Bible Commentaries
Luke 20

Introduction

LUKE CHAPTER 20

Luke 20:1-8 Christ silences those who questioned his authority.

Luke 20:9-18 The parable of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen.

Luke 20:19-26 The chief priests and scribes seek matter against him: his reply to their insidious question concerning: paying tribute to Caesar.

Luke 20:27-40 He confuteth the Sadducees concerning the resurrection.

Luke 20:41-44 He propounds a difficulty concerning the character of Christ.

Luke 20:45-47 He warns his disciples against the ambition and hypocrisy of the scribes.

Verses 1-2

We have along the history of the gospel observed, that the scribes and Pharisees took all advantages imaginable against our Saviour: failing in all their acts, they now come to question his authority, which seemeth not so much to have respect to his preaching, as to his act in casting of the buyers and sellers out of the temple; for as to preaching, they seem, by the history of Scripture, to have given a great liberty, especially if any had the repute of a prophet.

Verses 3-8

See Poole on "Matthew 21:24", and following verses to Matthew 21:27. See Poole on "Mark 11:29", and following verses to Mark 11:33. The substance of our Saviour’s answer is this: From whence had John his authority? He preached and baptized; who gave him his authority? They had sent much such another message to John, John 1:19-22. Was John’s authority ordinary or extraordinary? It is plain that he had no authority from them, for then they would not have sent to him to know who he was. He must therefore have it from heaven. Now if they had allowed John’s call extraordinary, why should not they allow Christ’s to be such, to whom John gave so large a testimony, and who confirmed his extraordinary mission by miraculous operations, which we do not read that John ever did? Besides, the Pharisees saw that if they allowed John’s mission to be extraordinary, and from heaven, they had obviously exposed themselves to a check for not believing what he said; they therefore refuse to make any answer, and Christ refuseth also to satisfy them.

Verses 9-18

We met with this parable at large both in Matthew 21:33-41, and in Mark 12:1-11. Its obvious scope is to let them know, that God in righteous judgment, for the Jews’ abusing the Lord’s prophets, John the Baptist, and himself, who was in a few days to be killed by them, would unchurch and destroy them, and raise up to himself a church amongst the Gentiles; and that this was no more than was prophesied of, Psalms 118:22.

Verses 19-20

There is nothing in these verses, but what we before met with, and is opened in the notes on Matthew 21:45,Matthew 21:46, or Mark 12:12,Mark 12:13. They let us see as in a glass the spirit and genius of wicked men filled with malice against the gospel. They are continually seeking to destroy such as have any relation to Christ, and, to effect their ends, they will judge no means unfair; and their great art is to represent them as dangerous persons to the civil government: so as if good men find the same things still, they have this to comfort them, that the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Verses 21-26

This piece of history we have likewise met with, both in Matthew 22:16-22, and Mark 12:14-17.

Verses 27-38

See Poole on "Matthew 22:23", and following verses to Matthew 22:32, See Poole on "Mark 12:18", and following verses to Mark 12:27, where all the passages in this piece of history are fully opened. By

equal unto the angels, in Luke 20:36, we must not understand in all things, but in the thing mentioned:

1. The number of the elect shall be perfect, so there shall be no need of marrying, or giving in marriage, to multiply the number of men.

2. There shall be no more marriages amongst men than amongst angels; all live unto God, Luke 20:38. Though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were dead at the speaking of those words, yet they were not so in God’s eye, who was determined to raise them up in the last day, and who with the same eye beholds things past, present, and to come. But see more in the notes before mentioned.

Verses 39-40

The scribes were the Jewish doctors of the Pharisees faction, and enemies to the Sadducees; they applaud our Saviour’s answer: thus as the Herodians before, (in the case of the tribute), so the Sadducees here, are put to silence. He will now put the scribes and Pharisees to silence.

Verses 41-44

The answer had been easy if the scribes and Pharisees, who (Matthew saith) were there also, had owned Christ to be the Son of God. But this they did not own, and so, as Matthew 22:46 tells us,

No man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. Thus Christ nonplussed all his adversaries.

Verses 45-47

We have met with all this before, See Poole on "Luke 11:43". See Poole on "Matthew 23:6-7". See Poole on "Mark 12:38", and following verses to Mark 12:40.