Story of Jesus, December 20th

Luke Chapter 20

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

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

“Let me ask you a question first,” he replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or from men?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

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

Jesus said, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers, and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.

But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.

He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’

But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

‘What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?’ Jesus asked. ‘He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.'”

When the people heard this, they said, ‘May this never be!’

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:

‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.’

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he whom it falls will be crushed.”

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them; they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They hoped to catch Jesus saying something that could be reported to the Roman governor, so he would arrest Jesus.

So 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. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Cesar or not?”

He saw through their trickery and said, “Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Cesar’s,” they replied.

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

They were unable to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed at his answer, and they became silent.

Then Jesus was approached by some of the Sadducees, religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead, and they came to Jesus with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us a law that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.

Well, suppose there are seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. So the second brother married the widow, but he also died. Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children.

Finally, the woman also died. So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”

Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. And they will never die again. In this report they will be like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.

But now, as to whether the dead will be raised; even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.”

Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said Teacher!” And no one dared to ask him anymore questions.

Then Jesus presented them with a question. “How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David? David himself declares in the Book of Psalms:

‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit in the place of honor at my
right hand
until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under
your feet.’

Since David called the Messiah ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?”

While all the people in the crowds were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then for a show make lengthy prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.”