'Īsā al-Masīh's authority is challenged
20
One day 'Īsā was teaching the people in al-Bayt ul-Muqaddas and preaching the good news.a The Jewish high priests and ulema were standing there along with the elders, 2 and they said to him, ‘Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority?’3 'Īsā answered them, ‘I too will ask you a question. Tell me, 4 was (the authority for) Yahyā's ritual washingb from heaven or from human beings?’
5 They discussed this among themselves, saying, ‘If we say, “From heaven,” he'll say, “Why didn't you believe him?” 6 But if we say, “From human beings,” all the people will stone us to death, because they are convinced that Yahyā was a prophet.’ 7 So they answered, ‘We don't know where it came from.’
8 'Īsā said to them, ‘And I won't tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’
The parable of the vineyard owner and the rebellious tenant farmers
9 'Īsā went on to tell the people this parable.c ‘There was a man who planted a vineyard and let it out to tenant farmers. Then he went away for a long time. 10 At the time of the grape harvest, he sent a servant to the tenant farmers to receive from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenant farmers beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He then sent another servant, but the tenant farmers beat and insulted him as well, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 Again, he sent a third servant, but they injured him and drove him out.
13 ‘The master of the vineyard said, “What shall I do? I will send my son whom I love. Perhaps they'll have some respect for him.”
14 ‘But when they saw the son, the tenant farmers discussed together and said, “This is the heir. Let's kill him, and then the inheritance will be ours.” 15 So they drove him out of the vineyard and killed him.
‘What then, will the master of the vineyard do to those tenant farmers? 16 He will come and put those tenant farmers to death and give the vineyard to others.’
Those who were listening said, ‘May it never happen!’
17 'Īsā looked at them and said, ‘Why, then, is it written,
“The very stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone”d?
18 ‘Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; and if it falls on anyone, they will be crushed.’
19 The ulema and the Jewish high priests wanted to arrest 'Īsā right away, but they were afraid of the people, because they knew that 'Īsā had told this parable against them. .
Paying taxes to Caesar
20 So they kept a close watch on 'Īsā. They sent men they had hired, who pretended to be sincere. They wanted to trap 'Īsā in something he said, so that they could hand him over to the official power and authority of the Roman governor.e 21 The men asked 'Īsā, ‘Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and that you don't show favouritism, but teach the path of Allah according to the truth. 22 Is it permitted for us to pay tax to Caesar, or not?’
23 Seeing through their cunning, 'Īsā said to them, 24 ‘Show me a denarius.f Whose image and inscription does it have on it?’
‘Caesar's,’ they answered.
25 'Īsā said to them, ‘So then, give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to Allah what is Allah's.’
26 They were not able to trap him in anything he said in public. Amazed at his answer, they had nothing to say.
The qiyamat and marriage
27 Some of the Sadducees,g who say there is no qiyamat,h approached 'Īsā. They asked him, 28 ‘Teacher, Mūsā wrote for us that if a man's brother dies leaving a wife but no children, the man must marry his brother's widow and father offspring for his brother.i 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first brother had a wife, but died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way, all seven married her, and died without leaving any children. 32 Afterwards, the woman also died. 33 So whose wife will she be at the qiyamat? For all seven brothers were married to her.’
34 'Īsā replied, ‘The children of this age get married and have marriages arranged. 35 But those considered worthy of experiencing the age to come and the qiyamat from the dead will not get married or have marriages arranged. 36 Indeed, they cannot die for they are like the angels. They are spiritual children of Godj since they are children of the qiyamat.k 37 Even Mūsāl revealed that the dead are raised. In the account of the burning bush,m it refers to the Lord as the God of Ibrāhīm and the God of Ishāq and the God of Ya'qūb.n 38 Allah is not the God of the dead, but of the living. For to him all of them are alive.’
39 Some of the ulema spoke up, ‘Well said, teacher!’ 40 For they no longer dared to ask him anything.
Why is al-Masīh (hpbuu) called the son of Dāwūd (pbuh)?
41 Then 'Īsā asked them, ‘Why do they say that al-Masīh is the son of Dāwūd? 42 For Dāwūd himself says in the Zabūr,
“The Lord said to my Lord:
‘Sit at my right hand
43 until I put your enemies
as a footstool under your feet.’”o
44 ‘Dāwūd calls al-Masīh, “Lord”. How then can he be his son?’
'Īsā al-Masīh (hpbuu) warns about the ulema
45 While all the people were listening, 'Īsā said to his disciples, 46 ‘Beware of the ulema, who like to walk about in long flowing robes, and love to be greeted respectfully in the market places. They love the most distinguished seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at feasts. 47 They take advantage of widows’ households and for appearance's sake they make long du'ās. These men will receive the more severe punishment.