Mark 11:27

And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27-33) And they come again to Jerusalem.—See Notes on Matthew 21:23-27. Peculiar to St. Mark is the fact that our Lord was “walking” as well as teaching in the Temple.

Benson Commentary

Mark 11:27-29. There come to him the chief priests, &c. — It seems that Christ’s sermons made a great impression on those who heard him, for the number of his followers and admirers increased so as to alarm the rulers, who feared that the people, on his account, would endeavour to shake off the Roman yoke. They consulted, therefore, among themselves, how they might destroy him, and resolved to do it under pretext of law; the attachment which the multitude had to him hindering them from laying violent hands on him. In consequence of this resolution, the chief priests, scribes, and elders, that is, some of the first men of the nation, came, probably by appointment of the senate, to Jesus one day when he was in the temple, and before all the people, put two questions to him. The first was, concerning the nature of the authority by which he acted, whether it was as a prophet, a priest, or a king; no other person having a right to make any reformation in church or state. The second question was, that if he claimed the authority of any, or all of these characters, they desired to know from whom he derived it. The things done by him, to which they referred, were his entering the city with such a numerous train of attendants; his taking upon him to reform the economy of the temple; and his receiving the acclamations of the people, who gave him the title of Messiah. Jesus answered, I will also ask of you one question. — See note on Matthew 21:23-27.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:27-33 Our Saviour shows how near akin his doctrine and baptism were to those of John; they had the same design and tendency, to bring in the gospel kingdom. These elders did not deserve to be taught; for it was plain that they contended not for truth, but victory: nor did he need to tell them; for the works he did, told them plainly he had authority from God; since no man could do the miracles which he did, unless God were with him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 20:23-27.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mr 11:27-33. The Authority of Jesus Questioned—His Reply. ( = Mt 21:23-27; Lu 20:1-8).

See on [1480]Mt 21:23-27.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 27,28. Our Lord went every night to Bethany, (two miles, or near as much), and returned in the morning to Jerusalem. Our Saviour walked and taught in the temple. Matthew saith the priests and the scribes came to him as he was teaching; Mark saith,

as he was walking: possibly he at the same time both walked and taught, for in his whole story we shall observe that he lost no time, if he were walking by the highway, or sitting in the house, wherever he was, we still find him teaching.

See Poole on "Matthew 21:23", where we had the same thing.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they come again to Jerusalem,.... The Persic and Ethiopic versions read, "he came", which must be understood with his disciples; for they never parted from him till he was apprehended in the garden. Luke says, Luke 20:1, that it was "on one of those days"; and the Persic version here reads, "on another day": it was the day after the cursing of the fig tree, and two days after his public entrance into Jerusalem:

and as he was walking in the temple; not alone, but his disciples with him, and a multitude of people, whom he was teaching and preaching the Gospel to, as he walked to and fro; and whilst he was there employed,

there come to him the chief priests, and the Scribes, and the elders: the Jewish sanhedrim; for of these that great council of the nation consisted; See Gill on Matthew 21:23.

Geneva Study Bible

{5} And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

(5) The gospel has been assaulted long since then by those in positions of human authority.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Mark 11:27-33. See on Matthew 21:23-27. Comp. Luke 20:1-8. Matthew abridges little, but yet remains not so directly vivid.

περιπατοῦντος] According to Matthew and Luke Jesus taught, which, however, is not excluded by Mark’s statement.

Mark 11:28. ταῦτα] the cleansing of the temple, comp. on Matthew 21:23.

ἵνα ταῦτα ποιῇς] not a paraphrase of the infinitive, but: in order that thou mayest do these things, purpose of τὴν ἐξουσίαν τ. ἔδωκεν.

Mark 11:29. ἐπερωτήσω] not: post interrogabo (Fritzsche), but, as always in the N. T.: to inquire of, so that ἐπί expresses the direction. Comp. Plat. Soph. p. 249 E: δικαίως ἂν ἐπερωτηθεῖμεν ἅπερ αὐτοὶ τότε ἠρωτῶμεν (be inquired of, as we ourselves asked questions).

Mark 11:31. οὖν] therefore, since it comes from heaven.

Mark 11:32. ἀλλʼ εἴπωμεν· ἐξ ἀνθρώπων] Here is to be placed a note of interrogation (Complutensian, Lachmann, Tischendorf); but are we to say: of men? a question of doubtful reflection! Rinck, Lucubr. crit. p. 306, aptly remarks on what follows: “Respondet Marcus suo nomine, idque elegantissime fecisse videtur, quoniam haud facile quisquam sibi ipse aperte timorem adscribere consuevit.” Comp. Buttmann, neut. Gr. p. 330 [E. T. 385].

εἶχον τὸν Ἰωάννην ὄντως, ὅτι προφ. ἦν] (see the critical remarks): they really perceived (perspectum habebant, see Ast, Lex. Plat. I. p. 873) that John (in his lifetime) was a prophet. Ἰωάννην … ὅτι is to be taken according to the well-known attraction; see Winer, p. 551 [E. T. 781]; Buttmann, p. 322 [E. T. 376].

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 11:27-33. By what authority? (Matthew 21:23-27, Luke 20:1-8).

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27–33. Question respecting John the Baptist

27. as he was walking] This is in keeping with St Mark’s vivid style of delineation.

elders] “eldere men,” Wyclif. The ancient senators or representatives of the people. With the chief priests and scribes they constituted on this occasion a formal deputation from the Sanhedrim. We find the earliest notice of the elders acting in concert as a political body in the time of the Exodus (Exodus 19:7; Deuteronomy 31:9). Their authority, which extended to all matters of the common weal, they exercised under (a) the Judges (Jdg 2:7; 1 Samuel 4:3); under (b) the Kings (1 Samuel 30:26; 1 Chronicles 21:16; 2 Samuel 17:4); during (c) the Captivity (Jeremiah 29:1; Ezekiel 8:1); after (d) the Return (Ezra 5:5; Ezra 6:7; Ezra 6:14; Ezra 10:8; Ezra 10:14); under (e) the Maccabees (1Ma 12:6; 2Ma 1:10); in (f) the time of our Lord, when they denoted a distinct body in the Sanhedrim, amongst whom they obtained their seat by election, or nomination from the executive authority.

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 11:27. Περιπατοῦντος, walking about) As in his own house.—ἔρχονται, come) A weighty and solemn interrogation this was, made by men of different ranks.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 27, 28. - By what authority doest then these things? We learn from ver. 18 float the chief priests and scribes had already been seeking how they might destroy him, and they wanted to establish some definite charge, whether of blasphemy or of sedition, against him. They now approach him as he walked in the temple, and demand by what authority he was doing these things, such as casting out the profaners of the temple, teaching and instructing the people, accepting their Hosannas, etc. And who gave thee this authority to do these things? According to the best reading, this sentence should run, or (η} instead of καὶ) who gave thee, etc., instead of "and who gave thee," etc. So that the questions are directed to two things - was his authority inherent? or, was it derived? Mark 11:27

Vincent's Word Studies

Walking

An addition of Mark.