What Does Mark 11:30 Mean in the King James?
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Greek repeats the same word for “from heaven” and “of men,” making the hidden question the baptism’s source.
THE MEANING
This question holds John’s immersion at a fork between two origins: heaven and human beings. Its repeated Greek source-word keeps both choices under the same question: where does this come from? The same question meets the reader wherever an act carries authority.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A religious name by itself proves that its authority comes from God.
THE ROOT
ἐξ
ex
GROWS FROM
ἐκ
ek
Out of; from a source or origin.
“from / of” in this verse is ex. The Greek uses the same ἐξ before both “heaven” and “men,” though the KJV renders it “from” and “of.” Both alternatives are framed as possible origins of John’s immersion.
ALSO GROWS
ekballō: Cast out; drive out.
ἐκβάλλω
The compound uses ἐκ (ek), “out of,” for movement away from a place; here the standalone word marks the proposed source.
ekpiptō: Fall out; fall away.
ἐκπίπτω
This compound also carries the sense of movement out from, echoing the source question in the verse.
βάπτισμα
baptisma
GROWS FROM
βαπτίζω
baptizō
Immerse.
“baptism” in this verse is baptisma. The Greek family keeps the action of immersion audible beneath the familiar name of the rite. Jesus asks where John’s immersion comes from, bringing its source into view.
ALSO GROWS
baptizō: Immerse.
βαπτίζω
This verb names the action behind the noun used for John’s baptism.
baptismos: Washing; immersion.
βαπτισμός
This related noun keeps the word-family’s concrete image of immersion present.
THE PATTERN
A claim’s source reveals what kind of authority it carries.
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.But if it be of God, ye can not overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.THE THREAD
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.Mark uses ἐξ (ex, “from/out of”) for both proposed sources: heaven and human beings. John 15:19 uses that same Greek word in “of the world” and “out of the world,” joining origin and the place one comes out from.
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