Quotes About Authority

Then He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again.” And His disciples heard this statement.

When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.

And He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

Peter remembered it and said, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree You cursed has withered.”

After their return to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in the temple courts, and the chief priests, scribes, and elders came up to Him.

“By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You the authority to do them?”

“I will ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

Johnís baptism—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me!”

They deliberated among themselves what they should answer: “If we say, ëFrom heaven,í He will ask, ëWhy then did you not believe him?í

But if we say, ëFrom mení...” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John truly was a prophet.

So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ëThey will respect my son,í he said.

But the tenants said to one another, ëThis is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.í

At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.

Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.

“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”

But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.”

So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesarís,” they answered.

Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesarís, and to God what is Godís.” And they marveled at Him.

While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?

Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ëThe Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”í

David himself calls Him ëLord.í So how can He be Davidís son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.

In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,