Or in these words they urge the same cavil as above, when they said, “He casteth out demons through Beelzebub the Prince of the demons.” [Matt 12:24] For when they say, “By what authority doest thou thee things?” they doubt concerning the power of God, and would have it understood that the things He does are of the Devil. But when they add, “Who gave thee this authority?” they most clearly deny the Son of God, whom they suppose to work miracles, not by His own, but by others’ strength.
The Lord could have confuted the calumny of His tempters by a simple answer, but He put a question to them of such skilful contrivance, that they must be condemned either by their silence or their knowledge; “Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one question.”
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).