Opposition to John the Baptist and Jesus
Today's reading tells how the Jewish officials responded to John the Baptist and Jesus in similar ways, despite the fact that their approaches and messages were different. Partially this was due to the fact that John the Baptist and Jesus publicly recognized each other's ministries, with Jesus praising John the Baptist as Elijah reborn.
Despite this, most people refused to hear the basic call to repentance from John the Baptist and Jesus' promise that God's new kingdom was at hand. In frustration, Jesus even pronounces a curse on the most unbelieving cities, even as he admits in prayer that God's true intentions have been hidden from the wise and powerful.
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