Mark 11:30

30 τὸ βάπτισμα τὸ Ἰωάννου ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἦν ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων; ἀποκρίθητέ μοι.

Mark 11:30 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 11:30

The baptism of John
The doctrine of which he was the first preacher, and the ordinance of which he was the first administrator:

was it from heaven, or of men?
was it of divine or of human institution?

answer me;
directly and plainly, without any shuffling, or evasion: it is a fair question, and may be answered; and the answer to it our Lord suggests would naturally lead to a proper one to their question; (See Gill on Matthew 21:25).

Mark 11:30 In-Context

28 καὶ ἔλεγον αὐτῷ · Ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς; ἢ τίς σοι ἔδωκεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην ⸃ ἵνα ταῦτα ποιῇς;

29 ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς · Ἐπερωτήσω ὑμᾶς ἕνα λόγον, καὶ ἀποκρίθητέ μοι, καὶ ἐρῶ ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ ·

30 τὸ βάπτισμα τὸ Ἰωάννου ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἦν ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων; ἀποκρίθητέ μοι.

31 καὶ διελογίζοντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες · Τί εἴπωμεν;⸃ ἐὰν εἴπωμεν · Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐρεῖ · Διὰ τί οὖν οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ;

32 ἀλλὰ εἴπωμεν · Ἐξ ἀνθρώπων;— ἐφοβοῦντο τὸν ὄχλον, ἅπαντες γὰρ εἶχον τὸν Ἰωάννην ὄντως ὅτι ⸃ προφήτης ἦν.