Jesus Asks One Thing - Matthew 21:24

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus said, “If you have faith, and doubt not, you shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if you shall say unto this mountain, Be you removed, and be cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority do you do these things? and who gave you this authority?” and in chapter twenty-one and verse twenty-four of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus said, “I also will ask you one thing” where we read:

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing,

which if you tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The verse reads, “And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, ...” Matthew began with the words, “and Jesus” or “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “answered” which means “began to speak and responded” “and said” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto them” which refers to “the chief priests and elders of Jerusalem”, “I also” or “Jesus Himself even so and indeed” “will ask you” which means “will question, intreat, beseech and desire of the chief priests and elders of Jerusalem” “one thing” or “a certain saying, account, speech and question”. Matthew shared how Jesus responded to the chief priests and elders of Jerusalem by asking them “one question”.

The verse continues, “... which if you tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.” Matthew added the words, “which if you tell me” which means “that whether the chief priests and elders of Jerusalem answer Jesus”, “I in like wise will tell you” which means “Jesus will in a similar manner answer” “by what authority” or “through and with what right, liberty, jurisdiction and strength” “I do these things” which means “Jesus performs the acts and deeds”. Matthew wrote how Jesus declared He would answer the chief priests and elder's question about the source of His authority if they could answer His.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus was a master at responding to those who were in power as the religious rulers in Jerusalem. Instead of answering their question right away, He asked them a certain “thing”. God desires to have a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they yield their lives to Him, they have given their lives to the One who is the greatest at responding to anyone who challenges Him with doubt.

Next time Matthew writes how Jesus asks, “from where the baptism of John came”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.