34 And G2532 Jesus G2424 answering G611 said G2036 unto them, G846 The children G5207 of this G5127 world G165 marry, G1060 and G2532 are given in marriage: G1548
And G2532 the lord G2962 commended G1867 the unjust G93 steward, G3623 because G3754 he had done G4160 wisely: G5430 for G3754 the children G5207 of this G5127 world G165 are G1526 in G1519 their G1438 generation G1074 wiser G5429 than G5228 the children G5207 of light. G5457
They did eat, G2068 they drank, G4095 they married wives, G1060 they were given in marriage, G1547 until G891 the day G2250 that G3739 Noe G3575 entered G1525 into G1519 the ark, G2787 and G2532 the flood G2627 came, G2064 and G2532 destroyed G622 them all. G537
Nevertheless, G1223 G1161 to avoid fornication, G4202 let G2192 every man G1538 have G2192 his own G1438 wife, G1135 and G2532 let G2192 every woman G1538 have G2192 her own G2398 husband. G435 Let G591 the husband G435 render G591 unto the wife G1135 due G3784 benevolence: G2133 and G1161 likewise G3668 also G2532 the wife G1135 unto the husband. G435 The wife G1135 hath G1850 not G3756 power G1850 of her own G2398 body, G4983 but G235 the husband: G435 and G1161 likewise G3668 also G2532 the husband G435 hath G1850 not G3756 power G1850 of his own G2398 body, G4983 but G235 the wife. G1135 Defraud ye G650 not G3361 one the other, G240 except G1509 G302 it be G5100 with G1537 consent G4859 for G4314 a time, G2540 that G2443 ye may give yourselves G4980 to fasting G3521 and G2532 prayer; G4335 and G2532 come G4905 together G1909 G846 again, G3825 that G3363 Satan G4567 tempt G3985 you G5209 not G3363 for G1223 your G5216 incontinency. G192 But G1161 I speak G3004 this G5124 by G2596 permission, G4774 and not G3756 of G2596 commandment. G2003 For G1063 I would G2309 that all G3956 men G444 were G1511 even G2532 as G5613 I myself. G1683 But G235 every man G1538 hath G2192 his proper G2398 gift G5486 of G1537 God, G2316 one G3739 G3303 after this manner, G3779 and G1161 another G3739 after that. G3779 I say G3004 therefore G1161 to the unmarried G22 and G2532 widows, G5503 It is G2076 good G2570 for them G846 if G1437 they abide G3306 even G2504 as G5613 I. G2504 But G1161 if G1487 they G1467 cannot G3756 contain, G1467 let them marry: G1060 for G1063 it is G2076 better G2909 to marry G1060 than G2228 to burn. G4448 And G1161 unto the married G1060 I command, G3853 yet not G3756 I, G1473 but G235 the Lord, G2962 Let G5563 not G3361 the wife G1135 depart G5563 from G575 her husband: G435 But G1161 and G2532 if G1437 she depart, G5563 let her remain G3306 unmarried, G22 or G2228 be reconciled G2644 to her husband: G435 and G2532 let G863 not G3361 the husband G435 put away G863 his wife. G1135 But G1161 to the rest G3062 speak G3004 I, G1473 not G3756 the Lord: G2962 If any G1536 brother G80 hath G2192 a wife G1135 that believeth not, G571 and G2532 she G846 be pleased G4909 to dwell G3611 with G3326 him, G846 let him G863 not G3361 put G863 her G846 away. G863 And G2532 the woman G1135 which G3748 hath G2192 an husband G435 that believeth not, G571 and G2532 if he G846 be pleased G4909 to dwell G3611 with G3326 her, G846 let her G863 not G3361 leave G863 him. G846 For G1063 the unbelieving G571 husband G435 is sanctified G37 by G1722 the wife, G1135 and G2532 the unbelieving G571 wife G1135 is sanctified G37 by G1722 the husband: G435 else G686 G1893 were G2076 your G5216 children G5043 unclean; G169 but G1161 now G3568 are they G2076 holy. G40 But G1161 if G1487 the unbelieving G571 depart, G5563 let him depart. G5563 A brother G80 or G2228 a sister G79 is G1402 not G3756 under bondage G1402 in G1722 such G5108 cases: but G1161 God G2316 hath called G2564 us G2248 to G1722 peace. G1515 For G1063 what G5101 knowest thou, G1492 O wife, G1135 whether G1487 thou shalt save G4982 thy husband? G435 or G2228 how G5101 knowest thou, G1492 O man, G435 whether G1487 thou shalt save G4982 thy wife? G1135
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Luke 20
Commentary on Luke 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Lu 20:1-19. The Authority of Jesus Questioned, and His Reply—Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen.
(See on Mt 21:23.)
2. these things—particularly the clearing of the temple.
4. baptism of John—his whole ministry and mission, of which baptism was the seal.
5. Why then believed ye him not?—that is, in his testimony to Jesus, the sum of his whole witness.
7. could not tell—crooked, cringing hypocrites! No wonder Jesus gave you no answer (Mt 7:6). But what dignity and composure does our Lord display as He turns their question upon themselves!
9-13. vineyard—(See on Lu 13:6). In Mt 21:33 additional points are given, taken literally from Isa 5:2, to fix down the application and sustain it by Old Testament authority.
husbandmen—the ordinary spiritual guides of the people, under whose care and culture the fruits of righteousness might be yielded.
went, &c.—leaving it to the laws of the spiritual husbandry during the whole length of the Jewish economy. (See on Mr 4:26.)
10. beat, &c.—(Mt 21:35); that is, the prophets, extraordinary messengers raised up from time to time. (See on Mt 23:37.)
13. my beloved son—Mark (Mr 12:6) still more affectingly, "Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved"; our Lord thus severing Himself from all merely human messengers, and claiming Sonship in its loftiest sense. (Compare Heb 3:3-6.)
it may be—"surely"; implying the almost unimaginable guilt of not doing so.
14. reasoned among themselves—(Compare Ge 37:18-20; Joh 11:47-53).
the heir—sublime expression of the great truth, that God's inheritance was destined for, and in due time to come into the possession of, His Son in our nature (Heb 1:2).
inheritance … ours—and so from mere servants we may become lords; the deep aim of the depraved heart, and literally "the root of all evil."
15. cast him out of the vineyard—(Compare Heb 13:11-13; 1Ki 21:13; Joh 19:17).
16. He shall come, &c.—This answer was given by the Pharisees themselves (Mt 21:41), thus pronouncing their own righteous doom. Matthew alone (Mt 21:43) gives the naked application, that "the kingdom of God should be taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof"—the great evangelical community of the faithful, chiefly Gentiles.
God forbid—His whole meaning now bursting upon them.
17-19. written—(in Ps 118:22, 23. See on Lu 19:38). The Kingdom of God is here a Temple, in the erection of which a certain stone, rejected as unsuitable by the spiritual builders, is, by the great Lord of the House, made the keystone of the whole. On that Stone the builders were now "falling" and being "broken" (Isa 8:15), "sustaining great spiritual hurt; but soon that Stone should fall upon them and grind them to powder" (Da 2:34, 35; Zec 12:3)—in their corporate capacity in the tremendous destruction of Jerusalem, but personally, as unbelievers, in a more awful sense still.
19. the same hour—hardly able to restrain their rage.
Lu 20:20-40. Entangling Questions about Tribute and the Resurrection—The Replies.
20-26. sent forth—after consulting (Mt 22:15) on the best plan.
spies—"of the Pharisees and Herodians" (Mr 12:13). See Mr 3:6.
21. we know, &c.—hoping by flattery to throw Him off His guard.
22. tribute—(See on Mt 17:24).
25. things which be Cæsar's—Putting it in this general form, it was impossible for sedition itself to dispute it, and yet it dissolved the snare.
and unto God—How much there is in this profound but to them startling addition to the maxim, and how incomparable is the whole for fulness, brevity, clearness, weight!
27-34. no resurrection—"nor angel nor spirit" (Ac 23:8); the materialists of the day.
34. said unto them—In Mt 22:29, the reply begins with this important statement:—"Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures," regarding the future state, "nor the power of God," before which a thousand such difficulties vanish (also Mr 12:24).
36. neither … die any more—Marriage is ordained to perpetuate the human family; but as there will be no breaches by death in the future state, this ordinance will cease.
equal—or "like."
unto the angels—that is, in the immortality of their nature.
children of God—not in respect of character but nature; "being the children of the resurrection" to an undecaying existence (Ro 8:21, 23). And thus the children of their Father's immortality (1Ti 6:16).
37, 38. even Moses—whom they had just quoted to entangle Him.
38. not … of the dead, … for all, &c.—To God, no human being is dead, or ever will be; but all sustain an abiding conscious relation to Him. But the "all" here meant "those who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world." These sustain a gracious covenant relation to God, which cannot be dissolved. In this sense our Lord affirms that for Moses to call the Lord the "God" of His patriarchal servants if at that moment they had no existence, would be unworthy of Him. He "would be ashamed to be called their God, if He had not prepared for them a city" (Heb 11:16). How precious are these glimpses of the resurrection state!
39. scribes … well said—enjoying His victory over the Sadducees.
they durst not—neither party, both for the time utterly foiled.
Lu 20:41-47. Christ Baffles the Pharisees by a Question about David and Messiah, and Denounces the Scribes.
41. said, &c.—"What think ye of Christ [the promised and expected Messiah]? Whose son is He [to be]? They say unto Him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit [by the Holy Ghost, Mr 12:36] call Him Lord?" (Mt 22:42, 43). The difficulty can only be solved by the higher and lower—the divine and human natures of our Lord (Mt 1:23). Mark the testimony here given to the inspiration of the Old Testament (compare Lu 24:44).
46, 47. Beware, &c.—(See on Mt 23:5; and Lu 14:7).
47. devour, &c.—taking advantage of their helpless condition and confiding character, to obtain possession of their property, while by their "long prayers" they made them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much "the greater damnation" awaits them. What a lifelike description of the Romish clergy, the true successors of "the scribes!"