Luke 20:2

2 and they spake, saying unto him, Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

Luke 20:2 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 20:2

And spoke unto him, saying, tell us by what authority
doest thou these things?
&c.] The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "this thing"; as if the sanhedrim only referred to his preaching the Gospel, which is mentioned in the preceding verse, and was what he was about when they came to him: but the Persic version reads, "all these things"; not only preaching, but working miracles; and particularly driving the buyers and sellers out of the temple, which especially affected them, they losing their rents thereby:

or who is he that gave thee this authority?
God or man? (See Gill on Matthew 21:23).

Luke 20:2 In-Context

1 And it came to pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, there came upon him the chief priests and the scribes with the elders;

2 and they spake, saying unto him, Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

3 And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask you a question; and tell me:

4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?

5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why did ye not believe him?