Study Desk

The son answered, ‘No, I won't go,' but later he changed his mind and went anyway.

"Which of the two obeyed his father?" They replied, "The first." Then Jesus explained his meaning: "I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.

At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.

But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.

So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.

"Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.'

"But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'

The religious leaders replied, "He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest."

"The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.

When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!

But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business.

Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

"The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town.

And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren't worthy of the honor.

Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

His reply amazed them, and they went away.

"Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother's name.'

Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow.

When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching.

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again.