What does Luke 20:39 mean?

Explanation

This verse appears in the context of a conversation between Jesus and the religious leaders of the time, specifically the Sadducees and scribes.

The Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, had previously tried to challenge Jesus with a question about marriage in the afterlife.

Jesus responds by pointing out their misunderstanding of both the scriptures and the power of God.

He corrects them by explaining that in the resurrection, people neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.

He then affirms the reality of the resurrection by citing the scripture from the Book of Exodus where God proclaims to Moses that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, thus implying that these patriarchs are alive in God's presence.

The verse in focus, Luke 20:39, shows that some of the scribes (experts in Jewish law) recognized the wisdom of Jesus' response.

The scribe's reaction of "Master, thou hast well said" indicates their agreement with Jesus' teaching, a rare moment of consensus given that these religious leaders often looked for ways to criticize or entrap Jesus.

In this instance, they acknowledge that Jesus has answered wisely, and this could reflect a moment of genuine respect or perhaps a strategic retreat from a debate they realized they could not win.

Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, the Jewish religious landscape was complex, with different groups holding varying beliefs and interpretations of scripture.

The Sadducees were a sect largely composed of the priestly and aristocratic classes.

They accepted only the written Law of Moses (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) as authoritative and did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, angels, or spirits.

On the other hand, the Pharisees, another influential group, accepted the written Law as well as oral traditions and believed in the resurrection. The scribes mentioned in this verse could have been associated with the Pharisees or been a separate group of legal experts in the Jewish Law.

The interaction between Jesus and the scribes takes place in Jerusalem, likely in the Temple courts, a central place for teaching and debate on religious matters. This setting offered a public forum for these discussions and confrontations between Jesus and the various religious factions.

Theological Insights

This verse can be interpreted through various lenses.

From a Christian perspective, the scribes' affirmation of Jesus' teaching serves to validate Jesus as a wise teacher who understands Scripture deeply, even more so than the specialized religious leaders of his time.

Furthermore, it highlights Jesus' authority on matters of theology, particularly on the issue of the resurrection, which is a cornerstone belief in Christian doctrine.

From a more critical scholarly viewpoint, some might argue that the scribes' acknowledgment of Jesus' response is a rhetorical tool used by the author of the gospel to portray Jesus as an authoritative figure and to further legitimatize his teachings in the eyes of the reader.

Practical Applications

The interaction in this verse can serve as an example of gracious dialogue and respectful disagreement in contemporary discussions about faith and theology.

Even in the face of differing beliefs, like those held by the Sadducees, it shows the possibility of finding common ground on certain truths.

This can encourage individuals to approach theological debates with humility and openness rather than hostility.

Furthermore, the scribes' ability to recognize the wisdom in Jesus' teachings despite their potential disagreements otherwise challenges individuals to acknowledge truth and wisdom wherever it is found, even if it comes from those with whom they might not entirely agree.

Cross-References

• Matthew 22:34-40: This passage covers a similar interaction where the Pharisees acknowledge Jesus' wisdom after a discussion on the greatest commandment in the Law.
• Acts 23:6-9: In this account, the Pharisees defend Paul when he claims to be a Pharisee and speaks of his hope in the resurrection of the dead, an example of a theological agreement leading to an unexpected alliance.
• Mark 12:28-34: Here, a scribe agrees with Jesus' teaching on the two greatest commandments, summarizing the Law and the Prophets.

Language Study

The key term in this verse is "well said" (Greek: καλῶς εἶπας, pronounced "kalōs eipas").

The term "kalōs" can mean "beautifully," "finely," or "well," and "eipas" is the second person singular aorist active indicative of "legō," meaning "to say" or "to speak." Together, the phrase is a form of acknowledgment of the correctness or the exceptional quality of Jesus' response.

Another critical term is "Master" (Greek: διδάσκαλος, pronounced "didaskalos"), which means teacher.

It was a term of respect, acknowledging Jesus as one who instructs or has authority in religious matters.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other cultural and religious contexts, such examples of agreement between opposing parties in a theological discourse are not uncommon.

In Rabbinic Judaism, for instance, the Talmud contains numerous debates where rabbis with differing views show respect for each other's arguments.

Similarly, in the Hindu tradition, various philosophical schools debate the nature of reality and the divine but often with acknowledgment of the wisdom in differing viewpoints.

In ancient Greek philosophy as well, the dialogues of Plato often depicted Socrates engaging with various individuals, and sometimes those interlocutors would concede to Socrates' superior arguments with expressions of agreement or admiration.

Scientific Perspectives

While the verse in question does not directly pertain to any specific scientific concepts, the acknowledgment of the resurrection by Jesus in the preceding verses can provide an interesting point of discussion in relation to scientific understandings of life after death.

Most scientific perspectives consider consciousness and life to cease at death with no empirical evidence for an afterlife.

In contrast, the concept of resurrection is a religious and theological principle based on faith and scriptural testimony rather than empirical data.

commentaries

Commentators on Luke's Gospel often view this exchange as an important moment that showcases Jesus' mastery of the scriptures and his ability to engage with educated religious leaders of his time.

Some scholars, such as John Calvin, comment on this passage as evidencing the scribes' enlightenment at that moment to truly understand the scripture regarding the resurrection.

William Barclay suggests that perhaps for a fleeting instant, the scribes saw beyond their prejudices and agreed with Jesus.

Matthew Henry's Commentary commends the honest acknowledgments of truth when they are made by those who were often in opposition to Jesus.

However, the climactic context of this verse, being close to the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion, also leads some commentators to suggest a layer of irony, since the professions of respect were fleeting and did not prevent the eventual arrest and condemnation of Jesus.