Luke Chapter 20

From The Open Bible Project

20:1 It happened on one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, that the [49]priests and scribes came to him with the elders.

• (1) The Pharisees, being overcome with the truth of Christ’s doctrine, propose a question about his outward calling, and are overcome by the witness of their own conscience.

20:2 They asked him, "Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?"

20:3 He answered them, "I also will ask you one question. Tell me:

20:4 the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?"

20:5 They reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why didn't you believe him?'

20:6 But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet."

20:7 They answered that they didn't know where it was from.

20:8 Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

20:9 He began to tell the people this parable. "A [50]man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.

• (2) It is nothing new for those who are knowledgable of the very sanctuary of God’s holy place to be the greatest enemies of Christ, but in due time they will be punished.

20:10 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.

20:11 He sent yet another servant, and they also beat him, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

20:12 He sent yet a third, and they also wounded him, and threw him out.

20:13 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.'

20:14 "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.'

20:15 They threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?

20:16 He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others." When they heard it, they said, "May it never be!"

20:17 But he looked at them, and said, "Then what is this that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the chief cornerstone?'[51]

20:18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust."

20:19 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.

20:20 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.

• (3) The last refuge the false prophets have to destroy the true prophets is to charge them with rebellion and treason against the state.
• (a) An appropriate time to take him in.
• (b) Whom they had hired deceitfully.
• (c) That they might latch on to something he said, and by this forge some false accusation against him.
• (d) Put him to death.

20:21 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.

• (e) You are not moved by favour of any man: and by "person" he means outward circumstances, for if a man judges according to these, there will be those who are truly alike whom he will judge to be different.

20:22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

20:23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Why do you test me?

• (f) Craftiness is a certain diligence and subtle knowledge to do evil, which is achieved by much use and great practise in matters.

20:24 Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?" They answered, "Caesar's."

20:25 He said to them, "Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

20:26 They weren't able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer, and were silent.

20:27 Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection.

• (4) The resurrection of the flesh is affirmed against the Sadducees.

20:28 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.

20:29 There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless.

20:30 The second took her as wife, and he died childless.

20:31 The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died.

20:32 Afterward the woman also died.

20:33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife."

20:34 Jesus said to them, "The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage.

• (g) "The children of this world" refers here to those who live in this world, and not those that are wholly given to the world (and therefore contrary to the children of light), as above in (Luke 16:8).

20:35 But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage.

20:36 For they can't die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.

• (h) That is, men who partake in the resurrection: for as we truly say that they will indeed live who will enjoy everlasting bliss, so do those indeed rise who rise to life; though if this word "resurrection" is taken generally, it refers also to the wicked, who will rise to condemnation, which is not properly life, but death.

20:37 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.'[52]

20:38 Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him."

• (i) That is, before him: a saying to take note of, for the godly do not die, though they die here on earth.

20:39 Some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you speak well."

20:40 They didn't dare to ask him any more questions.

20:41 He said to them, "Why do they say that the Christ is David's son?

• (5) Even though Christ is the son of David according to the flesh he is also his Lord (because he is the everlasting Son of God) according to the spirit.

20:42 David himself says in the book of Psalms, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand,

20:43 until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet."'[53]

20:44 "David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?"

20:45 In the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples,

20:46 "Beware of the 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;

• (6) We must avoid the example of the glory-seeking and covetous pastors.

20:47 who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation."

• (k) By the figure of speech metonymy, "houses" is understood to mean the goods and substance.