Jesus knew that if they could not recognize God in Him or see in His works the evidence of His divine character, they would not believe His own testimony that He was the Christ. In His answer He evades the issue they hope to bring about and turns the condemnation upon themselves. 274 "I also will ask you one thing," He said, "which if ye tell Me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?"

Jesus vidste, at hvis de ikke kunne se Gud i ham eller se beviser på hans guddommelige karakter i hans gerninger ville de ikke tro hans eget udsagn om, at han var Kristus. I sit svar undgår han at komme med den udtalelse, som de venter og håber på, og vender fordømmelsen mod dem.