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1 And it came to passe, that on one of those dayes, as he taught the people in the Temple, and preached the Gospel, the chiefe Priests and the Scribes came vpon him, with the Elders,

2 And spake vnto him, saying, Tell vs, by what authoritie doest thou these things? or who is hee that gaue thee this authoritie?

3 And hee answered, and said vnto them, I will also aske you one thing, and answere me.

4 The Baptisme of Iohn, was it from heauen, or of men?

5 And they reasoned with themselues, saying, If wee shall say, From heauen, he will say, Why then beleeued yee him not?

6 But and if we say, Of men, all the people will stone vs: for they be perswaded that Iohn was a Prophet.

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

8 And Iesus said vnto them, Neither tell I you by what authoritie I doe these things.

9 Then began hee to speake to the people this parable: A certaine man planted a vineyard, and let it foorth to husbandmen, and went into a farre countrey for a long time.

10 And at the season, hee sent a seruant to the husbandmen, that they should giue him of the fruit of the vineyard, but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away emptie.

11 And againe hee sent another seruant, and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away emptie.

12 And againe he sent the third, and they wounded him also, & cast him out.

13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I doe? I will send my beloued sonne: it may be they will reuerence him when they see him.

14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselues, saying, This is þe heire, come, let vs kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard doe vnto them?

16 Hee shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall giue the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

17 And hee beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders reiected, the same is become the head of the corner?

18 Whosoeuer shall fall vpon that stone, shalbe broken: but on whomsoeuer it shall fall, it will grinde him to powder.

19 ¶ And the chiefe Priests and the Scribes the same houre sought to lay hands on him, and they feared the people: for they perceiued that he had spoken this parable against them.

20 And they watched him, and sent foorth spies, which should faine themselues iust men, that they might take holde of his words, that so they might deliuer him vnto the power and authoritie of the gouernour.

21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truely.

22 Is it lawfull for vs to giue tribute vnto Cesar, or no?

23 But he perceiued their craftines, and said vnto them, Why tempt ye me?

24 Shew me a peny: whose image and superscription hath it? They answered, and said, Cesars.

25 And he said vnto them, Render therefore vnto Cesar the things which be Cesars, and vnto God the things which be Gods.

26 And they could not take holde of his wordes before the people, and they marueiled at his answere, and helde their peace.

27 ¶ Then came to him certaine of the Sadduces (which denie that there is any resurrection) and they asked him,

28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote vnto vs, If any mans brother die, hauing a wife, and hee die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise vp seede vnto his brother.

29 There were therefore seuen brethren, and the first tooke a wife, and died without children.

30 And the second tooke her to wife, and he died childlesse.

31 And the third tooke her, and in like maner the seuen also. And they left no children, and died.

32 Last of all the woman died also.

33 Therefore in the resurrection, whose wife of them is she? for seuen had her to wife.

34 And Iesus answering, said vnto them, The children of this world, marrie, and are giuen in marriage:

35 But they which shall be accompted worthy to obtaine that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marrie, nor are giuen in marriage.

36 Neither can they die any more; for they are equall vnto the Angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

37 Now that the dead are raised, euen Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isahac, and the God of Iacob.

38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the liuing for all liue vnto him.

39 ¶ Then certaine of the Scribes answering, said, Master, Thou hast well said.

40 And after that, they durst not aske him any question at all.

41 And he said vnto them, How say they that Christ is Dauids sonne?

42 And Dauid himselfe saith in the booke of Psalmes, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

43 Till I make thine enemies thy footestoole.

44 Dauid therefore calleth him, Lord, how is he then his sonne?

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

46 Beware of the Scribes, which desire to walke in long robes, and loue greetings in the markets, and the highest seates in the Synagogues, and the chiefe roumes at feasts:

47 Which deuoure widowes houses and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receiue greater damnation.

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Commentary for Luke 20

The priests and scribes question Christ's authority. (1-8) The parable of the vineyard and husbandmen. (9-19) Of giving tribute. (20-26) Concerning the resurrection. (27-38) The scribes silenced. (39-47)1-8 Men often pretend to examine the evidences of revelation, and the truth of the gospel, when only seeking excuses for their own unbelief and disobedience. Christ answered these priests and scribes with a plain question about the baptism of John, which the common people could answer. They all knew it was from heaven, nothing in it had an earthly tendency. Those that bury the knowledge they have, are justly denied further knowledge. It was just with Christ to refuse to give account of his authority, to those who knew the baptism of John to be from heaven, yet would not believe in him, nor own their knowledge.

9-19 Christ spake this parable against those who resolved not to own his authority, though the evidence of it was so full. How many resemble the Jews who murdered the prophets and crucified Christ, in their enmity to God, and aversion to his service, desiring to live according to their lusts, without control! Let all who are favoured with God's word, look to it that they make proper use of their advantages. Awful will be the doom, both of those who reject the Son, and of those who profess to reverence Him, yet render not the fruits in due season. Though they could not but own that for such a sin, such a punishment was just, yet they could not bear to hear of it. It is the folly of sinners, that they persevere in sinful ways, though they dread the destruction at the end of those ways.

20-26 Those who are most crafty in their designs against Christ and his gospel, cannot hide them. He did not give a direct answer, but reproved them for offering to impose upon him; and they could not fasten upon any thing wherewith to stir up either the governor or the people against him. The wisdom which is from above, will direct all who teach the way of God truly, to avoid the snares laid for them by wicked men; and will teach our duty to God, to our rulers, and to all men, so clearly, that opposers will have no evil to say of us.

27-38 It is common for those who design to undermine any truth of God, to load it with difficulties. But we wrong ourselves, and wrong the truth of Christ, when we form our notions of the world of spirits by this world of sense. There are more worlds than one; a present visible world, and a future unseen world; and let every one compare this world and that world, and give the preference in his thoughts and cares to that which deserves them. Believers shall obtain the resurrection from the dead, that is the blessed resurrection. What shall be the happy state of the inhabitants of that world, we cannot express or conceive, 1Co 2:9|. Those that are entered into the joy of their Lord, are entirely taken up therewith; when there is perfection of holiness there will be no occasion for preservatives from sin. And when God called himself the God of these patriarchs, he meant that he was a God all-sufficient to them, #Ge 17:1|, their exceeding great Reward, #Ge 15:1|. He never did that for them in this world, which answered the full extent of his undertaking; therefore there must be another life, in which he will do that for them, which will completely fulfil the promise.

39-47 The scribes commended the reply Christ made to the Sadducees about the resurrection, but they were silenced by a question concerning the Messiah. Christ, as God, was David's Lord; but Christ, as man, was David's son. The scribes would receive the severest judgement for defrauding the poor widows, and for their abuse of religion, particularly of prayer, which they used as a pretence for carrying on worldly and wicked plans. Dissembled piety is double sin. Then let us beg of God to keep us from pride, ambition, covetousness, and every evil thing; and to teach us to seek that honour which comes from him alone.

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

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