King James Bible
"The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?"
Jesus refers to John the Baptist's ministry of repentance baptism, which had gained widespread recognition among the Jewish people. This baptism symbolized spiritual cleansing and preparation for the coming Messiah, distinguishing it from ritual washings. Jesus poses a binary choice about divine authority versus human origin, turning his challengers' question back on them. This strategic counter-question forces the religious leaders to take a stance that would either validate Jesus's authority or expose their hypocrisy before the crowds who revered John as a prophet.