Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer me.’ They argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say, “Why then did you not believe him?” But shall we say, “Of human origin”?’—they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’ (Mark 11: 27-33)

We still argue over authority. Who has it? Where does it come from? From wisdom, position, skill, the ballot box, the gun barrel? Is the alledged authority of human or divine origin?

The Greek translated above as authority is exousia. This is the power to choose, liberty, strength or ability. The Greek suggests a power that emerges from the individual that is applied to challenges.

The exchange in the temple probably occured in Aramaic. The priests, scribes, and elders may have asked about shalat or shalet. This is to be a master, dominate, or control. The Aramaic suggests a power that is imposed on others.

The priests, scribes, and elders were part of a power structure that imposed a specific understanding and expectation on others. John the Baptist encouraged others to choose a baptism of repentance.

In the manner of his response Jesus may have had several purposes. One purpose could be to avoid the definition of terms offered by the power structure.