Luke 20:7 (KJV)

What does Luke 20:7 mean?

Luke 20:7 records the answer that the religious leaders give Jesus about John’s baptism. They say they cannot tell where it came from. Their answer leaves unresolved whether John’s work came from heaven or from human beings.

The speakers are the chief priests, scribes, and elders who had questioned Jesus about his authority. Before answering, they had discussed the consequences of either choice. They feared the crowd because the people regarded John as a prophet, someone sent to speak for God.

The Greek behind Luke 20:7

• “could not tell” — οἶδα (oida): This word often carries the sense of knowing. The phrase presents the leaders as saying they do not know the answer, rather than simply saying that they refuse to speak.

Why Luke 20:7 matters

• The leaders’ private discussion gives their answer an important background. In verses 5–6, they consider how Jesus and the people would respond to either choice before giving their answer in verse 7.
• “Whence it was” asks about the source of John’s baptism, not the place where John baptized people. Jesus had put the choice as “from heaven, or of men” in verse 4.
• The answer also affects the exchange about Jesus’ authority. In verse 8, Jesus responds that he will not tell them by what authority he does the things they had questioned.