Luke 20:3

3 Jesus answered, "First, let me ask you a question:

Luke 20:3 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 20:3

And he answered and said unto them
That is, Jesus replied to them, as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Persic versions express it:

I will also ask you one thing, and answer me;
when he also promised, that if they would give him an answer to his question, he would satisfy them in the point they interrogated him about: and as this was a prudent decline to avoid the snare they laid for him, so it was not an impertinent reply to them; since it led on to a proper answer to their question, as appears by the case proposed; (See Gill on Matthew 21:24).

Luke 20:3 In-Context

1 One day he was teaching the people in the Temple, proclaiming the Message. The high priests, religion scholars, and leaders confronted

2 him and demanded, "Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?"

3 Jesus answered, "First, let me ask you a question:

4 About the baptism of John - who authorized it, heaven or humans?"

5 They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, "If we say 'heaven,' he'll ask us why we didn't believe him;