========================

Luke 20:20-26

========================

1One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.

2“Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”

3He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me:

4John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

5They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’

6But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

7So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”

8Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

----------------------------------------

20Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.

21So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

22Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23He saw through their duplicity and said to them,

24“Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.

25He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

26They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

----------------------------------------

1)       Are verses 1 to 8 included in VisionCasting-Luke20.1-8?

o   Yes.

 

2)       Why are verses 1 to 8 included here?

o   They are included here to provide continuity of context.

 

3)       According to verse 20 what did the teachers of the law and the chief priests send spies, who pretended to be sincere, to Jesus for?

o   They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said.

o   So that

o   They might hand him over to the

§  Power.

§  And authority of the governor.

 

4)       What was the motive behind the commendation of Jesus by the spies in verse 21?

o   They were trying to put Jesus in a position.

o   Where

o   He had to answer the question.

o   That

o   They were posing to him.

 

5)       Why were the spies trying to force Jesus to answer their questionHHJJJJ?

o   Earlier in the chapter Jesus asked the teachers of the law and the chief priests a question about John the Baptist with a choice of two unacceptable options. 

o   Now they

§  Turned the table on Jesus.

§  And asked him a question with a choice of two unacceptable options.

 

6)       How did the question of the spies in verse 22 carry a choice of two unacceptable optionsHHJJJJ?

o   Jesus would be

§  Undermining God’s sovereignty.

§  And legitimizing the rule of the Romans over Israel.

o   If

o   He said that it was right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar.

o   Jesus would be inciting rebellion against the Romans.

o   If

o   He said that it was not right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar.

 

7)       According to verse 23 did Jesus see the intent behind the question of the spies?

o   He saw through their duplicity.

 

8)       What did Jesus say in reply in verses 24 and 25 that avoided the trap of the spies?

o   Jesus got them to acknowledge that the coin used for paying taxes

§  Bears the

Ø  Image. 

Ø  And inscription of Caesar.

§  And belongs to Caesar.

o   Paying taxes to Caesar was therefore legitimate.

 

9)       According to verse 26 what was the reaction of the spies to Jesus’ answer?

o   They were astonished by his answer.

 

10)   According to verse 26 what did the spies do next after they were unable to trap Jesus in what he had said there in public?

o   They became silent.

========================

Luke 20:20-26

========================