Jesus’ Authority, the Leaders’ Failures, and True Devotion

11:27 They came again to Jerusalem. While Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the elders came up to him 11:28 and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?" 11:29 Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question. Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 11:30 John's baptism - was it from heaven or from people? Answer me." 11:31 They discussed with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Then why did you not believe him?' 11:32 But if we say, 'From people - '" (they feared the crowd, for they all considered John to be truly a prophet). 11:33 So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." 12:1 Then he began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey. 12:2 At harvest time he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his portion of the crop. 12:3 But those tenants seized his slave, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 12:4 So he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously. 12:5 He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed. 12:6 He had one left, his one dear son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 12:7 But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and the inheritance will be ours!' 12:8 So they seized him, killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard. 12:9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 12:10 Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 12:11 This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" 12:12 Now they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So they left him and went away. 12:13 Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to trap him with his own words. 12:14 When they came they said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone's favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?" 12:15 But he saw through their hypocrisy and said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." 12:16 So they brought one, and he said to them, "Whose image is this, and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." 12:17 Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were utterly amazed at him. 12:18 Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) also came to him and asked him, 12:19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us: 'If a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother.' 12:20 There were seven brothers. The first one married, and when he died he had no children. 12:21 The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third. 12:22 None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too. 12:23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her." 12:24 Jesus said to them, "Aren't you deceived for this reason, because you don't know the scriptures or the power of God? 12:25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 12:26 Now as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 12:27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken!" 12:28 Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" 12:29 Jesus answered, "The most important is: 'Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' 12:31 The second is: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 12:32 The expert in the law said to him, "That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. 12:33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." Then no one dared any longer to question him. 12:35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, "How is it that the experts in the law say that the Christ is David's son? 12:36 David himself, by the Holy Spirit, said, 'The Lord said to my lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet."' 12:37 If David himself calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" And the large crowd was listening to him with delight. 12:38 In his teaching Jesus also said, "Watch out for the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, 12:39 and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 12:40 They devour widows' property, and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment." 12:41 Then he sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. 12:42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. 12:43 He called his disciples and said to them, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. 12:44 For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had."

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

In the temple, Jesus is questioned about his authority, and he answers in a way that exposes the leaders’ fear of people and their refusal to submit to God. He then tells a vineyard parable that warns of judgment on unfaithful stewards, answers tests about taxes and resurrection, names the greatest commands as love for God and neighbor, and warns against proud scribes. The section ends with the widow’s small offering, which Jesus says is greater than the gifts of the rich because she gave all she had.

Jesus comes to Jerusalem and teaches in the temple courts. The chief priests, scribes, and elders ask who gave him authority to do these things. Jesus answers with a question about John’s baptism: was it from heaven or from people? Their response shows that they care more about avoiding trouble than about telling the truth. They do not want to admit John was from God, but they also fear the crowd. So they answer, “We do not know,” and Jesus does not give them the answer they demanded.

Jesus then tells the parable of the vineyard. The owner sends servants to collect fruit, but the tenants beat and kill them. At last he sends his beloved son, and they kill him too, hoping to seize the inheritance. Jesus then says the owner will destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. He also quotes Scripture about the stone the builders rejected becoming the cornerstone. The leaders understand that Jesus is speaking against them, but they still fear the crowd and leave him.

Next, Pharisees and Herodians try to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus sees their hypocrisy. He asks whose image is on the coin, then says, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Caesar has a real but limited claim. God’s claim is greater.

Then the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, bring up a marriage puzzle to mock the idea of life after death. Jesus says they are mistaken because they do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. In the resurrection, people do not marry in the same way they do now. He then points them to God’s words to Moses at the bush: God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is not God of the dead but of the living. So the dead will be raised.

A scribe asks which command is greatest. Jesus says the first is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself. The scribe agrees and says these are more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices. Jesus tells him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” He has understood something important, but he still needs to go further.

Jesus then asks how the Christ can be only David’s son if David himself, by the Holy Spirit, called him “Lord” in Psalm 110. The crowd listens with delight. Jesus is showing that the Messiah is greater than the leaders expect. He is David’s son, but also David’s Lord.

Jesus warns the people about the scribes. They love public honor, important seats, and long prayers, but they also exploit widows. Because of this, they will receive a more severe judgment. Then Jesus sits near the offering box and watches people give. The rich put in large amounts, but a poor widow gives two very small coins. Jesus says she gave more than all the others, because they gave from their abundance, but she gave everything she had to live on. Her gift shows true devotion.

This whole unit shows that Jesus’ authority comes from God, while the leaders show dishonesty, pride, and blindness to Scripture. It also shows that what matters most is not status, outward religion, or public honor, but a true response to God marked by faith, love, obedience, and wholehearted devotion.

• Jesus’ authority comes from God, not from human approval.
• Refusing to answer God’s clear word is a form of spiritual dishonesty.
• The vineyard parable warns of judgment on unfaithful stewards who reject the owner’s son.
• Jesus teaches a real but limited duty to Caesar, while God’s claim is greater.
• Resurrection is true because God’s power and covenant faithfulness are greater than death.
• The greatest commands are to love God fully and love your neighbor as yourself.
• The Messiah is not only David’s son but also David’s Lord.
• God values wholehearted devotion, even when it looks small to people.

• Do not treat the vineyard parable as a simple claim that God has no future purpose for Israel.
• Do not use “give to Caesar” to support unlimited obedience to the state.
• Do not reduce Jesus’ resurrection answer to a mere grammar trick.
• Do not read the widow’s offering as only a fundraising lesson or only as exploitation; Jesus truly commends her gift, and the context also condemns corrupt religion.
• Be honest before God.
• Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.
• Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
• Love your neighbor as yourself.
• Watch out for proud religion that seeks honor and harms the weak.

God sent John, then his Son, and the leaders rejected both. Jesus shows that this rejection fits the pattern of Israel’s history, yet God will judge unfaithful stewards and honor the Son. The rejected stone becomes the cornerstone, showing that God’s plan advances through rejection, vindication, and true obedience.

This passage calls you to answer God honestly, not with excuses. It warns leaders and teachers not to use religion for honor or gain. It reminds you to honor lawful civic obligations without giving Caesar God’s place. It also calls you to trust God’s power, love God and neighbor above outward display, and give with sincere devotion rather than for praise.

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