The readings today offer a contrast between the seer who sees into the depths of God's purposes in history and the chief priests and elders who fail to discern these purposes. The latter are suffering from a crisis of faith. They demand a sign from Jesus to authenticate his authority. For the Jews a sign was an act of power which proved the authenticity of a prophet. Jesus does not allow Himself to be categorized in this fashion. He belongs to a different world from that of the prophets who went before Him. He could have worked an impossible feat and captured the credulity of the chief priests and elders but He would not have generated faith in Himself as their Saviour. Lack of faith is at the root of the Jews' failure to discern Jesus as Messiah. The recognition of Jesus' identity is what is at stake in the gospel reading.