Part 33

020:006 And if we say, `human,' the people will all stone us; for they are thoroughly convinced that John was a Prophet."

020:007 And they answered that they did not know the origin of it.

020:008 "Nor will I tell you," said Jesus, "by what authority I do these things."

020:009 Then He proceeded to speak a parable to the people. "There was a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, let it out to vine-dressers, and went abroad for a considerable time.

020:010 At vintage-time he sent a servant to the vine-dressers, for them to give him a share of the crop; but the vine-dressers beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed.

020:011 Then he sent a second servant; and him too they beat and ill treated and sent away empty-handed.

020:012 Then again he sent a third; and this one also they wounded and drove away.

020:013 Then the owner of the vineyard said, "`What am I to do? I will send my son--my dearly-loved son: they will probably respect him.'

020:014 "But when the vine-dressers saw him, they discussed the matter with one another, and said, "`This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

020:015 "So they turned him out of the vineyard and murdered him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

020:016 He will come and put these vine-dressers to death, and give the vineyard to others." "God forbid!" exclaimed the hearers.

020:017 He looked at them and said, "What then does that mean which is written, "`The Stone which the builders rejected has been made the cornerstone'?

020:018 Every one who falls on that stone will be severely hurt, but on whomsoever it falls, he will be utterly crushed."

020:019 At this the Scribes and the High Priests wanted to lay hands on Him, then and there; only they were afraid of the people. For they saw that in this parable He had referred to them.

020:020 So, after impatiently watching their opportunity, they sent spies who were to act the part of good and honest men, that they might fasten on some expression of His, so as to hand Him over to the ruling power and the Governor's authority.

020:021 So they put a question to Him. "Rabbi," they said, "we know that you say and teach what is right and that you make no distinctions between one man and another, but teach God's way truly.

020:022 Is it allowable to pay a tax to Caesar, or not?"

020:023 But He saw through their knavery and replied,

020:024 "Show me a shilling; whose likeness and inscription does it bear?" "Caesar's," they said.

020:025 "Pay therefore," He replied, "what is Caesar's to Caesar-- and what is God's to God."

020:026 There was nothing here that they could lay hold of before the people, and marvelling at His answer they said no more.

020:027 Next some of the Sadducees came forward (who deny that there is a Resurrection), and they asked Him,

020:028 "Rabbi, Moses made it a law for us that if a man's brother should die, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother.

020:029 Now there were seven brothers. The first of them took a wife and died childless.

020:030 The second and the third also took her;

020:031 and all seven, having done the same, left no children when they died.

020:032 Finally the woman also died.

020:033 The woman, then--at the Resurrection--whose wife shall she be? for they all seven married her."