Matthew 21:23-32

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

23 z And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him a as he was teaching, and said, b "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" 24 Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, c from where did it come? d From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, e 'Why then did you not believe him?' 26 But if we say, 'From man,' f we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was g a prophet." 27 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 h "What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in i the vineyard today.' 29 And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he j changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, k the tax collectors and l the prostitutes go into m the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you n in the way of righteousness, and o you did not believe him, but p the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward j change your minds and believe him.

  1. Cross References
    Matthew 21:23 - 27
    And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?
    Mark 11:27 - 33
    And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him.
    Luke 20:1 - 8
    One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up
  2. Cross References
    Matthew 26:55
    At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.
  3. Cross References
    Exodus 2:14
    He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known.
    John 1:25
    They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?
    Acts 4:7
    And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?
  4. Cross References
    Matthew 21:23 - 27
    And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?
    Mark 11:27 - 33
    And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him.
    Luke 20:1 - 8
    One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up
  5. Cross References
    Matthew 13:54
    And coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
  6. Cross References
    Luke 15:18
    I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
    Luke 15:21
    And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
    John 3:27
    John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
  7. Cross References
    Matthew 21:32
    For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
    Luke 7:30
    But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)
  8. Cross References
    Matthew 21:46
    And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.
    Matthew 14:5
    And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.
  9. Cross References
    John 5:35
    He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
    Matthew 11:9
    What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
  10. Cross References
    Matthew 17:25
    He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?
    Matthew 18:12
    What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
  11. Cross References
    Matthew 21:33
    Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country.
    Matthew 20:1
    For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
  12. Cross References
    Matthew 21:32
    For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
    Matthew 27:3
    Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.
    Hebrews 7:21
    But this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'
  13. Cross References
    Luke 7:29
    ( When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
  14. Cross References
    Luke 7:37 - 50
    And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment.
  15. Cross References
    Matthew 12:28
    But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
  16. Cross References
    Matthew 3:8 - 12
    Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
    Matthew 3:15
    But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.
    Proverbs 8:20
    I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice.
    2 Peter 2:21
    For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
  17. Cross References
    Matthew 21:25
    The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?
    Matthew 11:18
    For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.
  18. Cross References
    Luke 3:12 - 13
    Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?
  19. Cross References
    Matthew 21:29
    And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.