1 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,
2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
6 But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.
8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
9 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.
10 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.
11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
13 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.
14 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.
15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
17 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?
18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
19 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.
20 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.
21 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:
22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?
23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.
25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.
26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,
28 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.
29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.
31 And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
32 Last of all the woman died also.
33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.
34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36 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.
37 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.
38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.
41 And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?
42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
44 David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?
45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,
46 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;
47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
The twentieth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible is a significant chapter that presents numerous themes and teachings of Jesus Christ. This chapter is a blend of confrontations, parables, and teachings where Jesus is seen answering the tricky questions thrown at Him by the religious leaders, teaching the crowd and His disciples, and revealing profound truths about life, the Kingdom of God, and the afterlife.
The chapter begins with religious leaders, chiefly the chief priests and the scribes, challenging Jesus' authority. They questioned Him about His teachings and the source of His authority. Jesus, in His wisdom, responded with a counter-question about John the Baptist's baptism. He asked them whether it was from heaven or from men. The religious leaders found themselves in a dilemma. If they said it was from heaven, they would be admitting that they ignored God's command since they did not believe John. If they said it was from men, they feared the reaction of the people who considered John a prophet. Hence, they decided to plead ignorance. Jesus, then, refused to answer their question about His authority, driving home the point that those who refuse to see the truth will remain in their ignorance.
Jesus then narrated the Parable of the Vineyard and the Tenants. The vineyard symbolizes Israel, the tenants are the religious leaders, and the servants sent by the owner are the prophets sent by God. The son of the vineyard owner represents Jesus Himself. The religious leaders' decision to kill the son for the inheritance prophesies their plot to kill Jesus to maintain their religious authority. Jesus ends the parable by quoting Psalm 118:22 - "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner". This is a clear prophecy about His death and resurrection and how the religious leaders who reject Him will be judged.
The religious leaders, attempting to trap Jesus, asked Him a question about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus, understanding their intent, asked for a denarius and asked them whose image and inscription it bore. When they answered that it was Caesar's, Jesus responded, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's". This response silenced His critics and taught a profound lesson about the Christian's dual responsibility towards God and the state.
The Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, tried to ridicule the concept by posing a hypothetical situation about a woman who had seven husbands in her earthly life. They asked Jesus whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus corrected their understanding by explaining that those who attain the resurrection do not marry as they are like the angels and are children of God. He affirmed the reality of the resurrection by citing the instance of Moses at the burning bush where God identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, implying that they were alive and not dead.
Jesus then posed a question to the religious leaders about the Christ being David's son. He quoted Psalm 110:1 where David calls the Messiah 'Lord'. The religious leaders could not answer how the Messiah could be both David's son and his Lord. This teaches the dual nature of Christ - His humanity as David's son and His divinity as David's Lord.
Jesus ends the chapter with a warning against the scribes who were more concerned about their outward appearance and recognition than true righteousness. He condemned their hypocrisy and pride and warned of their severe judgment. This serves as a reminder of the importance of true humility and righteousness.
In conclusion, Luke 20 presents Jesus in His final days, dealing with religious leaders who try to trap Him with their questions. However, Jesus, with His wisdom and authority, not only silences them but also uses these confrontations to teach profound truths. The chapter is a powerful reminder of Jesus' authority, His divine wisdom, and His mission to bring about the Kingdom of God. The chapter also underscores the central Christian themes of faith, resurrection, humility, righteousness, and the dual responsibility of a Christian towards God and the state.
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