Luke 20_41-47
“A divine quiz, answer correctly”
4/20/08
Luke_20_41-47 (A divine question, answer correctly)
I. In our last Study after cleansing the Temple the religious leaders had brought questions to Jesus in order to trap Him but were silenced, left speechless by His answers and the profoundness with which His wisdom spoke to the issue they presented, and exposed their insincerity.
Luke 20:39-40 (NKJV)
39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”
40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.
II. Now Jesus goes on the offensive as He presents them with a question, His question is designed not merely to trap them in a political dilemma, but bring them to a place of decision concerning the truth that the Messiah is both human and divine, and that He is indeed the Messiah.
Luke 20:41-44 (NKJV)
41 And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?
42 Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “ Sit at My right hand,
43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’
44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”
A. What Jesus is doing is setting before them the doctrine of the incarnation, that God became a man and stepped into our world, in order to provide redemption for us.
1. The incarnation reveals to us that the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one of God, Christ the Savior has two natures, divine and human at the same time: He is both fully God and fully Man.
2. This doctrine of the incarnation is an essential doctrine of the church, and the Apostle John tells us it is the litmus test concerning the source of spiritual truth!
1 John 4:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
John 16:13 (NKJV)
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
John 17:17 (NKJV)
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
John 1:1-2 (NKJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:14 (NKJV)
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
3. So the question that Jesus sets before them is a question of essential importance, the only possible conclusion is that the Christ is both divine and human
B. There was no debate in their understanding concerning whose son the Messiah would be from a human perspective.
1. The Jews had the belief that the Christ (Messiah) would be a descendant of King David.
John 7:37-44 (NKJV)
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.”
41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee?
42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”
43 So there was a division among the people because of Him.
44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
a. David's son is a Hebraism speaking of descendant.
(1) No problem so far.
This was a truth firmly rooted in O.T. teaching. (2Sam 7:8-16, Ps. 89:3-4, Isa. 9:2-7, 11:1-9, Jer. 23:5-6, 30:9, 33:15-17,22; also in Ezek., Hosea, and Amos)
2. But here is where it gets tricky
Back to verse-41 and the original question:
“How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?
In light of the fact that in the psalms (and He quotes from Psalm-110), David the Messiah Lord; look at verses 42-44
42 Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “ Sit at My right hand,
43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’
44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”
a. His question rephrased is - How is it possible that David calls the Christ (Messiah) both son and Lord?
(1) That would be ridiculous and unheard of.
(a) David's future offspring is referred to as possessing greater authority that his father which culturally in the East isn't done.
i) A father is always considered superior to his son.
(b) Two possibilities exist here, one is that Messiah is not a descendant of David, but there is too much scripture that says otherwise so this is not a viable option and must be rejected.
(c) The only other conclusion has to be that Messiah is in some way more than an earthly descendant of David, thus divine.
i) And so the incarnation that Messiah is both human and divine, but that is exactly what was prophesied.
Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV)
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Matthew 1:23 (NKJV)
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
C. Now modern critics attack this because the implications of it are overwhelming.
1. First they attack Psalm 110 and deny that David was the author of the Psalm and therefore does not refer to his descendant as Lord, ot that Jesus was confused about the issue or didn't ant to interrupt there tradition so He ignored it.
a. But the fact is that Jesus Himself attributes authorship of Psalm 110 to David
Luke 20:42 (NKJV)
42 Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “ Sit at My right hand,
b. Secondly Jesus tells us that David did so by inspiration from the Holy Spirit:
Mark 12:36 (NKJV)
36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’
Matthew 22:43 (NKJV)
43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:
(1) So the God breathed truth is that Messiah is both of the seed of David and David's Lord as well, i.e. He is both human and divine, which forces us then to look carefully at Jesus to see if there is evidence about Him that show ud He is both human and divine.
(a) A careful examination of the facts declare this to be a substantiated truth concerning Him and that there is none other like Him, never has been (I might add never will be)
(b) And that means He is God and to deny and reject Him is folly with eternal consequence.
i) But it also means that what we believe about Jesus has great implications both this life and that eternal state that awaits us.
ii) We have in the scriptures God's word, His revelation of Himself to mankind, an inexhaustible source of living water that will satisfy our deepest thirsts; it will provoke us to unending depths, and fill us with incomprable awe and wonder, as we search out the eternal truths it contains.
(1) The written word is the revelation of the incarnate word, who restores life to those from a race that is spiritually dead because of sin who turn to Him in faith and receive it.
Romans 6:23 (NKJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
D. Now we are not told it here by Luke, but no one was able to answer Him
Matthew 22:46 (NKJV)
46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
III. And in their silence He gives a warning
Luke 20:45-47 (NKJV)
45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples,
46 “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,
47 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
A. In the hearing of all the people He declares that the experts of the law, that is the scribes are dangerous to have around because in there hypocrisy, their desire for adulation, they infected others with false truth, and led them on a road to destruction.
1. And He warns greater is their condemnation, religious leaders, those who teach others and instruct them in the ways of God have a great responsibility and therefore a greater condemnation for getting it wrong, or being self-serving like these men.
James 3:1 (NKJV)
1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
2. Watch out for these men are still around, they are wolves dressed to look like sheep...
a. And they are looking to devour you, to pull you into their idea of God and all that goes with it... Rather than God's revelation of Himself.
IV. Religious men like the religious leaders may have missed it or rejected it but let not you and I miss the treasure that is our in Jesus Christ.
A. Paul declared
Ephesians 3:8 (NKJV)
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
Colossians 1:27 (NKJV)
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 2:2-3 (NKJV)
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Romans 11:33 (NKJV)
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
1. In our hands or on our laps, within our grasp are the Holy Scriptures which contain a treasure map to riches and treasure beyond our wildest dreams, eternal treasure that wont rust, rot, and that thieves can't steal it
Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
2. The key to the treasure is a right understanding and relationship with God.
3. If you want to see what God is like look at Jesus
John 14:9 (NKJV)
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Colossians 1:15 (NKJV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
4. What is the soil (the condition) of your heart today?
Luke 8:11-15 (NKJV)
11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
a. Hard soil - soak it in water (the word) and put a gaurd up so the ground can get soft and the enemy can't rob you of the truth
b. Shallow soil - Add some depth, don't respond only with emotions, take some time to deepen your understanding (study and classes??) apply yourselves.
c. Crowded soil - weed some of the stuff out of your life that keep you from enjoying reading and meditation on the word of God,
d. Good soil - continue to feed the soil of your heart
e. In addition to the word, fellowship, prayer, and service may help (watch out for just business though, it can be a real trap).
B. Enjoy the Lord and the things of God, develop an appetite for Godliness.
Psalm 34:8-10 (NKJV)
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The Desperation of Unbelief
Luke 20:19-40
“The desperation of unbelief”
4/13/08
Luke_20_19-40
I. Chapter-20 opened with Jesus being confronted by those who represent the whole cross section of Jewish leadership (chief priests, scribes, and the elders), questioning His authority, we left off in verse-18 with Jesus having exposed and confronted them with the fact that they in rejecting Him they were rejecting God's anointed one.
Luke 20:17-18 (NKJV)
17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’ ?
18 Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
II. As we resume our study we read:
Luke 20:19-20 (NKJV)
19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.
20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.
A. From that hour they wanted to kill Him
1. They were angry enough to force a conclusion to their rejection of Him right then but they feared the people, which restrained them.
a. The reason for their rage was that they perceived that the parable of the viyard owner that He had just told was against them.
b. Anger and rage (Problems you and I face)
(1) Makes a fool out of us like Balaam with his donkey (Number 22)
Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NKJV)
9 Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
(2) Anger poisons our heart and leads to bitterness.
Psalm 37:8 (NKJV)
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.
Ephesians 4:26 (NKJV)
26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
(a) Each one of us has experienced regret for how we have acted in our anger.
James 1:19-20 (NKJV)
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
c. Anger of God provoked by man (God's anger is always righteous)
Nehemiah 9:17 (NKJV)
17 They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage. But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.
(1) Yet over and over again we read of God's anger being kindled, and if we think it through we begin to get a peek into the wickedness that is in our hearts; the gulf between unrighteous man and a righteous and holy God is beyond our ability to grasp fully!
B. They feared the people (instead of God)! (Which is what restrained them)
Acts 5:29 (NKJV)
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
Colossians 3:22-23 (NKJV)
22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
1. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom
III. So in their desperation they began to try to trap Him in His words.
20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.
A. The first trap they set regards taxes to Caesar
Luke 20:21-22 (NKJV)
21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth:
22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
1. It is interesting that they say they know the things that He says and teaches are right
a. But we see no evidence that they live accordingly.
(1) Do we?
2. Also they say that they know He is not a respecter of persons, indicating they see it as a quality yet they ignore it in their own lives!
3. What we see is their hypocrisy and insincerity as they speak these words of flattery.
a. Insincerity and flattery wounds people:
Proverbs 26:28
28A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works ruin.
NKJV
Proverbs 28:23
23He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
NKJV
4. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
a. The question is designed to entrap Jesus in a religious political dilemma.
(1) A yes answer would antagonize the people and discredit Him as a spokesman for God.
(a) How could someone claiming to be the Messiah advocate submission to a pagan government?
(2) A no answer would invite retaliation from Rome.
5. But Jesus turns the tables on them!
Luke 20:23-26 (NKJV)
23 But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me?
24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”
25 And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
26 But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.
a. Notice; He perceived their craftiness, He makes a statement in the form of a question "Why do you test me?"
(1) He knows they are prepared to go to any length, thus He is looking into their hearts! (Desperation when we reject truth will take us anywhere if we let it)
(a) He understands their motives!
(2) He sees into our hearts, which means we are naked before Him in the sense that we can't hide ANYTHING from Him.
(a) We need to be honest with God; to learn to be sincere with God and not try to bargain with Him, or con Him.
b. His Answer to their question.
(1) Bring me a denarius, and He asks them whose image and inscription is this?
(a) The coin was minted under the authority of Herod and the Roman government.
i) To use the coin meant to recognize value in it and secondly recognize or to yield to some degree to the authority behind it.
ii) The fact that they had such a coin implicated them in this sense.
(2) And then He says to them; “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
(a) Jesus basically acknowledges that there are debts owed to man and debts owed to God. Duty to both is not necessarily a conflict.
i) The tax was a debt owed to Caesar for the use of his money and the benefits of his rule.
(b) What things belong to government?
i) In the words of the "Teachers Bible Commentary", Only material things: things that have no lasting value and cannot really reflect the issues of life.
(c) What things belong to God?
i) Again in the words of the Teachers commentary; Our heart, our soul, our love, our obedience, our whole being.
ii) Our relationship to God is to be just that, a relationship, a love relationship.
(1) Does He have our Hearts! (consider the words of a song we sing)
Lord you have my heart
And I will search for yours
Jesus take my life and lead me on
Lord you have my heart
And I will search for yours
Let me be to you a sacrifice
And I will praise you Lord
And I will sing of love come down
And as you show your face
We'll see your glory here
©1992 Kingsway's Thankyou Music
Words and Music by Martin Smith
(a) Perhaps these are indicators as to the truth of our claim to love Him!
(3) We read in verse-26
26 But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.
(a) They couldn't catch Him, His answer left them speechless, but it did not stop the next group from trying.
B. The next question in an attempt to trap Him came from the Sadducee's.
Luke 20:27-33 (NKJV)
27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,
28 saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.
31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.
32 Last of all the woman died also.
33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”
1. Sadducees did not believe in the soul, life after death, resurrection, final judgment, angels, or demons and they accepted only the Law of Moses as their religious authority; so, if a doctrine could not be defended from the first five books of the Old Testament, they would not accept it.
Acts 23:8 (NKJV)
8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
a. They have constructed what they think is the perfect argument to trip Him up and show their superior wisdom and demonstrate folly in His.
(1) They are playing on a custom known as levirate marriage.
(a) This custom of a brother raising up seed to his deceased brother was something that was a part of the code of Hammurabi and also became part of the law. (Deut. 25:5-6)
b. It is a hypothetical question and hypothetical questions are often very ridicules in their construction and this is a doozy.
2. Jesus nails them not by stating the improbability of their scenario but that the very foundation itself is wrong.
Luke 20:34-38 (NKJV)
34 Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.
35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;
36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”
a. First He says there will be no marriage in the resurrection but men will be like the angels, being God's children and children of the resurrection.
b. But secondly He proves the fact of resurrection to them from the books of Moses; quoting from the burning bush passage in Ex.-3
(1) In that passage God says that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (present tense) though they have long been in the grave.
(2) He is (present tense) Jesus says: "not the God of the dead, but of the living."
(a) And in doing this He demonstrates that they neither know the scriptures nor the power of God.
Mark 12:24 (NKJV)
24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?
(b) We see the importance of carefully looking at what the scripture says...
i) Watch out for our pre-suppositions.
(1) Jesus clearly took a literal approach to interpreting the scriptures!
ii) Look at it inductively and not deductively.
iii) What did God mean when He said this? Why did He say it???
C. Then in verses 39-40 we read:
Luke 20:39-40 (NKJV)
39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”
40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.
1. They recognized He has bettered them with the scriptures and they dared not ask Him anymore seeing the futility in this approach to stumble Him.
2. Now in our next study, He is going to pose a question to them, a difficult question, that again challenges them in concerns to who He is.
IV. As we close this morning, what wonderful truth we have here, that there is a resurrection, that when we die that is not the end of us.
A. And in light of this knowledge we really need to see the importance of rendering to Caesar (and the systems of this world) the things that belong to them the material things which have no life or ability to give life (eternal life) in them.
1. And to render to God the things that belong to Him; Our heart, our soul, our love, our obedience, our whole being.
a. Unbelief and the absence of God in our lives leave us with a desperation that will go to any length to deny His existence and our responsibility toward Him.
b. But oh what joy and peace there is in a love relationship with Him based on faith.
Make sure they are yours today…
Be a disciple (a follower) of Jesus….
(1) Let me encourage you all to:
Psalm 34:8 (NKJV)
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
B. Close with the blessing:
Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV)
24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’
“The desperation of unbelief”
4/13/08
Luke_20_19-40
I. Chapter-20 opened with Jesus being confronted by those who represent the whole cross section of Jewish leadership (chief priests, scribes, and the elders), questioning His authority, we left off in verse-18 with Jesus having exposed and confronted them with the fact that they in rejecting Him they were rejecting God's anointed one.
Luke 20:17-18 (NKJV)
17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’ ?
18 Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
II. As we resume our study we read:
Luke 20:19-20 (NKJV)
19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.
20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.
A. From that hour they wanted to kill Him
1. They were angry enough to force a conclusion to their rejection of Him right then but they feared the people, which restrained them.
a. The reason for their rage was that they perceived that the parable of the viyard owner that He had just told was against them.
b. Anger and rage (Problems you and I face)
(1) Makes a fool out of us like Balaam with his donkey (Number 22)
Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NKJV)
9 Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
(2) Anger poisons our heart and leads to bitterness.
Psalm 37:8 (NKJV)
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.
Ephesians 4:26 (NKJV)
26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
(a) Each one of us has experienced regret for how we have acted in our anger.
James 1:19-20 (NKJV)
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
c. Anger of God provoked by man (God's anger is always righteous)
Nehemiah 9:17 (NKJV)
17 They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage. But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.
(1) Yet over and over again we read of God's anger being kindled, and if we think it through we begin to get a peek into the wickedness that is in our hearts; the gulf between unrighteous man and a righteous and holy God is beyond our ability to grasp fully!
B. They feared the people (instead of God)! (Which is what restrained them)
Acts 5:29 (NKJV)
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
Colossians 3:22-23 (NKJV)
22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
1. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom
III. So in their desperation they began to try to trap Him in His words.
20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.
A. The first trap they set regards taxes to Caesar
Luke 20:21-22 (NKJV)
21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth:
22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
1. It is interesting that they say they know the things that He says and teaches are right
a. But we see no evidence that they live accordingly.
(1) Do we?
2. Also they say that they know He is not a respecter of persons, indicating they see it as a quality yet they ignore it in their own lives!
3. What we see is their hypocrisy and insincerity as they speak these words of flattery.
a. Insincerity and flattery wounds people:
Proverbs 26:28
28A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works ruin.
NKJV
Proverbs 28:23
23He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
NKJV
4. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
a. The question is designed to entrap Jesus in a religious political dilemma.
(1) A yes answer would antagonize the people and discredit Him as a spokesman for God.
(a) How could someone claiming to be the Messiah advocate submission to a pagan government?
(2) A no answer would invite retaliation from Rome.
5. But Jesus turns the tables on them!
Luke 20:23-26 (NKJV)
23 But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me?
24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”
25 And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
26 But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.
a. Notice; He perceived their craftiness, He makes a statement in the form of a question "Why do you test me?"
(1) He knows they are prepared to go to any length, thus He is looking into their hearts! (Desperation when we reject truth will take us anywhere if we let it)
(a) He understands their motives!
(2) He sees into our hearts, which means we are naked before Him in the sense that we can't hide ANYTHING from Him.
(a) We need to be honest with God; to learn to be sincere with God and not try to bargain with Him, or con Him.
b. His Answer to their question.
(1) Bring me a denarius, and He asks them whose image and inscription is this?
(a) The coin was minted under the authority of Herod and the Roman government.
i) To use the coin meant to recognize value in it and secondly recognize or to yield to some degree to the authority behind it.
ii) The fact that they had such a coin implicated them in this sense.
(2) And then He says to them; “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
(a) Jesus basically acknowledges that there are debts owed to man and debts owed to God. Duty to both is not necessarily a conflict.
i) The tax was a debt owed to Caesar for the use of his money and the benefits of his rule.
(b) What things belong to government?
i) In the words of the "Teachers Bible Commentary", Only material things: things that have no lasting value and cannot really reflect the issues of life.
(c) What things belong to God?
i) Again in the words of the Teachers commentary; Our heart, our soul, our love, our obedience, our whole being.
ii) Our relationship to God is to be just that, a relationship, a love relationship.
(1) Does He have our Hearts! (consider the words of a song we sing)
Lord you have my heart
And I will search for yours
Jesus take my life and lead me on
Lord you have my heart
And I will search for yours
Let me be to you a sacrifice
And I will praise you Lord
And I will sing of love come down
And as you show your face
We'll see your glory here
©1992 Kingsway's Thankyou Music
Words and Music by Martin Smith
(a) Perhaps these are indicators as to the truth of our claim to love Him!
(3) We read in verse-26
26 But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.
(a) They couldn't catch Him, His answer left them speechless, but it did not stop the next group from trying.
B. The next question in an attempt to trap Him came from the Sadducee's.
Luke 20:27-33 (NKJV)
27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,
28 saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.
31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.
32 Last of all the woman died also.
33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”
1. Sadducees did not believe in the soul, life after death, resurrection, final judgment, angels, or demons and they accepted only the Law of Moses as their religious authority; so, if a doctrine could not be defended from the first five books of the Old Testament, they would not accept it.
Acts 23:8 (NKJV)
8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
a. They have constructed what they think is the perfect argument to trip Him up and show their superior wisdom and demonstrate folly in His.
(1) They are playing on a custom known as levirate marriage.
(a) This custom of a brother raising up seed to his deceased brother was something that was a part of the code of Hammurabi and also became part of the law. (Deut. 25:5-6)
b. It is a hypothetical question and hypothetical questions are often very ridicules in their construction and this is a doozy.
2. Jesus nails them not by stating the improbability of their scenario but that the very foundation itself is wrong.
Luke 20:34-38 (NKJV)
34 Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.
35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;
36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”
a. First He says there will be no marriage in the resurrection but men will be like the angels, being God's children and children of the resurrection.
b. But secondly He proves the fact of resurrection to them from the books of Moses; quoting from the burning bush passage in Ex.-3
(1) In that passage God says that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (present tense) though they have long been in the grave.
(2) He is (present tense) Jesus says: "not the God of the dead, but of the living."
(a) And in doing this He demonstrates that they neither know the scriptures nor the power of God.
Mark 12:24 (NKJV)
24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?
(b) We see the importance of carefully looking at what the scripture says...
i) Watch out for our pre-suppositions.
(1) Jesus clearly took a literal approach to interpreting the scriptures!
ii) Look at it inductively and not deductively.
iii) What did God mean when He said this? Why did He say it???
C. Then in verses 39-40 we read:
Luke 20:39-40 (NKJV)
39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”
40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.
1. They recognized He has bettered them with the scriptures and they dared not ask Him anymore seeing the futility in this approach to stumble Him.
2. Now in our next study, He is going to pose a question to them, a difficult question, that again challenges them in concerns to who He is.
IV. As we close this morning, what wonderful truth we have here, that there is a resurrection, that when we die that is not the end of us.
A. And in light of this knowledge we really need to see the importance of rendering to Caesar (and the systems of this world) the things that belong to them the material things which have no life or ability to give life (eternal life) in them.
1. And to render to God the things that belong to Him; Our heart, our soul, our love, our obedience, our whole being.
a. Unbelief and the absence of God in our lives leave us with a desperation that will go to any length to deny His existence and our responsibility toward Him.
b. But oh what joy and peace there is in a love relationship with Him based on faith.
Make sure they are yours today…
Be a disciple (a follower) of Jesus….
(1) Let me encourage you all to:
Psalm 34:8 (NKJV)
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
B. Close with the blessing:
Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV)
24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
