Rachel Workman: 23 When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”
24 “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. 25 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”
They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. 26 But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” 27 So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”
And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.
Parable of the Two Sons
28 “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30 Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
31 “Which of the two obeyed his father?”
They replied, “The first.”[h]
Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. 32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.
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Allen Michaels: 23 Jesus
entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching,
the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what
authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you
this authority?”
24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer
me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
The
Pharisees demanded to know where Jesus got his authority. If Jesus said
his authority came from God, they would accuse him of blasphemy. If he
said he was
acting on his own authority, the crowds would be convinced that the
Pharisees had the greater authority. But Jesus could show their
ignorance and prove their motive just by asking them a seemingly
unrelated question. The Pharisees didn’t want to answer the
question. Their only real interest was to trap Jesus. Jesus showed that
the Pharisees wanted the truth only if it supported their own views and
causes.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went
to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and
went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.
He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. The
son who said he would obey and then didn’t represented the nation of
Israel in Jesus’ day. They said they wanted to
do God’s will, but they constantly disobeyed. Much like I do on a
regular basis, they were just going through the motions. It is very
dangerous to pretend to obey God when our hearts are far from him
because God knows our true intentions.
'Cause you can never outrun or go beyond the reaches of the long arm of the Lord’
(Wayne Watson).
Our actions must match our words. See Psalm 139:7-12 below.
31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,
and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes
did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)
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