A, Post-Pentecost 18 Proper 21 - Matthew 21:23-32 Philippians 2:4 "Authority to Repent"
Matthew
21:23–27, 32 (ESV) “And
when He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came
up to Him as He was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are You doing these
things, and who gave You this authority?’ Jesus answered them, ‘I also will ask
you one question, and if you tell Me the answer, then I also will tell you by
what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come?
From heaven or from man?’ And they discussed it among themselves, saying, ‘If
we say, “From heaven,” He will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?”
But if we say, “From man,” we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that
John was a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And He said to
them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.’ ‘For John came to you in the way of
righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the
prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward
change your minds and believe him.’”
Authority is nearly a dirty word these days! It seems that those
invested in retaining authority can be labelled authoritarian. Some may be wrongly
accused of this when honestly seeking to fulfil their office of authority. But
these accusations usually arise because of the few who abuse their office and rule
in favour of their own interests.
The chief priests and elders were angry about Jesus’ entry
into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and His overturning of the tables in the temple
shortly thereafter. The next day, they interrogated Jesus about whose authority
He was teaching under and by what authority He taught. Seeing the crowds
venerate Jesus as He entered Jerusalem on a donkey, saying, “Hosanna to the
Son of David!” (Matthew 21:15 ESV), had made them indignant.
King David was a man under God’s authority. This is what
makes David arguably the greatest human king, despite his terrible sins of coveting,
adultery, deception and murder. Instead of defending himself when challenged by
God’s prophet Nathan, King David repented. Thereafter, King David repentantly wrestled
with his sinful nature openly before God. This is well recorded throughout the Psalms.
The Psalms, however, were not merely written and
commissioned by David. They were given to him by the Holy Spirit in his
faithfulness as he struggled with his human nature. The Psalms are the Word of
God, given to David to voice his reality before God.
Jesus Christ, the Son of David, was the Author of these words
before He was incarnate in the flesh to be the “Word made flesh”. Together with
the Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ Word is the Word of God. Therefore, in the
Psalms, we not only get a window into David’s heart, but we also gain a full
sense of Jesus’ faithfulness, servanthood and authority in His incarnation,
ministry and faithful struggle to be the Son of Man on behalf of humanity as He
walked to the cross and death.
Jesus’ struggle was ultimately for the priests and elders too.
God had long struggled with Israel, sending prophets such as Ezekiel and others
to call His chosen people to repent of their sins and live. Jesus wanted that
for all in Israel—the people, as well as the priests and elders who led them. They
did not understand that He had the authority to take the place of all Israel
and, through repentance, to give them life through His death and resurrection,
which were only days away.
When they asked Jesus by whose authority He taught and what
authority He possessed, Jesus understood that they were asking whether He worked
on God’s behalf or on man’s behalf. Authority is the freedom, ability or power
to act. They sought to test Jesus, but He turned the test back on them, showing
that they had the freedom and ability to repent but were choosing not to do so.
Considering not His own interests but theirs, He directed
them back to John the Baptist’s baptism of repentance and asked whether it came
from God or man. They did not believe that John spoke with God’s authority, yet
they were unwilling to say that he spoke merely with human authority. By
answering that they did not know, the priests and elders exposed the
uncertainty of their own position and their refusal to acknowledge the
authority behind John’s baptism.
In refusing to tell them by what authority He taught, Jesus
asked what they thought about a man whose two sons responded differently to
their father’s command to work in his vineyard. The first refused but then
changed his mind—or repented—and went to work. The second agreed to go but
never did. Although neither son responded perfectly, only the first ultimately
obeyed his father.
Jesus then says, “For John came to you in the way of
righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the
prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward
change your minds and believe him.” (Matthew 21:32 ESV)
Unlike
either of the sons, Jesus pointed out that there was neither acceptance of
John’s message nor subsequent repentance. Unlike the two sons, who were
partially disobedient with a yes/no and a no/yes willingness to work for their
father, the priests and elders gave a no/no rejection of belief and repentance in
response to John’s baptism.
You and I are still confronted with the question of
authority today. Do you work under your own authority, which “does not know”,
as did the Jewish elders and priests, or do you abide under the authority of
Jesus Christ, trusting that He looks not to His own interests but to those of
others—namely, yours and mine, our eternal interests?
There is a saying that pride comes before a fall. It is God’s
will that the fall should lead to repentance. This was first taught by John as he
baptised at the Jordan, continued in Jesus’ teaching throughout His ministry, authorised
in Jesus’ death and resurrection, and empowered when the Holy Spirit comes to
us in Holy Baptism, giving us the authority to repent with an Amen and Amen, a
yes/yes: to confess that we are sinners, but also to believe that we are sinners
who are being forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
God does not want your pride to be your eternal downfall. He
wants each of us to take ownership of our sinful nature, hand it over to Him and
allow Him to dispose of it at the cross. He does not look kindly on anyone who
seeks to justify themselves by laying blame elsewhere—to say that our teeth are
set on edge because our fathers ate sour grapes!
No more blaming or sour grapes! Rather, God says, “Therefore I will judge
you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God.
Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast
away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves
a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have
no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.” (Ezekiel 18:30–32 ESV)
God has made you a new heart and a new spirit. In baptism,
you have the new heart of Jesus and the new heart of the Holy Spirit. The house
of Israel is now governed by Jesus Christ, and judgement has fallen on Him for
those who allow Him the authority to deal with their sin.
Rather than saying no/no like the elders and priests, and
rather than living a no/no life as the elder and priest of your own heart, you
are authorised to say yes/yes in repentance and forgiveness. This is a
God-willed authority, power, freedom and ability to repent through the work of
Jesus Christ at the cross. The sour grapes stopped with Jesus! The sponge of
sour wine was lifted to Jesus’ lips. First refusing wine mixed with gall to
deaden the pain of crucifixion, Jesus went on to drink the sour wine and give
up His spirit on the cross for you and me.
At the cross, there are no more sour grapes! Jesus now sponges up all
sour grapes of sin in His death.
Jesus’ authority was, and continues to be, an authority that
did not look to His own interests but to the interests of others—namely, you
and me!
The proof is in the pudding! Jesus passed through death and
hell and has been raised in righteousness, victorious over sin and death. You
therefore have the authority to believe and repent, to work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will
and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12–13 ESV)
Let us pray.
Dear Heavenly Father, continue to send me the Holy Spirit
to show me that I have been given the authority to say yes/yes: yes, I am a
sinner, and yes, I repent of my sin. When I say no to You through my desires,
words and deeds—in what I have done or failed to do—soften my heart with Your Holy
Word of Law and Gospel so that I turn back to You, repent and believe in Your
forgiveness. Through Jesus’ yes/yes—His willingness to live as the servant Son of
Man and to die bearing the ugliness of my sin—bind my spirit to Your Spirit
through the Holy Spirit and raise me with Jesus Christ to eternal life with You,
now and forever. Yes and yes! Amen and amen!
Sermon Summary
Jesus’ confrontation with the chief priests and elders
reveals that true authority belongs to God and is exercised for the good of
others. Although the religious leaders refused to recognise the authority
behind John the Baptist’s call to repentance, Jesus exposed their unwillingness
to turn and believe. Through the parable of the two sons, He showed that
genuine obedience is not found merely in saying the right words, but in
repentance that leads to faithfulness. Jesus, the faithful Son, placed Himself
under the Father’s authority and took the place of sinners through His death
and resurrection. In Holy Baptism, the Holy Spirit gives us a new heart and the
freedom to say yes to God: to confess our sin, receive Christ’s forgiveness and
live under His gracious authority. Because Jesus used His authority not for His
own interests but for ours, we can repent, believe and live in the hope of
eternal life.
Reflection Questions
- Where are you most tempted to rely on your own authority rather than trusting the authority of Jesus Christ?
- What does the response of the two sons teach you about the difference between words, repentance and obedience?
- Why do you think the chief priests and elders found it difficult to acknowledge the authority behind John the Baptist’s message?
- How does Jesus use His authority for your good through His death and resurrection?
- What might saying “yes/yes” to God look like in your life this week?
- How does Holy Baptism assure you that the Holy Spirit is at work, giving you a new heart and leading you to repentance?
- Is there any sin, pride or blame that you need to hand over to God and receive His forgiveness for today?
- How can you use the authority, freedom or responsibility entrusted to you for the interests of others?
