Jesus Confirms

Summary

Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes 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 prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him. 21.31-32

Jesus had just insulted the entire Jewish faith by calling the temple a ‘den of robbers,’ and threatening to produce no more fruit from them. The leaders of the temple wanted an explanation; they wanted to know who He thought He was. What they really wanted was a way to appease Him and make Him leave quietly. Jesus refuses to be ‘handled.’ He turns the questioning on them, making their hypocrisy clear, and denying them the answer they wanted to use against Him. But then Jesus goes on the offensive. He tells the leaders that their hypocrisy does not fool God. It doesn’t matter if you can look good and spin words…what matters is what you actually believe and do. The sinner who turns away from their sin will be shown grace. Those who trust in themselves and reject God (no matter what they say) will receive wrath.

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