Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 21:23

23 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 doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority.

Mark hath before this, Ch. 11.18. And the Scribes and chief Priests heard it: That is, his turning the Buyers and Sellers out, and overturning the Tables of the Money Changers, and sought how they might destroy him: For they feared him, because all the People was astonished at his Doctrine. Then v. 27. he saith, And they came again to Ierusalem, and as he was walking in the Temple, there came to him the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the Elders: And say unto him, By what Authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this Authority to do these things? Luke saith, Ch. 19.47.48. And he taught daily in the Temple, but the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the Chief of the People sought to destroy him: And could not find what they might do, for all the People were very [illegible: 1 letter]ttentive to hear him. It is plain that our Saviour went [illegible: 1 letter]ver[illegible: 1 letter] Night to Bethany, and returned to Ierusalem every Mor[illegible: 1 letter]ing, and daily Preached in the Temple. And Luke saith▪ the People were very Attentive to hear him. In the Greek it is, [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 letter]pon him, hearing him. They were also much affected with the Miracles, which they had seen him working: So as the Scribes, and the Elders feared him (saith Mark.) This possibly might be one reason, why they made no opposition to our Saviour, driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple. viz. For fear of the People; for we must remember they were a conquered Tributary People, and under the Jurisdiction of the Romans, under whom, tho they had a Liberty for the Exercise of their own Religion, yet they had not such a Power as before: It was not Lawful for them to put any to Death, Ioh. 18.31. And for the preserving of their own Liberty, they were obliged to take heed, of causing any Tumults for matters concerning their Religion. So as what they did of this Nature, they did by Craf[illegible: 1 letter] rather than plainly, and openly Attempting it. Mar 14.1. It is likely, they might have some previous, secret Councels, what Method to take, mentioned both by Mark and Luke: The Method it seems which they agreed upon, was first to send to him, to know, By what Authority he did th[illegible: 1 letter]se things, and who gave him such Authority? This is mentioned both by Matthew and Mark, they sent such a Message to Iohn, Ch. 1.19, 20, 21. They had often questioned him about his Doctrine, and had gone by the worst, he justifying his Doctrine to their Faces. For the Truth of his Miracles, it was so Evident that they could not question that: They therefore now only question his Authority to Preach. The Question was Captious enough, for if he had said by a Divine Authority, they would probably have accused him of Blasphemy: For an Humane Authority, they knew he had none, according to their Rules for Order, for they came from the Court, that should have given them such Authority: Our Saviour well enough understanding their Design, gives them, who would not understand his Divine Mission by his miraculous Operations, a wary Answer.

Marginal references: Mar. 11.27. Luk. 20.1.; Exod. 2.14. Act. 4.7 & 7.27.