The Baptism of John, Was it from Heaven or of Men? How Can You Tell?
Like the Pharisees in Jesus’ time, many Christians, when posed the same question find themselves unable to respond with certainty. But there is one sure way to tell.
Jesus was teaching in the temple when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him and asked, “By what authority do you do these things? (Teaching, forgiving sins, healing the sick, and many other things Jesus was doing). “And who gave you this authority?”
Jesus answered them with another question, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I in likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John (“the Baptist”), from where was it? from heaven, or of men?
Reasoning among themselves, “If we shall say, ‘From heaven;’ he will say to us, ‘Why did you not then believe him?’ But if we shall say, ‘Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.” Therefore, they answered Jesus and said, “We cannot tell.”
And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
