Authorities Distinguished Series

LUKE 20: 20-26 [JESUS’ LAST WEEK SERIES]

AUTHORITIES DISTINGUISHED

[Roman 13:1–7]

The leaders now step back from personally trying to discredit the popular teacher. They hire spies to do their dirty work hoping to catch Jesus off guard as the spies’ act interested and innocent. Christ though evades the snare which his enemies laid for Him with a question to him about taxes.

The plot was to twist Jesus words in order to accuse Him. To accomplish this trickery Jewish authorities, attempt to implicate Jesus in rebellion against the Roman Government. Such a charge could lead to His arrest and possible death. Jesus however is aware of their intentions and responds to their questions with wisdom. In answer to the political trap Jesus distinguishes between the authority of God and the authority of government (CIT).

I. THE DECEPTION OF MAN, 20–22.

II. THE DISCERNMENT OF JESUS, 23–26.

Verse 19 states that the religious leaders were afraid to do anything to Jesus because of the people. “The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.

“The scribes and chief priests” were infuriated because the previous parable of the tenants had pointed out their hypocrisy and leadership failure. What was right before God, if it was ever a consideration, was no longer. The Jewish authorities would have arrested Jesus on the spot and put Him to death but did not because of his immense popularity.

From verse 20 we understand that the coming encounter will be deceptively hostile. “So they watched Him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch Him in something He said, so as to deliver Him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.

They continued to keep a close watch on Him. They were hoping to catch Him in some teaching which would alienate the crowds, or which would allow them to prosecute Him legally. They therefore had to content themselves with collecting further evidence against Him.

It is no new thing for bad men to represent themselves as just men, and to cover the most wicked projects with the most spurious and plausible pretenses. The devil can transform himself into an angel of light, and religious persons can speak the language of a disciple of Christ. A spy must go in disguise in order to not be detected. The plot was to deliver Him to the “authority and jurisdiction of the governor” with the charge of sedition. They hoped to obtain their objective by inciting or infuriating the governor against Him.

In verse 21 they appear to ask a sincere question in order to set their trap. “So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God.

The strategic question is prefaced with flattery hoping to throw Jesus off guard. Ironically, they described Him correctly as “an impartial teacher and speaker of truth”, but their motives are deceptive. This misleading flatter is the same sort that people use when they call Jesus a great teacher or prophet but disbelieve His claims to be the Messiah or Lord.

In verse 22 they set the trap by pretending to ask an “innocent” question concerning paying taxes to Caesar. “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”

Was it legal and right for a Jewish citizen to support a pagan Roman government? In order to make Him lose favor with the people or incur the suspicion of the Romans they raised a question about the poll-tax imposed [annually] on the Jews [males] by the Romans. Was it legal and right for a Jewish citizen to support a pagan Roman government?

The tax had been introduced amid fierce resentment and opposition (2:2), and it continued to be unpopular. Luke’s readers would certainly know about the various forms of the heavy Roman taxation. These totaled over one-third of a person’s income and included a poll tax, customs, and various indirect taxes.

Neither answer was safe. To say that the Law of Moses permitted taxes to Rome would alienate the heavily taxed people who saw Rome as an oppressive foreign enemy. The people expected that a Messiah should free them from the Roman yoke of oppression. If He should say to pay taxes to an oppressive foreign government, they would use it to lessen His popular appeal and support. To say that the Law of Moses forbid taxes to Rome would be to commit treason in the view of the Roman government and to face the death penalty. The leaders knew they had Him.

Though verse 23 states that Jesus is aware of their duplicity, He will still answer them in verse 24. ‘But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, [24] “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar's.”