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Mark 11:30

in Mark 11

John’s baptism—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me!”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? answer me.

KJV

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

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This verse in Mark 11

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Tertullian

On Baptism · Written before 220.

The baptism announced by John formed the subject, even at that time, of a question, proposed by the Lord Himself indeed to the Pharisees, whether that baptism were heavenly, or truly earthly: about which they were unable to give a consistent answer, inasmuch as they understood not, because they believed not.

This site's exposition

I will also ask of you one question

on Mark 11:29-33

I will also ask of you one question turns their trap back on itself, the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men, a dilemma they cannot answer without either conceding John's testimony to Christ or provoking the crowd who held John a prophet. Their reasoning is recorded with unusual candor, a private calculation of political risk rather than a search for truth, ending in the evasive we cannot tell. Jesus refuses in turn to answer men who will not own what they already know, and the exchange closes the question of his authority without granting them the answer they never meant to receive honestly.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Tertullian

ON BAPTISM 10 · Written before 220.

proposed

The baptism announced by John formed the subject, even at that time, of a question proposed by the Lord himself to the legal experts. It concerned whether John's baptism was from heaven or from men. They were unable to give a consistent answer. They did not understand because they did not believe.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 1107.

proposed

They were angry with the Lord, for having cast out of the temple those who had made it a place of merchandize, and therefore they come up to Him, to question and tempt Him. Wherefore it is said: And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the elders, and say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee authority to do these things? As if they had said, Who art thou that doest these things?

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Mark · Written before 1107.

proposed

Enraged that Christ had driven the money-changers out of the temple, they come to Him with the question: "By what authority do You do these things?" They were, as it were, saying to Him reproachfully: "Who are You to do this? Were You appointed as …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

This colt was borrowed too. Christ went upon the water in a borrowed boat, ate the passover in a borrowed chamber, was buried in a borrowed sepulchre, and here rode on a borrowed ass. Let not Christians scorn to be beholden one to another, and, when need is, to go a borrowing, for our Master did not.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Christ might with the better grace put this question to them, because they had sent a committee of their own house to examine John, John i. "Now," saith Christ, "what was the result of your enquiries concerning him?" They knew what they thought of this question; they could not but think that John Baptist was a man sent of God.
3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

The baptism of John,.... The doctrine of which he was the first preacher, and the ordinance of which he was the first administrator: was it from heaven, or of men? was it of divine or of human institution? answer me; directly and plainly, without any shuffling, or evasion: it is a fair question, and may be answered; and the answer to it our Lord suggests would naturally lead to a proper one to their question; See Gill on Mat 21:25.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Let us observe in these verses, how much spiritual blindness may be in the hearts of those who hold high ecclesiastical office . We see "the chief priests and scribes and elders" coming to our Lord Jesus, and raising difficulties and objections in the way of His work. These men, we know, were the accredited teachers and rulers of the Jewish Church. They were regarded by the Jews as the fountain and spring-head of religious knowledge. They were, most of them, regularly ordained to the position they held, and could trace their orders by regular descent from Aaron.
Let us observe in these verses, how much spiritual blindness may be in the hearts of those who hold high ecclesiastical office . We see "the chief priests and scribes and elders" coming to our Lord Jesus, and raising difficulties and objections in the way of His work. These men, we know, were the accredited teachers and rulers of the Jewish Church. They were regarded by the Jews as the fountain and spring-head of religious knowledge. They were, most of them, regularly ordained to the position they held, and could trace their orders by regular descent from Aaron. And yet we find these very men, at the time when they ought to have been instructors of others, full of prejudice against the truth, and bitter enemies of the Messiah! These things are written to show Christians that they must beware of depending too much on ordained men. They must not look up to ministers as Popes, or regard them as infallible. The orders of no church confer infallibility, whether they be Episcopal, Presbyterian, or Independent. Bishops, priests, and deacons, at their best, are only flesh and blood, and may err, both in doctrine and practice, as well as the chief priests and elders of the Jews. Their acts and teaching must always be tested by the word of God. They must be followed so far as they follow Scripture, and no further. There is only one Priest and Bishops of souls, who makes no mistakes. That one is the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him alone is no weakness, no failure, no shadow of infirmity. Let us learn to lean more entirely on Him. Let us "call no man father on earth," (Matt. 23:9.) So doing, we shall never be disappointed. Let us observe, in the second place, how envy and unbelief make men throw discredit on the commission of those who work for God . These chief priests and elders could not deny the reality of our Lord's miracles of mercy.

The words behind it

12 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Mark 1:1–11This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.2 worksJohn 1:15–36John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”2 worksJohn 1:6–8There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John.2 worksMark 9:13But I tell you that Elijah has indeed come, and they have done to him whatever they wished, just as it is written about him.”2 worksJohn 3:25–36Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing.2 worksMatthew 3:1–17In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea2 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
Luke 3:1–20In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,2 works

The walk

5 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Mark 9:13

    But I tell you that Elijah has indeed come, and they have done to him whatever they wished, just as it is written about him.”

    it leads to

    • Matthew 14:3–11

      Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,

    • Matthew 17:12–13

      But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at…

    • Matthew 11:14

      And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.

    • Acts 7:52

      Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

    • Luke 3:19–20

      But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done,

Where this verse is studied

About Mark

Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633. Public domain.
Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633. Public domain.
Mark: the study guide →Read Mark 11 →
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, On Baptism; Tertullian, ON BAPTISM 10; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.

Read on in Mark 11 →