Mark 11 33

Mark 11:33 kjv

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

Mark 11:33 nkjv

So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Mark 11:33 niv

So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

Mark 11:33 esv

So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Mark 11:33 nlt

So they finally replied, "We don't know." And Jesus responded, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things."

Mark 11 verses

Mark 11 33 Meaning

Mark 11:33 presents the evasive response of the chief priests, scribes, and elders to Jesus' counter-question about the authority of John the Baptist's baptism. Faced with a dilemma—either affirming John's divine authority (which would validate Jesus) or denying it (which would provoke the believing crowds)—they strategically claim ignorance. In response, Jesus refuses to tell them by what authority He performs His works, demonstrating that their refusal to acknowledge evident truth disqualifies them from receiving further revelation.

Mark 11 33 Context

This verse is situated during Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, shortly after His Triumphal Entry (Mk 11:1-11) and the dramatic cleansing of the Temple (Mk 11:15-19), actions that profoundly challenged the authority and economic practices of the Jewish religious leadership. Enraged by His actions and teaching, the chief priests, scribes, and elders directly confront Jesus in the Temple courts (Mk 11:27-28), demanding to know the source of His authority to do "these things." Rather than answering directly, Jesus counters with a question of His own: "Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?" (Mk 11:30). Mark 11:31-32 details their internal dilemma and fearful calculation. Their "We do not know" in verse 33 is the outcome of this calculated response, directly leading to Jesus' concluding statement in the latter part of the verse, maintaining His refusal to answer them given their insincerity.

Mark 11 33 Word analysis

• And (καὶ): A simple conjunction connecting the preceding thought—their internal debate—with their declared response.
• answering (ἀποκριθέντες, apokrithentes): A participle, literally "having answered." It suggests a formal, definitive response after due consideration, here being a deliberated evasion. From the verb apokrinomai, it denotes speaking in turn or replying.
• they say (λέγουσιν, legousin): Present tense, conveying the directness and immediacy of their declaration. It underscores their active refusal.
• to Jesus (τῷ Ἰησοῦ, tō Iēsou): Dative case, identifying the recipient of their answer.
• We do not know (Οὐκ οἴδαμεν, Ouk oidamen):
  • Οὐκ (ouk): Strong negative particle, unequivocally meaning "not."
  • οἴδαμεν (oidamen): First person plural, perfect tense of oida. While oida can mean "to have seen" and thus "to know" by direct experience or intuitive understanding, here it signifies a pretense of lacking a definitive answer or certainty. This is a deliberate falsehood to avoid entanglement, as their prior discussion reveals they knew the options (Mk 11:31-32).
• And (καὶ): Again, a simple conjunction, indicating the subsequent action by Jesus.
• Jesus (ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ho Iēsou): The subject of the reciprocal action.
• says (λέγει, legei): Present tense, indicating His immediate response.
• to them (αὐτοῖς, autois): Dative plural, indicating the recipients of Jesus' statement.
• Neither (Οὐδὲ, Oude): A strong negative, implying "not even" or "no, nor," emphasizing a mutual refusal. It reflects Jesus' decision not to engage further with their insincere query.
• I (ἐγὼ, egō): Emphatic first-person singular pronoun. "I" myself, in contrast to their collective refusal. It asserts His personal stance and decision.
• tell (λέγω, legō): Present tense, "I tell" or "I am telling."
• you (ὑμῖν, hymin): Dative plural, specifying the group to whom He is refusing to answer.
• by what (ἐν ποίᾳ, en poia): "In what kind of." En here indicates the means or sphere, implying "by virtue of" or "under." Poia is an interrogative pronoun asking "what sort/kind" of authority.
• authority (ἐξουσίᾳ, exousia): The crucial term throughout this exchange. It refers to power, right, warrant, or jurisdiction. Jesus' actions (Temple cleansing, teaching) implied an authoritative claim, which the leaders wanted Him to disclose, likely hoping for blasphemy or sedition.
• these things (ταῦτα, tauta): Accusative plural, referring to Jesus' recent authoritative actions in the Temple, particularly the cleansing.
• I do (ποιῶ, poiō): Present tense, active participle, referring to the ongoing or current acts of authority.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "And answering, they say to Jesus, 'We do not know.'": This phrase captures the immediate consequence of their strategic internal debate. It's a calculated, self-protective lie disguised as ignorance, designed to avoid both public backlash and validating Jesus' authority. This reflects their prioritization of worldly concerns (reputation, power) over truth.
• "And Jesus says to them, 'Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.'": This is Jesus' decisive counter-move. It's not an evasion on His part; rather, it's a just response to their deliberate dishonesty. By refusing to acknowledge obvious truth (John's prophetic status), they render themselves unworthy of receiving divine revelation about Jesus' greater authority. Jesus' authority is inherent, not granted by or accountable to earthly religious systems driven by corrupt motives. His response exposes their moral and spiritual bankruptcy, highlighting that truth is often withheld from those with hardened hearts and closed minds.

Mark 11 33 Bonus section

The interaction in Mark 11:27-33 is a vivid demonstration of Jesus' unmatched wisdom in handling contentious questioning aimed at entrapping Him. He did not directly answer their manipulative question, thus denying them the grounds they sought to accuse Him of blasphemy or rebellion. By posing a counter-question concerning John the Baptist, Jesus forced His accusers to expose their own hypocrisy and lack of integrity, demonstrating their unfit state to judge His authority. This incident serves as a foundational example of discerning whether someone is genuinely seeking truth or merely seeking to ensnare. It shows that sometimes the wisest response to manipulative questioning is not a direct answer but a revealing counter-question or refusal to engage on their dishonest terms.

Mark 11 33 Commentary

Mark 11:33 climaxes the theological chess match between Jesus and the religious authorities. Their declaration, "We do not know," is not ignorance but a masterful display of spiritual evasion born of fear (Mk 11:32) and self-preservation. Admitting John’s baptism was “from heaven” would legitimize John as a prophet and, by extension, support Jesus’ messianic claims, thereby undermining their own established power. Saying it was “from man” would alienate the masses who held John in high esteem. Thus, feigning ignorance was their only safe, albeit dishonest, recourse.

Jesus' subsequent response, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things," is profoundly insightful. It is not an admission of lacking authority nor a mere tit-for-tat. Instead, it demonstrates divine wisdom and judgment. Jesus understood that to explain His authority to those who deliberately denied plain truth and were motivated by malice would be akin to "casting pearls before pigs" (Matt 7:6). Their spiritual blindness and hardened hearts made them incapable and unworthy of truly understanding or accepting His divine origin. This encounter reveals that divine truth is not indiscriminately revealed but withheld from those whose rejection stems from willful disbelief and unrepentant hypocrisy, especially when it threatens their personal power and worldly status.