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20
Jesus' Authority Questioned
1 Now it came to pass on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him, 2 and they spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”
3 But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and so tell Me: 4 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”
5 And they debated among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced 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.”
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to farmers, and went on a journey for a long time. 10 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant 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 And again he sent another servant; and they flogged him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And again he sent a third; and 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. Perhaps when they see him they will respect him.’ 14 But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others.”
And when they heard it they said, “May it never be!”
17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this which is written:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
19 And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on Him that very hour, but they were afraid—for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them.
The Question of Paying Taxes
20 And having watched Him closely, they sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor.
21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 But perceiving their craftiness, He said to them, “Why do you test Me? 24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”
They answered and said, “Caesar's.”
25 And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”
26 But they could not catch Him in His words in front of the people. And marveling at His answer, they kept silent.
The Question About the Resurrection
27 Then some of the Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, coming to Him and asked Him, 28 saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and this man dies childless, that his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first, having taken a wife, died childless. 30 And the second took her as wife, and this man died childless. 31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and they died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”
34 And Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who have been counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 Now even Moses revealed that the dead are raised, in the burning bush passage, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all are alive to Him.”
39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.
The Question About the Son of David
41 And He said to them, “How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David? 42 Even David himself said in the Book of Psalms,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
43 till I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” ’
44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”
Beware of the Scribes
45 And as all the people listened, He said to His disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk about in long robes, and love greetings in the market places, and the first seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at dinners, 47 who devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito