Then the Pharisees and scribes put this question to him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders? Why do they take their food with 'common' hands?"

So they put this question to him, "Why do the [Pharisees and] scribes say that Elijah has to come first?"

Jesus said to them, "I am going to ask you a question. Answer this, and I will tell you what authority I have for acting as I do.

But they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to him for the purpose of catching him with a question.

Sadducees, men who hold there is no resurrection, also came up and put a question to him.

Then a scribe came up, who had listened to the discussion. Knowing Jesus had given them an apt answer, he put this question to him, "What is the chief of all the commands?"

Jesus noted his intelligent answer and said to him, "You are not far off the Realm of God." After that no one ventured to put any more questions to him.

He said nothing and made no answer. Again the high priest put a question to him. "Are you the Christ?" he said, "the Son of the Blessed?"