Day 64 – Monday, March 31, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Luke 20

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Religious Leaders Question Christ’s Authority

Matt. 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33

1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him ² and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”

³ But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: ⁴ The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

⁵ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” ⁷ So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

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

(Luke 20:1–8, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• As in both Matthew and Mark, Jesus was approached by religious leaders and asked to answer them by whose authority He did the great miracles He performed.
• Jesus turned the tables and asked by whose authority John the Baptist performed his ministry. They feared the crowds response and refused to answer.
• Jesus then told them that He would not answer their question, either.

Parable of the Vineyard Owner

Matt. 21:33-44; Mark 12:1-11

⁹ Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. ¹⁰ Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹ Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. ¹² And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.

¹³ “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ ¹⁴ But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ ¹⁵ So they cast 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 those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.”

And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”

¹⁷ Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone’?

¹⁸ Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” (Luke 20:9–18, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus then told a parable to His followers. This is also recorded in the other synoptic gospels.
• A man planted a vineyard, leased it to men who would tend it.
• When time came to harvest, he sent servants to gather his portion of the proceeds. The vinedressers beat some and killed a few. The owner finally sent his son, thinking they would respect him, but they killed him as well, hoping to take over the vineyard.
• When Jesus stated that the owner would then go destroy the lessees and cast them out of the vineyard, many said that he would not have.
• Jesus quotes Psalm 118, Isaiah, and Daniel when He talks about the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone. He was prophetically speaking of Himself.

Herodians Question Tribute Money

Matt. 21:45, 46; 22:15-22; Mark 12:12-17

¹⁹ 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.

²⁰ So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

²¹ Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: ²² Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

²³ But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me? ²⁴ Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”

They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”

²⁵ And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

²⁶ But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent. (Luke 20:19–26, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• After the last passage, the chief priests and scribes were afraid of the people because Jesus had called them out publicly.
• They sent spies to trick Jesus. They asked if Jews should pay tax to Caesar or not.
• He called them out as testing Him. Then he asked for a denarius. He asked whose image and inscription was on it. They said “Caesar’s.”
• Jesus then wisely told them to pay Caesar what was his, and God what was His. They could not find fault with His answer.
• Jesus is always wiser than the most cunning human. Trust Jesus. He never fails.

Saduccees Question Resurrection

Matt. 22:23-32; Mark 12:18-27

²⁷ Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, ²⁸ saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁹ Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. ³⁰ And the second took her as wife, and he died childless. ³¹ Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died. ³² Last of all the woman died also. ³³ Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”

³⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. ³⁵ But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; ³⁶ nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. ³⁷ But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ ³⁸ For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” (Luke 20:27–38, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• The Sadducees did not believe in the bodily resurrection. They tried to trick Jesus as well.
• They told a story of seven brothers. The first one married a wife, and then died before producing an heir.
• The next brother married her and died as well before producing an heir. All seven eventually married her. Whose wife would she be in the resurrection?
• Jesus corrected their understanding by telling them that marriage really does not have the same meaning in heaven. We will be like the angels.
• Jesus further taught them that the Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which signifies that they are alive in eternity. God is the God of the living and not of the dead.

Christ Questions the Scribes

Matt. 22:41-23:14; Mark 12:35-40

³⁹ Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” ⁴⁰ But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

⁴¹ And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? ⁴² Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,

⁴³ Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’

⁴⁴ Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

⁴⁵ Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, ⁴⁶ “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, ⁴⁷ who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” (Luke 20:39–47, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• After this last discussion, the scribes did not seek to debate Jesus anymore.
• Jesus then tested them. “How can people say that Christ is the Son of David?“ David called the Messiah Lord in the Psalms. How can He be David’s son?
• He then told the people to beware of the Scribes, for they are prideful and ostentatious. They are deserving of greater condemnation. Their punishment will come.
• In this chapter, Jesus, as many other times, exercises His spiritual authority and challenges the traditions and hypocrites of His day. He showed Himself powerful and authoritative. No one could deny Him.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.