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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Mark 11:33 Commentaries: Answering Jesus, they said, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things."</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newcom.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../vmenus/mark/11-33.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcom/mark/11-33.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/">Commentaries</a> > Mark 11:33</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../mark/11-32.htm" title="Mark 11:32">◄</a> Mark 11:33 <a href="../mark/12-1.htm" title="Mark 12:1">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/alford/mark/11.htm" title="Henry Alford - Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary">Alford</a> • <a href="/commentaries/barnes/mark/11.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/bengel/mark/11.htm" title="Bengel's Gnomen">Bengel</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/mark/11.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/mark/11.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/mark/11.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/mark/11.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/mark/11.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/mark/11.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/mark/11.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/mark/11.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/mark/11.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/egt/mark/11.htm" title="Expositor's Greek">Exp Grk</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/mark/11.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/mark/11.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/mark/11.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/mark/11.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/mark/11.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/mark/11.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/mark/11-24.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/mark/11.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/icc/mark/11.htm" title="ICC NT Commentary">ICC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/mark/11.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kelly/mark/11.htm" title="Kelly Commentary">Kelly</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/mark/11.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/mark/11.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/mark/11.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/mark/11.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/mark/11.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/meyer/mark/11.htm" title="Meyer Commentary">Meyer</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/mark/11.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pnt/mark/11.htm" title="People's New Testament">PNT</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/mark/11.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/mark/11.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/mark/11.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/mark/11.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/mark/11.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/vws/mark/11.htm" title="Vincent's Word Studies">VWS</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/mark/11.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/mark/11.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(33) <span class= "bld">We cannot tell.</span>—Better, as also in <a href="/matthew/21-27.htm" title="And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said to them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.">Matthew 21:27</a>, <span class= "ital">We do not know.</span> The repetition of the verb “tell” in the English, gives an unreal emphasis which is not in the Greek. The real stress lies on the pronoun “I.”<p><span class= "bld"><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/mark/11.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>11:27-33 Our Saviour shows how near akin his doctrine and baptism were to those of John; they had the same design and tendency, to bring in the gospel kingdom. These elders did not deserve to be taught; for it was plain that they contended not for truth, but victory: nor did he need to tell them; for the works he did, told them plainly he had authority from God; since no man could do the miracles which he did, unless God were with him.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/mark/11.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>See the notes at <a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/20-23.htm">Matthew 20:23-27</a>. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/mark/11.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>Mr 11:27-33. The Authority of Jesus Questioned—His Reply. ( = Mt 21:23-27; Lu 20:1-8).<p>See on [1480]Mt 21:23-27. <div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/mark/11.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> <span class="bld">See Poole on "<a href="/mark/11-29.htm" title="And Jesus answered and said to them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.">Mark 11:29</a>"</span> <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/mark/11.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>And they answered and said unto Jesus,.... Being reduced by this dilemma to the greatest streight and difficulty; <p>we cannot tell: they could, if they would, but they did not care to tell; they knew if they did, they should expose themselves one way or other: <p>and Jesus answering, saith unto them, neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things; See Gill on <a href="/matthew/21-27.htm">Matthew 21:27</a>. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/mark/11.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2">And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.</span></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/mark/11.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">33</span>. <span class="ital">Neither do I tell you</span>] The counter-question of Jesus was the consequence of the question of these men. “Him that inquires,” saith one of old, “we are bound to instruct; but him that tempts, we may defeat with a stroke of reasoning.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/mark/11.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 33.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">We know not</span>. They had seen the life of John. They had heard his holy and Divine teaching. They were witnesses to his death for the truth; and yet they lie. They might have said," We think it imprudent or inexpedient to say;" but for this they had not sufficient moral courage. <span class="cmt_word">Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things</span>. You will not answer my question; neither will I therefore answer yours; because your answer to mine is the answer to your own. "He thus shows," says St. Jerome, "that they knew, but would not answer; and that he knew, but did not speak, because they were silent as to what they knew." Our Lord did thus but mete out to them the measure which they meted to him. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span> <span class="p"><br /><br /></span> Mark 11:33<div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/mark/11-33.htm">Mark 11:33 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../mark/11-32.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Mark 11:32"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Mark 11:32" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../mark/12-1.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Mark 12:1"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Mark 12:1" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>