Why does Jesus use a question to respond in Mark 11:29? Text Under Examination “Jesus replied, ‘I will ask you one question. Answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’” (Mark 11:29) Historical And Cultural Setting Jesus has entered Jerusalem, cleansed the temple (Mark 11:15-17), and now confronts the chief priests, scribes, and elders—recognized custodians of religious authority. In first-century rabbinic debate, challenging a teacher’s “authority” (ἐξουσία) demanded proof: citation of an earlier rabbi, prophetic call, or miraculous validation. Counter-questioning was an accepted legal-scholastic device, attested in the Mishnah (e.g., Avot 5:7) and later Talmudic dialogue, whereby a disputant exposed an examiner’s intent before yielding an answer. Rabbinic Pedagogy: The Counter-Question 1. Standard halakhic discourse permitted a rabbi to respond with a question to: • shift the burden of proof, • reveal motives, and • lead the opponent to self-incrimination. 2. Jesus’ question—“Was John’s baptism from heaven or from men?” (v. 30)—forces His adversaries either to affirm divine origin (thereby validating Jesus, whom John proclaimed, John 1:29-36) or to deny John and alienate the crowds (Mark 11:32). Scriptural Precedent For Question As Answer • Psalm 110:1 poses a “Davidic riddle” that Jesus later employs (Mark 12:35-37). • Proverbs 26:4-5 advises selective engagement with a fool, sometimes by question. • Job 38-39 shows God interrogating Job to assert sovereign wisdom. Exposing Motives And Hardness Of Heart By asking, Jesus diagnoses the interlocutors’ unbelief. They deliberate, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ … We are afraid of the people.” (Mark 11:31-32). Their refusal to answer is moral, not intellectual. This fulfills Isaiah 6:9-10—seeing yet not perceiving. Affirmation Of Divine Authority Without Self-Subjection To Malice Jesus refuses to cast “pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6) when a questioner is entrenched in hostility. By linking His authority to John’s, He roots His ministry in prophetic continuity (Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3) while avoiding premature claims that would be twisted for accusation (cf. Luke 20:20-26). John The Baptist Connection John publicly identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). A concession that John’s baptism was “from heaven” logically compels acceptance of Jesus’ messianic authority (John 3:27-36). Thus Jesus’ question is not evasion; it is revelatory, centering on the watershed of prophetic witness. Theological Significance 1. Christ’s wisdom: embodying Isaiah 11:2, the Spirit of counsel and understanding. 2. Progressive revelation: Jesus discloses truth to willing hearts (Mark 4:11-12). 3. Sovereignty over interrogators: His lordship dictates the terms of inquiry. Practical Application Believers may imitate Christ by: • discerning the heart behind a question (Colossians 4:6), • refusing to enable bad-faith dialogue (Titus 3:10-11), and • steering conversation toward the gospel’s hinge—Jesus’ identity and authority. Systematic Theology Link Authority (ἐξουσία) in Mark telescopes from Jesus’ teaching (Mark 1:22), power over demons (1:27), nature (4:41), sin (2:10), and now the temple (11:15-18). His question amplifies that theme: ultimate authority derives only “from heaven.” Conclusion Jesus’ use of a question in Mark 11:29 is a strategic, prophetic, and pastoral act. It conforms to accepted rabbinic method, fulfills Scripture, exposes unbelief, links His ministry to John’s prophetic witness, and upholds His sovereign prerogative. By this single question He simultaneously clarifies His divine authority and reveals the spiritual bankruptcy of His challengers. |
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