Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 21:25
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?
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
25. The baptism of Johnmeaninghis whole mission and ministry, of which baptism was the propercharacter.
whence was it? from heaven,or of men?What wisdom there was in this way of meeting theirquestion will best appear by their reply.
If we shall say, From heaven;he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?“Whydid ye not believe the testimony which he bore to Me, as the promisedand expected Messiah?” for that was the burden of John’s wholetestimony.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The baptism of John ( ). This represents his relation to Jesus who was baptized by him. At once the ecclesiastical leaders find themselves in a dilemma created by their challenge of Christ.
They reasoned with themselves (). Picturesque imperfect tense describing their hopeless quandary.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
25 Whence was the baptism of John? Christ interrogates them about the baptism of John, not only to show that they were unworthy of any authority, because they had despised a holy prophet of God, but also to convict them, by their own reply, of having impudently pretended ignorance of a matter with which they were well acquainted. For we must bear in mind why John was sent, what was his commission, and on what subject he most of all insisted. He had been sent as Christ’s herald. He was not deficient in his duty, and claims nothing more for himself than to
prepare the way of the Lord. (Mal 3:1; Luk 7:27.)
In short., he had pointed out Christ with the finger, and had declared him to be the only Son of God. From what source then do the scribes mean that the new authority of Christ should be proved, since it had been fully attested by the preaching of John?
We now see that Christ employed no cunning stratagem in order to escape, but fully and perfectly answered the question which had been proposed; for it was impossible to acknowledge that John was a servant of God, without acknowledging that he was Himself the Lord. He did not therefore shelter arrogant men, (26) who without any commission, but out of their own hardihood, take upon themselves a public office; nor did he countenance, by his example, the art of suppressing the truth, as many crafty men falsely plead his authority. I do acknowledge that, if wicked men lay snares for us, we ought not always to reply in the same way, but ought to be prudently on our guard against their malice, yet in such a manner that truth may not be left without a proper defense.
Baptism denotes here not only the sign of washing, but the whole ministry of John; for Christ intended to draw out a reply, Was John a true and lawful prophet of God, or an impostor? Yet this mode of expression contains a useful doctrine, Is the of John from God, or from men? For hence we infer, that no doctrine and no sacrament ought to be received among the godly, unless it be evident that it has come from God; and that men are not at liberty to make any invention of this nature. The discourse relates to John, whom our Lord, in another passage, raises, by a remarkable commendation, above all the prophets, (Luk 7:26.) Yet Christ declares that his baptism ought not to be received, unless it had been enjoined by God. What, then, must we say of the pretended sacraments, which men of no authority have foolishly introduced without any command from God? For Christ plainly declares by these words, that the whole government of the Church depends on the will of God in such a manner, that men have no right to introduce any thing from themselves.
But they thought within themselves. Here we perceive the impiety of the priests. They do not inquire what is true, nor do they put the question to their own conscience; (27) and they are so base as to choose rather to shuffle than to acknowledge what they know to be true, that their tyranny may not be impaired. In this manner, all wicked men, though they pretend to be desirous of learning, shut the gate of truth, if they feel it to be opposed to their wicked desires. So then Christ does not allow those men to go without a reply, but sends them away ashamed and confounded, and, by bringing forward the testimony of John, sufficiently proves that he is furnished with divine power. (28)
(26) “ Ainsi done Christ n’a point voulu yei armer de response des glorieux et outrecuidez;” — “so then Christ did not intend here to arm, by his reply, haughty and presumptuous men.”
(27) “ Et n’examinent point la chose selon leur conscience;”—” and do not examine the thing according to their conscience.”
(28) “ Qu’il est muni et authorizé d’une puissance divine;” — “that he is furnished and authorized by a divine power.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
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?
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
25. ] ., 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 1:33-34 .
. ] believe him, ‘give credit to his words:’ ‘for those words were testimonies to me.’
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 21:25 . ., the baptism as representing John’s whole ministry. . ., 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 . , etc. The audible and formal answer of the scribes was , in Mat 21:27 . All that goes before from to is the reasoning on which it was based, either unspoken ( or , Mt.) or spoken to each other ( , Mar 11:31 ); not likely to have been overheard, guessed rather from the puzzled expression on their faces. : 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?
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
baptism. App-115.
heaven. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6, for “God”, singular.
of = from. Same word as “from” in preceding clause.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
25.] ., 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 1:33-34.
. ] believe him, give credit to his words: for those words were testimonies to me.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 21:25. , the baptism) i.e. the whole mission: cf. further on in the verse, ; did ye not believe?- , from heaven) i.e. from God. An instance of Metonomy of a reverential character.-, 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.-, him) sc. bearing witness in My favour.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
baptism: Mat 3:1-12, Mat 11:7-15, Mat 17:12, Mat 17:13, Mar 1:1-11, Mar 11:27-33, Luk 1:11-17, Luk 1:67-80, Luk 3:2-20, Luk 7:28-35, Joh 1:6, Joh 1:15, Joh 1:25-34, Joh 3:26-36
Why: Luk 20:5, Joh 3:18, Joh 5:33-36, Joh 5:44-47, Joh 10:25, Joh 10:26, Joh 12:37-43, 1Jo 3:20
Reciprocal: Mat 21:32 – and ye believed Mar 11:31 – Why Luk 14:4 – General Luk 20:4 – baptism Luk 20:14 – reasoned Joh 3:27 – from Joh 8:46 – why Act 19:4 – John
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE BAPTISM OF GOODNESS
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?
Mat 21:25
St. John the Baptist was not only a striking individual character, but a type.
I. The ascetic character.He was a type of that band of fine spirits whose lives stretch down the ages in a chain of witness to the glory of renunciation. The ascetic character has ever its two aspects; sometimes the one is prominent, sometimes the other; sometimes they are bound together as in the life of the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. There is (a) the beauty of simplicity, and (b) the stern denunciation of wrong.
II. Question and answer.Turn, then, to the words which bring his mission into question, The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? Here was the best question to those who had come to entangle the Lord. Did they really want to know the truth? If so, they could answer truly about what they had seen and known. John was a witness for truth and religion; he died for his bold defence of that pure family life which Jews held most dear. And now there came the Great Prophet whom he had foretold, and He asked them the simple, straightforward question. They answered Jesus and said, We know not.
How pitiable! We do not know. A man has preached sound doctrine and lived a holy life, has constantly spoken the truth, boldly rebuked vice, and at last has patiently suffered for the truths sake: was his work the work of God or not? Was his baptism from heaven or from men? We know not. There are some things which not to know condemns a man at once; they are the things to which every conscience witnesses, which belong to the Kingdom of God.
III. The baptism of goodness.Year by year the Church twice sets St. John Baptist before us as an example. He was a man who knew his own mindnot in worldly matters only, but in those great questions of right and wrong that are before us all, and that will seem, depend upon it, when we are on our death-beds, the only questions we have had to deal with in our lives. And that question of our Lords means this: that every day you must be ready to answer for your soul. You cant pass by the great questions as if you were too busy, or too old, or too young, or too insignificant for it. We must know that the baptism of goodness is of God; we must accept it, and live in the strength and the purpose that it gives.
The Rev. W. H. Hutton.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
1:25
The fact of John’s baptism was not denied by anyone, the only question being his authority for teaching and practicing it. John either was doing so by the authority of the Lord of heaven or merely as a work of man, and they were asked to say which they thought it was. But the question, although a perfectly fair one, put them in an embarrassing position because of the inconsistency of their general conduct. If they were to admit that John’s baptism was from heaven they could not explain why they did not endorse it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 21:25. The baptism of John. As representing his whole ministry.
And they reasoned, consulted, so as to agree upon the answer.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 25
The baptism of John; that is, the public ministry of John.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
21:25 The {m} baptism of John, whence was it? from {n} heaven, or of men? And they {o} reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
(m) The preaching of John is called by the figure “baptism” because he preached the baptism of repentance, etc.; Mr 1:4 Act 19:3 .
(n) From God, and so it is plainly seen how these are set one against another.
(o) Beat their heads about it, and mused, or laid their heads together.