Luke 20:2

2 "Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they all said. "Who gave you 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 One day Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courtyard. He was preaching the good news to them. The chief priests and the teachers of the law came up to him. The elders came with them.

2 "Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they all said. "Who gave you this authority?"

3 Jesus replied, "I will also ask you a question. Tell me,

4 was John's baptism from heaven? Or did it come from men?"

5 They talked to each other about it. They said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'