READING IN LUKE 20
READING IN LUKE 20
In considering the Lord’s utterances we have to take account of the position or surroundings in which He may have spoken. What these two chapters, 20 and 21 record, took place in Jerusalem, chiefly in the temple. He is speaking in the metropolis, and what He says involves the exposure and removal of the whole Jewish system. Every question raised by the Lord’s opposers only served to expose and confound them.
First, they raise the question of His authority; then the Lord charges them with the design to kill the true Heir so as to seize the inheritance; and further, He forces them to admit that they were in bondage to a Gentile master.
Here, in chapter 20, it is not a question of teaching the disciples; the Lord was in Jerusalem for the last time, and He was meeting the conditions there judicially. He does not explain His authority in answers to the leaders’ question (verse 2); He answers [p. 87] them. They must decide as to John first; was his baptism of heaven or of men? They feared the people, and so could not deny openly that John’s baptism was from heaven; however, they said they could not tell whence it was. And so the Lord says He would not tell them by what authority He was acting.
This was not arbitrary on the Lord’s part; it was right that persons so devoid of all moral rectitude should be placed at this disadvantage. What is to be noted here is that in all these encounters with the Jewish leaders the Lord has the last word. His word was final in each case. In endeavouring to answer questions it is of great importance to be exercised so that what is said may be in spiritual power and intelligence; thus that our answers may be final. The Lord says, “I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist”, Luke 21: 15. Stephen was a great exemplification of this. All ministry that is of the Holy Spirit carries its own evidence with it: it is convincing where there is not prejudice. And even gainsayers were to be convicted, and have their mouths stopped; Titus 1: 10.
The parable of the vineyard came home with terrible force to the chief priests and scribes. They were at issue with God. Him whom they were refusing. God would exalt to the highest place. In falling on this stone one should be broken, but on whomsoever it should fall it should grind him to powder.
The question as to the tribute brought further confusion on the Lord’s adversaries. They had to own that they were under a foreign yoke. The Lord says, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s”, verse 25. “They marvelled at his answer, and held their peace”.
[p. 88] The Sadducees raised the question of the resurrection. That was a great problem. What conditions are to prevail in God’s world? The Sadducees denied that there was such a thing as a spiritual world. They erred, not knowing the Scripture, nor the power of God. Christianity is founded on the fact of the resurrection; that Christ is risen. Moreover, God is a Spirit, and the order of things which He has in view to remain before Him must be of a spiritual character. The material world is but an index to the spiritual. The Sadducees would limit us to the index! The Lord explains that “they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead ... are equal to angels; and are children of God, being the children of the resurrection”. Though they remain men, they have spiritual bodies; they are in a wholly new condition. In the resurrection from the dead we receive bodies which are equal to our spirits. Stephen committed his spirit to the Lord, but we read that he was carried to his burial. That man was buried and he shall be raised from among the dead; but he shall be raised in a “spiritual body”. In what the Lord says here in Luke 20, He is not referring to all the dead, but to those who have part in the “first resurrection” — those raised from among the dead.
The Lord now becomes aggressive, and raises the question as to His own Person. “How say they that Christ is David’s son? ... David ... calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?” What a testimony from their own Scriptures as to the Messiah’s Person! But the poor Jewish leaders were in utter darkness, and there is no response. This great truth is introduced here no doubt as needed in the way of testimony in the exposure of what existed at Jerusalem. Everything, of course, depended on the Christ being what the psalm quoted implies; that He was David’s Lord, and hence a divine Person. It is very noticeable how frequently the question as to the Lord’s Person is raised among the saints. No doubt it is to keep us constantly in mind of who He is; that He is truly God, and truly Man. The assembly shall understand His announcement — “I am the root and the offspring of David”.