Luke
Luke 20
1On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders. 2They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”
3He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me: 4the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”
5They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7They answered that they didn’t know where it was from.
8Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
9He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time. 10At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him, and sent him away empty. 11He sent yet another servant, and they also beat him, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12He sent yet a third, and they also wounded him, and threw him out. 13The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’
14“But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.”
When they heard that, they said, “May that never be!”
17But he looked at them and said, “Then what is this that is written,
19The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people—for they knew he had spoken this parable against them. 20They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor. 21They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. 22Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
23But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me? 24Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
They answered, “Caesar’s.”
25He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
26They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer and were silent. 27Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection. 28They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up children for his brother. 29There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless. 30The second took her as wife, and he died childless. 31The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died. 32Afterward the woman also died. 33Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.”
34Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage. 35But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.”
39Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you speak well.” 40They didn’t dare to ask him any more questions.
41He said to them, “Why do they say that the Christ is David’s son? 42David himself says in the book of Psalms,
44“David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”
45In the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples, 46“Beware of those scribes who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts; 47who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”
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4 commentators · 92 notes on this chapter
Matthew Henry5
Writes as a pastor rather than a critic. Expect devotional and practical application over historical or linguistic analysis, read through a Reformed covenantal frame — and expect the Old Testament to be read forward toward Christ throughout.
Why this voice is here: The most widely read English commentary for three centuries. Included as a baseline: where Henry and a modern voice diverge, the divergence itself is usually the interesting part.
In this passage of story nothing is added here to what we had in the other evangelists; but only in the first verse, where we are told, I. That he was now teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel. Note, Christ was a preacher of his own…
Christ spoke this parable against those who were resolved not to own his authority, though the evidence of it was ever so full and convincing; and it comes very seasonably to show that by questioning his authority they forfeited their own. Their disowning the…
We have here Christ's evading a snare which his enemies laid for him, by proposing a question to him about tribute. We had this passage before, both in Matthew and Mark. Here is, I. The mischief designed him, and that is more fully related here than before…
John Gill47
The most exhaustive and the most doctrinally committed here. Expect high — even supralapsarian — Calvinism applied consistently, and unusually heavy use of rabbinic and Talmudic sources for Jewish context. Where a passage bears on election or the will, Gill will read it in one direction, and knowing that in advance is the point.
Why this voice is here: The strongest Calvinist reading available in the public domain, and the best on Jewish background. Read alongside Clarke, not instead of him — between them you get both sides of the argument.
And it came to pass, that on one of those days,.... According to the account of the Evangelist Mark, it must be the second day, or two days after his public entrance into Jerusalem; for on the evening of the day he made his entry, he went out to Bethany with…
And spoke unto him, saying, tell us by what authority doest thou these things?.... The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "this thing"; as if the sanhedrim only referred to his preaching the Gospel, which is mentioned in the preceding verse, and was what he…
And he answered and said unto them,.... That is, Jesus replied to them, as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Persic versions express it: I will also ask you one thing, and answer me; when he also promised, that if they would give him an answer to his question…
Adam Clarke16
The linguist of this set. Expect Hebrew and Greek word study, oriental custom, and geography — and an Arminian reading of grace and free will where Gill or Henry would read election. Note one real divergence: Clarke denied the eternal sonship of Christ, a position most of the tradition rejects, so read him closely on the person of Christ.
Why this voice is here: Where you want to know what a word actually says, Clarke is the one who will tell you — with the caveat above on Christ’s sonship.
One of those days - Supposed to have been one of the four last days of his life, mentioned Luk 19:47, probably Tuesday before the passover.
By what authority, etc. - See the note on Mat 21:23-27 (note).
A certain man planted a vineyard, etc. - See this parable largely explained, Mat 21:33-46 (note). See also on Mar 12:4-9 (note).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown24
The concise option. Three authors split the canon, so the voice shifts between sections. Expect brief, sober, conservative notes that resolve difficulties rather than dwelling on them — useful for orientation, thinner than Gill or Clarke where a passage is genuinely contested.
Why this voice is here: The quickest way to see what the mainstream Reformed reading of a passage is. Start here, then go to Gill or Clarke when it matters.
baptism of John--his whole ministry and mission, of which baptism was the seal.
Why then believed ye him not?--that is, in his testimony to Jesus, the sum of his whole witness.
could not tell--crooked, cringing hypocrites! No wonder Jesus gave you no answer (Mat 7:6). But what dignity and composure does our Lord display as He turns their question upon themselves!
World English Bible — Public domain