so, even religious institutions.