Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 21:25-27

"The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, From men; we fear the multitude; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We know not. He also said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things." — Matthew 21:25-27 (ASV)

The question our Lord put to the chief priests and elders was simple enough if they had been honest men, but as they had a game to play, they could not reply without great difficulty.

Men-pleasers are obliged to be politicians and see which way the land lies. Our Lord put His questioners on the horns of a dilemma. If John the Baptist was sent from heaven, why had they rejected him? That John was from men, they dared not assert, for their fear of the people silenced them. They were in a corner and saw no way of escape, and therefore they pleaded ignorance. They answered Jesus, and said, “We cannot tell.” This was no answer from them, but it supplied Him with a just and crushing reply to them: “Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.”

They could have told Jesus from where John’s baptism came, but they would not; and He could have told them all about His divine authority, but He knew that no useful purpose would be served, and therefore He declined to say more. It is a solemn thing when love itself grows weary and refuses further conversation.

Our Lord’s tone toward these questioners is that of one who is dealing with hopeless creatures, who deserve no quarter, since they would make no use of leniency. They could not be won by gentleness. They must be shaken off, exposed, and dethroned from the seat of power, before the eyes of those who had been misled by them.