Luke 20:1-19- The Authority of Christ

Christian Herter was the governor of Massachusetts in the 1950s. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes and going without lunch, he arrived at an evening barbecue. Herter was famished.

As he moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving the chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line:

“Excuse me,” Governor Herter said, “do you mind if I have another piece?”

“Sorry,” she told him. “I’m only allowed to give one piece to each person.”

“But I’m starved,” the governor said.

“Sorry. Only one per person.”

Governor Herter was usually an unassuming man, but this time he decided to throw a little weight around. “Do you know who I am?” he said. “I am the governor of this state.”

“Do you know who I am?” the woman replied. “I’m the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister.”

Authority is a funny thing. Christian Herter was a man of authority, but the chicken lady showed him just how far his authority reached. No matter how much authority we think we possess, there is only so much we truly have authority over in this life.

You can only really go as far as your authority will let you.

Lexham Theological Wordbook ἐξουσία

This noun refers to the power or ability to do something, but can also describe the right to exercise authority or rule

Authority is an important thing. It is what order is built upon. It allows our world to function. I remind you that God is the highest authority in All the land and to most (at least in thought and word) that is a non-negotiable. God makes the rules.

If we look into the gospels we will see that Jesus was quite the disruptor! He was a different religious leader. He opperated differently than the other religious leaders.

He taught grace over works

He taught that it was the heart that mattered

He dealt with the worst of society

He even taught differently than the Pharisees and leaders

Matthew 7:29

Jesus made claims to them that seemed outrageous (scandalous even)

“Im the door”

“I was before Abraham”

“I and the Father are one”

“I am life”

His followers made claims about him that would seem outrageous to to someone passing by

“thou art the Christ”

“even the winds obey him

Leading up to this point Jesus has been leading a change in the nation of Israel

His system was different than the Jewish leaders of the day

We can actually see this progression

In his criticism of legalism and focus on external acts of piety

Matthew 23:4, 23

In his rejection of the way the Pharisees and Sadducees of the day saw and taught the law.

Matthew 5:21-22

In the way he reached out to all rungs of society

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son, which illustrate his compassion for and acceptance of those who were considered to be sinners by the religious leaders of his time.

In his condemning hypocrisy and corruption

Matthew 23:16-24

Teaching a message of love, forgiveness and grace

Jesus teaches his disciples to forgive others, even if they sin against them repeatedly.

He also teaches the parable of the Prodigal Son, which illustrates the love and forgiveness of God.

As we come to Luke 20 we are approaching the end of Jesus’ 3 years of “difference making”

He has entered Jerusalem and it was loud

“Hosanas” rang

Miracles happened

He cast judgement on a “fig tree”

their system

He has purged the temple of money changers and people selling animals in Luke 19

Luke 19:46-48

Mr.Levi says he was even flipping tables

Matthew 21:12

He begins to teach daily in the temple that he has just purged

Luke 19:47

The religious leaders could’t stand that so they raise a question to Jesus

Luke 20:1-2 “1 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, 2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?”

“Where did you get the authority to do this?”

“Who made you the boss”

“What right do you have?”

Notice the depth and context of this question

Jesus has conducted his earthly ministry

Made his claims

PURGED THE TEMPLE

And is CURRENTLY preaching the gospel

The message we claim saves us

Changes people

Can save the world

Brings you peace

With God

in your self

What the church is founded upon

The basis of our hope in this life

All of the aforementioned is on the line if Jesus does not truly have the authority.

Christ’s authority is central

His divinity, claims, doctrines, promises all hinge on this very important topic of authority.

It is so easy to be hard on the leaders but we must too look at our selves

These men had an authority problem (maybe by ignorance or by insolence)

often times we may have authority problems ourself

disobedience

lack of faith and doubt

delay in obedience

I think if we had the view on authority that Jesus reveals in Luke 20 it’d change our everything

Jesus in the verses to follow is going to build a wonderful case for his authority.

He leaves them with only two real choices

Accept this authority or deny it

Jesus offers us the same choices

Jesus responds to the question of the Pharisees with another question

Luke 20:3-7 “3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: 4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? 5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? 6 But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. 7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.”

The Authority of John and his Preaching

They wanted to push Jesus into a dilemma so that no matter what He responded, He would be in trouble. If He said that He had no authority, then He was in trouble with the Jews for invading their temple and acting like a prophet. If He said that His authority came from God, then He would be in trouble with the Romans

As you may remember John the Baptist was also a boat-rocker.

He was somewhat of an eccentric who preached in the desert and called people to repent. He told them that they were headed in the wrong direction and then he baptized them for the forgiveness of sins.

More importantly, John pointed to Jesus as “the one who was to come”. In other words, John said Jesus was the one sent from God.

He told his disciples that they should follow Jesus rather than him because “I baptize with water but he will baptize with the Holy Spirit”. John said he was not worthy to tie the sandals of Jesus.

John had his critics (many of these same guys) but the people loved him.  John was eventually beheaded largely because he spoke up against King Herod for taking his brother’s wife and marrying her.

The question about John was difficult for two reasons.

They couldn't say John did not speak with God’s authority (even though that is what they believed) because they knew they would be immediately dismissed by the people who were convinced John was sent from God. These men believed the people would stone them (probably for blasphemy).

We can know that John and his message had authority!

The Prophecies around him

Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

John was sent by God to lay the ground work for Jesus ministry

John even claimed this about him self!

John 1:23

John used his authority to proclaim Jesus

Matthew 3:11

Jesus’ Might

John 3:31

Jesus’ origin

John 1:29

Jesus’ mission

John’a claims of Jesus are based in the authority that God gave him as a prophet

With this authority he made much of Jesus’ authority

To deny the authority of John the prophet is to deny him claims and thus deny Jesus the Christ

Jesus’ Authority from the Father shown in the Parable

After Jesus’ stoops them with the question on John. He then starts teaching a parable.

Luke 20:8-16 “8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. 9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. 14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us 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 do unto them? 16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.”

Jesus tells the story of the vineyard owner in direct response to Jerusalem's religious authorities.

He tells of a man who rents out his vineyard to some vinedressers. The vinedressers repeatedly mistreat his servants as they are sent by him to collect his part of the harvest. The vineyard owner is so exhausted that he sends his son, hoping that they will treat him better.

The son is however killed by the vinedressers.

As a result, the owner of the vineyard makes the decision to destroy the vinedressers and transfer ownership of the vineyard to others.

The story parallels Jesus' own rejection and death, which would happen at their hands, and is a clear indictment of the chief priests and scribes.

There is so much rich truth in this parable

The Lord of the Vineyard is God.

The owner prepared and cultivated this land

Matthew 21:33

The owner did the heavy lifting

planted, dug, and hedged

The Vineyard is Israel.

Our Lord uses some masterful Old Testament Imagery here

Is 5:1-5

The owner set them there.

surrounded them with blessings and protection

gave covenants and promises

The Wicked tenants are the religious leaders of Israel

The ones who rejected the servants(prophets)

Let’s look back

Ahab rejecting Elijah

The messages of Isaiah and Jeremiah being essentially ignored

Look what Stephen said in Acts 7:52

The owner send his beloved son and that’s Jesus

Matthew 3:17

This is where I want to hone in for a minute

This Beloved son was sent with authority from the father in an attempt to get these wicked servants to give the fruit he was owed.

Just like in the parable they would deny the beloved sons authority too

To reject the beloved son ultimately results in punishment

Luke 20:16

His authority as Lord from the Prophecies

As Jesus finishes making this masterful case for his authority he has one more point up his sleeve and it will be found in the Psalms.

Luke 20:17-19 “17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.”

Jesus carefully carried on the battle of authority. He took the Scriptures, the source of authority they revered most. Psalm 118:22 was cited by him.  

The building's corner was where the cornerstone or foundation stone was laid. The two walls' weight was supported by it as they met at the corner. One may say that it supported the structure.

The role of Israel's leaders was to lead God's people to carry out his mission while building God's kingdom.

They were sent his Son, but they turned him away. He was killed. What would happen next?

God would take the one they had rejected and crucified, Christ, and construct an entirely new structure around him.

God's vineyard of blessing would no longer be under the authority of rulers educated by rabbis, rulers descended from priestly or ethnic ancestry, or rulers chosen based on prior leadership among the Jews.

The authority would come from God himself, and through his Son, Jesus.

He would build his church on Jesus. It would mean doing away with the old system.

Gentiles and all people would be able to join God's people, which would be based on Christ.

Jesus would made something new and wonderful called the church

not under the authority of men, governments, and kings but under the direct authority of Himself

Eph 1:22-23

Jesus left them with a choice. Accept the authority that God had given him or face destruction (as a nation and individually)

In the days to come they’d make their choice and they would reject Jesus completely and crucify him.

Just because they refused his authority does not mean they nullified/ended it rather it placed them under the consequences of not accepting it

This is a wonderful account God has preserved for us. There is so much truth and relevant application for us.

Jesus, his miracles, words, doctrines, and promises are legitimate and authoritative!

Jesus has the authority!

Over our problems, fears, worries, and struggles! We can know he is in control!

over us!

It was under the protection of his authority in which he sent his disciple out to serve him!

Matthew 28:18-19

We have the choice to accept and submit to his authority or deny it

I advise you that not submitting to it really is not to best idea (that whole stone thing)

We may deny it but it is still true

All will submit to this authority

Phil 2:9-10

Those who are part of the church(believers) are to live lives submitted and under the authority of Jesus.

He calls the shots

Col 1:8

Jesus has the authority. What will you do with it?