Luke 20:1-8 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Luke 20:1-8.
Luke 20:1-2 (NIV)
1 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.
2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”
On verses 1-2: As Jesus is publicly teaching people in the temple courts, Israel’s religious leaders (“the chief priests and the teachers of the law”) and political leaders (“the elders”) confront Jesus and question him as to what authority he had to do “these things”. “These things” most likely refers to Jesus clearing the temple in Luke 19, forgiving people’s sins, healing people on the Sabbath, and other deeds.
What can we learn from this? When you do God’s will over the long haul, you can expect to face opposition, questioning and criticism from time to time. If Jesus was opposed, questioned and criticized, as a servant of Jesus you will be as well. But don’t let opposition, questioning and criticism cause you to throw in the towel and give up. Let the opposition, questioning and criticism you face, whether valid or invalid, justified or unjustified, refine you into the person and leader God made you to be.
Luke 20:3-7 (NIV)
3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me,
4 John’s baptism–was it from heaven, or from men?”
5 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”
On verses 3-7: In response to his critics’ questioning, Jesus asks them a question of his own. By asking them, “John’s baptism–was it from heaven, or from men?” (v4), Jesus was asking, “Do you believe that John the Baptist and his ministry were sent by God (“from heaven”) or that his ministry was a fraud (“from men”)?” Jesus’ critics are afraid to say “from men” because they know how much the people loved John the Baptist and considered him a prophet. So they reply, “We don’t know.” (v7)
What can we learn from this? The chief priests, teachers of the law and the elders were too afraid of what the people might think. Thus fear kept them from being honest and both their leadership and credibility were compromised. In contrast, here you have Jesus who knows that the things he is doing and saying are going to get him in trouble. Yet Jesus does it anyway because it’s the right thing to do and because he is obeying his Father’s call on his life.
Likewise, don’t live in fear of people and what they might think or say. Instead, courageously do the right thing, and boldly dream a bigger dream, even when it is not the popular or politically correct thing to do. Live by faith and God will be with you. As Proverbs 29:25 says, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.”
Luke 20:8 (NIV)
8 Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
On verse 8: One of the things I love about Jesus is the way Jesus handled pressure and responded to people who were giving him a hard time. He did so with great wisdom and tact. He was loving and shrewd.
Heavenly Father, I pray that every one of us would be more like Your Son Jesus in the way we handle pressure filled situations. May we do so with God-given wisdom, shrewdness, love and confidence. Fill us today Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
