Luke 20:39-37

Introduction:

Jesus has answered a series of questions posed to him by various sects of the Jewish political and theological leadership.

His authority to cleanse the Temple.

Luke has expressed their goal/objective in

He has also explained why the quandary of the leadership. (see ; ).

Jesus has demonstrated a divine command of scripture and an ability to answer questions that seem to be difficult but in fact are not.

Today, Jesus will indirectly answer their initial question about his authority, and by doing so, he will reinforce the Bible’s most shocking and offensive claim.

An Agreement Feigned:

ἀποκριθέντες δέ τινες τῶν γραμματέων εἶπαν· Διδάσκαλε, καλῶς εἶπας.

οὐκέτι γὰρ ἐτόλμων ἐπερωτᾶν αὐτὸν οὐδέν.

It appears that Jesus and the scribes have broken their impasse.

His answer to the Sadducees about the resurrection has caused the Pharisees to profess Jesus’ proper interpretation of scripture.

It appears that rather than ask additional questions, either the priests or the scribes, we return to business as usual.

It is clear who the normal humans are in this scenario.

But, Jesus will leave no doubt that he intended to present himself as a “clean break” from the established Jewish leadership.

Note that He never mentions Rome!

An Exposure of Theological Pretense

Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· Πῶς λέγουσιν τὸν Χριστὸν εἶναι Δαυὶδ υἱόν;

αὐτὸς γὰρ Δαυὶδ λέγει ἐν βίβλῳ ψαλμῶν· Εἶπεν κύριος τῷ κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου,

ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου.

Δαυὶδ οὖν κύριον αὐτὸν καλεῖ, καὶ πῶς αὐτοῦ υἱός ἐστιν;

Jesus quotes from - the most quoted Psalm in the NT.

His purpose must be two-fold.

To address their initial question about his authority.

To expose their pretense at authority.

We notice that no one ever questions, at the time, the Messianic implications of this Psalm.

In the other two Synoptic accounts, Jesus emphasizes that David wrote as a prophet and under the Spirit of God.

We see Jesus’ high view of scripture here.

It is the Word of God and cannot be broken, it has full authority.

This is the most frightening of concepts:

What if God came into the world and man rejected him?

What degree of judgment would we deserve?

Would having the city of Jerusalem destroyed be too light?

The central problem is revealed here. It is a failure to know God not because he is unknown but for the exact reason that he has made himself known.

The central problem is revealed here. It is a failure to know God not because he is unknown but for the exact reason that he has made himself known.

Jesus Final Critique:

Ἀκούοντος δὲ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ εἶπεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς [αὐτοῦ]·

Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν γραμματέων τῶν θελόντων περιπατεῖν ἐν στολαῖς καὶ φιλούντων ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς καὶ πρωτοκαθεδρίας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς καὶ πρωτοκλισίας ἐν τοῖς δείπνοις,

οἳ κατεσθίουσιν τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσεύχονται· οὗτοι λήμψονται περισσότερον κρίμα.