Luke 20 Bible Commentary

20:1  And it came to pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple¹, and preaching the gospel², there came upon him the chief priests and the scribes with the elders³; IN REPLY TO THE QUESTIONS AS TO HIS AUTHORITY, JESUS GIVES THE THIRD GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (In the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A.D. 30.) A. INTRODUCTION. Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8
As he was teaching the people in the temple. See Mark 11:27.
And preaching the gospel. See Mark 1:15.
The chief priests and the scribes with the elders. See Mark 11:27.

20:2  and they spake, saying unto him, Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? See Mark 11:28.

20:3  And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask you a question; and tell me¹:
I also will ask you a question; and tell me. See Mark 11:29.

20:4  The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men¹?
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? See Mark 11:30.

20:5  And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why did ye not believe him¹?
If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why did ye not believe him? See Mark 11:31.

20:6  But if we shall say, From men; all the people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet¹.
But if we shall say, From men; all the people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. See Mark 11:32.

20:7  And they answered, that they knew not whence [it was]¹.
And they answered, that they knew not whence [it was]. See Mark 11:33.

20:8  And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things¹.
Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. See Mark 11:33.

20:9  And he began to speak unto the people this parable¹: A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country for a long time. IN REPLY TO THE QUESTIONS AS TO HIS AUTHORITY, JESUS GIVES THE THIRD GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES. (In the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A.D. 30.) C. PARABLE OF THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN. Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19
And he began to speak unto the people this parable, etc. See Mark 12:1.

20:10  And at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard¹: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty². Luke 20:10-13
And at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. See Mark 12:2.
But the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. See Mark 12:3.

20:13  And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him.
What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him. See Mark 12:6.

20:14  But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours¹.
This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. See Mark 11:7.

20:15  And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him¹. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. See Mark 12:8.

20:16  He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others¹. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid².
He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. Part of the multitude, hearing only the story, pronounced unhesitatingly the judgment which ought to be inflicted upon such evil-doers, and Jesus confirmed their judgment (Luke 20:17,18).
And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. But others, perceiving the meaning underlying the parable, shrank from accepting what would otherwise have been to them a very proper ending, and said, "Mee genoito", which means literally, "Be it not so", and which might properly be paraphrased by our emphatic "Never"! but which the Revisers in translating have, with small warrant, seen fit to paraphrase by using the semi-profane expression, "God forbid". There are fourteen such mistranslations in the epistles of Paul according to the Authorized Version (Romans 3:4,6,31; Romans 6:2,15; Romans 7:7,13; Romans 9:14; Romans 11:1; 1 Corinthians 6:15 Galatians 2:17; Galatians 3:21; Galatians 6:14), and only one of them (Galatians 6:14), is corrected in the Revised Version. In defense of these translations it is asserted that the phrase is an idiomatic invocation of the Deity, but the case cannot be made out, since the Deity is not addressed.

20:17  But he looked upon them¹, and said, What then is this that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner²?
But he looked upon them. Thus emphasizing the fact that they had repudiated a most just decree. His look, doubtless, resembled that of a parent surprised at the outspoken rebellion of his children.
The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner? See Mark 12:10.

20:18  Every one that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust¹.
Every one that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust. See Matthew 21:44.

20:19  And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in that very hour¹; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he spake this parable against them.
And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in that very hour, etc. See Mark 12:12.

20:20  And they watched him, and sent forth spies¹, who feigned themselves to be righteous², that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor³. JEWISH RULERS SEEK TO ENSNARE JESUS. (Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A.D. 30.) A. PHARISEES AND HERODIANS ASK ABOUT TRIBUTE. Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26
And they watched him, and sent forth spies. See Mark 12:13.
Who feigned themselves to be righteous. That is, who pretended to be sincere seekers after truth.
That they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor. Pontius Pilate was the governor. We are not surprised at the destruction of Jerusalem when we see the religious teachers of the nation employing their young disciples in such a work as this. To play detective and entrap a rogue in his speech and thus become a man-hunter is debasing enough; but to seek thus to entrap a righteous man is simply diabolical.

¹20:21  And they asked him, saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest not the person [of any], but of a truth teachest the way of God:
Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest not the person [of any], but of a truth teachest the way of God. See Mark 12:14.

20:22  Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or not¹?
Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? See Mark 12:14.

20:23  But he perceived their craftiness¹, and said unto them,
But he perceived their craftiness. See Mark 12:15.

20:24  Show me a denarius¹. Whose image and superscription hath it? And they said, Caesar's.
Show me a denarius. See Mark 12:15.
Whose image and superscription hath it? And they said, Caesar's. See Mark 12:16.

20:25  And he said unto them, Then render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's¹.
Then render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. See Mark 12:17.

20:26  And they were not able to take hold of the saying before the people: and they marvelled at his answer¹, and held their peace.
And they marvelled at his answer. See Mark 12:17.

20:27  And there came to him certain of the Sadducees¹, they that say that there is no resurrection; JEWISH RULERS SEEK TO ENSNARE JESUS. (Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A.D. 30.) B. SADDUCEES ASK ABOUT THE RESURRECTION. Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-39
Sadducees. See Mark 12:18.

20:28  and they asked him, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, that if a man's brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother¹.
If a man's brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. See Mark 12:19.

20:33  In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them shall she be¹? for the seven had her to wife.
In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them shall she be?
for the seven had her to wife. See Mark 12:23.

20:35  but they that are accounted worthy to attain to that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage¹:
But they that are accounted worthy to attain to that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. See Mark 12:25.

20:37  But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed¹, in [the place concerning] the Bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, etc. See Mark 12:26.

20:38  Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living¹: for all live unto him.
Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living. See Mark 12:27.

20:39  And certain of the scribes answering said, Teacher, thou hast well said¹.
Teacher, thou hast well said. Some of the scribes of less bitter spirit could not refrain from expressing their admiration at the ease with which Jesus answered an argument which their own wisdom could not refute. See also Mark 12:32.

20:40  For they durst not any more ask him any question¹. JEWISH RULERS SEEK TO ENSNARE JESUS. (Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A.D. 30.) C. A LAWYER ASKS ABOUT THE GREAT COMMANDMENT. Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 20:40
For they durst not any more ask him any question. See Mark 12:34.

20:41  And he said unto them, How say they that the Christ is David's son¹? JEWISH RULERS SEEK TO ENSNARE JESUS. (Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A.D. 30.) D. JESUS' QUESTION WHICH NONE COULD ANSWER. Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44
How say they that the Christ is David's son? See Mark 12:35.

20:42  For David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand¹,
For David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand. See Mark 12:36.

20:45  And in the hearing of all the people he said unto his disciples¹, JESUS' LAST DISCOURSE. DENUNCIATION OF SCRIBES AND PHARISEES. (In the court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A.D. 30.) Matthew 23:1-39; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47
And in the hearing of all the people he said unto his disciples. See Matthew 23:1.

20:46  Beware of the scribes¹, who desire to walk in long robes², and love salutations in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues³, and chief places at feasts⁴;
Beware of the scribes. See Matthew 23:2.
Who desire to walk in long robes. See Mark 12:38.
And love salutations in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues. See Luke 11:43.
And chief places at feasts. See Luke 14:7.

20:47  who devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers¹: these shall receive greater condemnation.
Who devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers:
these shall receive greater condemnation. See Mark 12:40.