Mateo 21:27

27 —No lo sabemos.—Pues yo tampoco les voy a decir con qué autoridad hago esto.

Mateo 21:27 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 21:27

And they answered Jesus and said, we cannot tell
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.

Mateo 21:27 In-Context

25 El bautismo de Juan, ¿de dónde procedía? ¿Del cielo o de la tierra?Ellos se pusieron a discutir entre sí: «Si respondemos: “Del cielo”, nos dirá: “Entonces, ¿por qué no le creyeron?”

26 Pero si decimos: “De la tierra” … tememos al pueblo, porque todos consideran que Juan era un profeta». Así que le respondieron a Jesús:

27 —No lo sabemos.—Pues yo tampoco les voy a decir con qué autoridad hago esto.

28 »¿Qué les parece? —continuó Jesús—. Había un hombre que tenía dos hijos. Se dirigió al primero y le pidió: “Hijo, ve a trabajar hoy en el viñedo”.

29 “No quiero”, contestó, pero después se arrepintió y fue.