Gospel (Mk 11,27-33) - At that time, Jesus and his disciples went to Jerusalem again. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes and the elders came to him and said to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you the authority to do them?”. But Jesus said to them: «I will ask you only one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I do this. Was John's baptism from heaven or from men? Answer me". They argued among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will answer, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ». Shall we therefore say: "From men"? But they feared the crowd, because they all believed that John was truly a prophet. Responding to Jesus they said: "We don't know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

It is the third time that Jesus enters Jerusalem and walks in the temple, which has now become the usual place of his teaching. Jesus received no permission to teach. He is a "layman", in the sense that he does not belong to any priestly lineage. Opponents are convinced that they base their authority on the doctrine of Moses. But on whom does Jesus base his authority to chase away the sellers in the temple, to preach, to heal? In fact, this question hides a central question, already raised in Jesus' first preaching in the synagogue of Nazareth. Both the inhabitants of Nazareth and the leaders of the people refuse that Jesus has authority over the people, much less over them. Jesus – following a typical rabbinical method of answering one question by asking another – asks them: «Did John's baptism come from heaven or from men?». Those priests, scribes and elders could have answered truthfully. But they were afraid of the crowd's reaction if they discredited the Baptist's preaching. The preaching of Jesus is the continuation of that of the Baptist, and the Word of God cannot be silenced, neither by chains nor by prejudices. The Word does not speak to those who do not prepare themselves with an open heart to welcome him. Already in Nazareth, faced with the total lack of even the search for truth, Jesus was unable to work miracles.