Luke chapter 20

The religious leaders try to trap Jesus with three questions. He asks them a question. He commands us to beware of religious leaders.

 


 

QUESTIONING THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS

 

VERSE 1. On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders.

 

VERSE 2. They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”

They asked him. The priests and scribes are not sincere people. This question is not sincere. Instead, they are trying to stir up trouble. It is a confrontation.

 

VERSE 3. He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me:

I also will ask you one question. Jesus recognizes their insincerity. Instead of falling into the trap they set for him, he sets a trap for them.

 

VERSE 4. the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”

from heaven. Did God the Father commission John the Baptist?

or from men. Or did John the Baptist commission himself?

 

VERSE 5. They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’

If we say. These are not the musings of sincere seekers of truth. Rather, they are the musings of politicians.

Their decisions are based on what will benefit them, and not on truth itself.

Religious leaders are often more politician than seeker of truth.

 

VERSE 6. But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

 

VERSE 7. They answered that they didn’t know where it was from.

 

VERSE 8. Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Neither will I tell you. The religious leaders did not answer the question. Therefore Jesus does not answer their question either.

 

THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD OWNER

 

VERSE 9. He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.

for a long time. How long is “a long time”? Jesus does not say.

We humans are often impatient. We want God to do something. But it does not happen quickly enough for us. So we get angry with God and feel disappointed. However, God’s timeframes are not the same as ours.

Isaiah 55:8-9. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

 

VERSE 10. At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him, and sent him away empty.

At the proper season. God’s timing is what is important.

 

VERSE 11. He sent yet another servant, and they also beat him, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

 

VERSE 12. He sent yet a third, and they also wounded him, and threw him out.

 

VERSE 13. The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’

I will send my beloved son. The Word of God leapt down from the realm of eternity. He became human and pitched his tent among us. He lived among us here on the earth. Read more »

 

VERSE 14. “But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’

 

VERSE 15. They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?

They threw him out of the vineyard. The Lord Jesus suffered outside of the gate. That is, it was necessary that he was crucified outside of Jerusalem. Read more »

 

VERSE 16. He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard that, they said, “May that never be!”

destroy these farmers. That is, put them to death.

 

VERSE 17. But he looked at them and said, “Then what is this that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected was made the chief cornerstone?’

We humans rejected the Lord Jesus Christ and crucified him. Yet he became the foundation of God’s great work on our behalf. Read more »

 

VERSE 18. Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust.”

 

VERSE 19. The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people—for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.

sought to lay hands on him. Their instinctual reaction is murder. Jesus had bruised their egos, and so therefore they must murder Jesus.

they feared the people. The scribes and chief priests are not seekers of truth. Rather, they are politicians. They based their decisions on how they will benefit personally.

they knew he had spoken this parable against them. Jesus had made a powerful statement against the scribes and chief priests. They knew it.

And they hated him for it.

 

PAYING TAXES TO CAESAR

SUMMARY: The religious leaders try to make Jesus seem in favor of paying taxes to the evil Roman Empire.

 

VERSE 20. They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous. People still do this sort of thing, even nowadays. Their mission is to stir up trouble in a congregation.

 

VERSE 21. They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God.

 

VERSE 22. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

 

VERSE 23. But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me?

craftiness. That is, duplicity.

 

VERSE 24. Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”

 

VERSE 25. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Luke and from the entire Bible.

 

VERSE 26. They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer and were silent.

weren’t able to trap him. Jesus is wiser than all his enemies.

 

QUESTIONED ABOUT THE RESURRECTION

 

VERSE 27. Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection.

deny that there is a resurrection. The Sadducees are primarily known for what they deny.

 

VERSE 28. They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up children for his brother.

 

VERSE 29. There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless.

 

VERSE 30. The second took her as wife, and he died childless.

 

VERSE 31. The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died.

 

VERSE 32. Afterward the woman also died.

 

VERSE 33. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.”

 

VERSE 34. Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage.

 

VERSE 35. But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

neither marry nor are given in marriage. That is, they are celibate. The word “celibate” means unmarried.

 

VERSE 36. For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.

they can’t die any more. After you are resurrected, you cannot die again.

 

VERSE 37. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

 

VERSE 38. Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.”

all are alive to him. We humans grapple with the reality of death. However, death is only a factor in the time-space continuum. In the realm of eternity, all are alive. Read more »

 

VERSE 39. Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you speak well.”

 

VERSE 40. They didn’t dare to ask him any more questions.

 

WHOSE SON IS THE MESSIAH?

 

VERSE 41. He said to them, “Why do they say that the Christ is David’s son?

Why do they say. In this chapter, Jesus has defeated three difficult questions from the religious leaders. Now he turns the tables. Now he asks them a question. And they are unable to respond.

 

VERSE 42. David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,

Sit at my right hand. The Bible often mentions “the right hand” of God. That is a position of power and honor. We believe it refers to Jesus Christ.

 

VERSE 43. until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.” ’

 

VERSE 44. “David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

 

BEWARE RELIGIOUS LEADERS

 

VERSE 45. In the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples,

 

VERSE 46. “Beware of those scribes who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts;

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Luke and from the entire Bible.

Beware of those scribes. The Lord Jesus tells us to beware religious leaders.

Yet in our day, most Christians see their Christian leaders as ideal role models, as heroes of the faith, as people to be imitated.

 

VERSE 47. who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Luke and from the entire Bible.

make long prayers. That is, recite lengthy prayers.

 


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LUKE

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