Luke 20:44-47

20:44 If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” ¹ 

Jesus Warns the Disciples against Pride

20:45 As ²  all the people were listening, Jesus ³  said to his disciples, 20:46 “Beware ⁴  of the experts in the law. ⁵  They ⁶  like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings ⁷  in the marketplaces and the best seats ⁸  in the synagogues ⁹  and the places of honor at banquets. 20:47 They ¹⁰  devour ¹¹  widows’ property, ¹²  and as a show make long prayers. They will receive a more severe punishment.”

[20:44]  ¹ tn Grk “David thus calls him ‘Lord.’ So how is he his son?” The conditional nuance, implicit in Greek, has been made explicit in the translation (cf. Matt 22:45).

[20:45]  ² tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[20:45]  ³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:46]  ⁴ tn Or “Be on guard against.” This is a present imperative and indicates that pride is something to constantly be on the watch against.

[20:46]  ⁵ tn Or “of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[20:46]  ⁶ tn Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun by the prior phrase.

[20:46]  ⁷ sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 2:1642; H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.

[20:46]  ⁸ sn See Luke 14:1-14.

[20:46]  ⁹ sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.

[20:47]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun in v. 46.

[20:47]  ¹¹ sn How they were able to devour widows’ houses is debated. Did they seek too much for contributions, or take too high a commission for their work, or take homes after debts failed to be paid? There is too little said here to be sure.

[20:47]  ¹² tn Grk “houses,” “households”; however, the term can have the force of “property” or “possessions” as well (O. Michel, TDNT 5:131; BDAG 695 s.v. οἶκια 1.a).