Luke 20

Luke 20:1 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,

• Verses 1-8 the enemies, question, First attack on Jesus and The Lord's Authority
• Came upon = Implying suddenness and hostility

2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

• The chief priests and the scribes ask Jesus by who authority doest thou do these things? 
• In religious matters, verse 22 in civil matters and verse 33 in domestic matters.

3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:

4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

• Enemies and reasoning
• It implies close deliberation with one another

6 But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

• Will stone us = will stone us to death
• They be persuaded = it (the people) has been firmly convinced
• Implying long settled conviction

 7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

• The Lord's question unanswered, why?
• They didn't know

8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

• Jesus enemies answer .. declined

9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.

• Parable against them. Parable of A certain man planted a vineyard
• Proprietor of Vineyard = action
• People = But still in the hearing of the rulers
• Husbandmen = Israel
• Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
• Jeremiah 2:21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
• Isaiah 5:1 Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
  2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
  3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
  4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
  5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
  6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
  7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
  8 Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.

• Husbandmen = Conduct
• Servant = bond-servant

11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

• Another = other or different

12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.

13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

• Matthew 21:37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
  38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
  39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
  40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
  41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

• The chief priests therefore and officers crucify Jesus, Why?
• Luke 20:5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
• Because he made himself the Son of God.
• Mark 15:27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
  28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
• John 19:6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
  7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
• What Jews?
• The key of David, who crucify Jesus?
• Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
• (Matthew 13) Satan seed = the tares
• John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
  42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
  43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
  44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
  45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
  46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
  47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
• By our laws = Mans laws
• Proprietor of Vineyard, Is the question

15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

• Husbandmen, destruction
• He shall come = (Some answered)
• Others = others (of the same kind) a new Israel, not a different Gentile nation, which would be.
• God forbid = May it never be!
• In Hebrew = chalilah = the opposite of "Amen" (Genesis 44:7 and 17)

17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

• Proprietor (The Lord) Application
• The chief corner stone, Jesus Christ
• Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
• Luke 19:38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
• Psalms 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
  23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
  24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
  25 Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
  26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.
  27 God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
  28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
  29 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

• Isaiah 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
  15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
  16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
  17 And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

• Enemies, Second attack and tribute money
• They knew Jesus was telling the truth

20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

• Conspiracy made
• Spies = secret agents - In Greek = liars in wait
• Just = righteous = honest
• Words = discourse
• Power = rule = the Roman power
• Governor = Pilate
• Pilate alone had the rule as to life and death.
• So that it was the Lord's life had in view

21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

• Their question
• Truly = with truth
• Tribute = anything brought

22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

• Caesar was the governor at this time.
• Tribute = anything brought
• Here the poll-tax, which was disputed by scrupulous legalists.
• Romans 13:6 For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
  7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

• Conspiracy perceived
• Perceived = discerned, not the same word in verse 19
• Craftiness = cunning

24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.

• The Lord's question, Who image and superscription?
• Matthew 22:20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
  21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
  22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

• If you pay taxes, your governor is supposed to protect you.
• Conspiracy silenced

26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

• Mark 9:32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,

• Enemies, third attack and resurrection
• Sadducees deny the resurrection, saying that there is no resurrection.
• This is the key that follows.
• Matthew 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
  24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
  25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
  26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
  27 And last of all the woman died also.
  28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
  29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
  30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
  31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
  32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
  33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine

28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

 

29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.

 

30 And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.

31 And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.

32 Last of all the woman died also.

33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.

 

34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

• World = age
• This age as distinguished from the age (or dispensation) that is to come, the age to which resurrection is the door of entrance.

35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

• The resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage
• Means = No more births, marriages, or deaths.
• 1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
• Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

• Moses shewed = Moses cited because his testimony was in question verse 28.
• Shewed = disclosed
• At the bush = 1 Samuel 1:18, "the bow". Ezekiel 1 "the Chariot".
• Roman 11:2 "Elijah" Quoted from Exodus 3:6.

38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.

41 And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?

• The Lord's question, "How"?

41 And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?

42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

• David himself said, considering that the Lord spoke only what the Father gave Him to speak.
• It is perilously near blasphemy for a modern critic to say: nothing can be more mischievous or more irreverent than to drag in the name of our Lord to support a particular view of Biblical criticism.
• The lord's name is not "dragged in".
• It is he who speaking.
• It is He who declares in the name of God that "David himself wrote these words" in the book of Psalms.
• It is the denial of this that must undermine faith in Christ.
• Psalm 110:1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
  2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
  3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
  4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
  5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
  6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
  7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

• Make = set
• Matthew 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

44 David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?

45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,

• Enemies, disciples warned against them

46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

• These play church, these make their laws.. not God's laws

47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

• Kenite will not accept Jesus, they play church... for a shew ... to take your money
• Devour = swallow up
• Damnation = judgment or condemnation

• Exactly 2520 years from the exile of Benjamin, Iceland became an independent nation.

 

•  The first tribe to be conquered by the Assyrians was Manasseh, in 745 B.C. Exactly 2520 years later America became a nation on July 4, 1776.

 

• Study the book: Abrahamic Covenant, (A study outline of the identity of God's people) By E. Raymond Capt - page 25