SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:27
Y respondiendo a Jess, dijeron: No sabemos. Y l tambin les dijo: Ni yo os digo con qu autoridad hago esto.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 21:27
Verse 27. We cannot tell.] Simplicity gives a wonderful confidence and peace of mind; but double dealing causes a thousand inquietudes and troubles. Let a man do his utmost to conceal in his own heart the evidence he has of truth and innocence, to countenance his not yielding to it; God, who sees the heart, will, in the light of the last day, produce it as a witness against him, and make it his judge. We cannot tell, said they; which, in the words of truth, should have been, We will not tell, for we will not have this man for the Messiah: because, if we acknowledge John as his forerunner, we must, of necessity, receive Jesus as the Christ.
They who are engaged against the truth are abandoned to the spirit of falsity, and scruple not at a lie. Pharisaical pride, according to its different interests, either pretends to know every thing, or affects to know nothing.
Among such, we may meet with numerous instances of arrogance and affected humility. God often hides from the wise and prudent what he reveals unto babes; for, when they use their wisdom only to invent the most plausible excuses for rejecting the truth when it comes to them, it is but just that they should be punished with that ignorance to which, in their own defense, they are obliged to have recourse.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 27. And they answered Jesus and said, we cannot tell , etc.] They saw the dilemma they were brought into; they chose rather therefore to speak against their own consciences, and tell a wilful lie, and incur the reproach of ignorance: who, at other times, took upon them to judge of a prophet, whether he was a true or a false one, and by what authority he acted, whether of God, or man: but now being reduced to this wretched condition, contrary to their office and character, declare they did not know, and could not tell from whence John had his commission, and who gave him his authority: and he said unto them, neither tell I you by what authority I do these things : since, according to the proposal of Christ, and the agreement he entered into with them, they did not give him a direct answer to his question, he looked upon himself under no obligation to inform them, what was his authority, and from whence he had it; though by the question he put to them he tacitly suggests, that he had his authority not from man, but from God; and by this his answer signifies, that since John preached and baptized without their authority and approbation, so might he; nor was he dependent on them, or accountable to them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 23-27 - As our Lord now openly appeared as the Messiah, the chief priests an scribes were much offended, especially because he exposed and remove the abuses they encouraged. Our Lord asked what they thought of John' ministry and baptism. Many are more afraid of the shame of lying tha of the sin, and therefore scruple not to speak what they know to be false, as to their own thoughts, affections, and intentions, or their remembering and forgetting. Our Lord refused to answer their inquiry It is best to shun needless disputes with wicked opposers.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ αποκριθεντες 611 5679 V-AOP-NPM τω 3588 T-DSM ιησου 2424 N-DSM ειπον 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3P ουκ 3756 PRT-N οιδαμεν 1492 5758 V-RAI-1P εφη 5346 5713 V-IXI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM και 2532 CONJ αυτος 846 P-NSM ουδε 3761 ADV εγω 1473 P-1NS λεγω 3004 5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP εν 1722 PREP ποια 4169 I-DSF εξουσια 1849 N-DSF ταυτα 5023 D-APN ποιω 4160 5719 V-PAI-1S
