Authority of Jesus questioned


The authority of Jesus questioned is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels:, and.
According to the Gospel of Matthew:

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"
Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?"

In all three Synoptic Gospels, this episode takes place shortly after the Cleansing of the Temple.
A similar episode is described in the Gospel of John as part of the Cleansing of the Temple narrative. In John's account, after expelling the merchants and the money changers from the Temple, Jesus is confronted:

Then the Jews said to Him, “What sign do You show us, seeing that You do these things?”