Matthew 21:43

Matthew 21:43

In one instance   (Matthew 21:23) Jesus went into the temple to teach, then  the chief priests and the older men of the people came up to him while he was teaching and they said rudely : “By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?”

In response Jesus give three Illustrations like the illustration about the two children (Mt 21:28-31), the marriage feast for the king’s son (Mt 22:1-14). In addition the murderous cultivators (Mt 21:33-44; where in verse 43, Jesus made this startling declaration to the Jews of his day: “The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.” (Matt. 21:43) The statement is a straight blow to the chief priest and the pharissees but have a profound meaning on those who made up the new nation and the gives a great effect on us today.

Let us take into consideration the first statement. “The kingdom of God will be taken from you”, the statement is address to the chief priest and the Pharisees. In the Illustration of two children, Jesus indicates that the chief priests and the older men are comparable to the first child, professing to serve God but actually failing to do so. In his illustration about the murderous cultivator, the cultivators who beat up, killed and stoned the slaves of the vineyard owner to harvest the fruits and even worst they plan to kill the owner’s son, thinking that they can seize the vineyard as their own, illustrate the chief priest and the older men. Because of their corruptible and evil deeds, the Jewish religious leaders who despise, beat murder and stoned the slaves of Jehovah or His prophets and disciples including his beloved son Jesus Christ. The Law of Covenant does not produce a kingdom of priest and a holy nation: that would serve in heaven forever”. As Exudus 19:5, 6 state, however. The second statement here in Matthew 21:43 serve a remedy to preserve the holy nation stating “and (the Kingdom of God) be given to a nation producing its fruits.” To clarify in the illustration of the Two Children, the second child, figuratively represented by the harlots and the tax collectors. Believed John the Baptizer, who at first rudely refused to serve God but later felt regret and change their course. They are truly the one who follows their Father. In addition, in the illustration of the Marriage feast for the King’s Son, the invited individuals did not accept the wedding invitation and acted with disgrace.  Thus the King invited persons outside the Kingdom both wicked and good who are willing enough to change for the occasion because there are many invited but few individuals deserves to be part of the feast. So who then composed the Nation Producing its Fruits? The apostle Peter clearly identified this new nation. He wrote the following to his fellow Christians: (1 Pet. 2:9, 10) “You are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that you should declare abroad the excellencies’ of the one that called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”. Thus, the fleshly Israel is no longer God’s covenant poeple, but the new nation under the new covenant composed of anointed Christians, who have the heavenly hope. They are “the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:16) They are “bought from among mankind as first fruits to God and to the Lamb” to serve as “priests” and to “rule as kings with [Jesus] for the thousand years.”

So by what authority did Jesus did those things and who give him the Authority, it is no other than Jehovah God the supreme ruler of the heavenly and earthly kingdom.