Mark 11:27

Enraged that Christ had driven the money-changers out of the temple, they come to Him with the question: "By what authority do You do these things?" They were, as it were, saying to Him reproachfully: "Who are You to do this? Were You appointed as …

They were angry with the Lord, for having cast out of the temple those who had made it a place of merchandize, and therefore they come up to Him, to question and tempt Him. Wherefore it is said: And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the elders, and say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee authority to do these things? As if they had said, Who art thou that doest these things?

This colt was borrowed too. Christ went upon the water in a borrowed boat, ate the passover in a borrowed chamber, was buried in a borrowed sepulchre, and here rode on a borrowed ass. Let not Christians scorn to be beholden one to another, and, when need is, to go a borrowing, for our Master did not.

Let us observe in these verses, how much spiritual blindness may be in the hearts of those who hold high ecclesiastical office . We see "the chief priests and scribes and elders" coming to our Lord Jesus, and raising difficulties and objections in the way of His work. These men, we know, were the accredited teachers and rulers of the Jewish Church. They were regarded by the Jews as the fountain and spring-head of religious knowledge. They were, most of them, regularly ordained to the position they held, and could trace their orders by regular descent from Aaron.

Let us observe in these verses, how much spiritual blindness may be in the hearts of those who hold high ecclesiastical office . We see "the chief priests and scribes and elders" coming to our Lord Jesus, and raising difficulties and objections in the way of His work. These men, we know, were the accredited teachers and rulers of the Jewish Church. They were regarded by the Jews as the fountain and spring-head of religious knowledge. They were, most of them, regularly ordained to the position they held, and could trace their orders by regular descent from Aaron. And yet we find these very men, at the time when they ought to have been instructors of others, full of prejudice against the truth, and bitter enemies of the Messiah! These things are written to show Christians that they must beware of depending too much on ordained men. They must not look up to ministers as Popes, or regard them as infallible. The orders of no church confer infallibility, whether they be Episcopal, Presbyterian, or Independent. Bishops, priests, and deacons, at their best, are only flesh and blood, and may err, both in doctrine and practice, as well as the chief priests and elders of the Jews. Their acts and teaching must always be tested by the word of God. They must be followed so far as they follow Scripture, and no further. There is only one Priest and Bishops of souls, who makes no mistakes. That one is the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him alone is no weakness, no failure, no shadow of infirmity. Let us learn to lean more entirely on Him. Let us "call no man father on earth," (Matt. 23:9.) So doing, we shall never be disappointed. Let us observe, in the second place, how envy and unbelief make men throw discredit on the commission of those who work for God . These chief priests and elders could not deny the reality of our Lord's miracles of mercy.