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Matthew 21:26-28
New Catholic Bible
Matthew 21:26-28
New Catholic Bible
26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
27 Therefore, they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Then neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.[a]
28 The Parable of the Two Sons.[b]“What is your opinion about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go and work in the vineyard today.’
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 21:27 The religious authorities claim ignorance of the origin of John’s baptism and thereby demonstrate that they cannot speak with authority. Therefore, Jesus refuses to tell them by what authority he acts.
- Matthew 21:28 The parable of the two sons denounces a religion that is content with words and appearances. The facile “Yes” on the lips is a poor disguise for the refusal of the heart. To the hypocrisy of the recognized teachers, Jesus opposes the true faith of the poor. The evangelist utilizes this parable to indicate the end of Israel’s privileges and the entrance of Gentiles into the growing Church.
