Matthew 21:23 “When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’"

When Jesus entered the temple and began to teach, the religious leaders immediately challenged him: “By what authority are you doing these things?” Their question wasn’t born of curiosity but of fear. His words, his compassion, his courage—all unsettled a system built on control. In their eyes, Jesus threatened the established order, an order that valued obedience over truth and hierarchy over humanity.

We know that question too well. We hear it echo whenever those in power seek to silence voices that speak of justice, mercy, or peace. In every generation, there are leaders who tighten their grip on authority, equating dissent with disloyalty and demanding compliance over conscience. When that happens, the voice of Christ—calling us to compassion, humility, and truth—can sound dangerous. Yet it is precisely that voice we are invited to follow.

Advent is the season when we remember that God’s true authority enters the world not through domination but through vulnerability: a baby born in a stable, a teacher without rank or weapon, a savior whose strength is love. In a world that prizes control, his peace is radical. It defies the bluster of those who confuse fear with power. It invites us to trust a deeper strength—the quiet authority of love that liberates rather than coerces.

This passage calls us to examine where we place our trust. Are we drawn to the false security of those who promise order through force, or to the lasting peace of Christ that comes through compassion and courage? The invitation this Advent is to stand in the authority of that peace—to speak truth with gentleness, to resist fear with faith, and to let the Prince of Peace guide us in ways that no earthly power can command.

 

Trish Tiura