Luke 20:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.

NIV: The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

NASB: The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and yet they feared the people; for they were aware that He had spoken this parable against them.

CSB: Then the scribes and the chief priests looked for a way to get their hands on him that very hour, because they knew he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.

NLT: The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them — they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

KJV: And 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.

NKJV: And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people —for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

Scribes, chief priests, and elders approached Jesus and asked Him where He received the authority to drive the merchants and money changers from the Temple Mount. The chief priests and the elders probably had financial interest in those vendors. Jesus' response was so shaming that apparently the elders—powerful businessmen in Jerusalem—bowed out of the conversation (Luke 20:1–18). Jesus is a minor threat to their businesses but a major threat to the religious authority the scribes and priests hold.

The scribes and priests understand the cutting truth of Jesus' parable of the wicked tenants (Luke 20:9–18), which only heightens their desire to get rid of Him. But arresting Him would disenfranchise the very people they're trying to win back. So, they wait quietly for a chance to entrap Him into breaking the Roman law (Luke 20:20).

In His parable (Luke 20:9–18), Jesus described a landowner who planted a vineyard and hired tenants to care for it. When the vineyard was ready for harvest, the owner sent several servants to collect some of the produce. Instead, the tenants beat and/or killed the servants. Eventually, the owner sent his son and the tenants killed him. In response, the owner returned, killed the tenants, and hired replacements.

Jesus' opponents understood His subtext. He's saying that God granted them—Jerusalem's religious leaders—authority over His peoples' expression of worship; over the centuries their predecessors have beaten and killed the Lord's prophets. The generation represented in this passage will kill His Son. So, God will destroy them and establish new leadership.

It's human nature to be offended when we're rebuked about sin. Sometimes, we take the correction as disrespect, and become so angry that we ignore the warning and end up fulfilling it. Jesus told His attackers that if they kill Him, God will destroy them. Rather than being cautious, they spitefully work ever harder at finding a way to kill Him.

The opposition to Jesus from Jerusalem's leadership is an unusually ecumenical project. Scribes, sometimes called "lawyers," are experts in the Mosaic law. They can be Pharisees or Sadducees. Matthew typically identifies them as Pharisees. Most priests of the era are Sadducees. But Matthew says they also bring in Herodians: those loyal to the tetrarch over Galilee and who tolerate the Roman occupation (Matthew 22:15–16). The Pharisees and Herodians are political enemies; the Pharisees and Sadducees are religious rivals. It's rare that all three factions join behind support of the same cause.

Luke 20:19–26 continues a long discussion about authority. Chief priests and Old Testament lawyers try to force Jesus into a difficult choice: follow unpopular Roman law or show rebellious loyalty to the Jewish nation. If the trap succeeds, either Jesus' disciples will reject His authority or the Romans will arrest Him. Jesus disarms the trap by pointing out that the people are responsible for following both principles. Next, the Sadducees challenge His authority on doctrinal matters but fail so miserably Jesus' attackers withdraw (Luke 20:27–40). This interaction is also recorded in Matthew 22:15–22 and Mark 12:13–17.

Luke 20 is a chiasm about authority. Jesus has entered Jerusalem and cleansed the temple (Luke 19:28–46). Now, the priests and teachers attack Jesus' authority in religion, law, and doctrine; Jesus defends Himself and shows their sinful lifestyles disqualify them for authority. After holding up a widow as a better role model (Luke 21:1–4), Jesus warns His disciples about the challenges they will face in the coming years, including the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 21:5–38). The events in Luke 20 are also discussed in Matthew 21—23 and Mark 11—12.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.