Luke 20:19

Paying Taxes to Caesar

19 When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people. ¹

Luke 20:19 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 20:19

And the chief priests, and the Scribes, that same hour,
&c.] As soon as he had delivered the above parable, together with that of the two sons:

sought to lay hands on him;
they had a good will to it, being exceedingly gravelled with the question he put to them concerning John's baptism, which confounded them, and put them to silence; and with the parables he delivered, in which they were so manifestly pointed at:

and they feared the people;
lest they should rise and stone them, as in ( Luke 20:6 ) or rescue him out of their hands;

for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them:
and that they were the husbandmen that had used the servants of God so ill, and would put to death the son of God, the Messiah; and who would at length be destroyed themselves, and the kingdom of God be taken from them, though they seem to detest and deprecate it, saying in ( Luke 20:16 ) God forbid; that we should kill the heir, or that we should be destroyed, and the vineyard given to others: these things grievously nettled them, and exasperated them against him; but they knew not how to help themselves at present.

Luke 20:19 In-Context

17 But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’ ?

18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

19 When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.

20 So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.

21 “Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

Cross References

• 1. (Matthew 22:15–22; Mark 12:13–17)