The chief priests and elders (the supposed spiritual leaders of that day) come to Jesus and inquire of Him by what authority He performs miracles and teaches. They had obviously observed the numerous things He had done, even His cleansing of the temple the day before; however, they knew that if He continued, their system would be destroyed. So, their goal was to find something to incriminate Him and what better way to do this than to get Him to say that He had authority from God the Father or that He was God. Jesus knew what they were trying to do so He told them that if they answered His question, He would tell them by what authority He does these things (21:24). Here is the question He posed: “the baptism of John – where was it from? from heaven or from men?” The religious leaders discussed this amongst themselves and knew if they answered “from heaven” then He would inquire as to why they did not believe His message about the coming Messiah (21:25). But, they knew if they answered “from men”, the people would be angered because they accepted John the Baptist as a prophet (21:26). They chose not to answer and Jesus told them that He would not tell them by what authority He performed these things (21:27). Jesus continues on to tell two parables. The first tells of a man who had two sons (21:28-32) and the father asked the first son to go work in his vineyard, to which the son responded that he would not. The father approaches the second son and he says that he will go but he never does. Jesus asks which of these sons did the will of the father and they responded “the first.” Through this parable Jesus is teaching that the tax collectors and prostitutes (outcasts of society) are like the first son because they believed in John’s message (21:31-32); however, the “religious crowd” rejected his message because they were self-righteous. Jesus tells another parable of a landowner who plants a vineyard and leases it to some vinedressers (21:33-39). When the landowner sends his servants (symbolic of Old Testament prophets), the vinedressers kill them. Jesus says that again the landowner sends his servants (symbolic of more prophets and John the Baptist), but the vinedressers kill them (21:36). Lastly, the landowner sends his own son and they kill him also (21:37-39). The message is clear – Jesus is declaring Himself as the Son of God. God had sent many prophets before testifying to the salvation of God, but unbelievers had chosen to reject the message and silence them by killing them. Ultimately, God (the landowner) to testify of the message of salvation, but they rejected and killed Him also. Jesus was pronouncing swift judgment on those who rejected the message of salvation, especially to the self-righteous (21:40-44). Examine your heart right now…have you accepted the message of hope which was sent through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for your sins?
Dear God, may you help many to accept the message of hope which was sent by You through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help them to turn from self-righteousness and to the grace extended through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
