Daily Devotions
Mark
Acts 2:17a "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh." Acts 2:17a"
Day 252 – Mark 11
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.” Acts 2:17a
QUESTION FOR QUESTION
Jesus knew that the religious leaders were baiting Him. They would try and entangle Him if He were to engage them with an answer. There was so little time left. This was already the second day of the last week of His ministry on earth. He also knew that it would be pointless trying to explain things to them. They would never believe Him. He knew their hardened hearts, and darkened minds all too well. But He could not just walk away either. He chose then to trade question for question.
“But Jesus answered and said to them,
‘I also will ask you one question; then answer Me,
and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:
the baptism of John- was it from heaven or from men?
Answer Me.'” Mark 11:29-30
1. This was a fair reply.
2. A question may be replied with another relevant and fair question
3. The baptism of John was a major event.
a) It was a recent thing (only 3 years ago).
b) It drew thousands of people from all over Judea and Galilee.
4. What was the evaluation of the religious leaders?
a) Was John’s ministry authorized by heaven?
b) Was John’s ministry entirely man-made?
THE DILEMMA OF THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS
These men knew that Jesus had once again sprung their trap. They could not reply for obvious reasons. Whichever reply they offered, they would be trapped.
1. If John’s ministry indeed came from God, then they should have listened to him.
2. If John’s ministry was rejected, they feared the wrath of the multitudes.
The reply of the religious leaders was tame. They said, “We do not know” (Mark 11:33). Since they could not come up with an answer to Jesus’ question, they forfeited the right to demand an answer from Jesus. Whereupon Jesus said simply,
“Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
MARK 11:33