What Does Matthew 21:27 Mean in the King James?
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.
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 English “tell” hides the difference between a claim of not knowing and a deliberate refusal to speak.
THE MEANING
They say, “We cannot tell,” and Jesus answers, “Neither tell I you.” The first line claims no knowledge; the second withholds speech. Authority here includes the capacity to govern what is disclosed.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie this verse undoes is that a question automatically obliges an answer; here authority includes the freedom to withhold disclosure.
THE ROOT
ἐξουσία
exousia
GROWS FROM
ἔξεστι
exesti
ἔξεστι (exesti) means “it is permitted” or “it is possible”; ἐξουσία (exousia) means authority, a right or scope to act.
The noun ἐξουσία (exousia, authority or right to act) grows from ἔξεστι (exesti, it is permitted): its shade is an authorized sphere of action, not merely force. Here, authority also governs disclosure; Jesus is not compelled to reveal the source on demand.
ALSO GROWS
exesti: It is permitted, possible, or lawful.
ἔξεστι
This verbal idea gives authority the shade of an allowed right or scope.
exousiazō: To exercise authority or have authority over.
ἐξουσιάζω
This branch shows authority as a capacity put into action.
οἴδαμεν
oidamen
GROWS FROM
εἴδω (eido) / οἶδα (oida)
εἴδω (eido) means “see” or “perceive”; οἶδα (oida) means “know,” with knowing connected to what has been seen or perceived.
“cannot tell” in this verse is oidamen. The English “tell” conceals two Greek verbs: οἴδαμεν (oidamen, “we know”) in their reply and λέγω (legō, “I say” or “I speak”) in Jesus’ reply. They claim a lack of knowledge; he withholds speech, so the symmetry in English is not symmetry in the Greek.
ALSO GROWS
eido: To see or perceive.
εἴδω
Its connection with knowing makes their “cannot tell” a claim about perception.
eidos: Form or appearance.
εἶδος
This related seeing-word keeps knowing close to what is visibly presented.
THE PATTERN
What a person withholds or measures toward another can return as the measure of response received.
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.THE THREAD
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.The word translated “authority” here is ἐξουσία (exousia, authority or right to act), the same word rendered “power” in this verse. This line names the full reach of what the unanswered exchange leaves undisclosed.
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