21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, aif you have faith and bdo not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, cbut also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
22And awhatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Jesus’ Authority Questioned
23aNow when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and bsaid, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:
25The abaptism of bJohn—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we afear the multitude, bfor all count John as a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus and said, “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“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my avineyard.’
29He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.
30Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.
31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, a“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.
32For aJohn came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; bbut tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward1relent and believe him.
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers
33“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner awho planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and bwent into a far country.
34Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.
35aAnd the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
36Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.
37Then last of all he sent his ason to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
38But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, a‘This is the heir. bCome, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’
39aSo they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
41aThey said to Him, b“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, cand lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will1 render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: a‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43“Therefore I say to you, athe kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
44And awhoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, bit will grind him to powder.”
45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.
46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they afeared the multitudes, because bthey took Him for a prophet.
By what authority doest thou these things? - The things which the chief priests allude to, were his receiving the acclamations of the people as the promised Messiah, his casting the traders out of the temple, and his teaching the people publicly in it.
Who gave thee this authority? - Not them: for, like many of their successors, they were neither teachers nor cleansers; though they had the name and the profits of the place.
Other Adam Clarke entries containing Matthew 21:23:
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