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Luke 20

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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?

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

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.

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.

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Last of all the woman died also.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

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

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

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;

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

What does Luke 20:21 mean?

Explanation

The verse Luke 20:21 from the King James Version of the Bible occurs within a dialogue between Jesus and a group of spies sent by the chief priests and scribes.

These leaders are attempting to trap Jesus with his own words so they can hand him over to the authority of the governor.

The spies begin by flattering Jesus, acknowledging his teaching as truthful and without favoritism.

However, their compliment is deceptive, as they follow it with a tricky question about paying taxes to Caesar meant to catch Jesus in a political or religious misstep.

The spies acknowledge that Jesus speaks the truth of God's ways directly and does not show partiality to individuals, setting the stage for what they believe will be a no-win situation for Jesus.

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Historical Context

The verse is situated during the final week of Jesus' life, often referred to as Passion Week.

This was a time of heightened tension in Jerusalem, as it was close to the Jewish feast of Passover when Jewish nationalism and hopes for a Messiah to overthrow Roman rule ran high.

The Jewish authorities were deeply disturbed by Jesus' teachings and growing influence among the people.

They were seeking a legal basis to arrest him without causing public outrage, which led to the deceitful approach seen in this verse.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse has several layers:

Authenticity of Jesus' Teachings: The spies' description of Jesus teaching the way of God "truly" reaffirms His authority and authenticity as a teacher who accurately represents God's intentions.
Jesus' Impartiality: By stating that Jesus does not "accept the person of any,” the verse addresses Jesus' impartiality, hinting at a universal truth that transcends societal and cultural distinctions, which is fundamental to Christian theology.
Human Deceptiveness vs Divine Truth: The spies' attempt to flatter and trap Jesus contrasts human deceitfulness with divine truth, pointing to the theological theme of sin and deception that separates humans from God.

Practical Applications

In daily life, Christians can apply the teachings of this verse by:

Striving for honesty and integrity when speaking or teaching, especially concerning matters of faith.
Recognizing the importance of not showing favoritism and treating all individuals with equal respect and fairness.
Being wary of insincerity and the ulterior motives that can underlie flattery or praise.

Cross-References

Matthew 22:16: "And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men."
Mark 12:14: "And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?"

Language Study

The key phrases here within their Koine Greek context include:

"Sayest and teachest rightly" (ὀρθῶς λέγεις καὶ διδάσκεις): The adverb ὀρθῶς (orthōs) implies correctness or straightness, reinforcing the truthfulness of Jesus' teachings.
"Acceptest thou the person" (οὐ λαμβάνεις πρόσωπον): The term πρόσωπον (prosōpon) can mean face, implying not showing partiality based on outward appearance or status, a principle deeply rooted in the ethics Jesus taught.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing this with other ancient religious interpretations, one finds parallels in the principle of impartiality within Buddhism's emphasis on equanimity and Hinduism's concept of universal oneness, which discourages discrimination.

Scientific Perspectives

While this verse does not directly intersect with scientific understandings, modern psychology does explore the phenomena of flattery and deception, as well as the role of bias and favoritism in human behavior, thus providing insight into the motivations behind the question posed to Jesus.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians offer diverse perspectives:

Some commentaries suggest the spies were possibly hoping Jesus would make a politically charged statement against Rome to use as grounds for his arrest.
Others contemplate the spiritual malice behind the deceit, comparing the insincere flattery to tactics used by the serpent in Genesis.
A number of scholars focus on the significance of Jesus' response (following in the next verses) as it demonstrates His wisdom in handling attempts to discredit Him.

Luke 20

Luke 20

What does Luke 20:21 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 20:21 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?