Study Desk

Seeing a fig tree beside the road, Jesus went to it, but there were no figs on the tree, only leaves. So Jesus said to the tree, "You will never again have fruit." The tree immediately dried up.

But if we say, ‘It was from people,' we are afraid of what the crowd will do because they all believe that John was a prophet."

The son answered, ‘I will not go.' But later the son changed his mind and went.

Then the father went to the other son and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.' The son answered, ‘Yes, sir, I will go and work,' but he did not go.

John came to show you the right way to live. You did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Even after seeing this, you still refused to change your ways and believe him.

But the farmers grabbed the servants, beat one, killed another, and then killed a third servant with stones.

So the man sent some other servants to the farmers, even more than he sent the first time. But the farmers did the same thing to the servants that they had done before.

But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This son will inherit the vineyard. If we kill him, it will be ours!'

They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the people, because the people believed that Jesus was a prophet.

The king invited some people to the feast. When the feast was ready, the king sent his servants to tell the people, but they refused to come.

"But the people refused to listen to the servants and left to do other things. One went to work in his field, and another went to his business.

"After that, the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready. I invited those people, but they were not worthy to come.

The king said, ‘Friend, how were you allowed to come in here? You are not dressed for a wedding.' But the man said nothing.

"Yes, many are invited, but only a few are chosen."

But knowing that these leaders were trying to trick him, Jesus said, "You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me?

So you should obey and follow whatever they tell you, but their lives are not good examples for you to follow. They tell you to do things, but they themselves don't do them.

They make strict rules and try to force people to obey them, but they are unwilling to help those who struggle under the weight of their rules.

"But you must not be called ‘Teacher,' because you have only one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters together.

"How terrible for you! You guide the people, but you are blind. You say, ‘If people swear by the Temple when they make a promise, that means nothing. But if they swear by the gold that is in the Temple, they must keep that promise.'

And you say, ‘If people swear by the altar when they make a promise, that means nothing. But if they swear by the gift on the altar, they must keep that promise.'