20 And, having watched 'him', they sent forth liers in wait, feigning themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his word, to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor, 21 and they questioned him, saying, 'Teacher, we have known that thou dost say and teach rightly, and dost not accept a person, but in truth the way of God dost teach; 22 Is it lawful to us to give tribute to Caesar or not?' 23 And he, having perceived their craftiness, said unto them, 'Why me do ye tempt? 24 shew me a denary; of whom hath it an image and superscription?' and they answering said, 'Of Caesar:' 25 and he said to them, 'Give back, therefore, the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God;' 26 and they were not able to take hold on his saying before the people, and having wondered at his answer, they were silent.
27 And certain of the Sadducees, who are denying that there is a rising again, having come near, questioned him, 28 saying, 'Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If any one's brother may die, having a wife, and he may die childless—that his brother may take the wife, and may raise up seed to his brother. 29 'There were, then, seven brothers, and the first having taken a wife, died childless, 30 and the second took the wife, and he died childless, 31 and the third took her, and in like manner also the seven—they left not children, and they died; 32 and last of all died also the woman: 33 in the rising again, then, of which of them doth she become wife?—for the seven had her as wife.' 34 And Jesus answering said to them, 'The sons of this age do marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those accounted worthy to obtain that age, and the rising again that is out of the dead, neither marry, nor are they given in marriage; 36 for neither are they able to die any more—for they are like messengers—and they are sons of God, being sons of the rising again. 37 'And that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the Bush, since he doth call the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; 38 and He is not a God of dead men, but of living, for all live to Him.'
39 And certain of the scribes answering said, 'Teacher, thou didst say well;' 40 and no more durst they question him anything.
41 And he said unto them, 'How do they say the Christ to be son of David, 42 and David himself saith in the Book of Psalms, The Lord said to my lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 43 till I shall make thine enemies thy footstool; 44 David, then, doth call him lord, and how is he his son?'
45 And, all the people hearing, he said to his disciples, 46 'Take heed of the scribes, who are wishing to walk in long robes, and are loving salutations in the markets, and first seats in the synagogues, and first couches in the suppers, 47 who devour the houses of the widows, and for a pretence make long prayers, these shall receive more abundant judgment.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 20:20-47
Commentary on Luke 20:20-26
(Read Luke 20:20-26)
Those who are most crafty in their designs against Christ and his gospel, cannot hide them. He did not give a direct answer, but reproved them for offering to impose upon him; and they could not fasten upon any thing wherewith to stir up either the governor or the people against him. The wisdom which is from above, will direct all who teach the way of God truly, to avoid the snares laid for them by wicked men; and will teach our duty to God, to our rulers, and to all men, so clearly, that opposers will have no evil to say of us.
Commentary on Luke 20:27-38
(Read Luke 20:27-38)
It is common for those who design to undermine any truth of God, to load it with difficulties. But we wrong ourselves, and wrong the truth of Christ, when we form our notions of the world of spirits by this world of sense. There are more worlds than one; a present visible world, and a future unseen world; and let every one compare this world and that world, and give the preference in his thoughts and cares to that which deserves them. Believers shall obtain the resurrection from the dead, that is the blessed resurrection. What shall be the happy state of the inhabitants of that world, we cannot express or conceive, Genesis 15:1. He never did that for them in this world, which answered the full extent of his undertaking; therefore there must be another life, in which he will do that for them, which will completely fulfil the promise.
Commentary on Luke 20:39-47
(Read Luke 20:39-47)
The scribes commended the reply Christ made to the Sadducees about the resurrection, but they were silenced by a question concerning the Messiah. Christ, as God, was David's Lord; but Christ, as man, was David's son. The scribes would receive the severest judgement for defrauding the poor widows, and for their abuse of religion, particularly of prayer, which they used as a pretence for carrying on worldly and wicked plans. Dissembled piety is double sin. Then let us beg of God to keep us from pride, ambition, covetousness, and every evil thing; and to teach us to seek that honour which comes from him alone.