What does Matthew 21:23 mean?

The tension between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders continues to heat up as this week progresses. The "priests" approaching Him here held official leadership positions in the temple. They were likely members of the religious ruling body known as the Sanhedrin. They were less popular than the Pharisees but had more power since they were politically connected to the Romans. The elders with them were probably not priests but may have been from influential Jewish families and may have been on the Sanhedrin, as well.

Together, this group has come up with a question for Jesus and approached Him while He is teaching in the temple, probably somewhere in the outer courts. The question, itself, is actually a good one—but it's being asked in an insincere and corrupted way. It's not that this group wonders if they should listen to Christ. Rather, their motive is to stop Jesus from teaching, or possibly to discredit Him with the people by accusing Him of heresy.

By "these things," they mean to ask why Jesus thinks He can enter Jerusalem receiving the praise of the crowds as if He were the king and Messiah (Matthew 21:1–11), chasing the money-changers out of the temple (Matthew 21:12–13), and healing the lame and blind in the temple courts (Matthew 21:14–15). After all, Jesus does not hold any position of official human authority beyond being known as a "rabbi," teacher. He is not a member of the Sanhedrin or an officially commissioned priest or Pharisee or scribe. What gives Him the right to act and teach in these ways?

Jesus, knowing their motives, will not answer their question directly. The parables He provides, however, along with His other teachings, make the answer clear to those who sincerely want to know (John 5:19–24). Those who will come to believe in Him, though, will understand that Jesus acts and speaks under the authority of His Father, who is God. He represents God on earth and acts with the full authority of God in all He says and does.