Sanhedrin Attempt to Entangle Jesus 

On Tuesday, April 4, 30 CE, Jesus' cleansing of the temple postponed his arrest, as Jewish leaders faced two fears: public backlash and potential Roman intervention. The Sanhedrin unanimously agreed that Jesus must be destroyed, as the cleansing threatened their profitable temple business, where traders and money-changers operated under official license, with profits supporting the temple treasury. They sent five groups to discredit his teaching, unable to decide how and when to arrest him safely.

Around two o'clock in the afternoon, while Jesus taught "The Liberty of Sonship," temple elders interrupted, asking him, "By what authority do you do these things?" This was proper procedure, as only the Sanhedrin could ordain teachers as rabbis and judges. Without such authority, teaching was seen as either ignorant presumption or open rebellion.

Jesus countered: "The baptism of John, whence was it? Did John get his authority from heaven or from men?" After conferring, the leaders returned with an embarrassing response: "We cannot answer; we do not know." They realized claiming heavenly authority would raise questions about their disbelief in John while claiming human authority risked public outrage since many considered John a prophet. In response, Jesus declared, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

This wasn't evasion – Jesus' authority came from himself and "his Father's eternal supremacy." While the leaders had long claimed his authority was Satanic, Jesus' response effectively turned their trap against them, further discrediting them in the public's eyes. The people recognized the contrast between Jesus' "moral majesty" and their "designing hypocrisy." The temple cleansing united the Pharisees and Sadducees, who now held a Sanhedrin majority, in their determination to destroy Jesus.