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They answered Jesus, "We don`t know." Jesus said to them, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things."
Verse Takeaways
1
A Calculated 'I Don't Know'
Commentators unanimously agree that the religious leaders' claim of ignorance was a deliberate lie. They were caught in a dilemma: affirming John the Baptist's authority would force them to accept Jesus, while denying it would anger the public. Their response was a self-serving tactic to avoid the truth, not a genuine lack of knowledge.
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Mark
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5
We know not (ουκ οιδαμεν). It was for the purpose of getting out of the trap into which they had fallen by challenging the authori…
19th Century
Anglican
And they come again to Jerusalem.—See Notes on Matthew 21:23-27. Peculiar to St. Mark is the fact that our Lord was “walk…
This question of Jesus proved too much for them. Either alternative —“from heaven” or “from men”—would place them in a difficult position. An admis…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
And they answered and said to Jesus Being reduced by this dilemma to the greatest strait and difficulty;
Presbyterian
Our Savior shows how closely related His doctrine and baptism were to those of John; they had the same design and tendency, to bring in the gospel …