Luke 20:6
in Luke 20But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But if we shall say, From men; all the people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
KJV
But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
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This verse in Luke 20
Commentary
11 notes on this verseSuppose their answer to have been, that John's baptism was "of men," they would have been immediately stoned to death. Some Marcion, in rivalry to Marcion, would have stood up and said: O most excellent God; how different are his ways from the Creator's! Knowing that men would rush down headlong over it, He placed them actually on the very precipice.
This site's exposition
They deliberated among themselves
on Luke 20:5-6
They deliberated over what each answer would cost them: from heaven invited the question, Why did you not believe him, and from men risked stoning. Their private debate weighs only their safety and the crowd.
This site's exposition
all the people will stone us
Bonaventure notes that the law of Leviticus 24 ordered blasphemers stoned, and the people held John a prophet. Gill takes the people to be the common people then in the temple courts. Bede notes that either answer would trap them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 16.17 · Written before 373.
proposed
While he was teaching the crowds and evangelizing them, the chief priests and the scribes came and said to him, "By what power are you doing this?" If it were a question of his teaching, how could they have called it a work? It is …
The Jews, accusing the Lord, said: "By what power do you do these things? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." They sought a cause, not faith; whence they might lay traps, not whence they might be freed. Indeed, he who saw their hearts, observe what he answered to confound them through the lamp. "I also will ask you one question," he says: "Tell me, the baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men?" They were immediately struck, and though the day shone faintly, they were compelled to grope, as they could not look upon that brightness, they fled to the darkness of their own hearts, and there began to be troubled among themselves, stumbling and falling. "If we say," they thought among themselves, where they reasoned, but which he saw: "If we say, from heaven, he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' For he had borne testimony to Christ the Lord. But if we say, from men, the people will stone us, for John was held as a great prophet." And they said, "We do not know." You do not know; you are in darkness, you lose the light. For how much better if perhaps there is darkness in the human heart, to admit the light, not to lose it. When they said, "We do not know," the Lord said, "Neither do I tell you by what power I do these things. For I know with what heart you said, 'We do not know,' not wanting to be taught, but fearing to confess."
The Medieval Church3 voices
But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us. For they are certain that John is a prophet." Therefore, they saw that whatever they responded, they would fall into a trap, fearing stoning, but fearing the confession of the truth even more.
As if He should say, He whom yon confess had his gift of prophecy from heaven, and gave testimony to Me. And ye heard from him by what power I should do these things. It follows, But if we shall say, Of men; the whole people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. Therefore perceived they in whatever way they should answer they would fall into a trap, fearing the stoning, but much more the confession of the truth.
But if we shall say: From men, all the people will stone us, abhorring the falsehood. For blasphemers were to be stoned according to the Law: Leviticus 24: "Bring forth the blasphemer outside the camp, and let all who heard lay their hands upon his …
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But and if we say of men,..... Which they had a good will to, against the dictates of their own consciences: all the people will stone us; meaning the common people, that were then in the temple about Christ, hearing him preach; who would be so enraged at such an answer, that without any regard to their character and office, they would rise and stone them.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
The spirit which prompted this demand is too evident to be mistaken. These men hated and envied Christ. They saw His influence increasing. They saw their own power waning. They resolved, if possible, to stop the progress of this new teacher; and the point on which they made their assault was His authority . They ought to have examined His mighty works. His teaching they ought, in all fairness, to have compared with their own Scriptures. But they refused to take either one course or the other. They preferred to call His authority into question.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The spirit which prompted this demand is too evident to be mistaken. These men hated and envied Christ. They saw His influence increasing. They saw their own power waning. They resolved, if possible, to stop the progress of this new teacher; and the point on which they made their assault was His authority . They ought to have examined His mighty works. His teaching they ought, in all fairness, to have compared with their own Scriptures. But they refused to take either one course or the other. They preferred to call His authority into question. Every true-hearted Christian who tries to do good in the world, must make up his mind to be treated like his Master. He must never be surprised to find that the self-righteous and the worldly-minded dislike His ways. The lawfulness of his proceedings will be constantly called in question. He will be regarded as meddlesome, disorderly, self-conceited, a pestilent fellow, and a troubler of Israel. (Acts 24:5; 1 Kings 18:17.) Scripture-readers, district-visitors, lay-agents, and unordained missionaries — are specially liable to meet with such treatment. And worst of all, they will often meet with enemies, where they ought to find friends. Let all who are attacked by the world for trying to do good, take comfort in the thought that they are only drinking of the bitter cup which Christ drank. Their Master in Heaven sympathizes with them. Let them work on patiently, and believe that, if they are faithful, their work will speak for itself. The world's opposition is sure to attend every really good work. If the servants of Christ are to cease from every movement which the world calls in question — they will soon come to an entire stand-still. If we are to wait until the world approves our plans, and is satisfied with the propriety of our efforts — we shall never do anything on earth.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐὰν | ean | If | G1437 → | 352 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| εἴπωμεν· | eipomen | we shall say; | G2036 → | 925 times |
| ἐξ | ex | From | G1537 → | 911 times |
| ἀνθρώπων, | anthropon | men, | G444 → | 549 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαὸς | laos | people | G2992 → | 141 times |
| ἅπας | hapas | all | G537 → | 33 times |
| καταλιθάσει | katalithasei | will stone | G2642 → | |
| ἡμᾶς· | hemas | us; | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| πεπεισμένος | pepeismenos | persuaded | G3982 → | 51 times |
| γάρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | they are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| Ἰωάννην | ioannen | John | G2491 → | 134 times |
| προφήτην | propheten | a prophet | G4396 → | 144 times |
| εἶναι. | einai | to be. | G1511 → | 123 times |
ἐὰνIf
eanG1437 →352 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
εἴπωμεν·we shall say;
eipomenG2036 →925 times
ἐξFrom
exG1537 →911 times
ἀνθρώπων,men,
anthroponG444 →549 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
λαὸςpeople
laosG2992 →141 times
ἅπαςall
hapasG537 →33 times
καταλιθάσειwill stone
katalithaseiG2642 →
ἡμᾶς·us;
hemasG3165 →1936 times
πεπεισμένοςpersuaded
pepeismenosG3982 →51 times
γάρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἐστινthey are
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἸωάννηνJohn
ioannenG2491 →134 times
προφήτηνa prophet
prophetenG4396 →144 times
εἶναι.to be.
einaiG1511 →123 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 1:76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
it leads to
- Malachi 3:1
“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He…
- Isaiah 40:3–5
A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
- Mark 1:2–3
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”
- Matthew 11:9–10
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
- Matthew 3:3
This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”
- Malachi 3:1
Through
Matthew 11:9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
it leads to
- Matthew 14:5
Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 1:76
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
- Matthew 14:5
Through
Matthew 21:46Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
it leads to
- Matthew 21:11
The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
- Matthew 21:11
Where this verse is studied
About Luke
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 293.4; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 20; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 16.17; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Tertullian, Against Marcion Book IV.