The Authority of Jesus Questioned
1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.
2
“Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”
5
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
6
But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7
So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”
The Parable of the Tenants
9 He went on to tell the people this parable:
“A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.
16
He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”
17
Jesus looked directly at them and asked,
“Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’ ?
19
The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
21
So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
22
Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”