Luke 20

“Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things” (v8).  At the right time, God sent the Son to complete the redemptive work foretold by the prophets and foreshadowed by the Temple sacrifices.  Jesus’ authority therefore provoked the same two reactions, acceptance or rejection, which accompanied the previous messengers.  Jesus answered the Pharisees’ challenge by mentioning John the Baptist (v4), because their treatment of John revealed that they had already seen, and rejected, God’s kingdom.

Self-justification, excuses, and complex arguments can’t cover the dilemma of our hearts:  to accept or reject Jesus’ authority.