1.
And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,
And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders.
[The chief priests and the scribes with the elders.] So it is in Mark 11:27; but in Matthew 21:23; it is the chief priests and elders of the people. Now the question is, who these elders should be, as they are distinguished from the chief priests and the scribes. The Sanhedrim consisted chiefly of priests, Levites, and Israelites, although the original precept was for the priests and Levites only. "The command is, that the priests and Levites should be of the great council; as it is said, Thou shalt go unto the priests and Levites: but if such be not to be found, although they were all Israelites, behold, it is allowed."
None will imagine that there ever was a Sanhedrim wherein there were Israelites only, and no priests or Levites; nor, on the other hand, that there ever was a Sanhedrim wherein there were only priests and Levites, and no Israelites. The scribes; therefore, seem in this place to denote either the Levites; or else, together with the Levites, those inferior ranks of priests who were not the chief priests; and then the elders; may be the Israelites, or those elders of the laity that were not of the Levitical tribe. Such a one was Gamaliel the present president of the Sanhedrim, and Simeon his son, of the tribe of Judah.
2.
And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
3.
And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
4.
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
5.
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
6.
But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
7.
And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.
8.
And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
9.
Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
10.
And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.
11.
And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12.
And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
13.
Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
14.
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.
15.
So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
16.
He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
17.
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?
18.
Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
19.
And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
20.
And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
21.
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:
22.
Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?
23.
But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
24.
Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.
25.
And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.
26.
And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
27.
Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,
28.
Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
29.
There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.
30.
And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.
31.
And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
32.
Last of all the woman died also.
33.
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.
34.
And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
35.
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36.
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.
37.
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
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.
[He calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, etc.] "Why doth Moses say (Exodus 32:13), Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? R. Abin saith, The Lord said unto Moses, ’I look for ten men from thee, as I looked for that number in Sodom: find me out ten righteous persons among the people, and I will not destroy thy people.’ Then said Moses, ’Behold, here am I, and Aaron, and Eleazar, and Ithamar, and Phineas, and Caleb, and Joshua.’ ’But’ saith God, ’these are but seven; where are the other three?’ When Moses knew not what to do, he saith, ’O eternal God, do those live that are dead? ’ ’Yes,’ saith God. Then saith Moses, ’If those that are dead do live, remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’"
38.
For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
39.
Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
40.
And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.
41.
And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?
42.
And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
[The Lord said unto my Lord, etc.] whereas St. Matthew tells us, That "no man was able to answer him a word" to that argument, whereby he asserted the divinity of the Messias, it is plain that those evasions were not yet thought of, by which the Jews have since endeavoured to shift off this place. For the Talmudists apply the psalm to Abraham; the Targumist (as it seems) to David; others (as Justin Martyr tells us) to Hezekiah; which yet I do not remember I have observed in the Jewish authors. His words are in his Dialogue with Tryphon: I am not ignorant, that you venture to explain this psalm (when he had recited the whole psalm) as if it were to be understood of king Hezekiah.
The Jewish authors have it thus: "Sem the Great said unto Eliezer
43.
Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
44.
David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?
45.
Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,
46.
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
[Which desire to walk in long robes.] In garments to the feet; in long robes; which their own Rabbins sufficiently testify. "R. Jochanan asked R. Banaah, What kind of garment is the inner garment of the disciple of the wise men? It is such a one, that the flesh may not be seen underneath him." The Gloss is, It is to reach to the very sole of the foot, that it may not be discerned when he goes barefoot. "What is the ’talith,’ that the disciple of the wise wears? That the inner garment may not be seen below it to a handbreadth."
What is that, Luke 15:22; the first robe?
47.
Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.