By What Authority

By What Authority

(Malachi 3,4 and Matthew 21)

By what authority 

Do you do these things?

In their robes of power

They question the one who brings

Refining fire, cleansing water,

True righteousness to purify

And to be a witness

Against those who terrify 

Widows and orphans, strangers

And those oppressed 

By self-righteous men

In their purple robes dressed

Now to find fault with

The messenger of the covenant 

Was the way

To prove that He wasn’t sent

In the name of the LORD

“Hosanna in the highest!”

The crowd had shouted

From tyranny they wanted rest

To prove that He had no right

To enter the temple and flip the tables,

And call them thieves

He wasn’t able

To heal the lame,

Give sight to the blind

He had no authority

To be this kind

To sinners!

Mere infants and babes

While calling chief priests

Robbers and knaves

So now they had him 

Who gave you authority?

They haughtily asked

Breathlessly waiting to see

I’ve a question for you 

He said to them

Knowing their hearts

He exposed their sin

I do the will of the father

But I say to you

That tax collectors and prostitutes

Will see God's Kingdom before you

The land owner’s Son is here

But in your pride and arrogance 

You’ll capture and kill Him

And seize His inheritance 

The Father’s kingdom

Will be taken from you

And given to sinners

Who produce the fruit

Of faith in the Son

They repent of their pride

They fear His name

And from their sin don’t hide

Elijah the prophet has come

The children’s hearts to restore

The arrogant Pharisee

Will be no more

Like chaff in the wind

They fly away,

God’s chosen like the sun

Will shine on that great day