They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

God’s Timing Matters. Here Jesus uses a question, in response to a question, to delay a confrontation with the Jewish leaders. There are a few reasons why this could be: 1) It was clearly not the time for him to answer this question. 2) He wanted to show the duplicitous nature of the Pharisees and teachers of the law (how they would not answer the question because they cared more about how they were perceived than the truth). 3) He could have posed this question to the leaders to get the people in general to consider it too. Also, to help the people remember that John called Jesus the one “whose sandals he was unworthy to untie”, a reference to the Messiah.

In a brilliant situational pivot, Jesus sought first God’s will and then delayed arrest until God’s right timing. And in the process likely helped others come to believe in him.

Lord, teach me to have situational awareness to understand your will, timing, and your plans in the moment. I want to be better at not reacting in the moment but instead acting in your power and strength.