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20
Jesus' authority questioned
1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He was teaching and evangelizing the people in the temple, that the priests* Some 16% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘high priests’ (as in most versions). and scribes came to Him with the elders 2 and addressed Him, saying, “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things; or who is he who gave you this authority?” 3 But in answer He said to them: “I also will ask you one thing; yes, tell me: 4 the baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?” 5 So they reasoned among themselves, saying: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”† Well, of course, they knew that both John and Jesus were of God—they just did not want to repent and change their way of life.
Parable of some perverse tenants
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to farmers, and went away on a long journey. 10 At the proper time he sent a slave to the farmers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers flogged him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Again he sent a different slave; so they flogged him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And again he sent a third; but they wounded him also and threw him out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said: ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; hopefully they will respect him when they see him.’‡ Presumably this would never occur in real life, but the Lord was aiming this directly at them, knowing what they would do to Him and what the Owner would do to them. 14 But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying: ‘This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, so that the inheritance may become ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What therefore will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others.” Having heard it they said, “May it never be!”
17 Then He looked directly at them and said: “What then is this that is written:
‘A stone that the builders rejected,
the same became the cornerstone’?§ See Psalm 118:22.
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it should fall—it will crush him!”* Those are our two options: fall on Jesus and be broken, or be crushed in judgment.
19 The chief priests and the scribes wanted to lay hands on Him right then, but they were afraid† For ‘they were afraid’, some 35% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘they feared the people’ (as in most versions). —they knew He had spoken this parable against them.
To Caesar, Caesar's; to God, God's
20 Keeping a close watch on Him, they sent spies, who pretended to be innocent, so that they might latch on to something He said, so as to hand Him over to the power and the authority of the governor. 21 So they questioned Him, saying: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and you do not show favoritism but teach the way of God in truth.‡ They were really almost too obvious. 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
23 But He perceived their craftiness and said to them: “Why are you testing me?§ Perhaps 1.5% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “Why are you testing me?” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). 24 Show me a denarius—whose image and inscription does it have?” In answer they said, “Caesar's.” 25 So He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 26 They were unable to latch on to His word in front of the people; and marveling at His answer they kept silent.
Sadducees deny resurrection
27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, approached and questioned Him, 28 saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's married brother dies childless, then his brother should take the widow and produce offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers: the first took a wife and died childless; 30 then the second took the widow and he died childless;* Perhaps 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “the widow and he died childless” (as in NIV, NASB, TEV, etc.). 31 then the third took her, in fact all seven in sequence—they all died childless. 32 Finally, last of all, the woman died also. 33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be, since all seven had her?”† Whenever someone comes up with a hypothetical situation, be careful; there is probably a hidden agenda.
34 So in answer Jesus said to them: “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage; 35 but those who are considered worthy‡ “Those who are considered worthy”—an interesting concept! to attain to that age, to the resurrection from among the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 Because they cannot die anymore,§ If no one dies, there is no need to produce new generations. being like angels—they are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, Moses indeed revealed about the Bush when he recorded: ‘The Lord, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’* See Exodus 3:6. 38 So He is not the God of the dead, but of the living—to Him all are alive.” 39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, you spoke well.” 40 And they no longer dared to question Him further.
Is the Christ David's Son?
41 Then He said to them: “How is it that they say that the Messiah† The Greek Text has ‘Christ’, but since they were speaking Hebrew, the Lord certainly said ‘Messiah’. is David's Son? 42 Why David himself affirms in the book of Psalms,
‘The Lord said to my Lord: sit at my right hand
43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’‡ See Psalm 110:1.
44 Since David calls Him ‘Lord’, how then is He his Son?”
Jesus denounces the scribes
45 Then, in the hearing of the people, He said to His disciples: 46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts; 47 who ‘devour’ widows' houses,§ Presumably, when the man died the widow no longer had the means to clear any debt; so they would just take over the house and put the widow out in the street. and for a show make long prayers. These will receive more severe judgment.”

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*20:1 Some 16% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘high priests’ (as in most versions).

†20:8 Well, of course, they knew that both John and Jesus were of God—they just did not want to repent and change their way of life.

‡20:13 Presumably this would never occur in real life, but the Lord was aiming this directly at them, knowing what they would do to Him and what the Owner would do to them.

§20:17 See Psalm 118:22.

*20:18 Those are our two options: fall on Jesus and be broken, or be crushed in judgment.

†20:19 For ‘they were afraid’, some 35% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘they feared the people’ (as in most versions).

‡20:21 They were really almost too obvious.

§20:23 Perhaps 1.5% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “Why are you testing me?” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

*20:30 Perhaps 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “the widow and he died childless” (as in NIV, NASB, TEV, etc.).

†20:33 Whenever someone comes up with a hypothetical situation, be careful; there is probably a hidden agenda.

‡20:35 “Those who are considered worthy”—an interesting concept!

§20:36 If no one dies, there is no need to produce new generations.

*20:37 See Exodus 3:6.

†20:41 The Greek Text has ‘Christ’, but since they were speaking Hebrew, the Lord certainly said ‘Messiah’.

‡20:43 See Psalm 110:1.

§20:47 Presumably, when the man died the widow no longer had the means to clear any debt; so they would just take over the house and put the widow out in the street.

© 2016 Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM, PhD