Jesus teaches that leaders and truth don't depend on popular opinion.
Matthew 21:23-27 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?" 24 Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' 26 But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet." 27 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
This is not just a story about Jesus answering the chief priests carefully so that he can survive a while longer without being crucified. Instead, Jesus is pointing out something very important to the priests. They can't answer Jesus' question, because they are too worried about being popular! Instead of teaching the crowd, they are worried about their own skin. Leaders can't do this and still be leaders. They can keep their jobs, they can keep those they are leading happy, but they aren't leaders. "Let me see where my people are going so that I can lead them" isn't a leadership strategy. At least not in the kingdom of God.
These priests had refused to accept John's teachings which identified Jesus as the Messiah. They didn't accept it because it upset their power base. And now they are refusing to accept what Jesus had to say about himself (that he was equal to God) just days before. They are refusing to accept it, not because of theological reasons, but because they thought that they would have to share or maybe even give up their powerful positions.
Jesus is driving home the same point he has driven home over and over in Matthew's gospel... the Kingdom of God (the truth of God - the gospel) is only understood as we become less and allow God to become more. We can't see the truth as long as it has to benefit us in order to believe it. We can't see the truth if we require that the truth makes us powerful, happy, or wealthy.
Do we ignore Jesus' teaching that neither leadership nor the truth depends on popular opinion?
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