Mark 11:27-28

The Authority of Jesus

11:27 They came again to Jerusalem. ¹  While Jesus ²  was walking in the temple courts, ³  the chief priests, the experts in the law, ⁴  and the elders came up to him 11:28 and said, “By what authority ⁵  are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”

Luke 19:47--20:2

19:47 Jesus ⁶  was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the law ⁷  and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinate ⁸  him, 19:48 but ⁹  they could not find a way to do it, ¹⁰  for all the people hung on his words. ¹¹ 

The Authority of Jesus

20:1 Now one ¹²  day, as Jesus ¹³  was teaching the people in the temple courts ¹⁴  and proclaiming ¹⁵  the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law ¹⁶  with the elders came up ¹⁷  20:2 and said to him, ¹⁸  “Tell us: By what authority ¹⁹  are you doing these things? ²⁰  Or who it is who gave you this authority?”

[11:27]  ¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:27]  ² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:27]  ³ tn Grk “the temple.”

[11:27]  ⁴ tn Or “the chief priests, the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[11:28]  ⁵ tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.

[19:47]  ⁶ tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[19:47]  ⁷ tn Grk “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[19:47]  ⁸ tn Grk “to destroy.”

[19:48]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[19:48]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “they did not find the thing that they might do.”

[19:48]  ¹¹ sn All the people hung on his words is an idiom for intent, eager listening. Jesus’ popularity and support made it unwise for the leadership to seize him.

[20:1]  ¹² tn Grk “Now it happened that one.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[20:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:1]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “the temple.”

[20:1]  ¹⁵ tn Or “preaching.”

[20:1]  ¹⁶ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[20:1]  ¹⁷ sn The chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up. The description is similar to Luke 19:47. The leaders are really watching Jesus at this point.

[20:2]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “and said, saying to him.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[20:2]  ¹⁹ tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.

[20:2]  ²⁰ sn The leadership is looking back to acts like the temple cleansing (19:45-48). How could a Galilean preacher do these things?