Mark 11:31 Commentary and Bible Study

The Pharisees realise that they too are in a trap. The two questions correspond to each other – theirs to Christ, and his to them. It is the same trap that they have tried to set for him, but the reverse. If he had said, my authority is from heaven, they would have arrested him, but if he said it is from men then he would be admitting his message and ministry were false. In the same way, if they said that John’s baptism was from men, they would expose themselves to the anger of the people (who were all taking careful note of what was being said, because they had come to force this public confrontation), but if they answered that it was from heaven then they would be confessing their own unbelief in failing to believe John. So they are stuck. They frantically reason together. ‘If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?’ Believe what? Believe his clear statements that Christ was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, that he is Messiah and Saviour. If we say, ‘He was a true prophet’, he has got us. He will say, ‘Well, why don't you believe him? He has identified me.’