Jesus Proclaims, "I Am the Resurrection and the Life"
Lazarus Becomes Sick
Around this time, Lazarus became sick, a man from Bethany, the village of Miriam and her sister Martha. (It was this same Miriam who had anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair1 whose brother, Lazarus, was now sick.)And it was these sisters who sent a message to Jesus, saying, "Look, Lord, the one whom You love is sick" (7:228J 11:1-3).
2 Once Jesus heard this, however, He said, "This sickness is not into death. It is for the glory of God and so that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (J 11:4).
3 Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. So when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was for two more days. Then, after the two days, He told the disciples, "Let us go up to Judea again" (J 11:5-7).
Disciples Are Amazed Jesus is Going Up to Jerusalem Again
4 However, as they started on their way up to Jerusalem, as Jesus was leading the way, they were stunned. They said, "Rabbi, the Jews2 have recently been trying to stone You! Are You going there again?" (7:221M 20:17a, 7:211K 10:32a, J 11:8).
5 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world. But if someone walks around in the night, he does stumble because the light is not in him." These are the things He said, and after that He told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to go wake him up" (J 11:9-11).
6 Yet, even while they were following Him, they were afraid (K 10:32b but not c).
Lazarus is Dead
7 His disciples said, "Lord, if he is only sleeping, he will get well." They had said this because they thought Jesus was talking about sleeping to get rest, but He was talking about his death. So then Jesus told them outright, "Lazarus is dead! And I am happy for you that I was not there when he did. For this has happened so that you will learn to trust God.3 So now, let's go to Lazarus" (J 11:12-15).
8 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us go, also, so that we can die with Him" (J 11:168:50).
He Tells Them of His Crucifixion
(number three)
9 While they were on the way, He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them everything that was going to happen to Him and said, "Look! We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the Prophets concerning the Son of Man will be achieved.4 The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and then hand Him over to the Gentiles. By the Gentiles, He will be mocked, insulted, and spit upon.5 They will whip Him and crucify Him. On the third day, however, He will rise again" (M 20:17b-19, K 10-32c-34, L 18:31-33).
10 They did not understand any of this, though, because what He had just said to them had been hidden from them, and they did not know the things He was talking about (L 18:348:42).
Two Disciples Ask to Sit on His Left and on His Right
11 Just then, the mother of Jacob and John, the sons of Zebedee, came, kneeled down, and requested something from Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us anything we ask"6 (See John 14:14) (M 20:20, K 10:35).
12 "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said (M 20:21a, K 10:36).
13 They said, "Grant for us to sit, one on Your right hand, and the other on Your left when we are in Your kingdom, in Your glory"7 (M 20:21b, K 10:37).
14 But He said, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the wine cup I am about to drink, or be dipped with the immersion I am baptized with?" (M 20:22a, K 10:38).
15 "Yes, we can!" they said (M 20:22b, K 10:39a).
16 "You will drink the cup I drink and be dunked with the immersion I am immersed into,8 but to sit at My right hand or on My left is not Mine to give. It is for those to whom it has been prepared for by My Father" (M 20:23, K 10:39b-40).
Whoever Desires to Be Great Must Be a Servant
17 When the other ten disciples heard this, they became irritated with Jacob and John (M 20:24, K 10:41).
18 So Jesus called all of them together and said, "You know that those who are seen as rulers over the people of the nations9 lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over the others. But it will not be that way among you. Among you, whoever wants to become great shall be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man also did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life for a ransom in the place of many"10 (M 20:25-288:42, K 10:42-458:42).
Zacchaeus in a Tree
19 Then Jesus entered, and as He passed through Jericho,11 behold, there was a man called by the name of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, and he was a rich man. He was trying to see who Jesus was but couldn't because of the crowds. So being a short man, he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, since that was the place Jesus was approaching.12 (8:49L 19:1-4).
20 When Jesus got there, He looked up, saw him, and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry up and come down. For I need to stay at your house today." Zacchaeus hurried down and joyfully received Him as his guest (L 19:5-6).
21 When the people saw this, they all complained among themselves and said, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinful man" (L 19:7).
22 While at his house, Zacchaeus stood and told the Lord, "Look, I give half my wealth, Lord, to the poor. And if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I will restore it to him four times as much (See Leviticus 6:4-5)" (L 19:8).
23 Jesus told him, "Today, salvation has come to this house. For he also is a son of Abraham, and the Son of Man came to find and save that which was destroyed"13 (L 19:9-10).
The Kingdom is Like a Hidden Treasure
Jesus also said,
24 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that had been hidden in a field, which another man had then found and covered up again. And, now, being full of joy from what he had found, went and sold everything he owned, came back, and bought that field"14 (4:46M 13:44).
The Kingdom is Like a Pearl Merchant
25 "As well, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one that was very precious, went and sold everything he had and bought it"15 (See 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) (M 13:45-464:47).
An Unrighteous Pharisee and a Righteous Tax Collector Pray
2616 He also told the following parable to those who had false confidence, trusting in themselves, believing that they were righteous, while they despised others: (7:196L 18:9)
27 "Two men went up into the House of God to pray. One of them a Pharisee and the other a tax collector" (L 18:10).
28 "The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people – con-artists, unjust people, and adulterers; or even this tax collector here. I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of all the profit I have received'"17 (L 18:11-12).
29 "The tax collector, on the other hand, stood at a distance and would not even look up into heaven, but he beat his chest, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'" (L 18:13).
30 "Now I tell you: This man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who lifts himself up will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be lifted up" (L 18:147:197).
Parable of the Minas
31 As they heard this, He told them another parable since He was near Jerusalem, and since they were thinking that the kingdom of God was about to appear as soon as they got there. Therefore, He said: (8:21L 19:11-12a)
32 "There was a nobleman who traveled to a far away country to receive his royal crown.1819 But before he left, he called ten of his servants and handed them about three months worth of wages each,20 and told them: 'Put this money to work until I return'" (L 19:12b-13).
33 "However, his citizens hated him; therefore, they sent a group representing them to go after him. They told those they had sent, 'We do not want this man to rule over us'" (L 19:14).
34 "And so it was, when he did return, having received the crown, he ordered that the servants to whom he had given the money be called, so that he could know how much each one of them had gained from their investments" (L 19:15).
35 "The first one came and said, 'Master, your three months worth of wages has earned two and a half years more!'"21 (L 19:16).
36 "He said, 'Well done, my good servant! And since you had been faithful with a very little, here you go, have authority over ten cities'" (L 19:17).
37 "The second one came and said, 'Master, your three months worth of pay has earned a year and three months more!'"22 (L 19:18).
38 "He told him the same thing, 'You shall be in charge over five cities'" (L 19:19).
39 "Another one came and said, 'Master, here is your three months worth of wages. I stashed it away in a handkerchief because I was afraid of you, since you are a harsh man. You collect what you did not invest and reap what you did not sow'" (L 19:20-21).
40 "He told him: 'From your own words, I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a harsh man. That I collect what I did not invest and reap what I did not sow. In that case, why didn't you put my money in the bank, so that when I came home I could get it back with interest?'" (L 19:22-23).
41 "Then the master told those who were standing to the side, 'Take the money from him and give it to the one who has the two and a half years worth of wages'" (L 19:24).
42 "They said, 'Master, he already has two and half years worth'" (L 19:25).
43 "'I tell you,' the master said, 'everyone who has will be given more and whoever does not have, even what he does have will be taken away from him. But bring those enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them and execute them here in my sight'" (L 19:26-27).
44 After saying this, Jesus continued on His way up to Jerusalem (L 19:288:80).
He Heals Blind Bartimaeus at Jericho
45 And so it was, they had come near and into Jericho,23 and it happened as He and His disciples (along with a large crowd) were leaving Jericho, two blind men (one of whom was24 blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus)sat along the road begging. (8:17M 20:29-30a, 8:17K 10:46, 8:10L 18:35-37).
46 Hearing Jesus and the crowd passing by, Bartimaeus asked some of those in the crowd25 what it meant. They told him "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by!" When Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he raised his voice and said, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (M 20:30b, K 10:47, L 18:38).
47 Many of the people in the crowd who were walking ahead of Jesus warned the man to be quite; he just cried out all the more: "Son of David, have mercy on me!" (M 20:31, K 10:48, L 18:39).
48 Jesus stopped, called out and ordered him to be brought over to Him. Therefore, they called the blind man, saying, "Be encouraged26 and get up, He's calling you" (M 20:32a, K 10:49, L 18:40a).
49 The blind man threw his loose outer garment off, jumped up, and came to Jesus. When he got close, Jesus asked him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" (M 20:32b, K 10:50-51a, L 18:40b-41a).
50 He said, "Rabboni,27 that I may see" (M 20:33, K 10:51b, L 18:41b).
51 Jesus, having compassion, touched their eyes, and said, "Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you"28 (M 20:34a but not b or c, K 10:52a but not b or c, L 18:42).
52 At that very moment, he was able to see (M 20:34b but not a or c, K 10:52b but not a or c, L 18:43a).
53 He and the other blind man followed Jesus on the road, glorifying God; when all the people saw this, they praised God also (M 20:34c8:80, K 10:52c8:80, L 18:43b8:18).
Lazarus is Raised
54 Finally, once Jesus arrived at Bethany,29 He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles (3.22 kilometers) away,30 and so many of the Jews had come to give Martha and Miriam company, comforting them because of their brother's death (J 11:17-19).
55 As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him. (Miriam, however, was still sitting inside the house and had not heard this.) When Martha met Him, she said, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even still, I know that whatever You ask God for He will give it to You" (J 11:20-22).
56 "Your brother will rise again," Jesus told her (J 11:23).
57 "I know he will rise again in the resurrection, at the last day,"31 Martha said (J 11:24).
58 Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life, whoever trusts in Me, even if he does die, will live. And everyone who lives and trusts in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"32 (J 11:25-26).
59 "Yes, Lord," she said, "I do believe You are the Anointed One,33 the Son of God who is to come into the world" (J 11:27).
60 Having said this, she went away and secretly called her sister, Miriam, saying, "The Teacher has just arrived, and He's calling you." As soon as Miriam heard that, she quickly got up and went to Him (J 11:28-29).
61 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but He was still at the place where Martha had met Him. And when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw that Miriam had quickly got up and left the house, they followed her, thinking, "She is going to the tomb to cry there" (J 11:30-31).
62 Once Miriam got to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, "Lord, if You had been here my brother would not have died" (J 11:32).
63 When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who came with her crying, He was irritated. He was moved in the spirit with anger34 and said, "Where have you laid him?" (J 11:33-34a).
64 They said, "Lord, come with us and we will show You" (J 11:34b).
66 The Jews said, "See how much He loved him as a friend!"35 (J 11:36).
67 But some of them said "Could this Man, who has opened the eyes of the blind, not have also kept this man from dying?" (J 11:37).
68 Jesus, again being angered within Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave in the ground with a stone lying on top, over the opening.36 So Jesus said, "Take away the stone" (J 11:38-39a).
69 But Martha, the sister of the one who was dead, said, "Lord, he has been dead for four days now; by this time he smells bad" (J 11:39b).
70 "Didn't I tell you," Jesus said, "that 'if you believe, you will see the glory of God,'" (J 11:40).
71 Then they removed the stone (J 11:41a).
72 Just then, Jesus looked up and said, "Father, thank You because You have heard Me. I know You always hear Me, but I have said this for the people who are standing around Me, so that they can believe You sent Me." After He said this, He cried out in a loud voice: "Lazarus, come out!" (J 11:41b-43).
73 Just then, the one who had died came out of the tomb, rapped up from head to toe in grave clothes. His face wrapped in a separate head-cloth. So then Jesus said "Unwrap him and let him go" (J 11:44).
Pharisees Council Together to Put Jesus to Death
74 Many of the Jews who had come to comfort Miriam, when they saw what Jesus had just done, believed in Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what He had done, and so the chief priests and the Pharisees organized a meeting and said, "What are we doing that allows this Man to do all these signs? If we keep letting Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him. Then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation"37 (J 11:45-48).
75 One of them, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, said: "You do not know anything. And you do not even consider that it is to our benefit that one man should die for the people, so that the whole nation would not perish." (However, he did not say this of himself, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation. And not only for that nation, but that He would even gather together the children of God who were scattered among the rest of the nations, as well.38) (J 11:49-52).
76 So from that day on, they planned to kill Him. Therefore, Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews. He left that area, went out near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and stayed there with His disciples (J 11:53-54).
77 Then, since it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many of them left and went up into Jerusalem ahead of the Passover to purify themselves. They were, however, watching for Jesus, saying to each other as they were standing around in the Lord's House, "What do you think, do you think He will not come to the feast?" For the chief priests and the Pharisees had commanded that if anyone knew where He was, they were to report it to them, so that they could arrest Him (J 11:55-57).
The King Comes in Peace
Woman Anoints the Feet of Jesus
(number two)
78 Six days before the Passover (on Saturday, the 9th of Nisan or our April 5th, in 32 AD.), Jesus came back to Bethany where Lazarus, the man He had raised from the dead, had lived. And there in Bethany, at Simon the Leper's house, they made supper for Him. Martha served, and Lazarus was also one of them reclining with Him at the table (11:2M 26:6, 11:2K 14:3a, J 12:1-2).
79 While Jesus was reclining at the table, Miriam came to Him with an alabaster jar of about39 one pounds of very expensive, authentic, Spikenard. She took the perfume, anointed His feet, and then wiped them dry with her hair. Then she broke the bottle and poured it over His head, to where the entire house was filled with the fragrance of the oil40 (M 26:7, K 14:3b, J 12:3).
80 When His disciples saw this, they became angry and said to each other, "Why was this just wasted like that?" (M 26:8).
81 One of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son – the one who was going to betray Him – said, "Why wasn't this perfume sold for three hundred days worth of pay41 (which is a lot of money) and then given to the poor?" And so they criticized her sharply. (Judas, however, did not say this because he cared about the poor. It was because he was a thief. He was in charge of the moneybox and used to steal what was put into it) (M 26:9, J 12:4-6).
82 Jesus, aware of their attitudes, said to them, "Leave her alone. Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a good thing for Me! For she has been saving this for the day of My burial. And in pouring this perfume onto My body, she has done it in preparation for that day.42 You can do good to the poor whenever you wish because you always have them with you, but you do not always have Me. She has done what she could, and I assure you, wherever this good news of my death43 is proclaimed throughout the whole world (See Hebrews 12:2). what she has just done will also be told as a trophy to her" (M 26:10-1311:4, K 14:4-911:4, J 12:7-8).
83 Now a large number of the Jews in the crowd knew He was there, and so they came, not only because of Jesus, but so that they could also see Lazarus, the man He had raised from the dead. The chief priests were even planning to kill Lazarus because, through him, many of the Jews were led into believing in Jesus (J 12:9-11).
The Triumphal Entry
84 The next day (on Sunday, the 10th of Nisan or our April 6th, in 32 AD.), as they were approaching Jerusalem, when they came to the Mount of Olives (also called "Olivet)," near the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, to a spot near Jerusalem on the outskirts of Bethany, in-between the villages of Bethany and Bethphage, a Sabbaths day journey from Jerusalem,44 Jesus sent two of His disciples, telling them, "Go into the village opposite you.45 Immediately as you enter the village, you will find a donkey tied there along with her colt, one on which no one has sat yet. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says anything to you, or asks, 'Why are you untying them?' Tell him, 'Because the Lord needs it,' and he will immediately send it back here with you" (8:49M 21:1-38:89, 8:49K 11:1-3, 8:41L 19:29-31, J 12:12a but not b or c).
85 So the two disciples that He sent went and found the young colt tied outside the door of the house on the road that wraps around as you enter the village,46 just like He had told them, and so they began to untie the colt. But as they did, some of those who were standing there, the owners of it, asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" (8:90M 21:6a, K 11:4-5, L 19:32-33).
86 They said, "The Lord needs it!" They said this just as Jesus had told them to do, and so then the men let them take it (M 21:6b, K 11:6, L 19:34).
87 Then the two disciples who had done this brought the donkey and its colt to Jesus, laid their outer garments onto the colt, and then helped Him up on to it (M 21:7, K 11:7, L 19:35).
88 A large number of people who had come to the feast, when they heard Jesus was coming into Jerusalem, took palm branches down from the date trees and went out to meet Him. Many of them were spreading their clothes onto the road, as others were cutting the leafy branches down from the trees, and from out in the field, and laying them down (M 21:8, K 11:8, L 19:36, J 12:12b but not a or c).
89 As He came near, already on the way down from the Mount of Olives, the whole large group of the disciples, those who were walking in front of Him, began to rejoice, praising God because of all the powers they had seen coming from Him. They all cried out with a loud voice,
Praised is the King and the kingdom of our ancestor,
King David.
Praised is He Who comes in the name of the Lord,
The King of Israel!
Peace in heaven and glory in the most high –
Salvation from the most high!"47
90 Then, because of this, the Pharisees were saying to each other, "You can see that this is not helping anything. Look at this, the whole world has gone after Him! Then some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!"48 (L 19:39, 8:92J 12:1911:6).
91 He replied, "If these people here were to be silent, I tell you, the stones would cry out" (L 19:40).
92 Then as He got close to the city, He saw it and wept over it, saying, "If even you had known, today, what would have brought peace – but now it has been hidden from your eyes. Therefore, the days will come when your enemies will build an embankment surrounding you, trapping you in from every side, and then leveling you and your children's homes to the ground. They will not leave even one of your stones standing upon another.49 And this will happen because you did not recognize the time of your visitation" (L 19:41-44).
93 And all this had been done to achieve what the prophet had previously said, when he said:
'Do not be afraid!
Look, your King is coming to you,
Gently and sitting on a donkey,
Even the young colt of a donkey.'"
(Zechariah 9:9)
95 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but once Jesus had been glorified, then they remembered that these things were written concerning Him, and that they, themselves, had even done these things to Him50 (J 12:16).
96 Now the people who were with Him when He called Lazarus out from his tomb, raising him from the dead, told others about it. That also is why people went out to meet Him, because they had heard about Him doing this sign (J 12:17-188:86).
97 Once He finally entered Jerusalem, the whole city became stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" (8:85M 21:10).
98 In response, the crowd that came into the city with Him, told them, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee" (M 21:118:98).
99 And so it was, Jesus went through Jerusalem, into Yhvh's House,51 and looked around at everything. And seeing no one, since it was already late in the evening,52 He went back out to Bethany with the twelve (K 11:11).
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
100 On the next day (Monday, the 11th of Nisan or our April 7th), early in the morning, while leaving Bethany to return to the city of Jerusalem, He was hungry. And seeing off in the distance, on the side of the road, a fig tree with leaves, He went to see if He could possibly find any fruit growing on it. Once He got up to it, though, He found nothing on it except the leaves because it was not yet the season for figs. In response, then, He said to it, "Let no fruit for anyone to eat grow on you ever again" ( 8:102M 21:18-19a, K 11:12-14a)
101 Now His disciples had heard Him say this, but they did not see that it had immediately withered away53 (That is until later that day) (M 21:19b8:103, K 11:14b).
Jesus Drives Out the Moneychangers
(number two)
102 Before they had seen it wither, He continued on His way, came into Jerusalem, and went up onto the Temple mount. Once He stepped onto it and saw those who were buying and selling in the area around Yhvh's House, He drove them out. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves. As well, He would not allow anyone to carry any implements through Yhvh's House. Then He began to teach them, saying, "It is written, is it not,
For all the nations,'54
(Isaiah 56:7)
"But you have made it a shelter for thieves."55
(Jeremiah 7:11)
103 Then those who were blind, and those lame, came to Him while He was in Yhvh's House,56 and He healed them there. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things He had done, and the children in Yhvh's House, yelling, "Praise to the Son of David, He is our salvation!"57 they became angry and said to Him, "Do You hear what these children are saying?" (M 21:14-16a).
104 "Yes!" Jesus said, "Haven't you ever read,
"To come from the mouth of children and nursing babies?'"58
(Psalms 8:2)
105 But when the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people all heard Him say this, they tried to find a way to destroy Him. However, they were afraid of Him, since all the people were amazed at what He was teaching. For the people were listening, riveted to everything He said (K 11:18, L 19:47b-488:57).
106 On that same day, once evening had come, He left them. And leaving Jerusalem, as well, He went out to stay for the night in Bethany. He did this each day. That is, He would teach in Yhvh's House during the day and then go out to Bethany for the night (M 21:178:96, K 11:19, L 19:47a).
Fig Tree Has Withered
107 With this as His schedule, the next day, early in the morning (on Tuesday, the 12th of Nisan, our April 8th), as they were passing by on their way back up from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives, the disciples, now, saw the fig tree that had withered up from the roots the day before. And when they saw this, they marveled and said, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" (8:96-97M 21:20, K 11:20).
108 Peter, remembering what Jesus had said to the fig tree the day before, said, "Rabbi, look, the fig tree You had cursed has withered away!" (K 11:21).
"Have faith in God! For I assure you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to this fig tree. But even if you say to this mountain 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that the things you say will happen, it will be done for you. You will have whatever you say. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be done for you" (M 21:21-22, K 11:22-24).
110 "Also, whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you for the transgressions you have made to others" (K 11:25-2659).
Chief Priests Ask, "Who Gave You This Authority?
111 After walking from the Mount of Olives, then, they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the House of God, teaching the people and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and scribes, along with the elders, came to confront Him. They said, "Tell us! With what authority are you doing these things? And who is the one who gave You this authority?" (M 21:23, K 11:27-28, 8:57L 20:1b-260).
112 Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one thing, and if you answer Me, then I will tell you by what authority it is I am doing these things: John's ministry of immersion, where was it from? Was it from heaven or from men?" (M 21:24-25a, K 11:29-30, L 20:3-4).
113 To this, they began to reason among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will tell us, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the crowd. For they are all convinced and hold John to be a true prophet, and everyone will stone us." So, instead, they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know" (M 21:25b-27a, K 11:31-33a, L 20:5-7).
114 "Then I will not tell you either by what authority it is I do these things," Jesus answered (M 21:27b, K 11:33b8:114, L 20:8).
Parable of the Wicked Servants Who Kill the Landowners Son
115 Then He said, "What do you think? A man had two sons. He came to the first one and said, 'Son, go to work in my vineyard today.' But his son said, 'No, I won't!' and afterward regretted it and then went. The father came to his second son and said the same thing. And he said, 'Yes sir,' but he didn't go. So then, which one of the two sons did what the father had wanted?" (M 21:28-31a).
116 "The first," they said (M 21:31b but not c).
117 Then Jesus replied, "I tell you, and this is for sure: Tax collectors and prostitutes will go into the kingdom of God before you ever do. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. But tax collectors and prostitutes have believed him. In the same way, when you saw him in his ministry, you did not have any regret afterwards, believing what he said" (M 21:31c-32).
Parable of the Wedding Feast
118 Then He began to speak to the people, telling them this parable:
119 "Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and then put a fence around it. He dug out a spot for the vat under the winepress to collect the juice and built a watchtower. He then rented the vineyard to some vine-growers and went out to stay in another country for a while" (M 21:33, 8:110K 12:1, L 20:9).
120 "When it came close to the time for juicing, he sent out a servant to those who were tending the vines, so that they could give him some of the fruit produced from his vineyard. The ones who were tending the vines, however, took him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed" (M 21:34, K 12:2-3, L 20:10).
121 "Again, he sent another servant; but they beat him up also. They threw stones at him and wounded him in the head. They treated him shamefully and sent him away without anything" (K 12:4, L 20:11).
122 "Again, he sent a third one, but they wounded him also. They threw him out and killed him" (K 12:5a, L 20:12).
123 "And so it was, they beat one, killed one, and stoned another. The owner even sent many more servants than just the first, and they did the same things to each one of them, beating some and even killing some" (M 21:35-36, K 12:5b).
124 "Still having his one beloved son, then, the owner of the vineyard said, 'What should I do? I will send my beloved son. So last of all, he even sent his own son to them, saying, 'Maybe they will respect him'" (M 21:37, K 12:6, L 20:13).
125 "But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned among each other, saying, 'This is the heir! Come on, let's kill him; then the inheritance will be ours.' And so they took him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him" (M 21:38-39, K 12:7-8, L 20:14-15a).
126 "Now then, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do? He will come and destroy those vine-grower, and give the vineyard to others" (M 21:40, K 12:9a, L 20:15b).
127 Then some of them in the crowd said to Him, "He will badly destroy those wicked61 men and give the vineyard to other vine-growers. He will lease his vineyard to those who will give him the produce coming from it when it's in season. Others in the crowd said, "That will never happen!"62 (M 21:41, K 12:9b, L 20:16).
128 Then Jesus looked at them and said, "Have you never read the Scripture:
Has now become the chief cornerstone.63
This was Yhvh's doing
And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
(Psalms 118:22-23)
129 "Through all this, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation growing64 the fruits of it. Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces. But on whomever it falls, it will crush him into dust" (M 21:43-44, L 20:18).
130 When they heard these parables of His, the chief priests and Pharisees understood that He was talking about them. At that time, however, when they were trying to find a way to grab Him, they didn't because they were afraid of the crowds, since the people held Him to be a prophet (M 21:45-468:125, K 12:12a, L 20:199:1).
131 Then Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who had given a marriage banquet for his son. Once it was set up, sent his servants out to call those who had been invited to the wedding. But they did not want to come." (8:124M 22:1-3).
132 "So again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Look, the meal has been prepared. My oxen and fatted cattle are all butchered. Everything is ready, so come to the feast.' But they could care less and went on their way – one to his own farm and another to his business." (M 22:4-5).
133 "The rest of them, however, grabbed his servants, mistreated, and even killed them" (M 22:6).
134 "Hearing this, the king became angry and sent his armies out to destroy those murderers and set their cities on fire. Then he told his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore, go into the main roads and invite as many people as you can find.'" (M 22:7-9).
135 "So those servants went out into the roadways and gathered together everybody they found, both the good and the bad, so that the wedding hall was filled with people reclining at the table" (M 22:10).
136 "But when the king came in to see those who were reclining, he noticed a man there that was not wearing any wedding clothes. Seeing this, he said to him: 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?'" (M 22:11-12a).
137 "He was speechless" (M 22:12b).
138 "So the king said to the servants, 'Tie him up, hand and foot, and take him away. Throw him out into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and men grinding their teeth in torment'" (M 22:13).
139 "And so it is, there are many called but only a few chosen" (M 22:14).
140 Then, after this, they left Jesus alone and went away (K 12:12b).
