And when he was come into the temple, there came to him, as he was teaching, the chief priests and ancients of the people, saying: By what authority dost thou these things? and who hath given thee this authority?

“But some one will say in opposition to this, that it was absurd to ask by what authority Jesus did these things. For that it could not be that He would answer, that He did these by the Devil’s authority; and He would not tell them as it truly was, that He did them by His own power. If it should be said, that the rulers put this question to Him in order to deter Him from His proceedings; as when we say to one who is dealing with what is ours in a way which we do not like, we say to him, Who bade thee do this? meaning to deter him from what he is so doing;—if it is to be taken so, what means Christ’s answer, Do you tell Me this, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Perhaps therefore, the place should be understood as follows. There are in the general two opposite powers, one on the side of God, the other on the side of the Devil; but of particular powers there are many; for it was not one and the same power that wrought in all the Prophets to enable them to do miracles, but one in these, another in those; and, it may be, for lesser things a lesser power, for greater things a greater power. The Chief Priests had seen Jesus working many miracles, whereupon they desired to know the special degree and properties of that power which wrought in Him. For others who have wrought miracles wrought them at first in one power, and afterwards when more advanced in another and greater power; but the Saviour wrought all in one power, that which He received of the Father. But because they were not worthy to hear such mysteries, therefore He gives them no answer, but on the contrary put a question to them.”

“And when he had come. Here they rebuke him by questioning. And first the questioning is set down; second, the refutation, at the words "Jesus answering said to them." Concerning the first, two things are done. First the questions are set down; second, Christ's answers. And first the question of the Jews is set down; second, Christ's, at the words "But Jesus answering said to them: I will ask you..." etc. They say therefore: "By what power do you do these things?" He had cast out those buying and selling from the temple, and likewise had worked miracles; therefore they ask by what power he does these things. Chrysostom says that in the world there was a twofold power, namely royal and priestly; hence, as to the first, they ask: "From where do you claim to have this power?" Likewise as to the second: "Who gave you this power? Do you have it from the priest or from God?" For thus it was that sons succeeded fathers among the priests in this power. "Who gave it to you?" You have this neither from Caesar nor from the priest. Hence Chrysostom: every man judges another according to the opinion he has of him. Therefore, because they themselves did not have a good opinion of Christ, therefore etc. Or it can be referred back to the working of miracles. There is a power of God and a power of the Devil. Job 41:24: "There is no power on earth that can be compared to him." Hence: "By what power do you do this? Of God, or of the Devil?" But Origen objects that if he were acting by the power of the Devil, he would not say so. Therefore he expounds it otherwise, for he says that the power of God is manifold — some in general, many in particular, as some for this, some for that. Hence they ask by what power, that is, in what degree of power, as with the prophets. For some had one power, some another. According to Chrysostom, when someone asks in order to learn, then the truth is to be answered to him; but when he asks in order to tempt, then he is to be rebuked and refuted. Thus the Lord, because he knew that they were tempting him, said: "I also will ask you one thing." "The baptism of John, whence was it: from heaven, or from men?" Peter baptized, yet it is not called the baptism of Peter, while John baptized, and it is called the baptism of John, because in the baptism of John the whole action was that of a man; but in the baptism of Peter sins were remitted, which could not be done by a man. John 1:33: "He upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, he it is who baptizes in the Holy Spirit." For although John baptized, it was not of himself; hence John 1:33: "He who sent me to baptize in water said to me..." etc. Next the answers are treated. And first the answer of the Jews; second, that of Christ. It is true that the lesser people believed, but the Pharisees were indignant; therefore, if they said it was from men, their own confusion would follow. Likewise all held John to be a prophet; above, 11:7: "What did you go out into the desert to see?" etc. And answering they said: "We do not know." They lied. Psalm 26:12: "Iniquity has lied to itself." Next the answer of Christ is set down: "Neither do I tell you." In this an example is given, that to him who is unwilling to say what he knows, the Lord hides other things from him; hence Wisdom 7:13: "I have learned without deceit, and communicate without envy." "But what do you think? A certain man had two sons," etc. Above, the Lord repressed their questioning by his own question; here he rebukes those who were questioning him. And first concerning disobedience; second concerning malice, and this according to two parables, of which the second expounds and declares the other. Concerning the first, two things. First he sets down the parable; second, the exposition, at "Jesus says to them," etc. Concerning the first, three things. First he commits the judgment to his hearers; second he narrates the deed; third he asks for their verdict. He says: "What do you think?" It is great testimony in his favor that he entrusts the judgment to his adversaries. Job 6:29: "Answer, I beseech you, without contention, and judge what is just." Then he sets forth the deed: "A certain man had two sons." This man is God; the two sons are the two peoples. Ecclesiasticus 33:15: "Look upon all the works of the Most High: two and two, one against one." Or, two kinds of men, the righteous and sinners. Not just anyone is called righteous, but he who professes himself righteous; and not just anyone is called a sinner, but he who does penance. Or these two sons are clergy and laity. Obedience, then, is treated. And first the command is set down; second, the refusal; third, the fulfillment. "And approaching the first." The first is the people of the gentiles, who began from Noah, just as the people of the Jews began from Abraham. Likewise the "first" is said to be the nation of the laity, because clergy exist for the sake of the laity, to instruct them. Hence "he approached the first," that is, the gentile people, through interior inspiration, or through the manifestation of angels. He said: "Son, go work today in the vineyard." The vineyard of God is justice. "Work, then, in the vineyard," that is, do the works of justice. And he says "today," as if for the whole time of your life. And when did he say it? When he inspired him inwardly, giving the light of reason. Psalm 4:6: "Many say: Who shows us good things? The light of your countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us." Next the refusal is set down. "But he answering said, I will not." This is nothing other than to despise the commandments of God. Job 21:14: "We do not want the knowledge of your ways." Afterward follows the fulfillment: "But afterward, moved by repentance, he went." Jeremiah 31:19: "After you converted me, I did penance." There follows the disobedience of the second: and first the command is set down, second the transgression. He says: "approaching the other" — this is the Jewish people, or the clergy, or those who call themselves righteous — "he said likewise." "But he answering said: I go, sir." He professes that he will keep justice; hence the Jewish people say: "All that the Lord commands we will do." So too the clergy and whoever are religious say the same. Hence he promised to go. "And he went not." Malachi 2:8: "But you have departed from the way, and have scandalized very many, you have made void the covenant, says the Lord of hosts." Then he draws out the verdict: "Which of the two did the will of the father?" The first did not promise, but did it; the second promised, but did not do it. Which of these did the will of the father? They answer and say to him: "The first" — because it is better not to vow, than after the vow not to render what was promised, Ecclesiastes 5:4. And 2 Peter 2:21: "It is better not to have known the way of truth, than after having known it to turn back"; for there is a double sin there: the sin of disobedience and the transgression of a vow. Next he applies the parable. And first he sets down the pre-eminence of the gentiles over the Jews, or of the laity over the clergy; second, he assigns the reason. He says to them: "Amen I say to you, that the tax collectors and harlots go before you into the kingdom of God." A like saying is above, 20:16: "And the last shall be first." Chrysostom asks why he sets down tax collectors and harlots rather than others. He answers that by "tax collectors" he understands sinners. The sin of the tax collectors is avarice, because when they collect the tributes, they acquire much for themselves, and seize more than was entrusted to them. But the sin of men is avarice, the sin of women is lust, since they are idle, and idleness has taught many evils. Ezekiel 16:49: "This was the iniquity of Sodom: abundance of bread, and idleness." "They go before you into the kingdom of God," that is, they draw nearer to the kingdom; above, chapter 12:41: "The men of Nineveh shall go before you," etc. The reason follows. And first he says that the Jews were disobedient; second, that the tax collectors obeyed; third, that they did not follow him. He says: "John came to you in the way of justice" — because he led into the way of justice. Or, "in the way of justice," because he himself observed the way of justice, namely the way of penance — "and you did not believe him." For they said to him: "Are you Elijah?" And when he had said no, they said: "Why then do you baptize?" "But the tax collectors and harlots believed him." And this is found above in chapter 3, that they came to John to be baptized. "But you, seeing" — namely, that others were converted and fulfilled what he had commanded — "did not have repentance afterward, that you might believe him." For that man is the worst who does not repent of his deed. Jeremiah 8:6: "There is no one who does penance for his sin, saying: What have I done?" "Hear another parable." The Lord had asked about baptism, and they were unwilling to answer; now, however, he questions them covertly, so that they do not perceive it; therefore he unfolds a parable, and does two things. First he sets down the parable; second he seeks out their verdict, at "When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?" Concerning the first, three things. First the benefit bestowed is set down; second the demand for recompense is set down, at "But when the time of fruits drew near," etc.; third he sets down their ingratitude, at "And the farmers, having seized his servants," etc. Concerning the first, three things. First the planting of the vineyard is set down; second its adornment; third its leasing. He says therefore: "There was a man, a householder, who planted a vineyard," etc. A like thing is set down in Isaiah 5:1, where it is said: "A vineyard was made for my beloved on a horn, a son of oil." But here he says that the householder plants the vineyard. Some say that there the invective is against the vineyard itself; hence it says: "What more ought I to have done for my vineyard?" But here it is against the farmers. Therefore it is expounded in two ways, according to Jerome and Chrysostom. The vineyard is said to be the Jewish people; Isaiah 5:7: "The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel." That it is against the farmers, is because, as to the present matter, this malice did not proceed from the people, but from the leaders; John 7:48: "Have any of the leaders believed in him?" Therefore it is not against the vineyard. This vineyard is not the house of Israel, but the justice of God, which is handed down secretly in sacred Scripture; hence he says "there was a man, a householder, who planted a vineyard," that is, the Jewish people; Psalm 79:9: "You transferred a vineyard out of Egypt." Or, he placed justice in the teaching of the law. "And he set a hedge around it," for the protection of the vineyard; hence whatever is set up for guarding — whether the prayers of the saints, or the guardianship of the angels — is called a hedge; hence Hosea 2:6: "I will hedge your way with thorns." But if the vineyard is said to be justice, the hedge signifies the hidden words of Scripture. For according to the mystical understanding, the hidden things of Scripture are not to be disclosed to just anyone, because "that which is holy is not to be given to dogs," above, 7:6. "And he dug a winepress in it." The winepress is set down so that the wine of charity may be pressed out. If by the vineyard the Jewish people is understood, by the winepress the altar of holocausts is understood. Likewise the martyrs are understood, who poured out their blood for the faith, Isaiah 63:3: "I have trodden the winepress alone." Or it can also be understood as the order of the prophets, in whom the wine of wisdom is pressed out. Or it can be said to be the depth of sacred Scripture. Likewise the whole fruit of the vineyard is gathered in the winepress: so whatever the soul is capable of, it ought to gather all of it to the praise of God. "And he built a tower." By the tower the temple is understood. Micah 4:8: "And you, cloudy tower of the flock, to you shall come the former power." Or, the knowledge of God, Proverbs 18:10: "The name of the Lord is a most strong tower." Next, concerning the leasing: "and he let it out to farmers," that is, he established it under a fixed rent. The farmers are Moses and Aaron, who held the governance. Job 31:39: "If I have afflicted the soul of its farmers." Gregory: those who are set over the people. "He went into a far country" — the Lord, not by changing place, but by leaving man to his own judgment. Ecclesiasticus 15:14: "God from the beginning created man, and left him in the hand of his own counsel," that is, gave him over to his own judgment. Hence he is said to go into a far country, when he does not inflict punishment for every fault. Or, he did not appear as manifestly as before, namely as when he appeared in the bush, Exodus 3:2. "But when the time of fruits drew near." Whoever produces some fruit expects a benefit; and thus the Lord expects that a benefit be rendered to him, for his own glory. As regards one man, fruit is not found in boyhood, but in full age; hence when he comes to adolescence, then fruit is sought: so when the people had been planted, and the law given, he sought fruit, and they did not recognize him. Jeremiah 8:7: "The kite in the sky has known its time; but my people have not known the judgment of the Lord." "He sent his servants," that is, the prophets, "to the farmers," that is, to the Jews, "that they might receive its fruits," that is, that they might induce men to act well. Below, chapter 28:34: "I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes, and some of them you will kill," etc. After this, malice is treated. And first as regards the first; second as regards the second; third as regards the third. "And the farmers, having seized his servants, beat one" — as Micah — "killed another" — as Isaiah — "and stoned another" — as Naboth. Hebrews 11:37: "They were stoned, they were cut asunder, they died by the slaying of the sword." "Again he sent others." Likewise he sent prophets one at a time, as Moses, and Aaron, and others; but afterward, in the time of David, he sent many bands of prophets. For the Lord wills to fight his mercy against their malice. "And they did to them likewise." Deuteronomy 31:27: "You have always acted contentiously against the Lord." Third follows: "But last of all he sent to them his son," etc., which was the consummation of malice. And he does three things. First the mercy of the Lord is set down; second, their malice; third, the execution of the wicked purpose. "But last of all he sent to them his son." Hebrews 1:1: "God, having spoken of old in many ways and in many manners to the fathers by the prophets, last of all has spoken to us in his Son." "He sent to them his son, saying: perhaps they will reverence my son." But what is meant by his saying "perhaps"? Was he himself ignorant? Jerome says that this manner of speaking, in a doubtful way, signifies the freedom of the will, so as to show what they would become — because he who does not honor the son does not honor the father. Or he speaks thus because some did reverence him. Next the purpose of malice is set down. And first the deliberation is set down; second, the purpose; third, the malice. "But the farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves: This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and we shall have his inheritance." For the son is truly the heir of the father, because what he asks he obtains. Psalm 2:8: "Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance." Likewise he is heir because whatever the father has, he also has; for he is not called heir as some other person who receives an inheritance upon the father's death, but because whatever is the father's is always his own as well. But against this: "if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory," 1 Corinthians 2:8. This is true if they had known truly, but they knew by conjecture. There follows the purpose: "Come, let us kill him." Wisdom 2:20: "Let us condemn him to a most shameful death." And what is the purpose? "We shall have his inheritance." For they knew from the law that he was to rule over the Jewish people. Hence they feared lest he impose upon them the yoke of the law, and destroy their traditions. Therefore they were unwilling to bear the yoke of Christ, and so they came to bear the yoke of the Romans. Hence John 11:48: "Lest perhaps the Romans come, and take away our place and nation." Next the execution is set down: "and having seized him, they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him" — because they crucified him outside the gate of the city, and thus killed him as though he were an alien to the vineyard. Isaiah 53:7: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter," etc. That they cast him out of the vineyard is found in John, that whoever should confess the name of Christ would be put out of the synagogue. Next he asks for their verdict: "When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?" Thus subtly does the Lord ask, that they judge against themselves, just as Nathan did to David, when he sinned with Bathsheba. The verdict is set down: "he will destroy those wicked men wickedly" — that is, with destruction both present and future. And they say "wickedly," that is, harshly. Above, 7:2: "With what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you again." Wisdom 6:7: "The mighty shall suffer mighty torments." "He will destroy those wicked men wickedly, and will let out his vineyard" — that is, his people — "to other farmers" — that is, to the apostles — "who will render him the fruit in its seasons." Psalm 1:3: "And he shall be like a tree, which is planted near the running streams of waters, which shall bring forth its fruit in its season." Job 34:24: "He shall crush many and countless men, and shall make others stand in their place." And here is a question, why in Mark the Lord answers this, whereas here it is the Jews. The solution: I say that first the Lord said it, afterward they themselves said it. Likewise in Luke it is found that when the Lord said this, they themselves said, "God forbid." The true answer is that first they themselves said it, and afterward, understanding that it was against themselves, they said, "God forbid." Likewise it is true that the leaders said it. And although they perceived that it was against themselves, they did not contradict it; rather it was the people who said, "God forbid." "Jesus says to them." Here the confirmation is set down. And first the authority is set down; second, the exposition. He says: "Did you never read in the Scriptures" — this is read in Psalm 117:22 — "the stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner"? And he sets down four things. First he sets down the rejection; second, the dignity; third, the cause; fourth, the wonder. He says "the stone," etc. The stone is Christ, who is called a stone from many likenesses. Isaiah 28:16: "Behold, I will lay in the foundations of Zion a cornerstone," etc. The builders are the apostles. Let each one see how he builds. Hence "that stone which they rejected," that is, cast out, "has become," that is, been constituted, "the head of the corner," that is, the head of the Jews and the gentiles. Hence he himself became the head of the Church. But they might say: he made himself head; therefore it says "this has been done by the Lord." Psalm 117:16: "The right hand of the Lord has wrought strength," etc. And what sort of exaltation is this? "And it is wonderful in our eyes"; Habakkuk 1:5: "Look among the nations, and see, and wonder, and be astonished; for a work is done in your days, which no one will believe when it is told." For so great was the dignity, that it would not have been done, had not the grace of God brought it about. Ephesians 2:8: "By grace you are saved through Christ." Next he expounds it; and he sets down two conclusions. First, that which was said concerning the parable; second, that which is drawn from what was said in the authority cited. It is said therefore: "Therefore I say to you that the kingdom shall be taken from you" — that is, sacred Scripture — because you will lose the understanding of sacred Scripture. John 12:40: "He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." Or, it means the headship over the Church of the faithful, because their glory has been transferred. "And it shall be given to a nation yielding its fruits." Isaiah 55:4: "Behold, I have given him as a witness to the peoples, a leader and master to the gentiles. Behold, you shall call a nation which you did not know, and nations that did not know you shall run to you." But how is it given to them? Above it was said that he let it out; here, however, that it is given. Because when it does not produce fruit, it is called a leasing, or a hired arrangement; but when it is given, then it produces fruit. He sets down a twofold punishment: "and he who shall fall upon this stone shall be broken." It is expounded, according to Jerome, thus: he falls upon the stone Christ, who holds the faith concerning him, that is, concerning Christ, but falls through the sin which he commits against him. Therefore sinners fall, because they do not have charity. "But upon whomever it shall fall, it will crush him." But Christ falls upon unbelievers. This is the difference: that when a vessel falls upon a stone, the vessel is not broken on account of the stone, but on account of the manner of the fall, according as it falls from a greater height; but when the stone falls upon the vessel, it crushes it according to the greatness of the stone. Thus, when a man falls upon the stone Christ, he is then broken according to the magnitude of his sin; but when he becomes an unbeliever, he is utterly crushed. Or, someone falls upon the stone when he sins by his own choice; but the stone falls upon him precisely when Christ punishes him, and then he is wholly ground to pieces. Psalm 17:43: "I will grind them to pieces like dust before the face of the wind." There follows the time of malice: "and when they had heard it, they knew that he spoke of them." And there follows the malice: "and wishing to lay hold of him, they feared the crowds, because they held him as a prophet." And it is plain.”

“And when he was come into the temple,.... The day following the cursing the fig tree: for the withering of it, and the notice the disciples took of it, and our Lord's discourse with them about it, were not in one and the same day, as is clear from the account the Evangelist Mark gives; but on the morning that Christ had conversed with his apostles by the way from Bethany to Jerusalem, concerning the strength of faith in prayer, and the success of it; when they were come into the city, and to the temple, whither he directly went, and entered upon his work of preaching to the people, the chief priests and elders of the people came unto him. The "chief priests" were not the high priest, and his "sagan", or deputy, but the principal of the priesthood, who were chosen from the rest of their brethren, to sit in the sanhedrim; and "the elders of the people" were the laity that were chosen from among the people, to be members of the same grand council: in this sense the Jewish writers interpret the word "elders", in Deu 21:2 "thy elders, and thy judges"; that is, "thy elders, who are thy judges: it is a tradition, R. Eliezer ben Jacob says, , "thine eiders; this is the great sanhedrim" (a). The other Evangelists Mark and Luke add to these, Scribes, who also were a part of this great assembly; so that the principal members of it, if not the whole sanhedrim, came in a body together, if possible, by their presence and authority, to daunt Christ, discourage his ministry, bring it into contempt with the people, and stop his proceedings and success. And this they did as he was teaching; the people, that is, preaching the Gospel to them, as Luke explains it: he was instructing them in the things relating to himself, and his kingdom, dispensing the mysteries of his grace, the doctrines of regeneration, justification, and salvation. Mark says, it was "as he was walking in the temple": and at the same time teaching the people, who flocked about him in like manner, as the Peripatetic philosophers taught their scholars walking: whence they had their name, And said, by what authority dost thou these things? that is, drive out the buyers and sellers out of the temple, which greatly provoked them, their own gain and interest being concerned therein; and perform these miracles of restoring sight to the blind, and causing the lame to walk; which he had very lately wrought in the temple; and particularly preach these doctrines, the work in which he was then engaged: and who gave thee this authority? They do not object to his doctrines, or dispute whether they were true or false; nor examine his miracles, whether they were of God, or of the devil: in these points they might fear he would be able to put them to silence and confusion, of which some of them had had an experience before; but they proceed in another way, in which they might hope for success, and attack him about his commission and authority under which he acted, whether he pretended to derive his authority from God, or from men: by this they designed to ensnare him and hoped they should gain their point, let him answer in what form he would. Should he say that God gave him the authority to do these things, they would charge him with enthusiasm and blasphemy, urging, that it was wickedness and presumption any man to pretend to be sent immediately from God; since the order of the priesthood, and of teaching was fixed, and none were to take upon them the office of a priest, or of a teacher of the people, but by their appointment; or none were called and sent, but through them, or by their means: and if he should say, that he had his authority from men, they would confront him, and absolutely deny that he had any from them, who only had the power of giving men an authority of preaching in the temple; wherefore he must be an usurper of this office, and a turbulent, seditious person, that sought to destroy all order, civil and ecclesiastical, (a) T. Hieros Sota, fol. 23. 3. Jarchi in Deut. xxi. 2.”