The Way - Day 020 (Luke 20)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Luke 20:1-26
 It is obvious that Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem was not welcomed by the religious leaders of the day; in fact, Luke tells his readers that following Jesus' cleansing of the temple, the Jewish leaders tried to find a way to put Him to death (19:45-48), but they could not at that time because He was still popular with the crowds. As Jesus was teaching in the temple and preaching the gospel, the religious leaders confronted Him asking, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?" (20:1-2). Rather than answering their questions, Jesus asked them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: The baptism of John--was it from heaven or from men?" (20:3). Since they felt as if they had the authority to question Him, Jesus responded back with His own question. The gospel of Matthew provides the discussion amongst the religious leaders as to how they should answer Jesus' question: "And they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'If we say, From heaven, He will say to us, Why then did you not believe him? But if we say, From men, we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet'" (Matthew 21:25-26). Realizing that there was no easy way to answer, the religious leaders chose not to give an answer, so Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things" (20:8).

In order to describe the authority by which He had been sent, Jesus told a parable to the people about a man (God) who planted a vineyard and went away for a long time, but when it was vintage-time he sent his servant to collect from the vinedressers (Jewish religious leaders), but they beat him and sent him away (20:9-10). The man sent two more servants to try to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard, but the vinedressers also beat them and sent them away (20:11-12). The man then decided to send his son (Jesus) because he thought they would respect him (20:13). Instead of respecting his son, the vinedressers said, "This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours" (20:14). Jesus then poses the question, "Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?" (20:15). Answering His own question Jesus says, "He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others" (20:16). When they understood what Jesus was implying, the Jewish leaders answered Him, "Certainly not!" (20:16b). The Jewish leaders knew that Jesus' parable was spoken about them and they would not accept Jesus' message that they were being set aside by God because they had rejected Him as the Messiah. Jesus then looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone'? Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder" (20:17-18). Although Jesus was now being rejected by the religious leaders, He would one day reign supreme and become their judge.

When they heard Jesus' words, they wanted to kill him but they still feared the reaction of the crowds, "so they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor" (20:19-20). These spies tried to catch Jesus saying something against Caesar so they asked Him, "Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" (20:21-22). Jesus perceived their deceitful tactics and answered that they should "render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (20:23-25). Jesus was declaring that all citizens have an obligation to obey the laws of the land as well as the laws of God. Because of His wise answers, there was no way the religious leaders could bring a charge against Him, so they continued to wait and scheme. Isn't it amazing how people think they can bring defeat against an all-powerful God?

Luke 20:27-47
Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem had attracted much attention from both those who were curious about His ministry and from the religious leaders who were interested in silencing His teachings (Luke 19:47-48). The Sadducees were one of the many religious groups unified in putting a stop to Jesus' teachings and Luke describes them in this passage as those who "deny that there is a resurrection" (20:27); in fact, history tells us that the Sadducees rejected all things supernatural, which included the resurrection of the dead. Similar to the other religious groups of Jesus' day, they approached Jesus with a question or a scenario designed to make Him look foolish. The Sadducees presented a hypothetical circumstance to Jesus concerning the Old Testament law of levirate marriage. Deuteronomy 25:5 provides some insight into this law which teaches that an unmarried brother of a childless dead man should marry his widow in order to provide an heir; of course, this law was only valid if the living brother was unmarried (Luke 20:28). Here is the circumstance the Sadducees propose to Jesus, "Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her as wife, and he died childless. Then 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 does she become? For all seven had her as wife" (20:29-33). In essence, the Sadducees were denying that the resurrection could be true based on this hypothetical scenario; however, Jesus answered wisely saying, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection (20:34-36). The Sadducees' question was invalid because people will not be married in the resurrection. Jesus also reminded them of an Old Testament conversation between Moses and God where He called Himself "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (20:37). These three men had died before Moses, but God declared Himself to be the God of the living, not the dead (20:38). In His answer to the Sadducees Jesus teaches several truths: there will be no marriage in the resurrection (20:34-36), there will be a resurrection (20:37-38), and all people will live forever in the presence of God or in Hell (20:38).

Some of the scribes (interpreters of the Old Testament law) spoke up and commended Jesus for His answer to the Sadducees because they agreed with Jesus in this matter; however, the religious groups "dared not question Him anymore" (20:39-40). The more Jesus spoke, the more it became apparent that He taught with authority and understanding. Jesus also took this opportunity to question the religious leaders saying, "How can they say that the Christ [Messiah] is the Son of David? Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: 'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.' Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?" (20:41-44). His inquiry surrounded the true nature and character of the promised Messiah, whom the prophets declared would come through the line of David. Quoting from Psalm 110:1, Jesus referred to the place where King David called the Messiah "my Lord" and also exalted Him as being at God's right hand, which was a place of honor. David obviously recognized that the Son, Jesus Christ, would be divine in nature, not just human in nature as the religious leaders taught, and that is why David referenced Him as Lord. Instead of the Messiah just being the Son of David, He was also to be recognized as the Son of God. Turning His attention to the disciples, Jesus warns them concerning the hypocritical actions of the scribes who "desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts" (20:46); furthermore, Jesus condemns the scribes as ones who "devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers" (20:48). The scribes had access to the truth, but chose to ignore Jesus as the true Messiah. Rather than believing the truth, they spent their time pursuing pompous displays of spirituality which were designed to gain them popularity and recognition. Jesus promised that they would receive "greater condemnation" (20:47). Truth is accessible, but many are not willing to receive it because they are only interested in using religion to pursue selfish desires.

Dear God, may what I believe be demonstrated in the way I live.