14 But G1161 when the husbandmen G1092 saw G1492 him, G846 they reasoned G1260 among G4314 themselves, G1438 saying, G3004 This G3778 is G2076 the heir: G2818 come, G1205 let us kill G615 him, G846 that G2443 the inheritance G2817 may be G1096 ours. G2257
Then G3767 gathered G4863 the chief priests G749 and G2532 the Pharisees G5330 a council, G4892 and G2532 said, G3004 What G5101 do we? G4160 for G3754 this G3778 man G444 doeth G4160 many G4183 miracles. G4592 If G1437 we let G863 him G846 thus G3779 alone, G863 all G3956 men will believe G4100 on G1519 him: G846 and G2532 the Romans G4514 shall come G2064 and G2532 take away G142 both G2532 our G2257 place G5117 and G2532 nation. G1484 And G1161 one G1520 G5100 of G1537 them, G846 named Caiaphas, G2533 being G5607 the high priest G749 that same G1565 year, G1763 said G2036 unto them, G846 Ye G5210 know G1492 nothing at all, G3756 G3762 Nor G3761 consider G1260 that G3754 it is expedient G4851 for us, G2254 that G2443 one G1520 man G444 should die G599 for G5228 the people, G2992 and G2532 that the whole G3650 nation G1484 perish G622 not. G3361
And when they saw H7200 him afar off, H7350 even before he came near H7126 unto them, they conspired H5230 against him to slay H4191 him. And they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 Behold, this H1976 dreamer H1167 H2472 cometh. H935 Come H3212 now therefore, and let us slay H2026 him, and cast H7993 him into some H259 pit, H953 and we will say, H559 Some evil H7451 beast H2416 hath devoured H398 him: and we shall see H7200 what will become of his dreams. H2472
The governor G2232 answered G611 and G1161 said G2036 unto them, G846 Whether G5101 of G575 the twain G1417 will ye G2309 that I release G630 unto you? G5213 G1161 They said, G2036 Barabbas. G912 Pilate G4091 saith G3004 unto them, G846 What G5101 shall I do G4160 then G3767 with Jesus G2424 which G3588 is called G3004 Christ? G5547 They all G3956 say G3004 unto him, G846 Let him be crucified. G4717 And G1161 the governor G2232 said, G5346 Why, G1063 what G5101 evil G2556 hath he done? G4160 But G1161 they cried out G2896 the more, G4057 saying, G3004 Let him be crucified. G4717 When G1161 Pilate G4091 saw G1492 that G3754 he could prevail G5623 nothing, G3762 but G235 that rather G3123 a tumult G2351 was made, G1096 he took G2983 water, G5204 and washed G633 his hands G5495 before G561 the multitude, G3793 saying, G3004 I am G1510 innocent G121 of G575 the blood G129 of this G5127 just person: G1342 see G3700 ye G5210 to it. Then G2532 answered G611 all G3956 the people, G2992 and said, G2036 His G846 blood G129 be on G1909 us, G2248 and G2532 on G1909 our G2257 children. G5043
Saying, G3004 Where G4226 is G2076 he that is born G5088 King G935 of the Jews? G2453 for G1063 we have seen G1492 his G846 star G792 in G1722 the east, G395 and G2532 are come G2064 to worship G4352 him. G846 When G1161 Herod G2264 the king G935 had heard G191 these things, he was troubled, G5015 and G2532 all G3956 Jerusalem G2414 with G3326 him. G846 And G2532 when he had gathered G4863 all G3956 the chief priests G749 and G2532 scribes G1122 of the people G2992 together, G4863 he demanded G4441 of G3844 them G846 where G4226 Christ G5547 should be born. G1080 And G1161 they said G2036 unto him, G846 In G1722 Bethlehem G965 of Judaea: G2449 for G1063 thus G3779 it is written G1125 by G1223 the prophet, G4396 And G2532 thou G4771 Bethlehem, G965 in the land G1093 of Juda, G2448 art G1488 not G3760 the least G1646 among G1722 the princes G2232 of Juda: G2448 for G1063 out of G1537 thee G4675 shall come G1831 a Governor, G2233 that G3748 shall rule G4165 my G3450 people G2992 Israel. G2474 Then G5119 Herod, G2264 when he had privily G2977 called G2564 the wise men, G3097 enquired G198 of G3844 them G846 diligently G198 what time G5550 the star G792 appeared. G5316 And G2532 he sent G3992 them G846 to G1519 Bethlehem, G965 and said, G2036 Go G4198 and search G1833 diligently G199 for G4012 the young child; G3813 and G1161 when G1875 ye have found G2147 him, bring G518 me G3427 word again, G518 that G3704 I may come G2064 and worship G4352 him G846 also. G2504 When G1161 they had heard G191 the king, G935 they departed; G4198 and, G2532 lo, G2400 the star, G792 which G3739 they saw G1492 in G1722 the east, G395 went before G4254 them, G846 till G2193 it came G2064 and stood G2476 over G1883 where G3757 the young child G3813 was. G2258 When G1161 they saw G1492 the star, G792 they rejoiced G5463 with exceeding G4970 great G3173 joy. G5479 And G2532 when they were come G2064 into G1519 the house, G3614 they saw G2147 G1492 the young child G3813 with G3326 Mary G3137 his G846 mother, G3384 and G2532 fell down, G4098 and worshipped G4352 him: G846 and G2532 when they had opened G455 their G846 treasures, G2344 they presented G4374 unto him G846 gifts; G1435 gold, G5557 and G2532 frankincense, G3030 and G2532 myrrh. G4666 And G2532 being warned of God G5537 in G2596 a dream G3677 that they should G344 not G3361 return G344 to G4314 Herod, G2264 they departed G402 into G1519 their own G846 country G5561 another G1223 G243 way. G3598 And G1161 when they G846 were departed, G402 behold, G2400 the angel G32 of the Lord G2962 appeareth G5316 to Joseph G2501 in G2596 a dream, G3677 saying, G3004 Arise, G1453 and take G3880 the young child G3813 and G2532 his G846 mother, G3384 and G2532 flee G5343 into G1519 Egypt, G125 and G2532 be thou G2468 there G1563 until G2193 I G302 bring G2036 thee G4671 word: G2036 for G1063 Herod G2264 will G3195 seek G2212 the young child G3813 to destroy G622 him. G846 When G1161 he arose, G1453 he took G3880 the young child G3813 and G2532 his G846 mother G3384 by night, G3571 and G2532 departed G402 into G1519 Egypt: G125 And G2532 was G2258 there G1563 until G2193 the death G5054 of Herod: G2264 that G2443 it might be fulfilled G4137 which G3588 was spoken G4483 of G5259 the Lord G2962 by G1223 the prophet, G4396 saying, G3004 Out of G1537 Egypt G125 have I called G2564 my G3450 son. G5207 Then G5119 Herod, G2264 when he saw G1492 that G3754 he was mocked G1702 of G5259 the wise men, G3097 was exceeding G3029 wroth, G2373 and G2532 sent forth, G649 and slew G337 all G3956 the children G3816 that were in G1722 Bethlehem, G965 and G2532 in G1722 all G3956 the coasts G3725 thereof, G846 from G575 two years old G1332 and G2532 under, G2736 according G2596 to the time G5550 which G3739 he had diligently enquired G198 of G3844 the wise men. G3097
Why do the heathen H1471 rage, H7283 and the people H3816 imagine H1897 a vain thing? H7385 The kings H4428 of the earth H776 set H3320 themselves, and the rulers H7336 take counsel H3245 together, H3162 against the LORD, H3068 and against his anointed, H4899 saying, Let us break H5423 their bands H4147 asunder, H5423 and cast away H7993 their cords H5688 from us. He that sitteth H3427 in the heavens H8064 shall laugh: H7832 the Lord H136 shall have them in derision. H3932 Then shall he speak H1696 unto them in his wrath, H639 and vex H926 them in his sore displeasure. H2740 Yet have I set H5258 my king H4428 upon my holy H6944 hill H2022 of Zion. H6726
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Luke 20
Commentary on Luke 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Lu 20:1-19. The Authority of Jesus Questioned, and His Reply—Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen.
(See on Mt 21:23.)
2. these things—particularly the clearing of the temple.
4. baptism of John—his whole ministry and mission, of which baptism was the seal.
5. Why then believed ye him not?—that is, in his testimony to Jesus, the sum of his whole witness.
7. could not tell—crooked, cringing hypocrites! No wonder Jesus gave you no answer (Mt 7:6). But what dignity and composure does our Lord display as He turns their question upon themselves!
9-13. vineyard—(See on Lu 13:6). In Mt 21:33 additional points are given, taken literally from Isa 5:2, to fix down the application and sustain it by Old Testament authority.
husbandmen—the ordinary spiritual guides of the people, under whose care and culture the fruits of righteousness might be yielded.
went, &c.—leaving it to the laws of the spiritual husbandry during the whole length of the Jewish economy. (See on Mr 4:26.)
10. beat, &c.—(Mt 21:35); that is, the prophets, extraordinary messengers raised up from time to time. (See on Mt 23:37.)
13. my beloved son—Mark (Mr 12:6) still more affectingly, "Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved"; our Lord thus severing Himself from all merely human messengers, and claiming Sonship in its loftiest sense. (Compare Heb 3:3-6.)
it may be—"surely"; implying the almost unimaginable guilt of not doing so.
14. reasoned among themselves—(Compare Ge 37:18-20; Joh 11:47-53).
the heir—sublime expression of the great truth, that God's inheritance was destined for, and in due time to come into the possession of, His Son in our nature (Heb 1:2).
inheritance … ours—and so from mere servants we may become lords; the deep aim of the depraved heart, and literally "the root of all evil."
15. cast him out of the vineyard—(Compare Heb 13:11-13; 1Ki 21:13; Joh 19:17).
16. He shall come, &c.—This answer was given by the Pharisees themselves (Mt 21:41), thus pronouncing their own righteous doom. Matthew alone (Mt 21:43) gives the naked application, that "the kingdom of God should be taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof"—the great evangelical community of the faithful, chiefly Gentiles.
God forbid—His whole meaning now bursting upon them.
17-19. written—(in Ps 118:22, 23. See on Lu 19:38). The Kingdom of God is here a Temple, in the erection of which a certain stone, rejected as unsuitable by the spiritual builders, is, by the great Lord of the House, made the keystone of the whole. On that Stone the builders were now "falling" and being "broken" (Isa 8:15), "sustaining great spiritual hurt; but soon that Stone should fall upon them and grind them to powder" (Da 2:34, 35; Zec 12:3)—in their corporate capacity in the tremendous destruction of Jerusalem, but personally, as unbelievers, in a more awful sense still.
19. the same hour—hardly able to restrain their rage.
Lu 20:20-40. Entangling Questions about Tribute and the Resurrection—The Replies.
20-26. sent forth—after consulting (Mt 22:15) on the best plan.
spies—"of the Pharisees and Herodians" (Mr 12:13). See Mr 3:6.
21. we know, &c.—hoping by flattery to throw Him off His guard.
22. tribute—(See on Mt 17:24).
25. things which be Cæsar's—Putting it in this general form, it was impossible for sedition itself to dispute it, and yet it dissolved the snare.
and unto God—How much there is in this profound but to them startling addition to the maxim, and how incomparable is the whole for fulness, brevity, clearness, weight!
27-34. no resurrection—"nor angel nor spirit" (Ac 23:8); the materialists of the day.
34. said unto them—In Mt 22:29, the reply begins with this important statement:—"Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures," regarding the future state, "nor the power of God," before which a thousand such difficulties vanish (also Mr 12:24).
36. neither … die any more—Marriage is ordained to perpetuate the human family; but as there will be no breaches by death in the future state, this ordinance will cease.
equal—or "like."
unto the angels—that is, in the immortality of their nature.
children of God—not in respect of character but nature; "being the children of the resurrection" to an undecaying existence (Ro 8:21, 23). And thus the children of their Father's immortality (1Ti 6:16).
37, 38. even Moses—whom they had just quoted to entangle Him.
38. not … of the dead, … for all, &c.—To God, no human being is dead, or ever will be; but all sustain an abiding conscious relation to Him. But the "all" here meant "those who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world." These sustain a gracious covenant relation to God, which cannot be dissolved. In this sense our Lord affirms that for Moses to call the Lord the "God" of His patriarchal servants if at that moment they had no existence, would be unworthy of Him. He "would be ashamed to be called their God, if He had not prepared for them a city" (Heb 11:16). How precious are these glimpses of the resurrection state!
39. scribes … well said—enjoying His victory over the Sadducees.
they durst not—neither party, both for the time utterly foiled.
Lu 20:41-47. Christ Baffles the Pharisees by a Question about David and Messiah, and Denounces the Scribes.
41. said, &c.—"What think ye of Christ [the promised and expected Messiah]? Whose son is He [to be]? They say unto Him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit [by the Holy Ghost, Mr 12:36] call Him Lord?" (Mt 22:42, 43). The difficulty can only be solved by the higher and lower—the divine and human natures of our Lord (Mt 1:23). Mark the testimony here given to the inspiration of the Old Testament (compare Lu 24:44).
46, 47. Beware, &c.—(See on Mt 23:5; and Lu 14:7).
47. devour, &c.—taking advantage of their helpless condition and confiding character, to obtain possession of their property, while by their "long prayers" they made them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much "the greater damnation" awaits them. What a lifelike description of the Romish clergy, the true successors of "the scribes!"