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Gospel Reading for December 15, 2025 – Matthew 21: 23-27
COMPLETE AUTHORITY
When Jesus had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them in reply, “I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.” So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” He himself said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
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What was more important for the chief priests and elders was where Jesus got his authority. They simply ignored the mighty things he had done.
Why should we be given authority first, before doing something good? Doing good should be something spontaneous because since we were born into the world, God who created us, gave us COMPLETE AUTHORITY to do good.
This is something that our leaders/officials in the church and in government have to remember. The people may have elected us and we may have been given authority to occupy positions of leadership, but if we do not follow the laws of God as we exercise this authority, we do not deserve to be where we are, and we shall be held accountable on the last day, for abusing the authority given to us. Remember in Luke 12: 48, Jesus said: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, much more will be asked.”
This is why it is UTTER FOLLY to think that when we occupy positions of authority, we are above others. These are positions of great responsibility and certainly not positions of power!
Lord Jesus, you are the one and only Lord! We are never authorized to lord it over others!
