The Authority of Jesus Questioned
Study note
While teaching in the temple, the chief priests and scribes demand to know by what authority Jesus acts. Jesus counters with a question about John's baptism: was it from heaven or from men? They cannot answer without either condemning themselves or angering the crowd, so they claim ignorance. Jesus refuses to answer their question, exposing that their challenge was not honest inquiry but a political trap.
1 One day Jesus was in the temple teaching the people and sharing the good news. The chief priests, religion teachers, and elders appeared. And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,
2 They confronted him: "Tell us -- what gives you the right to do all this? Who put you in charge?" And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
3 Jesus replied, "Let me ask you a question first. Give me an answer:" And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
4 "Was John's baptism from God, or was it just something humans came up with?" The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
5 They talked it over privately: "If we say it was from God, he will ask why we did not believe John." And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
6 "But if we say it was just from humans, the crowd will throw stones at us. They are completely sure John was a prophet." But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
7 So they took the safe route and said they did not know where John's baptism came from. And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.
8 Jesus said, "Well then, I am not going to tell you what gives me the right to do what I do either." And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
Study note
Jesus tells of a vineyard owner who sends servants to collect his share of the harvest, but the tenants beat and reject them all. Finally he sends his beloved son, whom the tenants murder to seize the inheritance. Jesus declares the owner will come, destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others. He then quotes Psalm 118 about the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone. The religious leaders understand He is speaking about them but fear the people.
9 Then he told the people this story: "A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some farmers, and left on a long trip." Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
10 "When harvest season came, he sent a servant to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers beat the servant up and sent him back empty-handed." And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.
11 "He sent a second servant. They beat him too, humiliated him, and sent him away with nothing." And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12 "He sent a third one. They hurt him badly and threw him out." And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
13 "The vineyard owner thought, 'What am I going to do now? I know -- I will send my own beloved son. Surely they will treat him with respect.'" Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
14 "But when the farmers spotted the son coming, they plotted together: 'This is the heir! If we kill him, the whole vineyard will be ours!'" But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
15 "So they dragged him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what do you think the vineyard owner is going to do?" So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
16 "He will come, wipe out those farmers, and hand the vineyard over to others." The people listening said, "That must never happen!" He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
17 Jesus looked right at them. He said, "Then what does this Scripture mean? 'The stone the builders threw aside became the key stone of the whole building.'" And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
18 "Anybody who trips on that stone will be shattered. And if that stone falls on somebody, it will crush them completely." Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
19 The chief priests and religion teachers wanted to arrest Jesus then and there -- they realized he had told this story about them. But they were afraid of what the people would do. And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
Study note
Spies posing as sincere questioners ask whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, hoping to trap Jesus between Roman law and Jewish sentiment. Jesus asks for a coin, identifies Caesar's image on it, and delivers the masterful answer: 'Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and give to God the things that are God's.' This answer transcends the political trap and establishes the principle of dual obligation to both governing authorities and God.
20 So they started watching him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. Their goal was to catch him saying something they could use to turn him over to the governor. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
21 The spies said, "Teacher, we know you always say and teach what is true. You treat everyone the same and honestly teach God's way." And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:
22 "So tell us: is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or no?
23 Jesus saw right through their scheme and said, "Why are you setting a trap for me?" But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
24 "Let me see a coin. Whose face is on it, and whose name?" They said, "Caesar's." Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Cæsar's.
25 He told them, "Then give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give God what belongs to God." And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar's, and unto God the things which be God's.
26 They completely failed to trip him up with anything he said in front of the people. His answer stunned them, and they had nothing left to say. And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
The Question About the Resurrection
Study note
Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, present an elaborate hypothetical about a woman married to seven brothers in succession, asking whose wife she will be in the resurrection. Jesus explains that the resurrected state is entirely different from earthly life -- those raised are equal to the angels and cannot die. He then proves the resurrection from the Torah itself: God told Moses He is (not was) the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- He is the God of the living, not the dead.
27 Next, some Sadducees came to him. They are the group that does not believe dead people come back to life. Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,
28 They asked him this question: "Teacher, Moses wrote a rule for us. It says that if a man's married brother dies without having children, the living brother should marry the widow. Then he should have children to carry on his dead brother's name." Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
29 "Now suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest got married and then died without having children." There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.
30 "The second brother married the widow and also died childless." And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.
31 "The third married her too. In fact, all seven brothers married her one after the other, and all of them died without any children." And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
32 "Finally, the woman herself died." Last of all the woman died also.
33 "So here is our question: when the dead rise, whose wife will she be? After all, she was married to all seven of them." Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.
34 Jesus answered, "In this present world, people get married." And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
35 "But those who are considered worthy to reach the next world and come back from the dead will not be married or get married." But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36 "Death will have no power over them anymore. They will be like the angels. They are God's children because they have been raised to new life." Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
37 "And as for whether the dead do rise -- even Moses proved this in the story about the burning bush. There he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'" Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
38 "God is not the God of dead people but of living ones, because in his eyes, everyone is alive." For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
39 Some of the religion teachers spoke up, "Teacher, that was an excellent answer." Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
40 After that, nobody had the nerve to ask him another question. And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.
David's Son and David's Lord
Study note
Having silenced His opponents, Jesus poses His own question: how can the Christ be both David's descendant and David's Lord, since David himself calls Him Lord in Psalm 110? This reveals that the Messiah is far more than a political descendant of David -- He is the divine Lord whom David worshipped. Jesus then warns His disciples against the scribes who love public honor but devour widows' houses and make long prayers for show, declaring they will receive greater condemnation.
41 Then Jesus posed a question of his own: "How can people say that the Messiah is David's descendant?" And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?
42 "David himself wrote in the book of Psalms, 'The LORD said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand'" And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
43 "'until I put your enemies beneath your feet.'" Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
44 "David calls him 'Lord.' So how can the Messiah be merely David's descendant?" David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?
45 While the whole crowd was listening, Jesus told his disciples, Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,
46 "Watch out for the religion teachers. They love walking around in fancy robes. They soak up respectful greetings in public. They grab the best seats in the synagogue and the places of honor at dinners." Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
47 "They cheat widows out of their homes and then say long prayers to look spiritual. Their punishment will be especially severe." Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.