Matthew 21:27

So they answered Jesus, “We do not know where John got his authority.” Then he said to them, “ Because you did not answer my question, I will not tell you who authorized me to do the things I did here yesterday.”

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

In Context

26If we say, ‘It was from people’, we are afraid that the crowd will react violently, because all the people believe that John was a prophet sent by God.”

28Then Jesus said to the chief priests and elders, “Tell me [RHQ] what you think about what I am about to tell you. There was a man who had two sons. He went to his older son and said, ‘My son, go and work in my vineyard today!’

Read all of Matthew 21

Cross References

Isaiah 28:9They ridicule Yahweh saying, “Who does he think that he is teaching? Why is he talking to us like this? Does he think that we are little children who have recently been weaned?

Isaiah 42:19No people are [RHQ] as blind as my people, who should have been serving me. No people are [RHQ] as much like [MET] deaf people as the Israelis, who should have been my messengers. No people are [RHQ] as much like [MET] blind people as those whom I chose to serve me.

Jeremiah 8:7All the birds that fly south for the ◄winter/cold season► know the time that they need to fly south, and they all return at the right time the following year. But my people are not like those birds! They do not know what I, Yahweh, require them to do.

Matthew 15:14Do not pay any attention to the Pharisees. They do not help people who do not know God’s truth to understand it, just like blind guides do not help blind people to perceive where they should go [MET]. If a blind person tries to lead another blind person, they will both fall into a big hole [MET]. Similarly, both the Pharisees and their disciples will end up in hell.”

Matthew 23:16“You Jewish leaders, your punishment will be terrible! You are like people who are blind [MET] who are trying to lead others. You say, ‘ In the case of those who promise to do something and then ask the Temple to affirm what they have promised, it means nothing if they do not do what they have promised. But if they ask the gold that is in the Temple to affirm what they have promised, they must do what they promised.’

John 9:30The man replied, “That is very surprising! You say that you do not know where he gets any authority. But he enabled me to see!

Matthew Henry on Matthew 21:24-28

Christ Questioned as to His Authority. 23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? 24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we… Read the whole commentary →

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