On Line Bible Study - For the week August 18 - 24, 2008

Lesson 349

Matthew 21:23-43

Matthew 21:23 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 from men?"

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, 'From men'—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.

Just for a moment, consider an interesting aspect of the text:

Authority of Jesus Authority of John Authority of Both

Matthew 11:2-6 11:7-15 11:16-19
21:33-43 21:28-32 21:23-27

This is the kind of thing that doesn't mean much to us in terms of living our faith; but it intrigues scholars - the idea that in Matthew 11:2-19 the ministries of Jesus, John and both are discussed in that order, while in Matthew 21:23-43 the ministries of both together, then John and then Jesus are discussed in that order - the reverse of the order found in Chapter 11. (Thank you to scholar John Nolland for this observation.)

Jesus' public ministry in Jerusalem will happen almost exclusively in the temple. It causes me to wonder: Were Jesus to be physically present with us today what percentage of his ministry would be focused at the church - at those of us who claim to be his "followers"? Always, throughout the gospel of Matthew, we have seen that his harshest words were aimed at those who were religious leaders. How much actual authority do we afford Jesus in the living of our lives? It would never occur to me to try to trip Jesus up in terms of the origin of his "authority". I actually do believe that his authority comes from God - and still I don't give it nearly the sway it deserves in my life!

In this exchange between Jesus and the priests and elders, doesn't it become clear that they are desperate to hold on to their own authority? They didn't want to acknowledge John or Jesus. Repent - that was the prophetic cry of John. Why? That seems to be how the religious leaders had responded! If they did not "get" John's message, they would not "get" the message of Jesus either. And what would they have done with the information anyway? Had Jesus told them the truth, would they have received it?

Matthew 21:28 "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.

31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, 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.

This is about John and the religious leaders, isn't it? The leaders gave lip service to the message of God; John followed through. And because of him, not them, people were coming to faith and entering the kingdom. Faith proclaimed is nothing apart from faith in action. John was a "man of action". So must we be.

Matthew 21:33-43 - You can read this parable - Briefly it is about a man who owns a vineyard that he leases to tenants. He sent one servant after another to collect his rent, but the tenants beat, stoned, and killed them. Finally the man sent his son, thinking the tenants would respect him, but they killed him, too. (John had been beheaded; Jesus would be crucified.) Jesus then asks: What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants?

There is a clear parallel between Matthew 21:33-43 and Isaiah 5:1-7. Just as the words of Isaiah were aimed at the people of Judah, so too, the words of Jesus in Matthew are aimed at the very people who were questioning Jesus' authority - and they know it. Look at how Matthew 21:43 reads:

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.

And then . . . . When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. (Matthew 21:45.)

Here is the challenge: Can we identify the places where Jesus is speaking about us?

For next time begin to read Matthew 22.