TODAY’S GOSPEL (Mt 21:23-27)
From Matthew 21:24-25a:
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?”
From The Navarre Bible: St Matthew, page 183
“Jesus knows that [the chief priests and the elders] are not well-intentioned and he declines to give them a direct answer; he prefers to put a question to them that forces them to make their own attitude clear. He seeks to provoke them into examining their consciences and changing their whole approach.”
From Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: The Gospel of Matthew, page 274-5:
“This counterquestion is not a change of topic. In this question Jesus implies continuity between John’s ministry and his own: just as John’s authority came from God, so does his. At the same time, Jesus’ counterquestion puts the temple authorities in an awkward position. They can either (a) say what they think — that John’s baptism was not from God — and face the anger of the crowds that ‘regard John as a prophet.’ or (b) admit that John’s baptism was from heaven, in which case they would be put to shame for not believing him. To try to save face, they answer, ‘We do not know.'”
From Opening The Scriptures: Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life, page 451
“Responding to a question with a counter question was a common debating tactic of the time. If Jesus is to tell the chief priests and elders by what authority he does these things, he will first ask a question to lay the groundwork for his response.”
From Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word (Volume III), page 448
“[Jesus] responds to [the chief priests and the elders] two questions with one loaded question of his own, a question that induces a crisis in those interrogated by exposing their ‘faith’ as nothing but sly political pragmatism. Jesus’ tactic challenges them to demonstrate by what authority they dare to question his authority in the first place. He has already shown in word and action that his mere presence transforms the world around him into a better place. What has been the fruit of their alleged religious zeal, he wonders? What exactly are their own deepest motivations in relentlessly persecuting him at every turn?
…
“This move is brilliant because, by his reference to the Baptist, Jesus is suggesting that he himself is not an isolated figure calling for radical reform in contemporary Palestine. He hints that there exists a vibrant , effervescent spirit at present among the Jews in general that is operating outside the establishment and bearing a truly prophetic witness to God’s urgent activity in human hearts.”
My take
This is another case where I’m looking for answers to what, on the face of it, may seem like a diversionary tactic on Jesus’ part. But, it should go without saying that Jesus has no need for such stunts. His words always have purpose. He may be shrewd as a serpent and gentle as a dove, as He urges His apostles to be (cf. Mt 10:16), but He always makes His point, always to the dismay of those who oppose Him.
As always when it comes to Jesus, we should take a lesson from Jesus’ approach. This debate tactic is just as valid today as it was two thousand years ago. Responding to a question with a question can help clarify in your mind, and in your interlocutor’s mind, what he is driving at. We want to make sure we are on the same page — not talking past each other, arguing points our discussion partner is not making. This approach can also help to defuse someone coming in “hot.” When this happens, we must resist the urge to respond in kind, but rather look to dig deeper to (hopefully) discover the root issue.
Christ and the Pharisees (ca. 1880) by Lawrence W. Ladd
God bless!
Unworthy Servant 