Such  is  the  meaning  of  the  question  which  the  Saviour  put  to  them,
which,  at  the  same  time  that  it  confounded  them,  placed  before  their
eyes  another  proof  of  the  divinity  of  his  mission,  to  which  it  is  very
likely  that  they  then  paid  no  attention.  (Zi)  He,  "  answering,  said
to  them  :  I  will  also  ask  you  one  word,  which  if  you  shall  tell  me,  I
will  also  tell  you  by  what  authority  I  do  these  things.  The  Ijap-
tism  of  John,  whence  was  it  ?  From  heaven,  or  from  men  ?  An-
swer me.  But  they  thought  within  themselves,  saying  :  If  we  say
from  heaven,  he  will  say  to  us  :  Why,  then,  did  you  not  believe  him  ?
But  if  we  shall  say  from  men,  we  are  afraid  of  the  people  ;  the  whole
people  will  stone  us,  for  they  are  persuaded  that  John  was  a  proph-
et. [^Therefore]  answering  Jesus,  they  said:  We  know  not  whence
it  was  (8).  And  Jesus  said  to  them  :  Neither  do  I  tell  you  by  what
authority  I  do  these  things  (9)."

(a)  St.  Luke,  XX.  1,  2.
(i)  St.  Luke,  .\x.  3-8;  St.  Matthew,  xxi.  24-26;  St.  Mark,  xi.  30-33.
(8)  They  were  forced  to  give  this  answer,  if  they  did  not  choose  to  retract,  or  to  run
the  risk  of  being  stoned.     Nothing  but  extreme  necessity  can  make  learned  doctors  say  :

We  know  not.
