Luke

The Authority of Jesus

One day, while Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law came with the elders of the Jews 

and said to him: 

“Tell us, what right have you to act like this? Who gives you authority to do all this?”

Jesus said to them: 

“I also will ask you a question. Tell me:

was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?” 

And they argued among themselves, “If we answer that it was a work of God, he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

But if we answer that it was merely something human, the people will stone us, for they all regard John as a prophet.” 

So they answered Jesus: 

“We don’t know.” 

Jesus said to them: 

“Neither will I tell you what right I have to act like this.”

Jesus went on to tell the people this parable: 

“A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants before going abroad for a long time.

Over time, he sent a servant to the tenants to gather some fruit from the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

Again, the owner sent another servant; they beat him too, treated him shamefully, and finally sent him back empty-handed. 

Then the owner sent a third servant, but they injured him and threw him out of the vineyard. 

The owner then thought, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved son; surely, they will respect him.’

However, the tenants, as soon as they saw him, said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him so the property will be ours!’ 

So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 

Now, what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.

Upon hearing this, some said: 

“God forbid!” 

Then Jesus looked directly at them and asked:

“What does this Scripture mean: 

The stone which the builders rejected 

has become the cornerstone? 

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and anyone that the stone falls on will be crushed.”

The teachers of the law and the chief priests wanted to arrest him right then because they understood that Jesus intended this parable for them, but they were afraid of the crowd.

So they left, searching for another chance.

They sent spies who pretended to be honest men to trap him with his words and turn him over to the authority of the Roman governor.

They said to him: 

“Master, we know that you are true in your words and teachings, and your answers don’t change depending on who is listening; for you truly teach the way of God. Tell us: 

are we allowed to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 

But Jesus saw through their cunning and said: 

“Show me a silver coin. Whose image is this, and whose title does it bear?” 

They answered: 

“Caesar’s.” 

Jesus said to them: 

“Return to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, but to God what is God’s.”

So they couldn’t trap him with what he said publicly; they were surprised by his answer and remained silent.

Then some Sadducees arrived. These people claim that there is no resurrection. 

They asked Jesus this question: 

“Master, the law Moses told us, ‘If anyone dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife and any child born to them will be regarded as the child of the deceased.’

 Now, there were seven brothers: the first married but died without children. 

The second married the woman, but also died childless. 

And then the third married her, and in the same way, all seven died without children.

Last of all, the woman died. 

On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be a wife? For all seven had her as a wife.”

And Jesus replied: 

“Taking a husband or a wife is proper for people of this world, 

but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage.

Besides, they cannot die, for they are like angels. They are sons and daughters of God because they are born of the resurrection.

Yes, the dead will be raised, as Moses revealed at the burning bush when he called the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

For God is a God of the living, not of the dead, for to him everyone is alive.” 

Some teachers of the law then agreed with Jesus: 

“Master, you have spoken well.” 

They didn’t dare ask him anything else.

So Jesus said to them: 

“How can people say that the Messiah is the Son of David? 

For David himself says in the book of Psalms: 

The Lord said to my Lord: 

Sit at my right hand, 

until I put your enemies 

under your feet! 

David, there, calls him Lord; how then can he be his Son?”

Jesus also said to his disciples before all the people: 

“Beware of those teachers of the law, who like to be seen in long robes, and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to take the reserved seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts.

While making a show of long prayers, they devour the property of widows. They will receive a very severe sentence!”