28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
Matt 21:28-32 (ESV)
Rejecting the Messiah
Rejected.
Tuesday came and what did the chief priests and Pharisees do with Jesus? In a word, rejected. They rejected the Messiah sent to them by the Father. They rejected Him because they desired to have the kingdom of God without the King.
When Jesus entered the temple again on Tuesday, the chief priests and the elders sought to rid themselves of Him. Who did He think He was? Some sort of prophet? The Messiah?! What authority gave him the right to teach these things, to say such things, and in all places in the temple of God? (Matt 21:23)
But Jesus would not be baited into a debate. No. He would reveal the heart of these leaders of Israel. By what authority did they think John did his baptizing? (Matt 21:24-25) And so the heart of the leaders was revealed. They were blinded. They could not see the obvious answer: John's baptism was done by the authority of heaven, by the authority of God. (John 1:6) So their blinded minds could not give an answer because the desires of their hearts would not let them. The didn't desire the kingdom of God nor the God of the kingdom. They wanted to be righteous on their own terms, apart from God, apart from the Messiah, apart from His kingdom. So even when they saw the kingdom of God and "the way of righteousness" they still refused to believe. (Matt 21:32, ESV)
Instead of embracing the Kingdom of God, they repeatedly beat and rejected the messengers sent to proclaim it. And when the rightful heir of the kingdom came, He would be treated no different. They would do what was required, to even so far as to kill Him, to reject the King. (Matt 21:38-39)
And what would God the Father do in response to their rejection? He would exalt the Rejected One (Matt 21:42) and reject the ones who sought to exalt themselves. (Matt 21:43)
So then the chief priests and the Pharisees knew: they had been rejected by the King of the Kingdom (Matt 21:45). And so they sought to have Him arrested (Matt 21:46), but soon this too would not be enough.
Tuesday came and what did the chief priests and Pharisees do with Jesus? In a word, rejected. They rejected the Messiah sent to them by the Father. They rejected Him because they desired to have the kingdom of God without the King.
When Jesus entered the temple again on Tuesday, the chief priests and the elders sought to rid themselves of Him. Who did He think He was? Some sort of prophet? The Messiah?! What authority gave him the right to teach these things, to say such things, and in all places in the temple of God? (Matt 21:23)
But Jesus would not be baited into a debate. No. He would reveal the heart of these leaders of Israel. By what authority did they think John did his baptizing? (Matt 21:24-25) And so the heart of the leaders was revealed. They were blinded. They could not see the obvious answer: John's baptism was done by the authority of heaven, by the authority of God. (John 1:6) So their blinded minds could not give an answer because the desires of their hearts would not let them. The didn't desire the kingdom of God nor the God of the kingdom. They wanted to be righteous on their own terms, apart from God, apart from the Messiah, apart from His kingdom. So even when they saw the kingdom of God and "the way of righteousness" they still refused to believe. (Matt 21:32, ESV)
Instead of embracing the Kingdom of God, they repeatedly beat and rejected the messengers sent to proclaim it. And when the rightful heir of the kingdom came, He would be treated no different. They would do what was required, to even so far as to kill Him, to reject the King. (Matt 21:38-39)
And what would God the Father do in response to their rejection? He would exalt the Rejected One (Matt 21:42) and reject the ones who sought to exalt themselves. (Matt 21:43)
So then the chief priests and the Pharisees knew: they had been rejected by the King of the Kingdom (Matt 21:45). And so they sought to have Him arrested (Matt 21:46), but soon this too would not be enough.