Mat 21:24 I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I will likewise tell you by what authority I do these things.

Mat 21:25 The baptism of John, where was it from? from heaven, or of men?

While Christ addresses this statement to the priests and elders who questioned his teaching, notice how well it fits with his previous statement about God answering our prayers. God gives us the opportunity, but we must take advantage of those opportunities to make our prayers come true. Do our success come from Godor from ourselves?

In using the term, heaven, Christ didn't make this about divine power alone. The term also means "universe." So the question can be taken as a question about the source of one's power in general: Does it come from the universe or from ourselves. It can also be taken as a contrast between power coming from the natural world of God or from the artificial world of society.

"Ask" is from erôtaô, which means "to ask," "to question," and "to ask about." This is the first time Christ uses this term in the Bible.

"Thing" is from the the Greek logos, which means "word," "computation," "reckoning," and "value." It is also "an explanation," "an argument," or "a rule or principle of law." Previously, it has always been translated as "words" when Christ uses it.

"Tell" is from ereô, which means "to say" and "to speak." It also means "weave," meaning making cloth out of threads, as we might say, weave a story.

"Authority" is from exousia, which means "control," "the power of choice," "permission," "the power of authority," "the right of priveledge," "abundance of means," and "abuse of power."


"Do" is from poieô, which has two general meanings of "make" and "do." In the sense of "make" it means "produce," "bring into existence," "bring about," and "cause." In the sense of "do," it means "to act" and "to be effective."

"Heaven" is from ouranos, which is "heaven," "sky," and "the universe."

"Men" is from anthrôpos, which means both "a man" and in the plural (anthropon) "mankind." It is both the term for individuals and a generic term.