Luke 20

King James Version

Full text for Luke Chapter 20

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,

2And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

3And 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?›

5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

6But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

7And they answered, that they could not tell whence [it was].

8And 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.

17And 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.›

19And 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.

21And 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:

22Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

23But 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.

25And he said unto them, ‹Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.›

26And 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,

28Saying, 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.

29There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.

30And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.

31And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.

32Last of all the woman died also.

33Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.

34And 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.

40And after that they durst not ask him any [question at all].

41And 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?›

45Then 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.›

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus' authority is challenged by the chief priests and scribes, whom he silences with a counter-question about John's baptism. He then tells the parable of the wicked husbandmen, foretelling his rejection and the transfer of the kingdom. Jesus also deftly answers questions about paying tribute to Caesar and the resurrection, before warning against the hypocrisy of the scribes.

Medium Summary

Luke 20 opens with the chief priests, scribes, and elders questioning Jesus' authority as he teaches in the temple. Jesus responds by asking them about John's baptism, which they refuse to answer, fearing both divine judgment and the people. He then delivers the parable of the wicked husbandmen, illustrating how the vineyard owner's servants were beaten and killed, and finally his beloved son was murdered for the inheritance. This parable clearly points to the religious leaders' rejection of God's prophets and ultimately His Son, leading to their destruction and the vineyard being given to others. Later, spies attempt to ensnare Jesus with a question about paying tribute to Caesar, but he famously instructs them to "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's." The Sadducees, denying the resurrection, then present a hypothetical case of a woman married to seven brothers, to which Jesus explains that in the resurrection, there is no marriage, and the dead are raised, being "children of God." Finally, Jesus questions the scribes about Christ being David's son and warns his disciples against their hypocrisy and love of prominence.

Long Summary

In Luke chapter 20, Jesus is confronted in the temple by the chief priests, scribes, and elders, who demand to know by what authority he performs his works. Jesus skillfully counters their challenge by asking them about the origin of John's baptism—whether it was from heaven or of men. The religious leaders, fearing both the people's belief in John as a prophet and Jesus' potential accusation of their disbelief, refuse to answer, prompting Jesus to likewise withhold the source of his authority. Following this exchange, Jesus tells the parable of the wicked husbandmen to the people. In this parable, a man plants a vineyard and leases it to husbandmen, who repeatedly beat and send away his servants sent to collect fruit, and ultimately cast out and kill his beloved son, hoping to seize the inheritance. Jesus declares that the lord of the vineyard will destroy these wicked husbandmen and give the vineyard to others, a statement met with "God forbid" by the hearers. He then refers to the scripture, "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner," indicating his own role and the consequences of rejecting him. The chief priests and scribes, recognizing the parable was spoken against them, sought to apprehend him but feared the people. They then sent spies, feigning righteousness, to trap Jesus with a question about the lawfulness of paying tribute to Caesar. Jesus, perceiving their craftiness, asks for a penny and, noting Caesar's image and superscription, instructs them to "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's," leaving them unable to ensnare him. Subsequently, certain Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, challenge Jesus with a scenario involving a woman married to seven brothers in succession. Jesus refutes their premise, explaining that in the resurrection, people neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels, children of God, and cannot die. He further affirms the resurrection by citing Moses' encounter at the bush, where God identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, signifying that God is "not a God of the dead, but of the living." After this, Jesus poses a question about how Christ can be David's son if David himself calls him Lord in the Psalms. The chapter concludes with Jesus warning his disciples to beware of the scribes, who seek public acclaim, prominent positions, and long prayers for show, while secretly exploiting the vulnerable, declaring they shall receive "greater damnation."

Core Concepts

  • Challenged AuthorityJesus' divine authority is questioned by religious leaders, whom he silences by turning their own question back on them regarding John the Baptist's authority, which they refuse to answer.
  • Parable of the Wicked HusbandmenThis parable illustrates the rejection of God's messengers and ultimately His Son by the religious leaders, leading to their judgment and the transfer of the "vineyard" (kingdom) to others.
  • Tribute to CaesarJesus' wise response to the trap question about paying taxes to Caesar, instructing to "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's," demonstrates his wisdom and avoids political entanglement.
  • Resurrection LifeJesus clarifies the nature of life after resurrection, stating that there will be no marriage, and believers will be like angels, children of God, and immortal. He affirms the resurrection by referencing God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, signifying God of the living.
  • Christ's Divine SonshipJesus challenges the common understanding of the Messiah as merely David's son by quoting Psalm 110, where David calls the Messiah "Lord," implying a divine nature beyond mere lineage.
  • Hypocrisy of the ScribesJesus warns against the scribes' love for outward show, prominent positions, and long prayers, while secretly exploiting the vulnerable, indicating that such hypocrisy will incur severe judgment.