Introduction
Worship wars - conflicts within churches and schools battling over styles of worship music.
Hymns, tradition, theological richness
Choruses, emotive, passionate
Relevance vs. reverence
New vs. old
contests and grand conflicts can happen in religious circles in a variety of ways.
the authority of scripture
Polity - who is in charge and to whom are they accountable
Interpretation and application of scripture - especially as time and culture change.
Contests and conflicts like those may continue to arise until Jesus returns, not because Jesus wants us to be embattled, but because we are human. We are not alone in these struggles.
If you have your Bibles, open them to Luke 19.
When we were together a couple of weeks ago, we considered how Jesus made His final approach to the city with both great celebration and sorrow. Celebration as the multitude of His disciples rejoiced over all that He had done. Sorrow, as He lamented over the city because they could not see Him for Who He is and because of the destruction that would befall them in just a few decades.
As we approach this passage, we find Jesus in Jerusalem at last. Conflict is brewing and the tension is rising. As we consider this passage together, we’ll reflect on four areas where Jesus and the religious leaders are in a contest or conflict.
Adoration (or worship)
Authority
Accountability
Application
Let’s begin with…
Contested Adoration (45-48)
or really contested worship
Luke 19:45–48 ESV
And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.” And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.
So imagine the scene. It’s a busy, crowded day in Jerusalem. It’s the week of Passover so many people are in likely in town getting ready for the celebration. As Jesus enters the temple grounds He sees what looks like a market. There were merchants selling things for worship. While Luke understates the condition, the other gospel writers reveal that there was a lot going on and Jesus’ action were quite intense.
Mark 11:15–17 ESV
And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
Living this side of the cross, we may not fully grasp all that was happening. It could be that Luke glosses over the situation a bit in order to get to the crux of what Jesus was saying. Matthew and Mark note the presence of money changers and pigeon sellers.
The money changers took in Greek and Roman coins and exchanged them for temple currency which would then be used for offerings and for purchasing animals and other supplies for the sacrifices. Several commentators noted that this was a sort of money-making racket - for the sellers, the exchangers, and for the family of the High Priest - as they would receive some percentage of the proceeds.
Pigeons were used for a couple of different sacrifices - especially for the poor. If someone could not afford a lamb or goat for a sin offering, then two pigeons were to be used - one for a burnt offering and one for a sin offering (Lev. 5:7-10).
Jesus was angry for good reason! The people who should have been serving the Lord were profiting. The very ones who should have been helping the poorest should were extorting them.
In response, Jesus quotes from two OT prophecies:
Isaiah 56:6–8 NLT
“I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord,
who serve him and love his name,
who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest,
and who hold fast to my covenant.
I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem
and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer.
I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices,
because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.
For the Sovereign Lord,
who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says:
I will bring others, too,
besides my people Israel.”
God’s desire is that all peoples or all nations should be able to come to his house to worship, to adore Him. Neither poverty, ethnicity, or social status should hinder someone from coming to worship God - to be made right with God.
Oh what a joy it is to know that we all can come to the Lord. We come, not with our own sacrifices, but through the blood of Jesus; not with our own merit or righteousness, but through Jesus.
Worship wars - what is our aim in the sides that we may choose? Preferences, profit, popularity. I think we need to keep our focus where God does - His holiness and our access.
And yet these religious leaders had made God’s temple of den of robbers. In this, Jesus is quoting from Jeremiah 7 which is a stinging indictment of the brazen sinfulness of the people of his day- especially the leaders.
Jeremiah 7:8–11 NLT
“ ‘Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie! Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours, and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again? Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the Lord, have spoken!
In response to these indictments, the chief priests (those who would facilitate worship), scribes (those who knew and taught the law of God), and the principal men (lay leaders in the congregation) began to look for ways to destroy Jesus. He was hitting too close to home. He was challenging their control and affecting their pocketbooks.
Now, we may be tempted to look back on this and see the foolishness and even look at them in judgment. But I do think it’s important for us to consider whether we are approaching God and His house/body/church as a house of prayer for all nations or are we acting more like the people in Jeremiah’s day who would treat the things of God with contempt, taking them for granted, and not pursuing our own holiness?
Where are we seeing God’s grace a license to sin instead of a clean slate upon which to live rightly before Him?
Verse 47 notes that Jesus proceeded to teach in the temple. Now, this was not like it is in here where He had a pulpit and a captive audience. Jesus likely sat down on a low wall or on stone and began to teach. Luke 20:1 notes that Jesus was teaching AND preaching the gospel or the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Let’s pause for a moment and consider - what is the gospel? We can easily be confused by this word. We have four “gospels” in the Bible which tell Jesus’ story, but I don’t think that’s what Jesus was getting at. I think we can summarize the gospel with four concepts:
God’s Holiness - God, who is holy, created all things perfectly in order that His creation might walk with Him in holiness
Humanity’s sinfulness - Humanity messed up God’s perfect creation and a right relationship with Him because of our sin. (Gen. 3)
God’s graciousness - in response, God made a way for us to be made right - by offering the forgiveness of sins. For the first sinners this involved covering their shame with the skins of animals. He also did this in the sacrificial system which clearly revealed both how we should live, but also how we can be made right with God when we mess up. Ultimately, this was a temporary activity - which was fulfilled in Jesus perfect life, substitutionary death, and victorious resurrection.
Humanity’s response - is to come to God - receiving His gift of grace.
Now, as Jesus is there in the temple, surrounded by His disciples and likely many more attentive ears, He is teaching the things of God - who He is, how He intended us to live, and then also talked about the gospel - how we can be made right with God. He caught the attention of the religious leaders who questioned his authority. Which bring us to our second point…
Contested Authority (1-8)
Luke 20:1–8 ESV
One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they answered that they did not know where it came from. And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
They essentially demanded of Jesus an answer regarding the source of His authority and the identity of the person who gave Him this authority to teach and perform miracles. This is the first of several episodes that we’ll get to see where these leaders are confronting Jesus directly. This first contest addresses His legitimacy. The others will focus a bit more on the content of His theology.
In response to their request- or demand - Jesus provides what Anyabwile calls a “clap back.” In other words, He has His own request regarding John’s ministry - was it from God or from humans.
Their response only prolongs the suspense. Their fear of what others might say prevents them from taking a side in this issue. They answer that they don’t know.
In response, Jesus communicates that He won’t tell them of the source of His authority.
Why? Why doesn’t He tell them?
I think it’s because no matter what He says, they won’t listen. If He tells them His authority is from God - then they will accuse Him of blaspheme. It’s as though He, like them is in a Catch-22 or a no-win-situation.
But this is not the first time that Jesus has had to address this kind of question. In fact, back in Luke 7, we observed that John the Baptist, who was imprisoned at the time, sent some of his followers to ask Jesus “are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another?” (Luke 7:20). Luke records what happens next and Jesus’ instruction to John’s followers:
Luke 7:21–23 ESV
In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
By His actions and His words He is telling John’s disciples that He is fulfilling the OT prophecies about the Messiah - encouraging John to come to His own conclusions.
Now, in the Temple, these religious leaders had been observing Jesus for months. The reports of His ministry had not gone unnoticed. But even as Jesus’ lamented on his way into town - they did not know the time of their “visitation.” (Luke 19:44). They refused to put the pieces of the puzzle together - pairing Jesus’ ministry with the OT prophecies. Nothing He says now will change their minds. That change has to happen in another way.
I do wonder, how we approach the authority of Jesus? Do we approach Jesus with confident assurance that He is who He says He is - not simply because He said, but because of what He did? Or do we approach Jesus in our own judgmental way?
In this authority contest - the outcome is to be continued.
So with the tension still lingering - Jesus turns His attention to the crowd that is around him and tells a parable that confronts the leaders accountability.
Contested Accountability (9-18)
Luke 20:9–15 ESV
And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him….
The point of the parable is not hard to see. The man is God. The vineyard is His people/followers. The tenants are the religious leaders. The servants are the prophets - who were treated shamefully. The son is, well, the Son - Jesus.
Let’s consider the parable and some of it’s implications then and applications now. First of all, we can see a…
Just expectation of fruit (9-10a)
The man has entrusted his vineyard to certain tenants. As is right and just, he expects some of the benefits of his land.
In a similar way, God entrusted the spiritual care of His people to various religious leaders. He expected see the religious leaders bearing fruit in the form of lives changed and genuine worship.
Rather than getting his just fruit, the tenants, and in turn, the religious leaders respond with…
Unjust treatment (10b-15a)
In the parable, they beat three of the servants and send them back empty-handed.
Throughout Israel’s history, several of the prophets (represented by these servants) received similar treatment:
Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern (Jer. 38)
Daniel was thrown into a lion’s den (Dan. 6)
Zechariah was stoned to death (2 Chr. 24:20-22)
It’s believed that Isaiah was sawn in two (Heb. 11:37)
In the parable, Jesus notes that the man decides to send his “beloved son.” In response, these tenants decide kill him in hopes of taking his inheritance. Maybe they assume the man is dead or incapacitated - because killing the son would not gain an inheritance unless there were no other heirs.
In this, Jesus is subtly communicating what will happen in just a couple of days. He, the Son of God, the second person of the trinity, who has been sent by the Father to bring people back to true faith, would be beaten and killed in hopes that He would be out of the way so that the tenants, the religious leaders, could continue to control the vineyard of God in their own way. And yet their actions will not thwart the plans and intentions of God. Yet their actions will also bring on themselves a…
Just judgment (15b-18)
Let’s consider how Jesus finishes this exchange:
Luke 20:15–18 ESV
…What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
“ ‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?
Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
Now, it’s unclear who “they” are. It could be the crowd. It could be the religious leaders.
Jesus brings this whole exchange to a beautiful and terrifying conclusion as He discusses some truths of the Temple/House of God.
Cornerstones in our day are often memorial and ceremonial. The cornerstone on this building marks the day that the church was founded (June 6, 1971) and the date that this building was dedicated (January 21, 1979). Based on how it looks, there may even be something encased behind the marble facade.
A true cornerstone is critical to the stability of a building. It’s more than a memorial marker. A true cornerstone brings balance to the entire structure. A true cornerstone is a connecting point. Whether it’s a foundational stone at a critical corner or the center point of an arch, a true cornerstone is indispensible.
You see - Jesus is the cornerstone. He is the One who brings judgment on those who reject Him. He is the One who connects fallen humans with a gracious God. He is the One who makes life with God possible. He is the only One who could redeem us from our sinful state. He is the One who gives us purpose and hope!
What people do with Him matters! He is the one that these religious leaders will reject.
What will you do with Jesus?
What have you done with Him?
Have you received Him as your Savior?
Have you trusted Him as your Lord?
Are you living life for His glory?
When He returns, will you rejoice at your eternal security with Him or cower in the judgment that will crush you?
Jesus, the true Cornerstone of the Kingdom of God, is the moral and ethical foundation upon which all of our lives are built. More than that, He is this One that brings us into a right relationship with God.
Friend, if you’re not yet a follower of Christ, come to Him that your life might be built on His firm, sure, and gracious foundation.
Beloved, brothers and sisters in Christ, may our lives be marked by our true Cornerstone. May the ways that we worship Him be informed by His Word and His life. May the ways that we steward what He has entrusted to us bring Him glory! May the ways that we treat others be marked by the same grace, charity, and love that He modeled for us. May we look forward in peace, to His gracious return!
Now it’s clear that Jesus has ruffled the feathers of those who were in charge. In many ways, He likely ruffled our feathers in order to get us to pay attention. And as with anything with Christ and Scripture, there comes a point of application. A place where we have to choose whether to live in line with God’s word, or do things our own way. With bring us to the final part of this section…
Contested Application (20-26)
Luke 20:19–26 ESV
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. 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. So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.
Here, we get to observe the religious leaders trying to catch Jesus saying something that would oppose the Roman authorities and therefore introduce a death sentence for Him. And yet, as we read, Jesus was on to them. Their spying and pretending don’t get passed Jesus.
So, they present a very real situation - one that many in our day still wrestle with - especially now, as we’ve begun that season of preparing taxes. They ask if it’s lawful for them to pay tribute or tax to Caesar. Most likely, this was the “poll tax” - this was a flat tax of a day’s wage (denarius) that everyone would pay (McKinley, 125).
It seems like if Jesus states that it is biblically unlawful to pay taxes, then they would run to the governor and speak of Jesus’ treasonous activity. Treason of this kind would be punishable by death. On the other hand, Bock notes that if Jesus is in favor of the tax, then the Nationalistic Jews would come to the realization that their Messianic hopes would not be met.
And yet Jesus wisely navigates this challenge by asking for a coin - literally a denarius. By this very request, Jesus forces them to acknowledge the Roman rule (Bock). McKinley notes that this coin would read “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of the Divine Augustus.” He continues:
Luke 12–24 for You Taxes, Teachers, and a Gift in the Temple
Surely it must have galled faithful Jews to have to carry such a blasphemous statement around with them! We can almost imagine Jesus smiling slightly as he looked at the coin; the true “Son of the Divine” looking at the picture of this second-tier (in cosmic terms) emperor who liked to pretend that he was the son of a god! By all means give this little pretend god his shiny coin; but, to be clear, that is the extent of the honor that he is due.
Now, do you remember what happened at the beginning of the section we’re considering today? Jesus turned over the tables of those who were selling things and exchanging coins. There was a very tangible difference between the things of Caesar and the things of God in their minds - which is why they would not accept Roman coins as worship. Was Jesus then here justifying their actions? No, I don’t think so.
I think He is simply silencing their silly question and providing an appropriate application for God’s people.
How does this apply to us? We don’t serve Caesar.
I think there are two applications.
We should abide by the laws if our governing authorities (whether or not we agree with them) which includes paying appropriate taxes - no more, no less. Taxes are the means by which our government operates and provides protection for us. We may disagree with some part of what the government does or how the government is spending money, but that doesn’t mean we should break laws and dishonor God by not paying. Thankfully, in a system like ours, we have a say in our government and can work to vote for those who may support policies that we agree with.
The second application gets a little more sticky. Jesus says to give to God the things that are God’s. What does that mean?
Give to God the things that are God’s. In some ways, this gets back to the stewardship that we discussed a few weeks ago in the Parable of the Minas (Luke 19:11-27). In that passage, we reflected on the fact that all of life is a stewardship. We are called to reproduce in the lives of others. God’s reign and rule “transcends” (Bock, 1615) the meager boundaries of our societies - He deserves greater honor. If we are to give back to Caesar the the things that bear his image, then we are to give back to God the things that bear God’s image - namely our very lives!
Closing thoughts
As we approach the Communion table today, let’s think about it in light of this passage. Jesus makes a way for us to worship God truly (adoration). He has the authority to bring us into a right relationship with God. Where the leaders were unjust in their accountability of the nation, Jesus, as our true cornerstone, is the sure and accountable foundation upon which we get to build our lives. Finally, He shows us how we should live honorably in this world, for the One in whose likeness we are made.
Let’s pray.
The Lord’s Supper
Benediction
2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Questions for reflection and discussion
Read: Luke 19:45-20:26
What attitude did Jesus have toward the merchants in the temple area? (19:46)
How had the temple area been misused? (19:46)
Why did the religious leaders want to kill Jesus? (19:47)
In what way can a church be made a “den of robbers”?
What was Jesus doing in the temple courts? (20:1)
What question did the religious leaders ask Jesus? (20:2)
What motivated the religious leaders to ask their question?
What was it about Jesus’ question that stumped the religious leaders? (20:5–6)
In what way did Jesus demonstrate His wisdom? (20:8)
Why did Jesus choose to tell the people a parable in this situation? (20:9, 19)
What are the main points of the parable Jesus told? (20:9–16)
What is the meaning of the Scripture that Jesus quoted? (20:17–18)
What alternative cornerstones do we seek to build our lives upon?
Sources:
Anyabwile, Thabiti. Exalting Jesus in Luke. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018.
Bock, Darrell L. Luke 9:51-24:53. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.
Martin, John A. “Luke.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Liefeld, Walter L. “Luke.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, Vol. 8. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.
McKinley, Mike. Luke 12-24 for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company, 2016.
Stein, Robert H. Luke. Vol. 24. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992.
Taylor, J. B. “Cornerstone.” In New Bible Dictionary, edited by D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2005. Print.
Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.
