1   He went on to speak to them in parables: ‘A man planted a vineyard and put a wall round it, hewed out a winepress, and built a watch-tower; then he let it out to vine-growers and went abroad. 2   When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect

Challenge to Jerusalem from them his share of the produce. 3   But they took him, thrashed him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4   Again, he sent them another servant, whom they beat about the head and treated outrageously. 5   So he sent another, and that one they killed; and many more besides, of whom they beat some, and killed others. 6   He had now only one left to send, his own dear son. ^noteIn the end he sent him. 7   “They will respect my son”, he said. But the tenants said to one another, “This is the heir; come on, let us kill him, and the property will be ours.” 8   So they seized him and killed him, and flung his body out of the vineyard. 9   What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and put the tenants to death and give the vineyard to others.

10   ‘Can it be that you have never read this text: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the main corner-stone. 11   This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes”?’

12   Then they began to look for a way to arrest him, for they saw that the parable was aimed at them; but they were afraid of the people, so they left him alone and went away.

13   A number of Pharisees and men of Herod's party were sent to trap him with a question. 14   They came and said, ‘Master, you are an honest man, we know, and truckle to no one, whoever he may be; you teach in all honesty the way of life that God requires. Are we or are we not permitted to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor? 15   Shall we pay or not?’ He saw how crafty their question was, and said, ‘Why are you trying to catch me out? Fetch me a silver piece, and let me look at it.’ 16   They brought one, and he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose inscription?’ ‘Caesar's’, they replied. 17   Then Jesus said, ‘Pay Caesar what is due to Caesar, and pay God what is due to God.’ And they heard him with astonishment.

18   Next Sadducees came to him. (It is they who say that there is no resurrection.) 19   Their question was this: ‘Master, Moses laid it down for us that if there are brothers, and one dies leaving a wife but no child, then the next should marry the widow and carry on his brother's family. 20   Now there were seven brothers. 21   The first took a wife and died without issue. Then the second married her, and he too died without issue. So did the third.

Challenge to Jerusalem 22   Eventually the seven of them died, all without issue. Finally the woman died. 23   At the resurrection, when they come back to life, whose wife will she be, since all seven had married her?’ 24   Jesus said to them, ‘You are mistaken, and surely this is the reason: you do not know either the scriptures or the power of God. 25   When they rise from the dead, men and women do not marry; they are like angels in heaven.

26   ‘But about the resurrection of the dead, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the story of the burning bush, how God spoke to him and said, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? 27   God is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly mistaken.’

28   Then one of the lawyers, who had been listening to these discussions and had noted how well he answered, came forward and asked him, ‘Which commandment is first of all?’ 29   Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is the only Lord; 30   love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” 31   The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ 32   The lawyer said to him, ‘Well said, Master. You are right in saying that God is one and beside him there is no other. 33   And to love him with all your heart, all your understanding, and all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself—that is far more than any burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ 34   When Jesus saw how sensibly he answered, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’

After that nobody ventured to put any more questions to him; and Jesus went on to say, 35   as he taught in the temple, ‘How can the teachers of the law maintain that the Messiah is “Son of David”? 36   David himself said, when inspired by the Holy Spirit, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’” 37   David himself calls him “Lord”; how can he also be David's son?’

38   There was a great crowd and they listened eagerly. ^noteHe said as he taught them, ‘Beware of the doctors of the law, who love to walk up and down in long robes, receiving respectful greetings in the street; 39   and to have the chief seats in synagogues, and places of honour at feasts. 40   These are the men who eat up the property of

Challenge to Jerusalem widows, while they say long prayers for appearance' sake, and they will receive the severest sentence.’ ^note

41   Once he was standing opposite the temple treasury, watching as people dropped their money into the chest. Many rich people were giving large sums. 42   Presently there came a poor widow who dropped in two tiny coins, together worth a farthing. 43   He called his disciples to him. ‘I tell you this,’ he said: ‘this poor widow has given more than any of the others; 44   for those others who have given had more than enough, but she, with less than enough, has given all that she had to live on.’

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