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FEBRUARY 2
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border of the land of Canaan. Now an omer is
one-tenth of an ephah.
Psalm 18:20–27
21:25 The baptism of John—where was it
20 The LORD rewarded me according to from? Jesus caught the Jewish leaders in their
my righteousness; own trap. They had no doubt hoped that He
According to the cleanness of my hands would answer by asserting that His authority
He has recompensed me. came directly from God (as He had many
For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
21 times before—see John 5:19–23; 10:18). They
And have not wickedly departed from then accused Him of blasphemy and used the
my God. charge as an excuse to kill Him—as they had
22 For all His judgments were before me, also attempted to do before (John 5:18;
And I did not put away His statutes 10:31–33).Here, however, He asked a question
from me. that placed them in an impossible dilemma,
23 I was also blameless before Him, because John was widely revered by the peo-
And I kept myself from my iniquity. ple.They could not affirm John’s ministry with-
Therefore the LORD has recompensed denied John’s legitimacy, they feared the
24 out condemning themselves. And if they
me according to my righteousness, response of the people (v. 26). In effect, Jesus
According to the cleanness of my exposed their own lack of any authority to
hands in His sight.
examine Him.
With the merciful You will show
25
Yourself merciful; ing, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to
With a blameless man You will show us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if
26
Yourself blameless; we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for
26 With the pure You will show Yourself all count John as a prophet.” So they
27
pure; answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”
And with the devious You will show And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you
Yourself shrewd. by what authority I do these things.
27
For You will save the humble people, 28 “But what do you think? A man had two
But will bring down haughty looks. sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son,
go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered
29
Proverbs 6:12–15
and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regret-
12 A worthless person, a wicked man, ted it and went. Then he came to the second
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Walks with a perverse mouth; and said likewise. And he answered and said,
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He winks with his eyes, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two
He shuffles his feet, did the will of his father?”
He points with his fingers; They said to Him, “The first.”
14 Perversity is in his heart, Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you
He devises evil continually, that tax collectors and harlots enter the king-
He sows discord. dom of God before you. For John came to
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15 Therefore his calamity shall come you in the way of righteousness, and you did
suddenly; not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots
Suddenly he shall be broken without believed him; and when you saw it, you did
remedy. not afterward relent and believe him.
33 “Hear another parable: There was a cer-
Matthew 21:23–46
tain landowner who planted a vineyard and set
23 Now when He came into the temple, the a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and
chief priests and the elders of the people con- built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers
fronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By and went into a far country. Now when vin-
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what authority are You doing these things? tage-time drew near, he sent his servants to
And who gave You this authority?” the vinedressers, that they might receive its
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24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants,
also will ask you one thing, which if you tell beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the
do these things: The baptism of John—where first, and they did likewise to them. Then last
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was it from? From heaven or from men?” of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They
And they reasoned among themselves, say- will respect my son.’ But when the vine-
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