Mark 11:31

31 And they began to discuss [this] with one another, saying, "What should we say? If we say 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

Mark 11:31 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 11:31

And they reasoned with themselves saying
Privately; perhaps, they withdrew at a little distance for a short time, and consulted among themselves what answer to return; and the amount of their reasonings were this;

if we shall say from heaven, he will say, why then did ye not
believe him?
that is, should they say that John had a divine commission for what he said and did, they were aware that Christ would reply, why did not ye give credit to him? and had you done so, seeing he testified of me, you would have had no occasion to have put the above question; (See Gill on Matthew 21:25).

Mark 11:31 In-Context

29 So Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these [things].

30 The baptism of John--was [it] from heaven or from men? Answer me!"

31 And they began to discuss [this] with one another, saying, "What should we say? If we say 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

32 But if we say, 'From men'"--they were afraid of the crowd, because they all looked upon John {as truly a prophet}.

33 And they replied to Jesus saying, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these [things]."

Footnotes

• [a]. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to discuss")
• [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [c]. Some manuscripts omit "What should we say?"