Shortly after His triumphal entry in Jerusalem, “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” (Matthew 21:12) For this, the chief priests and elders of the people called Him into question and asked, “By what authority are You doing these things?” (Matthew 21:23) In other words, they asked, “What right do You have to chase people out of the temple courts?”
In response, “Jesus replied, ‘I will also ask you one question. If you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?’ They discussed it among themselves and said, ‘If we say, “From heaven,” He will ask, “Then why didn’t you believe him?” But if we say, “From men”—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then He said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”” (Matthew 21:24-27)
These priests and elders thought they’d paint Jesus into a corner, but He turned the tables on them. Then He told them a parable. “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
“Which of the two did what his father wanted? ‘The first,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.’” (Matthew 21:28–32)
The “this” that they saw was that “the blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them.” (Matthew 21:14) Even seeing miracles won’t convince those who have already made their mind up to reject Jesus. It reminds me of the man in Hell who begged Abraham (who was in Paradise) to send Lazarus to warn his still-living five brothers. He believed that “if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” But Abraham responded, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:27–31)
In a similar vein, if someone doesn’t repent at hearing the gospel about Jesus, it’s not the fault of the gospel. Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16) The gospel is God’s powerful tool to awaken a heart and offer them the gift of eternal life.
Sometimes we assume that religious people will be more inclined to welcome the gospel, receive Christ, and choose to follow Him. But Jesus said the tax collectors and prostitutes (marginalized people) were responding to Him while the religious elite were not. These religious leaders must have been stunned by Jesus’ words which indicated that despised and immoral people were entering the kingdom, while they were being left out.
Despised and immoral people realize that they have nothing to offer God, so the gospel is good news to them that God loves them and can change their life. Religious, moral, and honest people often think that they are good enough for Heaven. That was true about me. But the Spirit of God used the gospel to show me how wrong I was.
We might be surprised to meet some people in Heaven (and be surprised at who isn’t there). Keep on sharing the gospel. Anyone can respond. Sometimes it’s the ones we consider least likely who do.
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