This Gospel passage pits the authority of the chief priests and Pharisees against Jesus. The dialog allows us to hear the Pharisees express their frustrations and concerns as Jesus' popularity rises. They demand to know who granted Jesus the authority to teach, heal, and forgive. Jesus responds to their question by sharing three parables, each one crafted to help the hearers gain a better understanding of God and to gain a better understanding of their relationship with God. The use of a parable is a way to shake things up, to get under people's skin and to motivate them to see things in a different light. The tenants agreed to work the vineyard for pay or for a percentage of the profits, and they were appointed stewards of the land, but only for a while. They got greedy; they wanted everything and they wanted it their way. Not unlike the tenants, the Pharisees were truly treacherous individuals. The authority they so coveted was taken from them and was given to others so that they might harvest good fruit. Only God, who is pure love can produce good fruit. This passage concludes with the son of the landowner miraculously being restored to his rightful place. He now sits at the right hand of the Father. Jesus, the one whom the world rejected, conquered death and has become the cornerstone of our faith.