SCRIPTURE: LUKE 20
THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS QUESTIONED (vs. 1-8)
One day, as Jesus was teaching and preaching the gospel in the temple courts, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him saying: “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things. Who gave you this authority” (v. 2). Jesus replied: “I will also ask you a question. Tell me, John’s baptism – was it from heaven, or from men?” (v. 3) They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’. But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” (v. 5). So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.” )v.7). so Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” (v. 8)
THE PARABLE OF THE TENANTS (vs. 9-19)
“A man planted a vineyard, rented it to come farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love, perhaps they will respect him.” But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said, ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.
When the people heard this, they said, “May this never be!”. Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone” Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” (vs.17-18)
PAYING TAXES TO CAESAR (vs. 20-26)
In order to catch something that Jesus said for the spies to hand him over to the authority of the governor, they question Jesus saying: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? (vs. 21-22). Knowing their intention, Jesus answered them, “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?” (v. 24). They replied: “Caesar’s”. Jesus said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (v. 25). They were unable to trap him and astonished by his answer. They became silent.
THE RESURRECTION AND MARRIAGE (vs. 27-47)
Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. They said, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. Theo first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” (v. 28-33) Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’.. He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (vs. 34-38) Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!”(v. 39). And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
WHOSE SON IS THE CHRIST? (vs. 41-47)
Then Jesus said to them, “How is it that they say Christ is the Son of David? David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: “The Lord said to my Lord. Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.? David calls him ‘Lord’ How then can he be his son?” (v. 41-44). While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,,
Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.” (vs. 46-47)
THOUGHTS:
The priests, teachers of the law and elders wanted to get rid of Jesus, so they tried to trap him with questions. If Jesus would answer that his authority came from God – if he openly said that he was the Messiah and the Son of God, they would accuse him of blasphemy and bring him to trial. Jesus did not let himself be caught. Instead, he turned the question on them, exposed their motives and avoided their trap.
In the Parable of the Tenants, the owner of the vineyard is God. The vineyard is Israel, the tenant’s farmers are the religious leaders, the servants are the prophets and priests God sent to Israel, the son is the Messiah, Jesus, and the others are the Gentiles. Jesus was answering the religious leader’s question about his authority. It also showed them that he knew about their plan to kill him.
The spies pretending to be honest men flattered Jesus before asking him their trick question, hoping to catch him off guard. If Jesus said they should pay taxes, they would call him a traitor to their nation and their religion. But if he said they should not, they could report him to Rome as a rebel. But Jesus knew what they were trying to do and stayed out of their trap. Beware of flattery. Ask God to help you detect it before being trapped.
The Sadducees was a group of conservative religious leaders. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Jesus’ reply did not mean that people will not recognize their partners in heaven. It simply means that we must not think of heaven as an extension of life as we are now. Our relationships in this life are limited by time, death and sin. Jesus affirms that relationships will be different from what we are used to here and now.
Jesus exposed the evil hearts of the teachers of laws. They showed an outward appearance of holiness but in reality, they were arrogant, crafty, selfish and uncaring. He showed that despite their pious words, they were neglecting God’s laws. Religious deeds do not cancel sin. Jesus said that those teachers of the law will receive God’s most severe judgment. So, religious leaders of today should be cautious. They should be living examples of mercy and justice for people to follow. Otherwise, they will also be punished severely.