Matthew 21:26 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet."

NIV: But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."

NASB: But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.'

CSB: But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we’re afraid of the crowd, because everyone considers John to be a prophet."

NLT: But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.'

KJV: But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

NKJV: But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.”

Jesus has agreed to answer a pointed question from a group of chief priests and elders on one condition: They must answer His question first. He has asked them whether the work of John the Baptist was from heaven or from man (Matthew 21:23–24). Their question, as posed, was legitimate. However, their motives were not: the men who challenged Christ were not sincerely seeing an answer, but an excuse to catch Jesus saying something that would make Him guilty of blasphemy.

With Jesus' counter-question, those hypocritical leaders are now stuck. If they say that John's baptism was from heaven, the obvious implication is that they're disobeying God. Of course, that's not what these priests and elders think, but here they admit they are afraid to tell the truth. John the Baptist was popular with the people. The crowds of Israelites who flocked to see John and be baptized by him believed the man was a legitimate prophet sent from God.

In admitting this, even to each other, these priests and elders will reveal just how dishonest and political they really are. Jesus knew this, of course, when He posed the question to them. In a way, His response was, in fact, an answer to their original challenge. If Israel's religious leaders had believed John was a true prophet from God, they would have believed his message about the Messiah, whom he identified as Jesus.

These men have an opportunity, of sorts, to at least demonstrate integrity. The honest answer—albeit the unpopular one—would be to say they thought John the Baptist was not from God. And yet, their first commitment is not to the truth but to their own security. It's the same reason they refuse to see that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus has trapped them in this moment behind the wall of their own dishonesty and unbelief. Their public response will make this clear (Matthew 21:27).

Matthew 21:23–27 finds Jesus in the temple as He is challenged by priests and elders. They want to know by what authority Jesus acts. He agrees to answer if they will answer Him: Was John the Baptist's baptism from heaven or from earth? The religious leaders know that if they say he was a prophet, Jesus will ask why they didn't believe and repent. If they say John was not a prophet, though, the people will be upset. They say they don't know. Jesus does not answer their question.

Jesus fulfills a prophecy from Zechariah about the coming of the king to Jerusalem by riding in on a donkey. The people celebrate and praise Him as the Messiah. Jesus drives the marketers and moneychangers out of the temple and heals some people. He curses a fig tree and tells the disciples nothing will be impossible for them with faith. Jesus forces cowardly and hypocritical religious leaders to back down with a question about John the Baptist. He then exposes their fraudulent spirituality with two parables about vineyards. Jesus applies to Himself a psalm about a rejected stone being made the cornerstone by the Lord.

Matthew 21 finds Jesus arriving near Jerusalem after leaving Jericho in the previous chapter. His triumphal entry is accomplished riding a donkey, and to raucous praise, fulfilling a prophecy about the Messiah. Jesus cleanses the marketplace from the temple, heals, and presents lessons about faith and Israel's failed leadership. This leads into further conversations which Matthew compiles from Jesus' interactions with the Pharisees.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.