Luke 20
Summary. In this chapter, we see the leaders of people seeking to accuse the Lord Jesus in many ways in order to destroy Him. But the Lord Jesus’ wisdom is beyond the human mind, and they were not able to catch Him in His words before the people. Luke 20:1-8. The authority of the Lord Jesus challenged. The Lord Jesus was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to question Him, who gave Him the authority to do these things. Still, the Lord Jesus perceived their craftiness and told the people the parable of the farmers and the heir. Luke 20:9-18. The Lord Jesus told this parable more than once when He was challenged by different groups of leaders and people (See Comments Mark 12:1-12). For each group, when they come, their challenge has a different purpose, and the Lord has told the same thing to them, and each time, the parable will affect each heart in different areas. Luke 20:19-26. Give back the things of God and the things of Caesar. The scribes and the chief priests tried to make accusations against the Lord Jesus to the ruling government but could not find fault in the Lord Jesus’ answer. Luke 20:27-40. Jesus teaches about the resurrection. The Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, try to find fault in the Lord Jesus’ teaching. Answering them, the Lord Jesus teaches that God is not the God of the dead but of the living, and the sons of the resurrection do not marry but are like angels. Luke 20:41-44. Whose Son is the Christ? The Lord Jesus asks the leaders to answer Him about how it would be possible for David to call Christ his Lord when He is his Son. Luke 20:45-47. The Lord Jesus teaches His disciple to beware of the scribes.
[1]
And it came to pass, on one of the days, as He was teaching the people in the temple, and proclaiming the good news, came up the chief priests and the scribes with the elders,
[2]
and spoke, saying to Him , Tell us by what authority do Thou these things? Or who is he that gave to Thee this authority?
[4]
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?
[5]
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, He will say, Why did you not believe him?
[6]
But if we shall say, From men, all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
[7]
And they answered, they knew not from where.
[9]
And He began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to farmers, and went away for some time.
[10]
And at the season he sent to the farmers a servant, that they should give him of the fruit from the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
[11]
And he sent again another servant; and him also they beat and dishonored and sent away empty-handed.
[12]
And he sent again a third; and him also they wounded and cast out.
[13]
Then the master of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.
[14]
But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
[15]
And they cast him outside of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the master of the vineyard do to them?
[16]
He will come and will destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others. And having heard it, they said, May it be not.
[17]
But he looked at them, and said, What then is this that has been written,
The stone which those building rejected,
This has become into the head of the corner?
The stone which those building rejected,
This has become into the head of the corner?
[18]
Everyone that falls on that stone shall be broken in pieces; but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him into powder.
Comments Luke 20:18
See Comments Matthew 21:43-44. In the Old Testament, see Isaiah 8:14-15.
[19]
And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on H im in that hour, and they feared the people, for they perceived that H e spoke this parable against them.
[20]
And they watched H im , and sent out spies, who pretend themselves to be righteous, that they might catch H im in talk, in order to deliver Him to the rule and to the authority of the governor.
[21]
And they questioned Him , saying, Teacher , we know that Thou speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but on the bases of truth teach the way of God :
[22]
Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
[23]
But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them,
[24]
Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription have it? And they said, Caesar's.
[25]
And He said to them, Then give back the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God .
[26]
And they were not able to catch Him in His word before the people, and they marveled at His answer, and they became silent.
[27]
And there came to Him certain of the Sadducees, who say that there is not a resurrection,
[28]
saying, Teacher , Moses wrote to us, that if anyone's brother should die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and should raise up offspring to his brother.
[29]
There were therefore seven brothers, and the first took a wife, and died childless;
[30]
and the second,
[31]
and the third took her; and likewise, all seven, and left no children, and died.
[32]
Afterward the woman also died.
[33]
In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.
[34]
And Jesus said to them, The sons of this age marry, and are given in marriage;
[35]
but those that are accounted worthy to attain to that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage;
[36]
for neither can they die anymore, for they are like angels; and are sons of God , being sons of the resurrection.
[37]
But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the Bush , when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Comments Luke 20:39
For verses 39 to 44, see Comments Matthew 22:43-46.
[40]
For they dared no longer ask Him anything.
Comments Luke 20:41-44
In these verses, the Lord Jesus argues that Christ cannot be a human descendant of David since David calls Him Lord. He asks them to answer Him about how it would be possible for David to call Christ his Lord when He is his Son.
[45]
And in the hearing of all the people He said to the disciples,
[46]
Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and first seats in the synagogues, and first places at feasts;
[47]
who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers, these will receive more abundant condemnation.
Comments Luke 20:45-47
For verses 45 to 47, see Comments Matthew 23:1, 2, 5-7 and Comments Mark 12:38-40.
Life and Faith Applications. 1) Give back the things of God. Everything belongs to God; you cannot really give anything but your heart, the heart that recognizes the authority of God, which is the only thing worthy of giving back to the Lord. 2) Give back the things of Caesar. As a human, you have a duty to support the leaders by paying taxes according to the law of the land. The Lord has used comparison with Caesar to teach us this: what is of humans give back to humans, but you cannot give your heart to any human; your heart belongs to God. 3) Beware of false teachers of the Bible. Read and meditate on the Word of God so you can recognize them.