The Authority of Jesus, Mark 11:27- 12:12

One of the things we miss when we have a quick read of Mark 11:27-33, is the link to the first part of Mark 11 where Jesus rides into Jerusalem as a king.
Furthermore, the whole idea of a king is strange to most of us.
After all, we have been raised on a diet that seems to reject any authority over us and where ‘our own personal happiness is king’.

So what ideas sit under this passage and what difference could it and should it make to us?

Firstly, it was the kings of the Old Testament that had human authority over the Jewish Temple, not the priests.
For example, David planned it, Solomon built it, Hezekiah and Josiah cleansed it and Zerubbabel rebuilt it after the Exile.
These were all kings.

So, in effect the Jewish leaders were asking Jesus if He had any authority to cleanse the Temple (see Mark 11:15-17) as a king would?
And if He was a King – he seemed a very strange one to them.
Instead of riding in on a proud horse, He comes riding on a humble donkey.
Instead of meeting with all the elite in the city, He hangs out with tax collectors and prostitutes.
Instead of promoting the Temple, He spoke of destroying it.
Instead of leading a revolt against the Romans so that they pay for their sins, He gives up His own life​ and pays for everyone’s sins.

So, what has this got to do with us?
Well, Jesus gets to the heart of the matter when He poses a question that refers to things being from ‘man’ or from ‘God’ (see Mark 11:30).
The leaders were concerned about their image and how they looked to the crowds (v32).
In spite of claiming to be religious, they were swayed by the view of the crowds.
They liked the ideas of ‘man’ more than those of God.
A few days later this would lead to them (and the crowds) killing Jesus.

What would have happened if they bowed the knee and acknowledged that Jesus is ‘from God’ rather than be swayed by the crowds?
This is a big question, because as someone has said the crowds are seldom right.

I wonder how much I and we are really swayed by the crowd?
What others think of us?
How we look?
And how we let the crowd convince us to believe the lie that ‘personal happiness is king’.

May we be fully convinced of the authority of Jesus as King.
That what He says really matters and that He means what he says.
That His views on salvation, heaven and hell, sexuality, money and freedom are true.
That we respond to the His voice and make Him King of our Hearts.
That we reduce the volume on the voice of the crowd and dial up the voice of Jesus.
It could make an eternal difference to you and those you care about.

God bless you in this important quest.
Ray