Jesus made it clear in Matthew 21:25 that everything that men do in religion is done either by the authority of God or by the authority of men. He said, “The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?” Jesus was referring to the well known religious practice and teaching of John the Baptist’s baptism. John came teaching and practicing a religious work, and Jesus asked by what authority did he do this. There were only two possible sources of authority: (1) God told him to teach and practice the baptism; or (2) man (either John himself, or some other man or men) told him to teach and practice the baptism.
However, when Jesus was teaching that everything that men do in religion is done either by the authority of God or by the authority of men, He was not giving us some meaningless information which was empty of any significance. Rather, the implications of His statement are immensely crucial to a man’s acceptance before God in regard to his religious practices and teachings. Jesus was pressing the fact [which his opponents correctly understood (see v:25b, 26)] that man must obey the laws of God, and, man must not obey (in religion) the laws of man. Further implications of this are: (1) Man must not dismiss any law of God (as not needing to be obeyed); and, (2) Man must not make laws of religion. [Note: Expediencies, as decided by the elders, are not of this category (Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 5:2,3).]
There are other verses which enforce the point that Jesus (in Matthew 21:25) was not giving us meaningless information. Notice: those who teach and engage in religious practices which are based upon the authority of man, are those who transgress the commandment of God (Matt. 15:3), practice such in vain (Matt. 15:9), shall be rooted up (Matt. 15:13), and shall fall into the ditch (Matt. 15:14). Yet, those who teach and engage in religious practices which are based upon the authority of God, are those who shall be given eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9).
Truly, everything that men do in religion is done either by the authority of God or by the authority of men. There is no middle ground! Everything is done by the authority of one or the other. To do a practice by the authority of man is to be condemned and lost. To achieve salvation and to maintain salvation, one must apply the question of Jesus to his practices–”This practice, whence is it ? from heaven, or of men?”
Gary Henson