Bible Study series: Luke 20:1-8. He’s in Jerusalem, and the establishment had heard of him. What or who gave him the authority to teach and work miracles? Jesus answers them with a question.
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In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Luke 20:1-8
1 And it happened during one of the days when he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the good news, the chief priests and teachers of the law with the elders approached, 2 and spoke, saying, “Tell us by which authority you do these things. Or who gave you this authority?” 3 In reply, Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: 4 “Was the baptism of John from heaven or people?” 5 They reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,” he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From people,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 Then in reply they said they did not know where it was from. 8 Then Jesus told them, “Neither do I tell you by which authority I do these things.” (Luke 20:1-8)
Comments:
1:
Jesus is now in Jerusalem, and he taught in the temple precincts. He taught kingdom truths, no doubt the same ones that he had been teaching out in the provinces in the preceding chapters. He was speaking before a new audience, so some repetition was needed. He is also about to teach truths relevant to the Jerusalem audience.
“teaching”: Here he was in a formal setting, the temple. He spoke with authority, unlike the teachers of the law and Pharisees (Luke 4:32; Matt. 7:28-29). This is what the Spirit does through a surrendered heart and mind. Jesus combined a teaching and healing ministry. His insight into Scripture was profound. This is what the Spirit does through a surrendered heart and mind. Some Renewalists of the fiery variety don’t teach, but evangelize and shriek and freak, after they read one verse or two, and put on a show. How much time do they put in to study the word? Jesus had a full ministry: teaching, healing, miracles, and deliverances. He also preached the good news.
“chief priests”:
“teachers of the law”: some translations say “scribes.”
“elders”:
See this post for the three groups, placed in alphabetical order:
Quick Reference to Jewish Groups in Gospels and Acts
All three groups were the Watchdogs of Theology and Behavior (cf. Garland p. 243). The problem which Jesus had with them can be summed up in Eccl. 7:16: “Be not overly righteous.” He did not quote that verse, but to him they were much too enamored with the finer points of the law, while neglecting its spirit (Luke 11:37-52; Matt. 23:1-36). Instead, he quoted this verse from Hos. 6:6: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:13; 12:7, ESV). Overdoing righteousness damages one’s relationship with God and others.
2:
So here he is in the temple, and this high-level group of men were listening to him. Religious leaders seemed to follow him around (see Luke 5:17 for an example), just so they could challenge him, not humble themselves and believe what he taught, though Nicodemus, a Pharisee, seems to be an exception (John 3:1-15) because he eventually followed Jesus or at least defended and cared for him (John 9:51-52; 19:39).
They posed questions to Jesus. On which foundation does he stand? Where does he get his authority? He was not one of them. They thought he was a nonconformist, even a troublemaker.
3-4:
Jesus answered their questions with a question. This is a good debating technique. His question was a parallel one. He asked them to tell him about John. Where did this prophet get his authority to baptize? Who backed up his baptism? He too was a nonconformist. He was not one of them. These religious leaders believed they got their authority from the law of Moses. What about Jesus? What about John? It is possible to get one’s authority from God and not the religious establishment, in this case, the Jerusalem establishment. However, it is important that nonconformist leaders must be a part of a fellowship somewhere. No independent operators, please.
“authority”: it is the noun exousia (pronounced ex-oo-see-ah), and it means, depending on the context: “right to act,” “freedom of choice,” “power, capability, might, power, authority, absolute power”; “power or authority exercised by rulers by virtue of their offices; official power; domain or jurisdiction, spiritual powers.”
The difference between authority and power is parallel to a policeman’s badge and his gun. The badge symbolizes his right to exercise his power through his gun, if necessary. The gun backs up his authority with power. But the distinction should not be pressed too hard, because exousia can also mean “power.” In any case, God through Jesus can distribute authority to his followers (Matt. 10:1; Luke 10:19; John 1:12). Jesus will give us authority even over the nations, if we overcome trials and persecution (Rev. 2:26). And he is about to distribute his power in Acts 2.
Never forget that you have his authority and power to live a victorious life over your personal flaws and sins and Satan. They no longer have power and authority over you; you have power and authority over them.
5-6:
Their reasoning shows them to work out their options. If they were to say John’s baptism came from heaven or God backed it up, then he would naturally ask why they did not trust in it and God. If they were to say it came from people, then this belief would take away his calling of prophet, and the people would rise up in his defense and pick up stones to attack. This reaction shows how volatile the atmosphere was in Jerusalem. In a little while, a certain number of people–it does not take many–would turn against Jesus, probably the citizens of Jerusalem, as distinct from the Galileans.
7-8:
These two verses wrap up this pericope (pronounced puh-RIH-coh-pea) or section of Scripture. These high-level leaders fibbed. They truly believed John did not come from God, but they withheld their answer because they were cowards. Jesus exposed them for who they were. They did not stand up and proclaim what they believed regardless of the consequences. They too valued popularity.
And of course Jesus left them hanging and withheld his answer. In effect, he told them that their whole question and skepticism was built on the motive to trap him. Surely they were about to challenge him if he had told them he came from God. “Perform a sign for us! Do what Moses did before the Pharaoh! Make the sky dark!” He would have replied as he had done before. This evil generation gets only one sign: Jonah preached repentance and the Ninevites repented, unlike this evil generation (Luke 11:29-32). As Jonah came out of the big fish, Jesus is about to come out of the grave (Mark 12:39-40). He initiates and takes the lead. He is the heir of his Father’s kingdom (Luke 20:13). He is the true Lord and leader, not them. He doesn’t need to submit to their questions—he does have to submit to them. All of Israel belonged to him, whether they recognized it or not, and soon all Gentiles would belong to him, once they entered his kingdom. He was the Lord. He knew who he was.
The temple and Jerusalem authorities fight back.
As I noted in other chapters, first-century Israel was an honor-and-shame society. Verbal and active confrontations happened often. By active is meant actions. Here the confrontation is both verbal and acted out. Jesus healed the paralytic, so he won the actual confrontation, and this victory opened the door to his verbal victory with religious leaders who were binding people up with traditions. They needed to be loosed from them. Jesus shamed the leaders to silence. He won. It may seem strange to us that Jesus would confront human opponents, because we are not used to doing this in our own lives, and we have heard that Jesus was meek and silent.
More relevantly, for many years now there has been a teaching going around the Body of Christ that says when Christians are challenged, they are supposed to slink away or not reply. This teaching may come from the time of Jesus’s trial when it is said he was as silent as a sheep (Acts 8:32). No. He spoke up then, as well (Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:32; Luke 23:71; John 18:19-23; 32-38; 19:11). Therefore, “silence” means submission to the will of God without resisting or fighting back. But here he replied to the religious leaders and defeated them and their inadequate theology. Get into a discussion and debate with your challengers. Stand toe to toe with them. In short, fight like Jesus!
Of course, caution is needed. The original context is a life-and-death struggle between the kingdom of God and religious traditions–an entire, shop-worn religion. Get the original context, first, before you fight someone in a verbal sparring match. This was a clash of worldviews. Don’t pick fights or be rude to your spouse or baristas or clerks in the service industry. Discuss things with him or her. But here Jesus was justified in replying sharply to these oppressive religious leaders.
Additionally, some people believe that Jesus was a weak milquetoast who let religious leaders and other stomp on him, as he shrank back and became a doormat, so they could wipe their feet on him. Not true. He always answered back. This was an honor and shame society. They intended to shame him and win honor before the people. He would not allow this. He shamed them into silence. His ministry was a battleground. He did not surrender his place on it.
Further, he was about to die for his convictions, unlike them. In effect his refusal to answer told them, “Don’t waste my time. I don’t recognize you as my authority, so I don’t have to fall for your trap and explain myself to you. I get my authority from God, not you!” Instead of answering their questions, he told them a parable that challenged their legitimacy. God did not endorse them. He endorsed his beloved Son.
To this parable we turn next.
GrowApp for Luke 20:1-8
1. Has anyone in your family or circle of friends challenged your faith in Christ? What about your calling and ministry? How did you respond?
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3. Church Fathers and Luke’s Gospel
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND MORE
To see the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the bottom. You will also find a “Summary and Conclusion” for discipleship.
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