Jesus questioned on authority in the Jerusalem Temple

The biblical account in Matthew 21:23–32 describes a confrontation between Jesus and the chief priests and elders in the Jerusalem Temple. Following Jesus' entry into the city and his actions within the Temple, religious leaders questioned the source of his authority to act and teach.

In response, Jesus posed a question regarding the origin of John the Baptist’s baptism, asking whether it came from heaven or from man. The religious leaders declined to answer, fearing the reaction of the crowds who viewed John as a prophet. Jesus then shared the parable of two sons—one who refused to work in a vineyard but later complied, and another who promised to work but did not—to illustrate the difference between verbal profession and actual obedience. He concluded by stating that tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the kingdom of God before the religious leaders because they believed John’s message of righteousness while the leaders did not.