Question 7: Mark 11:27-33

[pastormeyer]

1. How does Jesus make the religious leaders reveal their unbelief? (verses 27-33)

[beckytomfohrde]

Always answering their question (traps) with a question of his own. And Jesus’ questions are good for our own hearts as well.

[webers]

They didn't acknowledge John's purpose that he was sent to do. Which therefore they don't acknowledge Jesus.

Also they were afraid to give an answer either way. They were afraid of being judged.

[nick]

It's not like this is in the first week of his ministry. After all of his preaching and all of his miracles, if you still have to ask the question, you don't believe everything that he had done before this.

[pastormeyer]

Thanks for the replies.

I like your thought that it's good for each of us to sit with Jesus' questions and answer them for ourselves, too. What kind of answers / thoughts might we have if we answer Jesus ' question here?

Fear kept them from doing what would have been ultimately and eternally beneficial to themselves... listening to John and repenting and looking to Jesus, and trusting in Jesus instead of hating him.

It's incredible that at this point in Jesus' ministry that after all the miracles he has done and powerful teaching he has shared that people still do not believe. Faith is truly a gift of the Holy Spirit. If you have faith in Jesus, now is a good time for a quick prayer of thanks to God.

[Kara]

Jesus took them back to the one who prepared the way for him, the same John whom Herod had beheaded rather than face his sins of adultery and people-pleasing rather than God-pleasing. In this way, Jesus was confronting them with their own sin and lack of repentance. He was confronting their fears (of being wrong, of being trapped, of their authority being questioned or toppled) and their avoidance of the truth with questions of his own.