[:en]SCRIPTURE: LUKE 20
Bible Verses:
“Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” He saw through their duplicity and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Luke 20:22-25)
“Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah 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?” (Luke 20:41-44)
“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect 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. These men will be punished most severely.” (Luke 20:46-47)
THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS QUESTIONED (vs. 1-8)
The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus and condemn him. So they tried to get evidence against him by questioning his authority. But Jesus defended his authority by asking them another question about John’s authority. They were unable to reply him, 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)
This parable was about a landowner who rented his vineyard to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time, he sent a servant for some harvest but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant and they also did the same. The third time, he sent another servant but theyw ounded him and threw him out. So, the owner of the vineyard sent his son, believing that they would respect him. But when the tenants saw him, they killed him so that they can claim the inheritance.
This parable showed that Israel had been guilty of abusing and killing the messengers that God had sent to them. And they would also treat their own Messiah the same way.
PAYING TAXES TO CAESAR (vs. 20-26)
A new strategy was hatched to bait Jesus into saying something controversial. But Jesus dealt it as a spiritual issue instead of political. They were asking him: “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (v. 22). Jesus asked them to show him a denarius which had the portrait and inscription of Caesar. So he said to them,:” Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (v. 25) Jesus pointed out that it is the responsibility of people to pay taxes to the government which is instituted by God. In addition, Jesus also required that we have to give what belongs to God since man bears the image of God.
THE RESURRECTION AND MARRIAGE (vs. 27-40)
The Sadducees would like to trap Jesus with a theological question. They did not believe in resurrection of the dead. So they posed a hypothetical question based on the Jewish law of Levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5-10). They asked him: “If a woman has 7 husbands, which one will be her husband in the resurrection?”
Jesus pointed out that there is no marriage, birth nor death in the next life. Men are equal to angels in matter of marriage because angels do not marry and have families.
WHOSE SON IS THE CHRIST? (vs. 41-47)
Jesus asked them a question: “David called the Messiah his Lord. How come the Messiah be both the Lord of David and the son of David? The answer is: Messiah is God, so he is David’s Lord. But the Messiah became man and was born into David’s family. So he is the Son of David.
Jesus exposed the hypocriSy of the religious leaders. They desired greetings, high honor, compliments, most important seats in the synagogues walking around in flowing robes. But they used religion to rob the needy and pretended to be religious by making lengthy prayers.
THINGS TO PONDER:
- Are you listening to the authority Jesus?
- How do you treat God’s servant?
- Have you given what belongs to God?
- Do you believe in the resurrection?
- Can you explain the deity of Jesus?
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