Luk 20 | HCSB | STEP | One day as He was teaching the people in the temple complex and proclaiming the good news , the chief priests and the scribes , with the elders , came up

Luke 20

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

1 One ^a day ^{▼▼Lit It happened on one of the days} as He was teaching ^c the people in the ^{▼▼temple complex: In the Jerusalem temple, the complex included the sanctuary (the holy place and the holy of holies), at least 4 courtyards (for priests, Jewish men, Jewish women, and Gentiles), numerous gates, and several covered walkways.}temple complex and proclaiming the good news, ^e the ^{▼▼chief priest(s): A group of Jewish temple officers that included the highpriest, captain of the temple, temple overseers, and treasurers}chief priests and the ^{▼▼scribe(s): A professional group in Judaism that copied the law of Moses and interpreted it, especially in legal cases}scribes, with the elders, ^h came up 2 and said to Him: “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Who is it who gave You this authority?”

3 He answered them, “I will also ask you a question. Tell Me, 4 was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”

5 They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people ⁱ will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” ^j

7 So they answered that they did not know its origin. ^{▼▼Or know where it was from}

8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

9 Then ^l He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, ^m leased it to tenant farmers, and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a ^{▼▼slave: The strong Greek word doulos cannot be accurately translated in English by "servant" or "bond servant"; the HCSB translates this word as "slave," not out of insensitivity to the legitimate concerns of modern English speakers, but out of a commitment to accurately convey the brutal reality of the Roman empire's inhumane institution as well as the ownership called for by Christ.}slave to the farmers so that they might give him some fruit from the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent yet another slave, but they beat that one too, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And he sent yet a third, but they wounded this one too and threw him out.

13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved ^o son. Perhaps ^{▼▼Other mss add when they see him} they will respect him.’

14 “But when the tenant farmers saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, so the inheritance will be ours!’ ^q 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.“Therefore, what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy ^r those farmers and give the vineyard to others.”But when they heard this they said, “No – never!” ^s

17 But He looked at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of this Scripture: ^{▼▼Lit What then is this that is written
,} ^u

The stone that the builders rejected –
this has become the cornerstone? ^{▼▼Lit the head of the corner} ^{w
,} ^x

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and if it falls on anyone, it will grind him to powder!” ^y

19 Then the scribes and the chief priests ^z looked for a way to get their hands on Him ^aa that very hour, because they knew He had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. ^ab

God and Caesar

20 They ^{▼▼The scribes and chief priests of v. 19
,} ^ad watched closely ^ae and sent spies ^af who pretended to be righteous, ^{▼▼Or upright; that is, loyal to God’s law} so they could catch Him in what He said, ^{▼▼Lit catch Him in [a] word
,} ^ai to hand Him ^aj over to the governor’s ^ak rule and authority. 21 They questioned Him, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, ^al and You don’t show partiality, ^{▼▼Lit You don’t receive a face
,} ^an but teach truthfully the way of God. ^ao 22 Is it lawful ^ap for us to pay taxes ^aq to Caesar ^ar or not?”

23 But detecting their craftiness, He said to them, ^{▼▼Other mss add “Why are you testing Me?} 24 “Show Me a ^{▼▼denarius: A small silver Roman coin, which was equal to a day's wage for a common laborer}denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”“Caesar’s,” they said.

25 “Well then,” He told them, “give back to Caesar ^au the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”

26 They were not able to catch Him in what He said ^{▼▼Lit catch Him in [a] word} in public, ^{▼▼Lit in front of the people} and being amazed at His answer, they became silent. ^ax

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

27 Some ^ay of the ^{▼▼Sadducee(s): In Judaism a religious sect that followed primarily the first 5 books of the OT (Torah or Pentateuch)}Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, ^ba came up and questioned Him: 28 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother has a wife, and dies childless, his brother should take the wife and produce ^{▼▼offspring/ seed: This term is used literally or metaphorically to refer to plants or grain, sowing or harvest, male reproductive seed, human children or physical descendants, and also to spiritual children or to Christ (G13:16).}offspring for his brother. ^{bc
,} ^bd 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died without children. 30 Also the second ^{▼▼Other mss add took her as wife, and he died without children} 31 and the third took her. In the same way, all seven died and left no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had married her.” ^{▼▼Lit had her as wife}

34 Jesus told them, “The sons of this age ^bg marry and are given in marriage. ^bh 35 But those who are counted worthy ^bi to take part in that age ^bj and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 For they cannot die anymore, ^bk because they are like angels and are sons of God, ^bl since they are sons of the resurrection. 37 Moses even indicated in the passage about the burning bush that the dead are raised, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. ^{bm
,} ^bn 38 He is not God of the dead but of the living, because all are living to ^{▼▼Or with} Him.” ^bp

39 Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 And they no longer dared to ask Him anything.

The Question about the Messiah

41 Then ^bq He said to them, “How can they say that the ^{▼▼Messiah: Or the Christ; the Greek word Christos means "the anointed one".}Messiah is the Son of David? ^bs 42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms: ^bt

The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at My right hand
43 until I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ ^{bu
,} ^bv

44 David calls Him ‘Lord’; how then can the Messiah be his Son?” ^bw

Warning against the Scribes

45 While ^bx all the people were listening, He said to His disciples, 46 “Beware ^by of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the front seats in the ^{▼▼synagogue(s): A place where the Jewish people met for prayer, worship and teaching of the Scriptures}synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. ^ca 47 They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive greater punishment.” ^{▼▼Or judgment}