I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Matthew 21-22

Jesus tells several parables in today’s passage which all have similar themes.  In a way, that theme begins with Jesus’ driving the money changers and other merchants out of the Temple.  Then when the religious leaders asked Him what authority He had for doing so, He asked them to say whether or not John the Baptist had authority from heaven.  When they said that they did not know, Jesus declined to answer their question.  They were unwilling to say that John had authority from heaven because they were unwilling to put his teachings into practice.  On the other hand, they were unwilling to say that he only had human authority because they were afraid of the crowds who believed in John.  However, that was not why Jesus asked them this question.   Jesus asked because if they accepted that John had authority from heaven, He could show how John had testified to His own calling by God.  On the other hand, if they said that John had only human authority it would reveal to the people that they did not have the righteousness they claimed. I have worded that poorly, but I think as I discuss the parables it will give a clearer understanding of what I was trying to say.

From there Jesus starts telling some parables.  The first parable shows us that saying we want to do God’s will is less important than actually doing it.  In fact, there are those who verbally reject God who do His will.  From there Jesus goes on to tell parables about people who present themselves as righteous, but actually attempt to usurp God’s place.  God will replace those people with those who know they are not in God’s presence because of their own merit, but solely because of God’s grace.  However, the ending of the wedding banquet parable shows us that we have to allow God to change us.