Luke 20

 

 1 And (*) (1) it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the Temple, and preached the Gospel, the high Priests and the Scribes came upon him, with the Elders,

 

(*) Matthew 21:23; Mark 11:27 .

(1) The Pharisees being overcome with the truth of Christ's doctrine, move a question about his outward calling, and are overcome by the witness of their own conscience.

 

 2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us by what authority thou doest these things, or who is he that hath given thee this authority?

 

 3 And he answered, and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, tell me therefore:

 

 4 The (*) baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

 

(*) By baptism he comprehendeth all John’s ministry, who bare witness to Christ.

 

 5 And they reasoned within themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

 

 6 But if we shall say, Of men, all the people will stone us, for they be persuaded that John was a Prophet.

 

 7 Therefore they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

 

 8 Then Jesus said unto them, (*) Neither tell I you, by what authority I do these things.

 

(*) By this means he made them ashamed and astonished.

 

 9  ¶ (*) (2) 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 strange country, for a great time.

 

(*) Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1; Isaiah 5:1; Jeremiah 2:21 .

(2) It is no new thing to have them the chiefest enemies of Christ and his servants, which are conversant in very Sanctuary of God's holy place; but at length they shall not escape unpunished.

(♣) The Jews were as God’s plants and his own grafting.

(♠) God committed his people to the Governors and Priests.

 

 10 And at the time convenient he sent a (*) servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard; but the husbandmen did beat him, and sent him away empty.

 

(*) He raised up Prophets.

 

 11 Again he sent yet another servant; and they did beat him, and foul entreated him, and sent him away empty.

 

 12 Moreover he sent the third, and him they wounded, and cast out.

 

 13 Then said the Lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be that they will do reverence when they see him.

 

 14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned with 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. What shall the Lord of the vineyard therefore do unto them?

 

 16 He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give out his vineyard to others. But when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

 

 17  ¶ And he beheld them, and said, What meaneth this then that is written, (*) The stone that the builders refused, that is made the head (♣) of the corner?

 

(*) Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:8 .

(♣) For by it the building is joined together and made strong.

 

 18  (*) Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, shall be broken; and on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

 

(*) They that stumble and fall on Christ, thinking to oppress him, shall be overthrown themselves and destroyed.

 

 19 Then the high Priests, and the Scribes the same hour went about to lay hands on him (but they feared the people) for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

 

 20  (*) (3) And they (a) (♣) watched him, and sent forth (b) spies, which should feign themselves just men (c) to take him in his talk, and to deliver him unto the power and (d) authority of the governor.

 

(*) Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:13 .

(3) The last refuge that false prophets have to destroy the true Prophets, is to lay sedition, and treason to their charge.
(a) A fit time to take him in.

(♣) They waited for a convenient time and place.
(b) Whom they had deceitfully hired.
(c) That they might take some hold in his talk and thereby forge some false accusation against him.
(d) To put him to death.

 

 21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest, and teachest right, neither doest thou accept (e) any man’s person, but teachest the way of God truly. 

 

(e) Thou are not moved by favor of any; and by person he meaneth outward circumstances, which if a man have respect unto, he will not judge alike of them that are indeed alike.

 

 22 Is it (*) lawful for us to give Caesar tribute or no?

 

(*) They thought it unlawful to pay to a prince being an infidel, that which they were wont to pay to God in his Temple.

 

 23 But he perceived their (f) craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

 

(f) Craftiness is a certain diligence and witness to do evil, gotten by much use and great practice in matters.

 

 24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered, and said, Caesar’s.

 

 25 Then he said unto them, (*) (♣) Give then unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and to God those which are God’s.

 

(*) Romans 13:7 .

(♣) The duty which we owe to princes, letteth nothing that which is due unto God.

 

 26 And they could not reprove his saying before the people; but they marveled at his answer, and held their peace.

 

 27  (*) (4) Then came to him certain of the Sadducees (which deny that there is any resurrection) and they asked him,

 

(*) Matthew 22:23; Mark 12:18 .

(4) The resurrection of the flesh is avouched against the Sadducees.

 

 28 Saying, Master, (*) Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

 

(*) Deuteronomy 25:5 .

 

 29 Now there were seven brethren, and the first took a wife, and he died without children.

 

 30 And the second took the wife, and he died childless.

 

 31 Then the third took her; and so likewise the seven died, and left no children.

 

 32 And last of all, the woman died also.

 

 33 Therefore at the resurrection, whose wife of them shall she be? For seven had her to wife.

 

 34 Then Jesus answered, and said unto them, The (g) (*) children of this world marry wives, and are married.

 

(g) They are called here in this place, the children of this world, which live in this world; and not they, that wholly are given to the world, Luke 16:8; which are contrary to the children of light.

(*) In this place he calleth all them children of this world which remain in the same; or else matrimony should not seem to appertain to the children of God, as that wicked monster Pope that taught against the manifest Scriptures.

 

 35 But they which shall be counted worthy to enjoy that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry wives, neither are married.

 

 36  (*) For they can die no more, forasmuch as they are equal unto the Angels, and are the sons of God, (♣) since they are the (h) children of the resurrection.

 

(*) Since marriage is ordained to maintain and increase mankind, when we shall be immortal, it shall not be in any use.

(♣) For although the wicked rise again, yet that life is but death and a eternal destruction.

(h) That is, men partakers of the resurrection, for as we say truly, that they shall live indeed, which shall enjoy everlasting bliss, so do they rise indeed, which rise to life, though if this word resurrection, be taken generally, it belongeth also to the wicked which shall rise to condemnation, which is not properly life, but death.

 

 37 And that the dead shall rise again, even (*) Moses shewed it besides the bush, when he said, The Lord is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

 

(*) Exodus 3:6 .

 

 38 For he is not the God of the (*) dead, but of them which live, (♣) for all (i) live unto him. 

 

(*) Of them which are not, but of them which are.

(♣) The immortality of the soul cannot be separate from the resurrection of the body, whereof here Christ properly speaketh.

(i) That is, before him, a notable saying, the godly do not die, though they die here on earth.

 

 39 Then certain of the Scribes answered, and said, Master, thou hast well said.

 

 40 And after that, durst they not ask him anything at all.

 

 41  ¶ (*) (5) Then said he unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son?

 

(*) Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:35 .

(5) Christ is so the son of David according to the flesh, that he is also his Lord (because he is the everlasting son of God) according to the spirit.

 

 42 And David himself saith in the book of the Psalms, (*) The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at my right hand,

 

(*) Psalm 110:1 .

 

 43 Till I shall make thine enemies thy footstool.

 

 44 Seeing David calleth him Lord, how is he then his (*) son?

 

(*) For the son is not Lord of his father, and therefore it followeth that Christ is God.

 

 45  ¶ Then in the audience of all the people, he said unto his disciples,

 

 46  (*) (6) Beware of the Scribes, which desire to go in long robes, and love salutations in the markets, and the highest seats in the Synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

 

(*) Luke 11:43; Matthew 23:6; Mark 12:38 .

(6) We must avoid the example of the ambitious and covetous pastors.

 

 47 Which devour widows’ (k) houses, and in shew make long prayers; These shall receive greater damnation.

 

                        (k) This is spoken by the figure Metonymy, houses, for the goods and substance.

 

Steve

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