Lukechapter 20

A.By What Authority Do You Do These Things?vv. 1-8

1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him. 2 “Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” 3 “I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me: 4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?” 5 They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from. 8 And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

B.The Vineyard Let Out to Husbandmenvv. 9-19

9 Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed. 11 So he sent another servant, but they beat him and treated him shamefully, sending him away empty-handed. 12 Then he sent a third, but they wounded him and threw him out. 13 ‘What shall I do?’ asked the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill those tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!” 17 But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? 18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” 19 When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.

C.Spies, Tribute, and Caesar's Imagevv. 20-26

20 So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor. 21 “Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 But Jesus saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. 25 So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 26 And they were unable to trap Him in His words before the people; and amazed at His answer, they fell silent.

D.Sadducees Ask About Seven Husbandsvv. 27-40

27 Then some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to question Him. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a wife, but died childless. 30 Then the second 31 and the third married the widow, and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children. 32 And last of all, the woman died. 33 So then, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven were married to her.” 34 Jesus answered, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. 36 In fact, they can no longer die, because they are like the angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God. 37 Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised, in the passage about the burning bush. For he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.” 39 Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, You have spoken well!” 40 And they did not dare to question Him any further.

E.David's Lord; Beware of the Scribesvv. 41-47

41 Then Jesus declared, “How can it be said that the Christ is the Son of David? 42 For David himself says in the book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand 43 until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’ 44 Thus David calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” 45 In the hearing of all the people, Jesus said to His disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Question about authority.

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Question about authority. John's baptism counter-question. Parable of the wicked husbandmen. Tribute to Caesar. Sadducees on resurrection. David's son question. 'Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes.'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Gospel · Luke — Luke overview

A. 1–8 By What Authority Do You Do These Things?
B. 9–19 The Vineyard Let Out to Husbandmen
C. 20–26 Spies, Tribute, and Caesar's Image
D. 27–40 Sadducees Ask About Seven Husbands
E. 41–47 David's Lord; Beware of the Scribes

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Matthew 218 verses
- Matthew 21:23When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”
- Matthew 21:26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
- Matthew 21:33Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
- Matthew 21:34When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit.
- Matthew 21:37Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
- Matthew 21:41“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.”
- Read Matthew 21: 2 more there →
Mark 128 verses
- Mark 12:1Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
- Mark 12:6Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
- Mark 12:18Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him:
- Mark 12:26But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
- Mark 12:34When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further.
- Mark 12:35While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?
- Read Mark 12: 2 more there →
Matthew 227 verses
- Matthew 22:15Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words.
- Matthew 22:16They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one, because You pay no attention to external appearance.
- Matthew 22:18But Jesus knew their evil intent and said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me?
- Matthew 22:24“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.
- Matthew 22:30In the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.
- Matthew 22:41While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus questioned them:
- Read Matthew 22: 1 more there →
John 33 verses
- John 3:16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- John 3:26So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”
- John 3:36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
- Read John 3 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Luke 192 verses
- Luke 19:27And these enemies of mine who were unwilling for me to rule over them, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’”
- Luke 19:47Jesus was teaching at the temple every day, but the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people were intent on killing Him.
- Read Luke 19 →
Matthew 262 verses
- Matthew 26:49Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
- Matthew 26:55At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me.
- Read Matthew 26 →
Mark 112 verses
- Mark 11:28“By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You the authority to do them?”
- Mark 11:33So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
- Read Mark 11 →
Acts 72 verses
- Acts 7:27But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
- Acts 7:30After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.
- Read Acts 7 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.