Verse 9 When *Jews went to Jerusalem for their great *religious meetings, they sang Psalm 118. The people use verses 25-26 of that psalm here to praise Jesus. Praise or Hosanna means You save us. The *Jews usually gave this welcome to travellers coming into Jerusalem. Now they gave the welcome to Jesus. In the highest heaven is the *Jewish way to say God, who lives in heaven. He who comes and Davids Son were both ways to describe the *Messiah. The people sang Hosanna or Praise to Jesus. They were thinking that Jesus the *Messiah would save them from the *Roman rulers. Probably some of the same crowd shouted Fix him to a *cross! later (Matthew 27:22), because Jesus disappointed them. They hoped that he would bring political freedom to their nation. Verses 10-11 People in Jerusalem did not know why there was so much excitement. The crowds with Jesus happily told them who he was.
Verses 15-16 The leaders did not like it when Jesus healed people in the *Temple. The children were copying what the crowd had said. Praise Davids Son, they shouted. The authorities had allowed all the noisy traders and animals to be there. But they thought that children should not be shouting in a holy place. Nor did they want people to call Jesus Davids Son. So they wanted Jesus to stop the children. But Jesus refused. He referred to Psalm 8:1 to show that God wanted children to praise him. Verse 17 Jesus had friends in Bethany, including Martha, Mary and Lazarus. He may have stayed with them that night.
v24 I will also ask you one question, Jesus replied. If you answer me, I will answe r your question. And I will tell you who gave me this authority to do these things. v25 Where did Johns authority to *baptise people come from? Did it come from heaven or did it come from men? They talked to each other about it. We could say that it came from heaven. But then he will ask us why we did not believe John. v26 We could say that it came from men. But then we are afraid of the people. They all believe that John was one of Gods special servants. v27 So they answered Jesus. We do not know, they said. So Jesus replied to them. Then I will not tell you who gave me the authority to do these things, either. Verse 23 The *religious leaders were responsible for what happened in the *Temple. But Jesus had forced out the traders. He had also taught there. So he was claiming that he had more authority than them. Verses 24-25 Jesus taught in the usual *Jewish way. The people asked teachers to answer a question. The teachers often asked another question when they replied. Jesus wanted to know what they thought. Had John *baptised with Gods authority? Or did they think that Johns work was only a mans action? Verses 25-26 The *Jewish authorities had the duty to tell the difference between true and false teachers. They must say if someone was really Gods special servant or not. But the *religious leaders could not agree that John was doing Gods work. Jesus was the man that John identified. But they would not believe that Jesus was the *Messiah. However, they could not say that Johns work was just a mans work. They were afraid of the crowds. The people believed that John was Gods special servant. So the *religious leaders were ashamed. They had to say, We do not know. Verse 27 The leaders could not decide about John. But John had announced who Jesus was. So Jesus was not prepared to say any more about his own authority.
Verses 31-32 Neither son was perfect, but the older son obeyed later. He was better than his brother. The younger one only said that he would obey. The *tax-collectors and women who received money for sex (prostitutes) were like the first son. When they listened to John the *Baptist, they changed their ways. The *religious leaders did not follow that example. Their religion was only about words and rules. They claimed to be Gods servants, but they did not really obey God. They did not do what John said.
The story about the wicked farmers who rented property 21:33-46
v33 Listen to another story, Jesus continued. A man who owned land planted *grape bushes in a *vineyard. He put a wall round the bushes and dug a big hole. They pressed the ripe *grapes in the hole to make wine. He also built a tall place to watch over his land. Then he rented this *vineyard to some farmers, and he went away on a journey. v34 When harvest time came, the owner sent his servants to the *vineyard. He told the servants to collect his share of the crop. v35 But the farmers seized his servants. They beat one servant and they killed another servant. Then they threw stones at a third servant and they killed him. v36 So the owner sent other servants to the farmers the next time. And this time, he sent more servants than he sent the first time. But the farmers acted in the same way towards them. v37 Finally, the owner sent his son to them. They will respect my son, he said. v38 But the farmers saw the son coming towards them. This is the person who will receive his fathers property one day, they said to each other. Let us kill him. Then the property will be ours. v39 So they seized the son. They threw him out of the *vineyard and they killed him. v40 When the land-owner returns, what will he do to those farmers? Jesus asked. v41 He will certainly kill those evil people, they replied. Then he will rent the *vineyard to other farmers who will give him his share at harvest time. v42 Jesus spoke to the leaders again. Have you never read what God caused people to write long ago? There is a stone that the builders refused to use. That stone has become the most important stone of all. The *Lord has done this, and what a wonderful sight it is. v43 So this is what I tell you. God will not allow you to be where he rules. He will give places there to people who will produce fruit for him. v44 Everyone who trips over this stone will break into pieces. But the stone will destroy completely anyone that it falls onto. v45 The chief *priests and the *Pharisees heard Jesus stories. They knew that he was talking about them. v46 So they looked for a way to arrest him. But the people all believed that Jesus was Gods special servant. So the *Pharisees were afraid of the crowd. Verse 33 Long ago, Gods servant Isaiah referred to Israel as Gods *vineyar d (Isaiah 5:1-7). A *vineyard is a field where people grow bushes with fruit called *grapes. Isaiah spoke about the way that God protected his *vineyard with a wall. The tall place to watch over the land was a small shelter that had a flat roof. Someone could go up onto its roof. He could look over the *vineyard and see any animals or thieves. He could guard the *grapes. He could also store *grapes in the building. The big hole was in two sections. In the top part of the hole, the workers pressed the *grapes with their feet. The juice then flowed into the lower section to make wine. Isaiahs picture meant that God was expecting a good harvest in Israel. He was not expecting the fruit called *grapes. But he was expecting Israels people to obey him. He wanted them to live good lives. But God was disappointed because Israels people did not produce that kind of fruit. In Jesus story also, God is like the owner and Israel is like his *vineyard.
Verse 33 An owner often rented his *vineyard to other farmers. Then he would receive a share of the *grapes at harvest time. The *Jewish leaders were like the farmers. God had given responsibility to them. God expected them to look after the people. They should be a good example. Verses 34-36 The servants who went to collect the *grapes were like Gods special servants long ago. God is very patient. He sent his servants to Israels people many times. They reminded the people that God wanted fruit from his *vineyard. God wanted them to obey him. Then they would live good lives. God gives us every opportunity so that we can obey him. But Israels leaders took no notice. Instead, they made Gods servants suffer. For example: They insulted Amos (Amos 7:12). They beat Jeremiah and they put him in prison (Jeremiah 37:14-15). The king destroyed the book in which Jeremiah had recorded his message (Jeremiah 36:20-26). They killed Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-21). Stephen spoke to Israels leaders later about all Gods special servants. He said that their relatives who lived long ago had caused Gods servants to suffer (Acts 7:52). Verses 37-39 Finally, God sent his own Son. Jesus knew that he was different from Gods special servants. They were servants, but he was the Son. Jesus knew that the *Jewish leaders would plan to kill him. The farmers threw the son out of the *vineyard. The soldiers killed Jesus outside Jerusalem. Verses 40-41 The farmers thought that the owner was far away. They thought that he did not know what they had done. Many people today behave like that. They think that God does not know what they are doing. Some of the *Jewish leaders were listening to Jesus story. They agreed that the owner would return. And he would punish the wicked farmers. He would certainly kill them. This came true for the *Jews in *AD 70, when the *Romans destroyed Jerusalem city. The owner would rent his *vineyard to other people, they agreed. But they did not like the idea that God would *bless other people. They could not accept the idea of a new *kingdom, where people believe Jesus. Verses 42-44 Jesus used verses 22-23 from Psalm 118. He spoke about himself as a stone that builders use. But the builders thought that the stone was of no use. Then that stone became the most important stone in the building. It became the stone that unites the two parts at the top of a curve. Or it became the stone that unites two walls at the base of the building. This stone makes a strong base, and Jesus is the strong base of the Christian *church. Peter used the same verse to describe Jesus (Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7). Jesus also spoke about himself as a stone that men would trip over. These words from Isaiah 8:14-15 speak about what happens to people who oppose Jesus. The second word-picture speaks about a stone that falls on to someone. This picture comes from Daniel 2:34-35. A stone destroyed an image in the kings dream, and the image broke into pieces. In both pictures, Jesus is like the stone. Verses 45-46 Jesus had told these stories about the two sons and about the wicked farmers. The chief *priests and the *Pharisees realised that these stories were about themselves. They were so angry that they wanted to arrest Jesus. But they were afraid of the crowds of people. The people believed that Jesus was one of Gods special servants. Because it was *Passover time, these *Jewish leaders did not want any crowd to cause problems. The *Roman rulers were watching and would punish the *Jews.