Matthew 21:25

Verse 25. The baptism of John] Had John a Divine commission or not, for his baptism and preaching? Our Lord here takes the wise in their own cunning. He knew the estimation John was in among the people; and he plainly saw that, if they gave any answer at all, they must convict themselves: and so they saw, when they came to examine the question. See Mt 21:25-26.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21:25 John’s ministry, like Jesus’ (see 3:1, 5-6), was controversial, especially after John’s public denouncement of the sins of Herod Antipas (see 14:4). The leaders did not want to acknowledge that John’s ministry was from God, since they had refused to believe John by repenting of their sins (3:2) and accepting Jesus as the Messiah (John 1:29-34).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mat 21:25. Τὸ βάπτισμα, the baptism) i.e. the whole mission: cf. further on in the verse, “οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε;” “did ye not believe?”—ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, from heaven) i.e. from God. An instance of Metonomy of a reverential character.—διελογίζοντο, they reasoned with themselves) That is an evil mind which, instead of looking at the truth in a divine matter, assumes that which suits its purpose.—αὐτῷ, him) sc. bearing witness in My favour.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 21:25 . τὸ βάπτισμα τὸ Ἰ ., the baptism as representing John’s whole ministry. ἐξ οὐρ . ἢ ἐξ ἀνθ ., from heaven or from men? The antithesis is foreign to legitimist modes of thought, which would combine the two: from heaven but through men; if not through men not from heaven. The most gigantic and baleful instance of this fetish in modern nines is the notion of church sacraments and orders depending on ordination. On the same principle St. Paul was no apostle, because his orders came to him “not from men nor by man,” Gal 1:1 . ἐὰν εἴπωμεν , etc. The audible and formal answer of the scribes was οὐκ οἴδαμεν , in Mat 21:27 . All that goes before from ἐὰν to προφήτην is the reasoning on which it was based, either unspoken ( παρʼ or ἐν ἑαυτοῖς , Mt.) or spoken to each other ( πρός , Mar 11:31 ); not likely to have been overheard, guessed rather from the puzzled expression on their faces. οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε : the reference here may be to John’s witness to Jesus, or it may be general = why did ye not receive his message as a whole?

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

From God, and so it is plainly seen how these are set one against another.

Beat their heads about it and mused, or laid their heads together.

John his preaching is called by a figure, Baptism, because he preached the baptism of repentance, etc., Mark 1:4; Acts 19:3.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

The baptism of John--meaning his whole mission and ministry, of which baptism was the proper character.

whence was it? from heaven, or of men?--What wisdom there was in this way of meeting their question will best appear by their reply.

If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?--"Why did ye not believe the testimony which he bore to Me, as the promised and expected Messiah?" for that was the burden of John's whole testimony.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(25) They reasoned with themselves.—The self-communing was eminently characteristic. The priests and scribes had, in dealing with the mission of John, halted between two opinions. At one time they came to his baptism (Mat_3:7); at another they said, “He hath a devil” (Mat_11:18). They watched the ebb and flow of a public reverence which the death of John had deepened, and dared not repudiate his character as a prophet. They were reluctant to admit that character, for this would have involved the necessity of accepting the testimony which he had borne to the work and office of Jesus.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The baptism of John, whence was it?.... By the baptism of John, is meant the ordinance of water baptism, which was first administered by him; from whence he took the name of John the Baptist: and the doctrine which he preached concerning it, and previous to it, and even the whole of his ministry; which is denominated from a principal part of it, and which greatly distinguished his ministry from all others: and the question put by Christ concerning it is, whence it was? by what authority did John administer the ordinance of water baptism, which had never been administered before by any? who sent him to preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, a doctrine the world had never heard of before? who gave him a commission to discharge the several parts of his ministry, which he performed in such a wonderful and powerful manner? did he receive his authority

from heaven, or of men? that is, from God or man? as the opposition requires; and as it was usual for the Jews to call God by the name of "heaven": in this sense it is used by them, when they say (b), that such have no part in the world to come, who affirm, that the law is not , "from heaven", that is, from God; which is exactly the phrase here: and when they observe (c), that care should be taken that a man does not pronounce , "the name of heaven", that is, God, in vain: and when they tell (d) us of a certain man that built large buildings by the way side, and put food and drink there, so that everyone that came went in and eat, and drank, , "and blessed heaven"; that is blessed, or gave thanks to God; and when they speak of (e) , "death by heaven"; that is, death which is immediately inflicted by God. So when Christ here asks, whether John's baptism was from heaven, or of men, his meaning is, whether it was of divine institution, and that John acted by divine authority, and commission; or whether it was an human device of his own, or of other men, and that he took the office of preaching and baptizing upon himself of his own head, or by some human appointment: to this he requires a direct answer, as is said in Mark, "answer me"; whether it was from the one, or from the other,

and they reasoned with themselves; either "within themselves", as the Arabic version renders it, "in their own minds", as the Syriac; or they took some little time and privately conferred together, what answer they should return; when they argued the point among themselves,

saying, if we shall say from heaven; if we shall return for answer, that the baptism and ministry of John were of divine appointment, and that he acted by a divine authority,

he will say unto us, why did ye not believe him? why did not ye believe the doctrine that he preached? and receive the testimony that he gave concerning the Messiah? and why were ye not baptized by him? why did ye reject the counsel of God against yourselves? They saw plainly, that if they owned the divine authority of John's baptism and ministry, they must allow Jesus to be the true Messiah, John bore witness to; and consequently, that it was by a divine authority he did what he did; and then there was an end of the question, and is the very thing that Christ had in view,

(b) T. Hieros. Sanhedrin, fol. 27. 3. Vid. ib. fol. 19. 3. T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 99. 1. (c) T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 3. 1. (d) Abot. R. Nathan, c. 7. fol. 3. 2. (e) Ib. c. 11. fol. 4. 1. Vid. ib. c. 14. fol. 4. 4. & 5. 1. & c. 27. fol. 7. 1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

Ver. 25. The baptism of John, whence was it?] That is, the whole ministry of John. As if our Saviour should have said, Know ye not by what authority I do these things? have ye not heard John’s testimony for me? and can ye deny that he had his authority for what he spake from God? How is it, then, that ye ask me any such idle question as this; do ye not go cross to your consciences herein?

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. The baptism of John — And of course John’s mission. This mission and testimony they had once received. And having received it, they had acknowledged whence was the authority of Jesus for his miracles, his teachings, and his claims to the Messiahship. Why did ye not then believe him? — Why did ye apostatize? and why do ye not even now receive the testimony of John, which explains the source of my authority, and answers your question?

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The baptism of John (to baptisma to Iwannou). By "the baptism which was of John" Christ means his whole ministry, doctrine, preaching, etc.; as by circumcision is implied the whole Mosaic Law, and the doctrine of the cross comprises all the teaching of the gospel, the chief characteristic connoting all particulars. From heaven, or of men? Did they regard John as one inspired and commissioned by God, or as a fanatic and impostor, who was self-sent and had received no external authorization? Now, two facts were plain and could not be denied. The rulers and the people with them had allowed John to be a prophet, and had never questioned his claims hitherto. This was one fact; the other was that John had borne unmistakable evidence to Christ. "Behold the Lamb of God!" etc., (Joh_1:32-36) he had said. He came and asserted that he came as Christ"s forerunner; his mission was to prepare Christ"s way, and had no meaning or intention but this. Here was a dilemma. They had asked for Jesus" credentials; the prophet, whose mission they had virtually endorsed testified that Jesus was the Messiah; if they believed that John spoke by inspiration, they must accept Christ; if now they discredited John, they would stultify themselves and endanger their influence with the people. They reasoned with themselves (par eautoiv). The somewhat unusual introduction of this preposition instead of the more common ejn implies that the reflection was not confined to their own breast, but passed in consultation from one to another. They saw the difficulty, and deliberated how they could meet it without compromising themselves, seeking, not truth, but evasion. Why did ye not then (diati oun : why then did ye not) believe him? i.e. when he bore such plain testimony to me. This appeal could be silenced only by denying John"s mission, or asserting that he was mistaken in what he said.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Why did ye not believe him - Testifying this.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

25, 26. The baptism of John. Though the people generally had obeyed John, they had rejected his baptism. Yet they dared not say it was of men, for fear of the people; nor that it was of heaven, because they had disobeyed it. They therefore say,

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Connecting Statement:

Jesus continues to respond to the religious leaders.

from where did it come?

"where did he get the authority to do that?"

If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?

This has quotes within a quote. You could translate the direct quotations as an indirect quotations. AT: "If we say that we believe John received his authority from heaven, then Jesus will ask us why we did not believe John." (See: Quotes Within Quotes and Direct and Indirect Quotations)

From heaven

Here "heaven" refers to God. AT: "from God in heaven" (See: Metonymy)

Why then did you not believe him?

The religious leaders know that Jesus could scold them with this rhetorical question. AT: "Then you should have believed John the Baptist" (See: Rhetorical Question)

But if we say, 'From men,'

This is a quote within a quote. You could translate the direct quotation as an indirect quotation. AT: "But if we say that we believe John received his authority from men" (See: Quotes Within Quotes and Direct and Indirect Quotations)

we fear the crowd

"we fear what the crowd would think or even do to us"

they all view John as a prophet

"they believe John is a prophet"

translationWords

baptize

John (the Baptist)

heaven

believe

prophet

Jesus

authority

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

25.] τὸ βἀπτ., meaning thereby the whole office and teaching, of which the baptism was the central point and seal. If they had recognized the heavenly mission of John, they must have also acknowledged the authority by which Jesus did these things, for John expressly declared that he was sent to testify of him, and bore witness to having seen the Holy Spirit descend and rest upon Him. Joh 1:33, Joh 1:34.

ἐπιστ. αὐτῷ] believe him, ‘give credit to his words:’ ‘for those words were testimonies to me.’

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(M) 25. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or from men? And they disputed among themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven; He will say to us, Why then did you not believe him?] So Mk. without πόθεν ἦν and with ἀποκρίθητέ μοι, which Mt. omits as redundant, after ἀνθρώπων.—οἱ δὲ διελογίζοντο] for Mk.’s καὶ διελογίζοντο, as often.—ἐν ἑαυτοῖς] for Mk.’s πρὸς ἑαυτούς. For a similar change, cf. Mat 16:7, Mar 8:16. The point seems to be that John had borne witness to Christ as the Messiah. If the authorities had given credence to John, they would have had no need to ask by what authority Jesus acted.—ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ] πιστεύειν in 8:13, 9:28, 18:6, 21:22 meant to have “trust,” “assurance” in the power and goodness of God or of Christ. But here and in v. 32, 24:23, 26 it has the weaker sense to “give credence to.”

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.