Verses 1-2. The Lord with unwearied patience goes on with His service, teaching the people in the temple and announcing the gospel. On one of these days the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came upon Him. They could not destroy Him. His time was not yet come, but they tried to hinder His work, assuming the right to question Him. “Tell us, by what authority doest Thou these things, or who is He that gave Thee this authority?”
Verses 3-4. He answered and said unto them, “I will also ask you one thing, and answer Me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?”
The priests had some authority from God, but with the others it was only assumed. Also their moral condition was far from right. The Lord proved this by the answer they gave to His question.
Verses 5-7. “They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we shall say, from heaven; He will say, Why then believed ye him not? But if we say, of men; all the people will stone us; for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. And they answered that they could not tell whence it was.” Jealousy and untruthfulness, hypocrisy, and the fear of men ruled them, and had not any desire for the glory of God. Their pride of heart would not submit to John’s call to repentance from, heaven. Yet they dared not say anything against him for fear of the people. Their heartlessness is manifest.
Verse 8. And Jesus said unto them, “Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.” They were utterly incapable to judge anything according to God.
Verses 9-16. In this parable He shows their failure in responsibility to bring forth fruit to God. Israel had returned no fruit for all God’s care, and they, the husbandmen, had persecuted His servants, and lastly the Lord of the vineyard said, “What shall I do? I will send My beloved Son; it may be they will reverence Him when they see Him.” But when the husbandmen saw Him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, “This is the heir; come, let us kill Him that the inheritance may be ours.” So they cast Him out of the vineyard, and killed Him. “What therefore shall the Lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others.” These were plain, forcible, words, and they reached their mark. They felt the parable was against them; it was truth and they feared it. And when they heard it, they said, “God forbid.” Yet how truly it all came about up to that moment.
Verses 17-18. And He beheld them, and said, “What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” Would not that look of His convict them, and pierce their consciences? Doubtless the Lord felt sad needing to speak such words, for they had stumbled on the stumbling stone and would be broken. Yet He was the head of the corner, as it will be seen in Psalm 118, and they were the builders that rejected Him. The words, “But on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder,” speak of His coming in judgment on the unbelieveing Gentiles when Israel is restored.
Verse 19. These wicked men the same hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people. The lesson taught but hardened their hearts and stirred up their anger against Him.
Verse 20. Instead of crowning Him King, they lay traps to catch Him, that they might deliver Him up to the authority of the governor. They watched Him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of His words.
Verses 21-22. And they asked Him, saying, “Master, we know that Thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest Thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly; Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or no?”
Verses 23-24. But He perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, “Why tempt ye Me? Show Me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it?” They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”
Verses 25-26. And He said unto them, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.” It was an answer that reminded them of their sin against God. They had not rendered unto God the things which are His, and because of it they were now under the Roman’s power. And now they must submit to it till God’s time to restore them comes, through their repentance. Again their attempt was defeated; they could not take hold of His words before the people; they marveled at His answer and held their peace.
Verses 27-38. Then came to Him certain Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection, and they asked Him, trying to perplex Him, about the law of brothers taking their deceased brother’s wife. Whose would she be in the resurrection? The Lord answers from Moses’ writings also, and gives us valuable teaching and proves how blind they are to the things of God. In answer He said unto them, “The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage, but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from (out from among) the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. Neither can they die any more; for they are equal unto the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ For He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.”
“This world” and “that world” are contrasted. Those accounted worthy to obtain it and the resurrection from among the dead, (see new trans), speak of believers in the resurrection of life. They are called the children of God and the children of resurrection. The unsaved will not be raised at the same time. Further, notice, all live unto God no one is dead to Him. There is no sleep of the soul. Believers who die are asleep as to this world, they know not anything, but they are absent from the body and present with the Lord. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.
Verses 39-40. Certain of the scribes answering said, “Master, Thou hast well said.” After that they dared not ask Him any question.
Verses 41-44. But He has something to ask them, “How say they that Christ is David’s son? And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said unto My Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool,’ David therefore calleth Him Lord, how is He then his son?” They cannot answer. Thank God, we know who He was. “Jehovah,” the great “I am.” The Almighty, “The Word,” “in the beginning, with God and was God.” “Whose goings forth hath been from of old from the days of eternity.” Great David’s greater Son “Jesus” our Lord.
Verses 45-47. In the audience of all the people He said unto His disciples, “Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts.” It is seeking honor of men, but “they devour widow’s houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.”