Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

As Jesus taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, the chief priests, scribes, and elders came to him with a question. "Tell us," they said, "by what authority you are doing these things, or who gave you this authority?"

Jesus turned the tables on them, asking if John's baptism was from heaven or from men. The Pharisees were caught in a trap of their own making: if they said it was from heaven, Jesus would ask why they didn't believe in John; but if they said it was from men, the crowd would accuse them of not respecting a prophet.

So they couldn't give a clear answer, and Jesus wouldn't tell them about his authority. Instead, he began to speak in parables, telling the people about a man who planted a vineyard, rented it out to tenant farmers, and then went away for a long time. He sent servant after servant to collect some of the fruit from the vineyard, but the farmers beat and mistreated each one.

Finally, the owner sent his beloved son, thinking that perhaps they would respect him when they saw him. But the farmers were so greedy and wicked that they decided to kill him, so they could take the vineyard for themselves. Jesus asked the people what the scripture meant by saying that a stone rejected by the builders became the cornerstone.

The Pharisees and scribes realized that Jesus was speaking about them, and they grew angry. They tried to catch him in his words, but Jesus saw through their tricks and asked them to show him a coin with Caesar's image on it. He told them to give back to Caesar what belonged to him and to God what belonged to him.

The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection of the dead, came to Jesus with a tricky question. They said that if a man died without children, his brother should marry the widow and raise up offspring in his name. But if seven brothers took turns marrying this one woman, whose wife would she be in the resurrection? Jesus replied that people get married and have children in this world, but those who are resurrected will not marry or be given in marriage.

They will live forever with God, being like angels and children of the resurrection. Even Moses had shown at the burning bush that God is a God of the living, not just the dead. The Pharisees were impressed by Jesus' answer and stopped asking him questions.

But then one of them asked about the relationship between Christ and David. Wasn't it written in the Psalms that the Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand"? If David called Christ his Lord, how could he be his son? Jesus said that those who call themselves teachers should beware of being like the hypocrites who love to wear long robes, make long prayers to impress others, and devour the property of widows.

They will receive even greater condemnation for their greed and hypocrisy.