Luke 20

Luke 20:1

Luke: The Man Christ Jesus Jesus Completes his Work in Jerusalem An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Luke 19:45 to 21:38

www.easyenglish.info Ian Mackervoy This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

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Chapter 20 Question of authority – Luke 20:1-8 v1 One day, Jesus was teaching the people in the *temple and he was speaking about the *gospel. The chief priests, teachers of the law and leaders of the nation came up to him. v2 They asked Jesus these questions. ‘Tell us what authority you have to do these things. And who gave you this authority?’

v3 Jesus replied to them, ‘I also will ask you a question. Tell me this. v4 Was John’s authority to *baptise from heaven or was it just human?’

v5 They discussed this among themselves. They said, ‘We could say from heaven. Then he will say, “Why did you not believe him?” v6 We cannot say that his authority was just human. If we did, all the people would throw stones at us. They believe that John was a *prophet.’

v7 So, they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know where John got this authority.’

v8 Jesus replied, ‘Neither will I tell you who gave me authority to do these things.’

Verses 1-8 In the *temple, Jesus *preached the *gospel to the people. While he taught the people, a group of the leaders came to him. This group consisted of the chief priests, teachers of the law and other leaders. They could have been an official team from the *Sanhedrin. They asked Jesus about his authority for what he did. This question may have been because of the way that he forced the traders to leave the *temple area. But it probably included much more than that action. The group of leaders could see that Jesus had authority. But they asked who gave that authority to him.

It seems clear that they wanted to use Jesus’ answers against him. Jesus knew what they were trying to do. So, he did not answer as they expected. Instead, he asked them a question. He asked them about the authority of John the *Baptist to *baptise. That *baptism was either from God or from John himself. This question caused these leaders a problem. They were the leaders of the *Jewish religion. They ought to have known the answer.

The group of leaders did not want to say that the *baptism of John was from God. If it was from God, they should have believed John. John had said that Jesus was the *Christ. And they should have asked John to *baptise them. However, the leaders could say that the *baptism was a human idea. If they said this, then the people would be against them. The people knew that John was a *prophet. The people were aware that John’s authority was from God. These leaders were afraid of what the people would do. The people might throw stones at them and try to kill them.

These leaders dared not answer the question that Jesus had asked. So, Jesus would not answer their question.

In effect, they had the answer. God, who gave authority to John, also gave authority to Jesus. With that authority, Jesus *preached and he did these great deeds. Story of the farmers – Luke 20:9-19 v9 Then Jesus told the people this story. ‘A man planted a *vineyard. He rented it to some farmers while he went away for a long time. v10 At harvest time, he sent a servant to the farmers. The servant came to get from them a share of the harvest of the *vineyard. But the farmers beat the servant and they sent him away with nothing. v11 The owner sent another servant. The farmers beat and insulted this servant. And they sent the servant away with nothing. v12 The owner sent a third servant. They beat this servant and they hurt him badly. And they threw him out of the *vineyard.

v13 The owner of the *vineyard said, “I know what to do. I will send my son whom I love. Perhaps they will respect him.”

v14 But when the farmers saw the son, they reasoned with themselves. They said, “This is the owner’s son, who will in the future own his property. Let us kill him and the property will be ours.” v15 They threw the son out of the *vineyard and they killed him. You know what the owner of the *vineyard will do to them. v16 He will come and kill those farmers. He will give the *vineyard to other farmers.’ The people heard this story. They said, ‘This must never happen.’

v17 Jesus looked straight at them. He said, ‘This is what the *scriptures say. “The stone that the builders threw out became the most important stone.” v18 That stone will break into pieces everyone who falls on it. But those people on whom the stone falls, it will beat into powder.’

v19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests knew that Jesus told this story against them. At once, they looked for a way to arrest him. But they were afraid of the people.

Verses 9-12 Jesus told this story in order to warn the leaders of the people that they were not obeying God. In the story, a property owner planted a *vineyard. He rented it to farmers while he went away. At harvest time, the owner sent his servants to receive his share of the harvest. That was the rent that was due. However, the farmers would not hand over what was due. Instead, the farmers beat and they insulted the servants. It seems that this continued for several years.

Luke has made the story shorter than Matthew and Mark. They tell us a bit more about the preparation of the *vineyard. The owner sent many servants. The farmers beat them. They threw stones at some and they killed some of the servants (Matthew 21:33-36, Mark 12:1-5).

Verses 13-16 If this had been a true story, probably the owner would have appealed to the law. But in the story, the owner had one son. He loved his son. He sent this son to collect what was due to him. The owner hoped that the farmers would respect his son.

The farmers had paid no rent for several years. The real owner was a long way away. Perhaps the farmers thought that the owner was dead. Or maybe he had already given the *vineyard to his son. If the farmers killed the son, they could take the *vineyard for themselves. It would become their own property. So, they threw the son out of the *vineyard and they killed him.

Jesus discussed with the people what the owner would do. In Matthew, the people gave the answer (Matthew 21:41). Probably Jesus repeated their answer to show that he agreed with it. The owner would kill those wicked men. He would rent the *vineyard to other farmers who would give him his share at the proper time each year.

It is the meaning of the whole story (and not each detail in it) that is important. It would be a mistake to try to interpret every detail. God’s *vineyard means his people (see Isaiah 5:1-7). The leaders of the people were like the farmers. God had given the leaders the responsibility to look after his people, even as the farmers had to look after the *vineyard. However, many leaders of *Israel would not do what God wanted.

God sent his servants, that is, the *prophets, to them. In the history of *Israel, many of its leaders had *persecuted the *prophets. They threw stones at some and they killed many of the *prophets. But the love of God is very strong. He decided to give the leaders of his people another opportunity to obey him. So, God sent his son Jesus to them.

The leaders at the time of Jesus may have thought that they were serving God well The *temple was beautiful, and they carried out all the ceremonies. However, like many leaders before them, the most important leaders did not want to obey God. They had opposed John the *Baptist and now they were plotting to kill Jesus. Jesus knew what would happen to him.

Of course God would punish the leaders who did such evil things. He would remove their authority to rule his people. He would allow people from every nation to serve him.

Now both *Jews and people who are not *Jews have the opportunity to serve God. Together, they are his *vineyard (John 15:1-8, Romans 11:17-24).

The fruit that God wants is for people to trust him and to obey him.

Verses 17-18 Jesus reminded the leaders about the *scriptures (Psalms 118:22-24). Matthew and Mark include, ‘God has done this. And it is wonderful to us.’

We do not know what was the most important stone. It could have been a large stone in the base of the building. That stone would establish the shape of the building. It could have been the top stone on a corner of the building. That stone would hold the walls together. It could have been the top stone of the building. That stone would hold the whole structure together.

The builders had to be careful to choose the correct stone for the purpose. They would throw out any stone that was not suitable. The workers in stone prepared the stones for the *temple away from the *temple (1 Kings 6:7). There is a story about a stone that the builders refused. The builders could not find where the stone should go. They threw the stone away. Then they discovered that it was the most important stone for the building.

Jesus was like the stone that those builders threw out. The leaders did not want to accept him, so they opposed him. But they had made a terrible mistake. God chose Jesus as the most important stone. All the purposes of God depend on Jesus.

The stone has the power to destroy its enemies. People may refuse and they may oppose Jesus. However, they will suffer because of it. In the day of judgement, God will punish them because of their attitude to Jesus.

Verse 19 These teachers of the law and these chief priests realised that Jesus spoke against them. They were like the bad farmers who would kill the son. Or, they were like the builders who threw away the most important stone. Those leaders should have changed their attitudes when Jesus warned them. However, in fact Jesus’ words made them even more eager to arrest him. But they could not do it because they were afraid of the people. Questions to test Jesus – Luke 20:20-47 v20 So, they (the leaders) watched Jesus all the time. They sent to him men who pretended to be sincere. They tried to get Jesus to say something wrong. Then they could hand him over to the authority and power of the *Roman ruler. v21 So, they asked Jesus a question. ‘Teacher, we know that you speak the truth. And you teach what is right. You refuse to give honour to anyone who does not deserve it. You teach God’s way with truth. v22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to the *emperor or not?’

v23 Jesus knew what they were trying to do. v24 He said to them, ‘Show me a *denarius. Whose face and name are on it?’ They answered, ‘The *emperor’s.’

v25 He said to them, ‘Give to the *emperor the things that belong to the *emperor. And give to God the things that belong to God.’

v26 So, they failed to make Jesus say anything wrong in public. His answer astonished them and they were silent.

v27 The *Sadducees did not believe that people would rise to life after death. Some of them came to Jesus with a question. v28 They said, ‘Teacher, Moses wrote this law for us. Suppose that a married man dies. He leaves a wife but no children. His brother should marry the widow and he should have children with her on behalf of his brother. v29 Once there were 7 brothers. The first one married a woman and he died. They had no children. v30 The second brother married the widow and he died. v31 The third brother and then all the rest married her. All 7 of them died but did not leave any children by her. v32 Last of all, the woman died. v33 When God raises people from death, whose wife will this woman be? All 7 brothers had married her.’

v34 Jesus said to them, ‘In this world, people marry or other people arrange marriages for them. v35 Those people whom God accepts will receive the honour to take part in the future age. They will rise up from death. In that age, they will not marry and nobody will arrange marriages for them. v36 They cannot die again. They will be like the *angels. God will raise them up from death and they will be his children. v37 In the passage about the bush, Moses shows clearly that people will rise from death. He calls the *Lord “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”. v38 He is not the God of dead people. He is God of those who are alive. All people are alive to him.’

v39 Some of the teachers of the law answered, ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’ v40 And they did not dare to ask Jesus any more questions.

v41 Then Jesus said to them, ‘People say that the *Christ is David’s son. v42 But this is what David himself says in the Book of Psalms. “The *Lord said to my *Lord, ‘Sit on my right side. v43 Sit there until I put your enemies beneath your feet.’ ”

v44 So, David calls the *Christ ‘*Lord’. But people say that the *Christ is David’s son.’

v45 While all the people listened, Jesus spoke to his *disciples. v46 He said, ‘Be cautious of the teachers of the law. They like to walk about in long coats. They like it when people greet them in the markets. They want the most important seats in the *synagogues. And they like the place of honour at special dinners. v47 They cheat widows in order to take their houses. But they pretend to be good and make long prayers. God will be very severe when he punishes such men.’

Verses 20-26 The *Jewish leaders watched Jesus as they looked for an opportunity to arrest him. If they could cause the people to turn away from Jesus then they could act. If they could cause Jesus to offend the *Romans then the *Romans could arrest him. In this way, they could hand him over to the *Roman rulers. The people had to pay taxes to the *Romans. They hated their duty to pay these taxes, because they considered the *Romans their enemies. The *Romans demanded that they paid the taxes. So, the leaders sent some *Pharisees and some of Herod’s party to Jesus (Mark 12:13). Herod was a ruler whom the *Romans had appointed over part of Israel.

These men pretended to be sincere. They called Jesus ‘teacher’. Usually people would use that title to give honour to someone, but here it was *hypocrisy. They said that Jesus always spoke the truth. However, they did not believe him. They said that Jesus was fair. He did not give special attention to any person. They said that Jesus spoke as from God. Again, they did not really believe that.

Then they asked Jesus a question that needed ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as the answer. They asked whether it was right to pay taxes to the *emperor or not. In effect, they asked whether it was legal under God’s law. If Jesus had said ‘yes’, it would have offended the people. If Jesus had said ‘no’, it would have offended the *Romans.

Jesus was too wise for such a question to catch him. He knew what the purpose of the question was. He asked them to show him a *denarius. This was a silver *Roman coin. They had to pay the taxes with such coins. The *denarius had the face and the name of the *emperor, probably Tiberius, on it. Then Jesus gave to them his answer. He told them to give to the *emperor what belonged to him. But they must give to God what belongs to him.

This clever answer astonished them. They were silent. They had failed in their purpose.

Taxes were due to the *emperor. But our lives and everything that we have belong to God.

Verses 27-33 The *Sadducees were a group in the *Jewish religion. The chief priest and many other priests were *Sadducees. The name *Sadducee may have come from Zadok. Zadok was a priest at the time of David (see 2 Samuel 19:11). The *Sadducees did not accept all of the traditions of the *Pharisees. However, the *Sadducees did believe in the Torah. The Torah consists of the first 5 books of the Bible. We do not know whether they accepted the rest of the *Old Testament. But they did not believe in a life after death.

The *Sadducees brought a problem for Jesus to answer. A woman had married 7 brothers in turn. All 7 husbands had died before the widow died. But she had not had a child by any of them. In the next life, which one will be her husband? That was their question.

This question is about the custom called Levirate marriages. The term comes from the word levir in the *Latin language. This word means ‘husband’s brother’. This was an ancient custom. When a man died without children, his brother would marry the widow (see Genesis 38:8). The first child with the widow would be as the child of the dead brother. The purpose of this custom was to keep the dead man’s property in his family. The custom became a law where the brothers lived in the same place (Deuteronomy 25:5-6).

The *Sadducees thought that this question would confuse Jesus. They believed that there is no life after death. They thought that their story proved it. God would not have given a law which caused a woman to have many husbands in the next life.

Verses 34-38 The answer that Jesus gave to them was in two parts. First, he talked about the difference between this life and the next life. This answered the question about marriage. Then he showed the *Sadducees that they were wrong about life after death.

Life after death is not just an extension of this life. It will be very different from life here on earth. Life here on earth ends in death. We cannot think that anything of this life will be the same in the future life. The future life will never end and there will be no death. Only those people whom God accepts will have that new life. He will raise them from death and he will give to them this new life. No person can achieve that life for himself.

People that God raises cannot die. They will be like the *angels. The *angels do not marry and they do not die. The people in that future age will be the children of God.

Those people who believe in Jesus have *eternal life already. But they look forward to the full experience of it in the future. John wrote, ‘We are children of God now. We do not know what we will be. But when Jesus appears, we shall be like him’ (1 John 3:2).

In this life, people marry. In the future life, there is no marriage. In the future life, the widow will not have a husband. She will not be the wife of any of the brothers.

In Matthew and Mark, Jesus started his reply with three statements. The *Sadducees were wrong. They did not know the *scriptures. And they did not know the power of God (Matthew 22:29, Mark 12:24).

The *Sadducees did not understand the *Old Testament. They believed in the 5 books of Moses. But they did not understand the references to life after death in those books. Jesus told them about the time when God met with Moses.

God called to Moses from the bush that burned. God told Moses that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:1-6). Therefore Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were alive but they had all died. They had, or they will have, life after death. This proves that there is a life after death. They are alive with God.

Verse 39-40 The teachers of the law did believe in a life after death. They seemed glad that Jesus had answered the *Sadducees so well. The *Sadducees were not popular with the teachers or with the people.

Nobody dared to ask Jesus any more questions.

Verses 41-44 The *Jews understood that the *Christ would be a *descendant of David. They called the *Christ ‘the son of David’. They expected the *Christ to come as a great king. Even as David defeated the enemies of *Israel, so they expected the *Christ to free them from the *Romans.

People usually believed that an *ancestor was greater than his *descendant. So, the *Jews were speaking as if David was greater than the *Christ. However, David calls the *Christ his ‘*Lord’. David recognised that the *Christ was greater. The *Christ would be both David’s son (*descendant) and his *Lord.

In the Psalms, God tells the *Christ to sit at his right side, that is, in the place of greatest honour. Then God will defeat all the enemies (Psalms 110:1). Paul wrote about Jesus that, in his human nature, he was a *descendant of David. As the *descendant of David, Jesus was a man. But the *Holy Spirit declared that Jesus was the Son of God (Romans 1:3-4). As the Son of God, Jesus is of the nature of God. The *Holy Spirit proved this as he raised Jesus from death.

Verses 45-47 Jesus warned his *disciples about many of the teachers of the law. They were doing the same wrong things that many leaders of religion do still today. They liked other people to think that they were good and important. They wanted people to recognise and to respect them. They considered themselves superior to other people. They made long prayers in order to impress people.

They loved to sit in the most important seats in the *synagogue. These seats were at the front where the leader read the *scriptures. At the front, all the people could see them. The people would think that they were so important.

The teachers of the law could not receive payment from their pupils. They had to teach and not to ask for payment. But they could receive gifts. The teachers encouraged people to give more than they could afford. They took money from even the poorest members of society.

God saw this *hypocrisy. He will be very severe when he punishes such men.

© 2013, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

December 2013

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