A Question About Jesus Authority
March 26, 2022
Commentary
Jesus returned to the temple (v. 23). At the end of one of His teaching sessions, the chief priests and elders challenged Jesus’s authority. They were trying to protect their traditions by trapping Jesus in his answers. Jesus asked them a questionin response (v. 24). Where did John the Baptizer get his authority (vv. 25-27): from heaven or men? The Pharisees had rejected John, so they couldn’t say from heaven, but the people had loved John and seen him as a Prophet, so they couldn’t say from men either. Therefore, they pled ignorance and Jesus got out of their question.
Then Jesus told two parable that got to the heart of the Pharisees antagonism. In the first parable the Pharisees are compared to a son who dutifully agrees to serve in his father’s vineyard but then changes his mind at the last second (v. 30). For a moment, that son looked really good in the eyes of anyone watching but it was all a lie because of a lack of follow-through. A different son, representing common sinners, had at first refused to serve but later repented and served anyway (vv. 28-29). The followers of John and of Jesus knew that they were sinners in need of repentance and a savior, but the Pharisees never recognized their need. Seeing sinners redeemed should have been a wakeup call for them, but instead of rejoicing, they detested them all the more.
In the second parable, Jesus compared the Pharisees to a group of wicked tenants leasing a vineyard. The master (God) sent multiple rent collectors (Prophets) to them, but they refused to pay and killed the collectors. In one final attempt to end things peacefully, the master sent his son (Jesus) to collect what was due, but in their greed and stupidity, they killed the son and claimed the vineyard for themselves. Then Jesus paused and asked the Pharisees what the master should do to those tenants. They said, “He should kill them and give the vineyard to better tenants!” Then Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22-23. Jesus is the cornerstone, rejected by men but chosen God. The vineyard will be given to others, just as they had said, and Jesus will break and crush his enemies. The Pharisees got the point, but instead of heeding the warning, they were stirred with anger and would have seized Jesus on the spot if it had not been for their fear of the crowds (vv. 45-46).
Application
Jesus was a master at answering people's questions by asking questions. I can think of several times when it would have been better if I had asked questions instead of making statements.
Matthew 21:23– 46 (NET)
23 Now after Jesus entered the temple courts, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?” They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The boy answered, ‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart and went. 30 The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God! 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.
33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey. 34 When the harvest time was near, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his portion of the crop. 35 But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’ 39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds regarded him as a prophet.