Luke 20

Listen to Luke 20

Jesus’ Authority Challenged

1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts ^[a] and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him. ¹

2 “Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”

3 “I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me:

4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?”

5 They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’

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

7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

8 And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

9 Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time. ²

10 At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.

11 So he sent another servant, but they beat him and treated him shamefully, sending him away empty-handed.

12 Then he sent a third, but they wounded him and threw him out.

13 ‘What shall I do?’ asked the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’

14 But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!”

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’ ^[b]?

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

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. ³

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.

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

23 But Jesus saw through their duplicity and said to them,

24 “Show Me a denarius. ^[c] Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.

25 So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

26 And they were unable to trap Him in His words before the people. And amazed at His answer, they fell silent.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

27 Then some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to question Him. ⁴

28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him. ^[d]

29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a wife but died childless.

30 Then the second ^[e]

31 and the third married the widow, and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children.

32 And last of all, the woman died.

33 So then, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.”

34 Jesus answered, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.

35 But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.

36 In fact, they can no longer die, because they are like the angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God.

37 Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised, in the passage about the burning bush. For he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ ^[f]

38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.”

39 Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, You have spoken well!”

40 And they did not dare to question Him any further.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

41 Then Jesus declared, “How can it be said that the Christ is the Son of David? ⁵

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

43 until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’ ^[g]

44 Thus David calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?”

Beware of the Scribes

45 In the hearing of all the people, Jesus said to His disciples, ⁶

46 “Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.

47 They defraud widows of their houses, ^[h] and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

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Luke 20 Commentary

Chapter 20

The priests and scribes question Christ's authority. (1-8) The parable of the vineyard and husbandmen. (9-19) Of giving tribute. (20-26) Concerning the resurrection. (27-38) The scribes silenced. (39-47)

Verses 1-8 Men often pretend to examine the evidences of revelation, and the truth of the gospel, when only seeking excuses for their own unbelief and disobedience. Christ answered these priests and scribes with a plain question about the baptism of John, which the common people could answer. They all knew it was from heaven, nothing in it had an earthly tendency. Those that bury the knowledge they have, are justly denied further knowledge. It was just with Christ to refuse to give account of his authority, to those who knew the baptism of John to be from heaven, yet would not believe in him, nor own their knowledge.

Verses 9-19 Christ spake this parable against those who resolved not to own his authority, though the evidence of it was so full. How many resemble the Jews who murdered the prophets and crucified Christ, in their enmity to God, and aversion to his service, desiring to live according to their lusts, without control! Let all who are favoured with God's word, look to it that they make proper use of their advantages. Awful will be the doom, both of those who reject the Son, and of those who profess to reverence Him, yet render not the fruits in due season. Though they could not but own that for such a sin, such a punishment was just, yet they could not bear to hear of it. It is the folly of sinners, that they persevere in sinful ways, though they dread the destruction at the end of those ways.

Verses 20-26 Those who are most crafty in their designs against Christ and his gospel, cannot hide them. He did not give a direct answer, but reproved them for offering to impose upon him; and they could not fasten upon any thing wherewith to stir up either the governor or the people against him. The wisdom which is from above, will direct all who teach the way of God truly, to avoid the snares laid for them by wicked men; and will teach our duty to God, to our rulers, and to all men, so clearly, that opposers will have no evil to say of us.

Verses 27-38 It is common for those who design to undermine any truth of God, to load it with difficulties. But we wrong ourselves, and wrong the truth of Christ, when we form our notions of the world of spirits by this world of sense. There are more worlds than one; a present visible world, and a future unseen world; and let every one compare this world and that world, and give the preference in his thoughts and cares to that which deserves them. Believers shall obtain the resurrection from the dead, that is the blessed resurrection. What shall be the happy state of the inhabitants of that world, we cannot express or conceive, ( 1 Corinthians. 2:9 ) are entirely taken up therewith; when there is perfection of holiness there will be no occasion for preservatives from sin. And when God called himself the God of these patriarchs, he meant that he was a God all-sufficient to them, ( Genesis 17:1 ) , their exceeding great Reward, ( Genesis 15:1 ) . He never did that for them in this world, which answered the full extent of his undertaking; therefore there must be another life, in which he will do that for them, which will completely fulfil the promise.

Verses 39-47 The scribes commended the reply Christ made to the Sadducees about the resurrection, but they were silenced by a question concerning the Messiah. Christ, as God, was David's Lord; but Christ, as man, was David's son. The scribes would receive the severest judgement for defrauding the poor widows, and for their abuse of religion, particularly of prayer, which they used as a pretence for carrying on worldly and wicked plans. Dissembled piety is double sin. Then let us beg of God to keep us from pride, ambition, covetousness, and every evil thing; and to teach us to seek that honour which comes from him alone.