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Texts -- Luke 20:1-20 (NET)

Context
The Authority of Jesus
20:1 Now one day , as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel , the chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up 20:2 and said to him , “Tell us : By what authority are you doing these things ? Or who it is who gave you this authority ?” 20:3 He answered answered them , “I will also ask you a question , and you tell me : 20:4 John’s baptism – was it from heaven or from people ?” 20:5 So they discussed it with one another , saying , “If we say , ‘From heaven ,’ he will say , ‘Why did you not believe him ?’ 20:6 But if we say , ‘From people ,’ all the people will stone us , because they are convinced that John was a prophet .” 20:7 So they replied that they did not know where it came from. 20:8 Then Jesus said to them , “Neither will I tell you by whose authority I do these things .”
The Parable of the Tenants
20:9 Then he began to tell the people this parable : “A man planted a vineyard , leased it to tenant farmers , and went on a journey for a long time . 20:10 When harvest time came , he sent a slave to the tenants so that they would give him his portion of the crop . However , the tenants beat his slave and sent him away empty-handed . 20:11 So he sent another slave . They beat this one too , treated him outrageously , and sent him away empty-handed . 20:12 So he sent still a third . They even wounded this one , and threw him out . 20:13 Then the owner of the vineyard said , ‘What should I do ? I will send my one dear son ; perhaps they will respect him.’ 20:14 But when the tenants saw him , they said to one another , ‘This is the heir ; let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours !’ 20:15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them ? 20:16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others .” When the people heard this, they said , “May this never happen !” 20:17 But Jesus looked straight at them and said , “Then what is the meaning of that which is written : ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone ’? 20:18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces , and the one on whom it falls will be crushed .” 20:19 Then the experts in the law and the chief priests wanted to arrest him that very hour , because they realized he had told this parable against them . But they were afraid of the people .
Paying Taxes to Caesar
20:20 Then they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere . They wanted to take advantage of what he might say so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor .

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 118:22-24 The psalmist seems to have been comparing himself to the stone that the builders (his adversaries) had rejected in view of the preceding context (cf. v. 18). The imagery is common. Whenever builders construct a ston...
  • "The section begins (1-6) and ends (23-29) with double illustrations drawn from nature and agriculture. Between lies a meditation in eight broadly equal parts on how Jerusalem's leaders refused the word of invitation and inhe...
  • This section is another of Jeremiah's autobiographical "confessions."In literary form it is another individual lament, like many of the psalms (cf. Ps. 6). It is one of Jeremiah's most significant self-disclosures. The sectio...
  • Jesus proceeded immediately to tell another parable. Luke wrote that Jesus addressed it to the crowds in the temple courtyard (Luke 20:9). The chief priests and elders continued to listen (vv. 45-46).21:33-34 Jesus alluded to...
  • "The other major example of the concentric [chiastic] pattern in Mark's story [beside 2:1-3:6] is the series of Jesus' conflicts with the authorities in Jerusalem [ch. 12], comprised of seven episodes: Episodes A and A1 invol...
  • I. Introduction 1:1-4II. The birth and childhood of Jesus 1:5-2:52A. The announcement of John the Baptist's birth 1:5-251. The introduction of John's parents 1:5-72. The angel's announcement to Zechariah 1:8-233. The pregnanc...
  • 11:45-46 The lawyers (or scribes) were a distinct group, though most of them were Pharisees. The scribes and Pharisees often acted together. The lawyer who spoke up wanted to distinguish his group from the Pharisees, but Jesu...
  • Jesus' authority was crucial not only for the Jewish leaders who opposed Him but for Luke's readers. This passage established Jesus' authority beyond reasonable doubt.20:1-2 Luke's reference to Jesus preaching the gospel as w...
  • This parable taught that Israel's religious leaders who had authority were mismanaging their authority. It also affirmed Jesus' authority, not just as a prophet, but as God's Son. The leaders had expressed fear of death (v. 6...
  • Luke showed how the religious leaders' antagonism was intensifying against Jesus. This was another attempt to discredit Him (cf. vv. 1-8). Luke may have included it also because it shows that Jesus did not teach hostility tow...
  • Luke and Mark both recorded only a synopsis of Jesus' warning to the multitudes and His disciples that Matthew narrated in detail. Perhaps Luke did so because he had already included Jesus' lengthy criticisms of the scribes i...
  • 22:47-48 All the synoptic evangelists noted the close connection between Jesus' praying and the arrival of the soldiers. It was very important that Jesus pray. Judas preceded the arresting mob (Gr. ochlos, crowd) as Jesus had...
  • Luke is the only Gospel writer who gave us an account of what happened at this official meeting of the Sanhedrin. It followed informal interviews late at night by Annas and Caiaphas. This meeting took place very early on Frid...
  • The textual authenticity of this pericope is highly questionable. Most ancient Greek manuscripts dating before the sixth century do not contain it. However, over 900 ancient manuscripts do contain it including the important e...
  • Jesus often used a grapevine to describe the nation of Israel (cf. Matt. 20:1-16; 21:23-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 13:6-9; 20:9-16). The vine as a symbol of Israel appears on coins of the Maccabees.474Here Jesus used the vine meta...
  • In chapters 4-7 there is a series of similar confrontations with each one building up to the crisis of Stephen's death and the persecution that followed. The first four verses of chapter 4 conclude the incident recorded in ch...
  • 4:5 The "Council"(v. 15) before which soldiers brought Peter and John the next day was the Sanhedrin, which was the senate and supreme court of Israel. It consisted of the high priest, who served as its presiding officer, and...
  • 4:13-14 The Sanhedrin observed in Peter and John what they had seen in Jesus, namely courage to speak boldly and authoritatively without formal training (cf. Matt. 7:28-29; Mark 1:22; Luke 20:19-26; John 7:15). They may also ...
  • The popularity and effectiveness of the apostles riled the Sadducees just as Jesus' popularity and effectiveness had earlier.5:17-18 The high priest "rose up"(Gr. anastas, cf. v. 34) taking official action as leader of the Sa...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • 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 thy season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that...
  • Deep sadness is in His tone as He tells how the only effect of His coming had been to stir up opposition. They saw Him,' and were they touched? No, they only gripped their privileges the tighter, and determined more fiercely ...
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