Matthew 21: 23-32
And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus answered them "I will also give you a question; and if you will tell me the answer, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or from men?" And they argued with one another, saying "If we answer 'from heaven', then he will say to us 'Then why did you not believe him?' But if we say 'From men,' we are afraid of the multitude; for all hold that John was a prophet." So they answered Jesus "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
"What do you think? A man had two sons, and he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he answered 'I will not'; but afterwards he repented and went. And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I go, sir', but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him."
Photo of the Norfolk, CT, Congregational Church, on a rainy day
