C.S. Lewis has noted, in agreement with today's text, that "Of all bad men, religious bad men are the worst. Of all created beings the wickedest is one who originally stood in the immediate presence of God. There seems no way out of this." The scribes and Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses, but neither understand nor love the law that God gave through him. They are blind guides, clenching tightly to the outward forms but despising the substance to which they point. The long line of servants have offered the choice of life or death; blessing or cursing (cf. Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 1; Proverbs 9). Lastly, the Vineyard Owner's Son has come, first to offer blessing and beatitude, but now with the final summons, pay homage or perish.