Movatterモバイル変換

Mark 1:1-11
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; …

Mark 9:13
But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

Matthew 3:1-17
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, …

was it from heaven
The phrase "from heaven" implies divine authority and origin. In Jewish thought, heaven was synonymous with God, and thus, something from heaven was considered to be sanctioned by God. By questioning whether John's baptism was from heaven, Jesus is asking the religious leaders to consider whether John's ministry was divinely ordained. This also reflects the broader theme in the Gospels of Jesus' own authority being questioned and affirmed as coming from God.

or from men?
This presents the alternative that John's baptism could have been a human invention, lacking divine authority. The religious leaders were often concerned with maintaining their own authority and were wary of movements that could undermine their power. By framing the question this way, Jesus forces them to confront their own beliefs about authority and revelation. If they admitted it was from men, they would have to explain why so many people, including themselves at times, were drawn to John's message.

Answer Me!”
This command underscores the urgency and importance of the question. Jesus demands a response, highlighting the leaders' reluctance to commit to an answer that would either validate John's ministry or expose their own unbelief. This moment is a turning point, as it reveals the leaders' inability to recognize divine authority when it challenges their own. The imperative "Answer Me!" also reflects Jesus' authoritative teaching style, often seen throughout the Gospels, where He calls for a decision or response from His listeners.

• John came “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4).

• His ministry fulfilled prophecy, preparing “the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3;Malachi 3:1).

• Every aspect—his message of repentance (Luke 3:3), his call to bear fruit (Matthew 3:7-8), and his role as forerunner (John 1:23)—carried divine endorsement.

• By highlighting John, Jesus points His listeners back to a moment when God’s authority was unmistakably on display (John 1:33).

• “From heaven” means God Himself authorized John’s work (John 1:6;Luke 7:26-27).

• If the leaders admit this, then they must also accept John’s testimony that Jesus is “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29) and that the kingdom is at hand.

• Scripture consistently presents heaven as the source of genuine authority (Daniel 4:26;James 1:17).

• A purely human origin would reduce John’s ministry to opinion, tradition, or self-promotion—exactly what the religious hierarchy often relied upon (Matthew 15:9).

• The leaders feared the crowd because “all held John to be a prophet” (Mark 11:32). Public opinion recognized divine fingerprints where the experts would not.

• This divide exposes the peril of valuing institutional control over revealed truth (Jeremiah 17:5).

• Jesus forces a decision; neutrality is impossible when confronted with divine revelation (Joshua 24:15).

• The demand unmasks motives. The leaders calculate consequences rather than seek truth, revealing hearts hardened by self-interest (Mark 11:31-33).

• By questioning them, Jesus also asserts His own authority. If they will not recognize John’s heavenly mandate, neither will they grasp the source of His (John 5:33-36).

Mark 11:30 shows Jesus turning the tables on those challenging His authority. By referencing John’s baptism, He presents an either-or choice that exposes their unbelief. Acknowledging a heavenly origin validates both John’s call to repentance and Jesus’ messianic authority; denying it reveals allegiance to human traditions over God’s revealed will. The verse reminds every reader that divine authority demands a clear, faith-filled response.