They Perceived Right

Matthew 21:45 KJV

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

While Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in parables there was no doubt the direction of His conversation. They knew He spoke about them. Jesus said there was one son who said he would so his father’s will but did not do it and the other said he would not do it but after repented and obeyed. 

• The Jews were the first
• The Gentiles were the later

Then Jesus said the kingdom would be taken from the first and given to a people who would bring forth fruit. 

The Pharisees knew they were, in Jesus' parable, the fruitless ones. 

But their response was not a positive one. Instead of repenting and doing their Father's will, they sought to lay hands in Jesus. If it had not been for their fear of the people, who at this time were still supportive of The Lord, they would have tried to take Him then. 

So it is with a great many we approach about the Lord.

• They hear the message
• They know they are the sinners to which we refer
• They understand that, without Jesus Christ, the Bible says they will be cast into hell

But their response is not to repent but to grow angry at the messenger. 

Jesus continued his course despite their reaction and that is exactly what we should do. We do not need to tone down tame or change our message in order to make in more appealing. We need to stay on course to the end.