Luke 20 - Jesus One, Enemies Zero

1-8 It seems that the religious authorities wanted Jesus to say He was from God. They could make this look bad, though it was true. "Look! He's crazy! He thinks he's from God!" Maybe they could also make Jesus seem dangerous to the Romans with these "incriminating" words from Jesus' mouth. Jesus turns it around on them. He asks them to identify the source of John's baptizing. God was the one who sent John to baptize - so God was the source. If they answered truthfully, they'd be speaking the same "incriminating" words they wanted to pin on Jesus! Not only that, they'd be condemning themselves since they hadn't accepted John's message and baptism. But if they said their real opinion, the "crazy" people would be enraged for they knew John was a prophet of God. The Scribes and elders weren't concerned with the truth, but only with using public opinion to accomplish their goals.

9-18 The prophets of God continually came to God's chosen nation and were rejected. Eventually God sent His Son, who was rejected as well - and murdered (see Matthew 23:29-36). God would soon take the Gospel from the rejecters and offer it to the Gentiles. Concerning Jesus, the Stone which the builders rejected - see Psalm 118:22 and Acts 4:11-12. The last line expresses the invincibility of Christ when attacked, and when He judges on the Last Day. Though rejected by the chosen nation of Israel, the Messiah would ultimately triumph.

19-26 The Jews knew what this coin's inscriptions said . On one side it said, “Tiberius, son of the god Augustus.” On the other, “Pontifex Maximus” (or high priest).See Exodus 20:1-6.Jesus deftly explains that you can honor the pagan emperor because his authority ultimately comes from God, while at the same refusing to give him the honor that belongs to God alone. Pay taxes to Rome, pay worship to God.

27-40 See Jesus' harsh reply in Matthew 22:29. The question was irrelevant because the next world doesn't will be different than this one (see Revelation 21:1 and following). With this one response Jesus slams the Sadducees rejection of angels, spirits and the resurrection. He also points out the source of their pitiful lack of knowledge. The Sadducees were poor theologians because they didn't know the Word of God as authoritative, nor did they believe God to have real power for their lives. Kinda like modern "churches" who dilute the Bible into a contemporary Aesop's fables only meant to teach morality through legends.

41-44 Jesus references Psalm 110:1. Luther says, "Here, as in nowhere else in the Old Testament Scriptures, we find a clear and powerful description of His person-who he is, namely, both David's promised Son according to the flesh and God's eternal Son" (Luther's Works 13:228, Cited by TLSB). The Jewish mind considered the father always of greater authority than the son who came from him. So, how could David's Son be greater than himself? David's Son was also His superior "Lord = Master" because He was also the divine Son of God.

45-47 After silencing His opponents, Jesus openly warns the people hearing Him: Don't be like the Bible scholars - who practiced their religion to gain prestige and authority, not in genuine worship of the true God and author of the Bible. See also Jesus' early warning to the people concerning the religious leaders in Matthew 5:20.

Luke 19 - Mar 4, 2012

Here's the texts and points we discussed today.

1-10 Son of Man came to rescue the lost.
11-27 Be trustworthy with whatever is entrusted you.(1)
28-40 Jesus is the Davidic King of 2 Samuel 7:12-13.(2)
41-44 Jerusalem was destroyed for rejecting the Messiah.(3)
45-48 The Temple was meant to be a spiritual sanctuary.

(1) This parable was used to counter the idea that the time of glory was immanent. (2) Zechariah 9:9. (3) This is the second time Jesus cleansed the Temple. For the cleansing that came at the beginning of Jesus' ministry see John 2:13-16.