The Meaning of Matthew 21:27 Explained

Matthew 21:27

KJV: And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

YLT: And answering Jesus they said, 'We have not known.' He said to them -- he also -- 'Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Darby: And answering Jesus they said, We do not know. He also said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

ASV: And they answered Jesus, and said, We know not. He also said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  they answered  Jesus,  and said,  We cannot  tell.  And  he  said  unto them,  Neither  tell  I  you  by  what  authority  I do  these things. 

What does Matthew 21:27 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The leaders" equivocation gave Jesus a reason to refuse them a direct answer without losing face. Why did He not give them one? They had refused earlier revelation through John. Having refused that revelation they had no ground to ask for more. They were incompetent to judge Jesus" authority since they misunderstood the Old Testament and rejected the ministry of John. That was tragic since these were the men charged with evaluating the claims of those who said they spoke for God. They were ineffective spiritual leaders because they refused to judge fairly. [1]
"Jesus" subtle answers to the religious leaders" challenge concerning His authority continued for several chapters even after it initially seemed that He had stopped. Without reading on, one would miss the answers Jesus actually did give, namely, that He is the Son of the Father, and that He demonstrated His authority conclusively when challenged to debate by those who considered themselves authorities." [2]
Matthew used this confrontation over Jesus" authority to introduce three parables. He typically used events to introduce teaching in this Gospel. All three parables deal with these religious leaders. They focus on their failure to respond to God"s call and the consequences for the future of the Israelites.

Context Summary

Matthew 21:23-32 - Authority Which Silenced And Condemned
Our Lord always refused to gratify idle curiosity. When an earnest seeker for truth, like Nicodemus, approached Him to know the way of life, He was willing to give time and thought without stint. But of what use was it to endeavor to satisfy these men who had refused to acknowledge the divine mission of the Forerunner! They would not speak out their inner convictions, because of the effect it would have on their worldly prospects. For such as these Christ has nothing. At all costs, we must be true to the inner light, that is, to God's Spirit within us.
The parable of the two sons teaches that hard hearts may lie under fair words, while those of whom we expect least and whose first greeting is abrupt and disappointing, may later prove to be the most devoted and hopeful disciples. If a man repels the gospel with violence, he is more likely ultimately to be won than he who gives a polite and facile assent. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 21

1  Jesus rides into Jerusalem upon a donkey
12  drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple;
17  curses the fig tree;
23  puts to silence the priests and elders,
28  and rebukes them by the parable of the two sons,
33  and the husbandmen who slew such as were sent to them

What do the individual words in Matthew 21:27 mean?

And answering - Jesus they said Not do we know Said to them also He Neither I tell you by what authority these things I do
καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἶπαν Οὐκ οἴδαμεν Ἔφη αὐτοῖς καὶ αὐτός Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ

ἀποκριθέντες  answering 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦ  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
εἶπαν  they  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
οἴδαμεν  do  we  know 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: οἶδα  
Sense: to see.
Ἔφη  Said 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φημί  
Sense: to make known one’s thoughts, to declare.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
Οὐδὲ  Neither 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐδέ  
Sense: but not, neither, nor, not even.
λέγω  tell 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ἐξουσίᾳ  authority 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐξουσία  
Sense: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases.
ταῦτα  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ποιῶ  I  do 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.