Matthew 21-23 : Jesus' controversy with the Jewish leaders

Abstract

The scope of this work is to invite readers to explore and examine more the different controversies which Matthew presents in the final week of Jesus' ministry, mainly Matthew 21-23. This essay is divided into four chapters. Chapter one presents Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Chapter two examines the five controversies between Jesus and the Jewish leaders, followed by three parables in chapter three, addressing the issue of who constitutes the true people of God. Finally chapter four deals with the seven woes to scribes and Pharisees and the final lament. The parables accompanied by other controversies seem to show us that the formerly privileges of the people of God, the Jews, had been transformed to the church made up of Jews and Gentiles.