Religious Leaders Question Jesus' Authority
Mark 11:27-33
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Mark.11.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ερχονται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,pl
- παλιν: ADV
- εις: PREP
- Ιεροσολυμα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ιερω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- περιπατουντος: VERB,pres,act,part,gen,m,sg
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ερχονται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,pl
- προς: PREP
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- αρχιερεις: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- γραμματεις: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- πρεσβυτεροι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 21:23 (verbal): Direct synoptic parallel: Jesus is confronted in the temple by the chief priests and elders who question his authority.
- Luke 20:1 (verbal): Synoptic parallel: Jesus is teaching in the temple and the chief priests, scribes, and elders approach him to challenge his authority.
- Mark 11:15-18 (structural): Immediate Markan context: Jesus' cleansing of the temple (11:15) provokes the chief priests and scribes; 11:18 explicitly notes their plotting against him.
- John 2:13-18 (thematic): Earlier Johannine account of the temple cleansing: temple disruption leads to a challenge (v.18 asks for a sign), thematically linking temple action and confrontation over Jesus' authority.
Alternative generated candidates
- They returned to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him,
- And they came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him.
Mark.11.28 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ελεγον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω·Εν: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ποια: PRON,dat,sg,f
- εξουσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- ποιεις: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- εδωκεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- εξουσιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ταυτην: PRON,acc,sg,f
- ινα: CONJ
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- ποιης: VERB,pres,act,subj,2,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 21:23 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: the chief priests and elders ask Jesus by what authority he acts—same question and context in Matthew's account of the Temple/authority controversy.
- Luke 20:2 (verbal): Another Synoptic parallel in Luke: the religious leaders question Jesus' authority for his actions and teaching, reflecting the same challenge to his mandate.
- Acts 4:7 (verbal): The Jewish rulers ask Peter and John 'By what power or by what name did you do this?'—a similar interrogative challenge to the source of authority behind a miraculous act or ministry.
- John 7:15 (thematic): The crowd questions Jesus' credentials and teaching ('How does this man know letters, having never learned?'), reflecting the broader theme of opponents disputing his authority to teach and act.
Alternative generated candidates
- and they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you the authority to do them?"
- They said to him, 'By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?'
Mark.11.29 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Επερωτησω: PRON,dat,pl,m
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- ενα: NUM,acc,sg,m
- λογον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- αποκριθητε: VERB,aor,pass,imp,2,pl
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- και: CONJ
- ερω: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- εν: PREP
- ποια: ADJ,dat,sg,f
- εξουσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- ποιω·: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
Parallels
- Mark 11:28 (structural): Immediate context: the chief priests, scribes and elders question Jesus' authority (v.27–28); v.29 is his reply—introducing a counter-question to them.
- Matthew 21:23-27 (verbal): Close parallel account of the same temple confrontation. Similar wording and the same tactic—Jesus answers the challenge to his authority by posing a question about John's baptism.
- Luke 20:1-8 (structural): Luke's parallel narrative of the temple authorities' challenge; Jesus likewise responds by putting a question to them about John's baptism, yielding the same impasse.
- Matthew 22:17-21 (thematic): Different incident but a similar rabbinic tactic: Jesus replies to a trap-question (about paying taxes to Caesar) with a counter-question, exposing his opponents' motives and avoiding a direct concession.
Alternative generated candidates
- Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I act."
- Jesus said to them, 'I will ask you one thing; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.'
Mark.11.30 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- βαπτισμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- Ιωαννου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εξ: PREP
- ουρανου: NOUN,gen,sg,masc
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- εξ: PREP
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- αποκριθητε: VERB,aor,pass,imp,2,pl
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
Parallels
- Matthew 21:25 (verbal): Parallel Synoptic account of the same confrontation; identical question about whether John’s baptism was from heaven or from men (Jesus challenges the chief priests and elders with the same dilemma).
- Luke 20:4 (verbal): Lukan parallel reporting the same exchange; the authorities are asked whether John’s baptism was divine or human in origin, prompting the same strategic silence.
- John 1:33 (thematic): John the Baptist testifies that he was commissioned to baptize by divine revelation (‘He who sent me to baptize…’), providing background for understanding why Jesus frames the question about heavenly vs. human origin.
- Acts 19:4 (thematic): Paul’s summary of John’s ministry emphasizes John’s baptism as preparation for the coming of Jesus and points to its authoritative, prophetic role—contextualizing the dispute over whether that baptism was of divine origin.
Alternative generated candidates
- "Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer me."
- 'Was John's baptism from heaven or from men? Answer me.'
Mark.11.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- διελογιζοντο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,pl
- προς: PREP
- εαυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- λεγοντες·Τι: PART,pres,act,nom,pl,m
- ειπωμεν: VERB,aor,act,subj,1,pl
- εαν: CONJ
- ειπωμεν·Εξ: VERB,aor,act,subj,1,pl
- ουρανου: NOUN,gen,sg,masc
- ερει·Δια: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- ουν: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- επιστευσατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 21:25 (verbal): Nearly identical wording and situation in the Synoptic parallel; chief priests and elders fear that if they say 'From heaven' Jesus will ask why they did not believe John the Baptist.
- Luke 20:4 (verbal): Parallel account in Luke with the same dilemma phrased similarly—if they answer 'From heaven' Jesus will demand why they did not believe John's testimony.
- Mark 11:30 (structural): Immediate context in Mark: the priests' and elders' question about Jesus' authority and John's baptism frames verse 31 as their internal deliberation over how to reply.
- John 9:16 (thematic): Pharisees are divided over whether Jesus is from God, reflecting the same theme of religious leaders disputing Jesus' origin and the implications for belief and authority.
Alternative generated candidates
- They discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'"
- They conferred among themselves, saying, 'If we say,
Mark.11.32 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλα: CONJ
- ειπωμεν·Εξ: VERB,aor,act,sub,1,pl
- ανθρωπων;: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- εφοβουντο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- οχλον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- απαντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- γαρ: PART
- ειχον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- Ιωαννην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- οντως: ADV
- οτι: CONJ
- προφητης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 21:26 (verbal): Parallel Synoptic account of the chief priests and elders refusing to say whence John’s authority because they feared the people, who regarded John as a prophet.
- Luke 20:6 (verbal): Luke’s parallel wording: the authorities decline to answer, fearing the crowd, since all held that John was a prophet—same narrative point as Mark 11:32.
- Luke 7:26-28 (thematic): Jesus’ public affirmation that John was ‘a prophet’ (and more), showing the widespread perception of John’s prophetic status referenced in Mark 11:32.
- John 1:21 (thematic): John the Baptist is questioned about being ‘the Prophet’/Elijah; reflects contemporary expectations and the identification of John as a prophetic figure noted in Mark 11:32.
- Mark 12:12 (thematic): Another Markan instance where Jewish leaders refrain from action because they ‘feared the people,’ paralleling the motive given in Mark 11:32 for not answering about John’s authority.
Alternative generated candidates
- But if we say, 'From men'—they feared the people; for all held John to be a prophet.
- For they feared the people; for everyone counted John as a prophet.
Mark.11.33 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αποκριθεντες: PART,aor,pass,nom,pl,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- λεγουσιν·Ουκ: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- οιδαμεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,pl
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Ουδε: PRON,dat,pl,3
- εγω: PRON,nom,sg,1
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- εν: PREP
- ποια: ADJ,dat,sg,f
- εξουσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- ποιω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 21:27 (verbal): Direct synoptic parallel: the chief priests and elders ask Jesus by what authority he acts and he replies that he will not tell them, using nearly identical language.
- Luke 20:4 (verbal): Luke's account of the same incident: the opponents are unable to answer Jesus' counter-question about John's baptism and thus say 'we cannot say,' prompting Jesus' refusal to disclose his authority.
- Mark 11:28 (structural): Immediate context in Mark: the preceding verse frames the question about Jesus' authority and sets up his counter-question about John's baptism, explaining why he refuses to answer (continuation of the same exchange).
- Acts 4:7 (thematic): Similar theme of challengers demanding the source of miraculous power or authority ('By what power or by what name did you do this?'); contrasts Peter’s bold, Spirit-enabled reply with Jesus' strategic silence/refusal to answer his interrogators.
Alternative generated candidates
- So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Nor will I tell you by what authority I act."
- They answered Jesus, 'We do not know.' And Jesus said to them, 'Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.'
And turning toward the temple he was teaching.
The chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him and said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?"
Jesus answered them, "I will ask you a question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things."
Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men?
They began to debate it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'",
but if we say, 'From men,' we fear the crowd; for all hold John to be a prophet. 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."