Mark 11:33

33 καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγουσιν ⸃· Οὐκ οἴδαμεν. καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς · Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.

Mark 11:33 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 11:33

And they answered and said unto Jesus
Being reduced by this dilemma to the greatest streight and difficulty;

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:

and Jesus answering, saith unto them, neither do I tell you by what
authority I do these things; (See Gill on Matthew 21:27).

Mark 11:33 In-Context

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.

33 καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγουσιν ⸃· Οὐκ οἴδαμεν. καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς · Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.