The leaders wanted to know what right Jesus had to act as He did in the temple. "These things" points back to the day before, when He drove out the traders and taught that they had made God's house "a den of thieves" (Mark 11:15-17). Gill says He acted "as if he was Lord of it," correcting "in such a magisterial way every thing he thought an abuse in it." Barnes notes, "He was not a priest; he had no civil or ecclesiastical authority as a Jew."

The first question asks what kind of authority He claimed. The second asks who gave it to Him. But these were not neutral questions. Mark has already told us that the chief priests and scribes "sought how they might destroy him" (Mark 11:18). Matthew Henry says their aim was to show the people that He "had not a legal mission," so that they could tell the people not to hear Him.

Jesus answered with a question of His own: "I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things" (Mark 11:29). He asked, "The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me" (Mark 11:30). The leaders reasoned among themselves and finally said, "We cannot tell." So Jesus said, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things" (Mark 11:31-33). He had offered them an answer; their refusal closed the conversation.

The chief priests, scribes, and elders together made up the ruling council of the nation. Gill calls them "The Jewish sanhedrim; for of these that great council of the nation consisted." This was an official challenge, not idle curiosity.

The Greek word for "authority" is exousia, the right or power to act. "By what authority" uses poia, "of what sort," so the first question asks what kind of authority Jesus was claiming. Barnes notes that Jesus held no office as priest or ruler that would explain His actions in the temple.

The leaders asked a real question with a real answer, and Mark's readers already know it. Jesus' authority came from God. Matthew Henry says "the works he did, told them plainly he had authority from God; since no man could do the miracles which he did, unless God were with him."

Jesus did not simply refuse to answer. He pointed them to John the Baptist, who had told all Judaea, "There cometh one mightier than I after me" (Mark 1:7). If they would be honest about John, they would have their answer about Jesus. The question of His authority is still the question every reader faces, and how we answer depends on whether we are willing to follow where the evidence leads.