ALL AUTHORITY COMES FROM GOD.
WHO GAVE YOU THE AUTHORITY TO ACT LIKE THIS?
“When Jesus had come into the temple area,
the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him
as he was teaching and said,
“By what authority are you doing these things?
And who gave you this authority?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me,
then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things.
Where was John’s baptism from?
Was it of heavenly or of human origin?”
"They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd,
for they all regard John as a prophet.”
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
He himself said to them,
“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Matthew 21: 23 - 27).
Monday 16th of December of the 3rd week of Advent.
A confrontation between the chief priests and elders with Jesus over Authority is the chance to reflect on the nature of authority.
Consider the following facts:
The kingdom that Jesus came to set up has some commonalities with earthly kingdoms. For example :
1. Kingship.
2. Realm/domain
3. Government and administration.
4. Laws
5. Citizens
When Jesus threw out the money changers from the Temple, the recognized authorities of the Temple questioned naturally His authority for the action.
"Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” By this question, Jesus points the chief priests and elders the existence of a different type of authority. Moral authority.
In the trial of the Apostles Peter and John before the Sanhedrin, we see the Rabbi Teacher Gamaliel allude to a different authority:
"So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him." (Acts 5: 38 - 39).
God is the source of all authority on earth. Examples: Parental authority, military and government authority all come from God.
Jesus being God has inherent authority.
The Kingdom of God is already here and now. The Church is the seed of that Kingdom.
Where does the Pope get his authority? Not from the barrels of the gun as some dictators believe. Stalin quipped: "How many military divisions does the Pope have?"
Jesus answered the question of Pontius Pilate:
"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place."
Jesus also told Pilate that his authority to judge and condemn Jesus came from God.
The question for us is:
Does King Jesus reign over your heart and mind and finances? If not, Advent is the Season of grace to place your life under the authority of Jesus Christ.
Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You."
For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:
THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link:
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