By What Authority …?

TUESDAY

He was a King unlike any other king. It was a fight unlike any other fight.

And the fig tree never saw it coming.

But Jesus came to do more than just condemn a fruit tree to death.

On Tuesday morning, Peter recognized it. The cursed fig tree, withered to its roots, conveyed a powerful truth. Moments later, Jesus would teach that truth to the high priests and scribes and elders who’d question him.

“Who do you think you are? By what authority do you stroll in here to our house and do these things?”

Jesus didn’t take long to boomerang their hypocrisy back on them.

And then he spoke in parables what his disciples were beginning to understand: Jesus worked in the authority of the Father. His power is from heaven.

This was not a welcome truth. It revealed the inner power struggle that pitted the Jewish leaders against Jesus.

Jewish religious leaders planted their authority in the hands of religion.

Jesus planted His authority in the hands of God.

Make no mistake, this is not an indictment on religion. This is an indictment on humanity’s struggle for power and authority, masked by religion and withered in the curse of pride.

It’s a sin to plant the roots of our worship into any authority but God’s. Jesus exposes humanity’s resistance to God’s purposeful provision. And so the religious leaders shrink back in angry guilt from the parables Jesus spoke.

But Jesus was not there to shame the religious leaders.

He was there because the Kingdom of God was at hand.

And his rule and reign would not come without revealing the true authority.

An authority that would show in power. An authority that could and would produce the forgiveness of sins.

An authority that would bear fruit for eternal life — a victory for a people who could never win it themselves.

TUESDAY