Luke 20 walkthrough

Luke 20 Walkthrough Resource of the Week YouVersion’s mobile Bible app is great, but I found myself wanting something different. That’s how I came across the Glo Bible. It’s an interactive Bible that provides tons of resources (commentaries, pictures, videos, etc). You can get the lite version for free on mobile devices and on your computer. Check out their website if you’re looking for something new! http://globible.com/ I will be using only the Glo Bible for this week’s walkthrough! Any time I make a point that is from the Glo Bible’s notes, I’ll mark it with an asterisk (*)

Understanding This Walkthrough    

The commentary is pulled from several sources (see footnotes). It also includes some of my (Trevor) own thoughts. I am not claiming these are the only ways to understand this chapter, I’m just providing my interpretation as a guide.

Resources are labeled with green text.

Additional small group questions are labeled in blue.

Topics to focus on are in orange.

Chapter Context 

Jesus just entered Jerusalem in chapter 19. At the end of the last chapter, Jesus drove the people selling out of the temple (which happened the day before this chapter). In this chapter Jesus does what he so often did in the places He visited. He is teaching the people in Jerusalem, and his teachings in this chapter cover a wide range of topics. Luke 20:1-21:36 all occur on the Tuesday of Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter).

Commentary  

Religious Leaders Question Jesus (v. 1-8) Asking Questions and Having Doubt o V. 1 Each of the groups of religious leaders mentioned (chief priests, teachers of the law, and elders) are part of the Jewish Council called the Sanhedrin. This is the group that eventually conducts Jesus’ trial and demands that He be executed.*  The leaders didn’t care that Jesus was talking about good news to the people.

Share a time that you were so mad at someone that you didn’t even care what they had to say. Why is it so hard for us to listen when we are upset? o V. 2 This question is in regard to Jesus clearing the temple. By doing this, Jesus went against the religious leaders and it also caused them to lose profit.* o V. 3 Jesus doesn’t answer their question, because it’s clear they aren’t asking because they actually want to know. They are trying to trip Jesus up.  Do you think Jesus doesn’t like when we ask Him questions? How can we ask questions differently than these religious leaders did?

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Note: One of the main reasons students leave their faith when they graduate is the fact that they don’t think Church is a safe place to ask questions. I think it’s really important to talk to them about how it’s good to have questions and that God wants us to be honest about our doubts! o V. 4 The leaders asked John the Baptist the same question from v. 2, “Who gave you this authority?”* It’s interesting that Jesus asks them a question about John, knowing they asked him this question as well! o V. 5-6 The religious leaders aren’t interested in actually answering Jesus’ question, they just want to make themselves look good. o V. 7-8 The religious leaders aren’t being honest when they say, “we don’t know,” because they think they know. This is why Jesus doesn’t answer them. It’s not because Jesus needs us to have the answers, He just wants us to be honest with Him.  Have you ever asked a tough question about God or had doubts about Him? Do you think that’s the same as these leaders asking these questions, why? (Again, important to tell them that Jesus won’t turn away when we have questions, He just wants us to be honest) Parable of the Tenants (v. 9-19) o V. 9 “He went on…” makes it clear that Jesus is telling this parable right after the religious leaders questioned Him. This parable has parallels to Isaiah 5:1-7, which this audience would have been familiar with.* o V. 10 In the “Important Information” section of the curriculum booklet, I mention that the servants represent the apostles. The Glo Bible commentary says that they represent the prophets of God that had been rejected in the past (see Nehemiah 9:26 and Jeremiah 7:25-26).* o V. 13 The phrase “…my son, whom I love” is important because that’s exactly what God says when Jesus is baptized: “and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22* o V. 14 The tenants say, “and the inheritance will be ours.” Jewish law said that if there was no heir to a piece of land, it would be claimed ownerless. The owner’s son was the heir, so if he were gone then the tenants would be able to buy the land once the owner died.* o V. 16 Honestly, I don’t know what to make of “He will come and kill those tenants.” My guess is that it’s a reference to end times, but it might just be a detail of the parable we aren’t supposed to read into too much. The idea of “giving the vineyard to others” could be foreshadowing the fact that Gentiles (non-Jewish people) would be included in God’s kingdom.* o V. 17 This is a direct quote from Psalm 118:22, which the audience would have known as a reference to a king.*  A keystone is the stone that sits at the top of an arch (see picture). The keystone is the stone that actually held the entire arch together. The stones on both sides would collapse without it. Why did Jesus call himself the cornerstone? Why did He also say he’s the one that the builder’s rejected?

o V. 18 There’s an interesting parallel to Luke 2:34 here.* o V. 19 Even though the religious leaders had power, they knew they were outnumbered.

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Paying Taxes to Caesar (v. 20-26) o V. 20 Again, they’re trying to catch Jesus in something illegal. This is a common theme, especially leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Notice that they’re trying to, “hand him over to the power and authority of the governor,” because they were afraid to act on their own.* o V. 22 They ask this question because Jesus has two options. If he says they should pay taxes, it would disappoint the people. If he says they shouldn’t pay taxes, it will upset the Roman officials and Caesar.*  Share a time when you felt you were stuck in a lose-lose situation, how did you handle it? o V. 24 A denarius was worth about a day’s wages.* It’s interesting that Jesus doesn’t have any money on Him, since He instructed His disciples to do the same in Luke 9:3. o V. 25 This would have been a controversial statement because many people worshipped Caesar. The phrase, “Caesar is lord,” was common, and here Jesus is drawing a distinction between Caesar and God. Jesus Questioned about Resurrection and Marriage (V. 27-40) o See “Important Information” section for more info about this portion. o V. 28 When they say, “Moses wrote for us…” the Sadducees were referring to Deuteronomy 25:5* o V. 33 It’s clear that the Sadducees used such an absurd situation to make it difficult to answer. It’s interesting that the Sadducees use something like marriage as a reason to say that the afterlife can’t exist and that heaven can’t be real.  What are some of the things that make it difficult to believe in Jesus, Heaven, or anything about the Bible? It’s ok if there aren’t any answers, nobody knows it all.  After all, Socrates (an ancient Greek philosopher) said, “The more I learn, the more I learn how little I know.” o V. 34-35 As a guy who got married recently, v. 35 talks about something that’s not easy for me to understand. I always struggle with the idea that I’m supposed to love my wife “as Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25), while also loving God so much that every other relationship looks like hatred in comparison (Luke 14:26). All married couples are supposed to do everything they can to love each other like God loves us. But once we are in heaven, God’s love will be so overwhelming that it will change everything, including our relationships with everyone. o V. 38 All are alive to God.  How does this idea change the way we look at death? Does this give a different meaning to a funeral being known as a celebration of life? o V. 39 The teachers of the law (the Pharisees) are usually the ones opposing Jesus. They genuinely agree with Jesus’ teaching here because they believed in resurrection, unlike the Sadducees.* This goes to show that seeing the Pharisees as simply “enemies of Jesus” or “the bad guys” is way too simple.

Jesus Asks a Question (v. 41-44) o V. 42 Refers to Psalm 110* o V. 44 “Jesus’ argument with the Jewish religious leaders is that since the Messiah is a descendant of David, how can this honored king refer to his offspring as Lord? Unless Jesus’ opponents were ready to admit that the Messiah was also the divine Son of God, they could not answer His question.” * Warning to Religious Teachers (v. 45-47) o V. 45 Jesus is speaking specifically to His disciples, but He clearly wants everyone to hear what He’s saying.

o V. 46 All of the things Jesus is saying here (long robes, important seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets) show that the teachers love being well known. o V. 47 Caring for Widows (and all who are vulnerable) is central to Jesus’ commands because it’s such a big deal in the Old Testament (Exodus 22:22, Deuteronomy 14:28-29 & 24:19, Isaiah 10:1-2, and Malachi 3:5 for starters).* Jesus seems opposed to the teachers’ lengthy prayers, but it’s clear that He’s against them because they’re for show (just like the things mentioned in v. 46).  Do you know anyone who seems to brag about everything they do (in person, online, etc)? How does it affect the way you see that person or those actions? If we do things for other people to see, it can take away from the fact that it’s our gift to God. It would be like us doing a favor for a friend, then making sure to brag about it to everyone we see, even if it makes them look bad.