Matthew 21:42 - 22:14
Temple Fortress against the Invasion of God's Kingdom
Mt is leading us into and through the conflicts that led to Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus from the start proclaimed the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God/Heaven [Mt 4:17-23], like the herald of Isa 52. But the Jerusalem temple was already under control of chief priests (Caiaphas and others), powerful aristocrats, politicians, playing powers off against each other. They have no place for a strange, army-less, money-less prophet like Jesus, defining God's rule.