Luke 20:2

"Or who is it that gave you this authority?" They most manifestly deny the Son of God, whom they think does signs not by his own power, but by that of others.

Or when they say, By what authority doest thou these things? they doubt concerning the power of God, and wish it to be understood that of the devil He doeth this. Adding moreover, And who is he that gave thee this authority? Most plainly do they deny the Son of God when they think that not by His own power but another's He doeth miracles.

The Jews, accusing the Lord, said: "By what power do you do these things? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." They sought a cause, not faith; whence they might lay traps, not whence they might be freed. Indeed, he who saw their hearts, observe what he answered to confound them through the lamp. "I also will ask you one question," he says: "Tell me, the baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men?" They were immediately struck, and though the day shone faintly, they were compelled to grope, as they could not look upon that brightness, they fled to the darkness of their own hearts, and there began to be troubled among themselves, stumbling and falling. "If we say," they thought among themselves, where they reasoned, but which he saw: "If we say, from heaven, he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' For he had borne testimony to Christ the Lord. But if we say, from men, the people will stone us, for John was held as a great prophet." And they said, "We do not know." You do not know; you are in darkness, you lose the light. For how much better if perhaps there is darkness in the human heart, to admit the light, not to lose it. When they said, "We do not know," the Lord said, "Neither do I tell you by what power I do these things. For I know with what heart you said, 'We do not know,' not wanting to be taught, but fearing to confess."