Monday, April 29, 2019

LUKE 21:16-19 PATIENT PERSEVERANCE THROUGH PERSECUTION


PATIENT PERSEVERANCE
THROUGH PERSECUTION
LUKE 21:16-19
(See also Matthew 24 and Mark 13)

Luke 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

Susie: Shortly after Jesus’s death on the cross, His resurrection, and His appearing to His disciples for forty days, grave persecution of His followers began. In Luke’s second book, The Acts of the Apostles, we see Stephen stoned to death due to accusations from fellow Jews. Then Paul persecuted Christians. All but one of the remaining eleven Apostles were martyred. Jesus’s prophecy of suffering because they bore His name was came to pass immediately.

Susan: Most of the time a Bible prophecy has an immediate fulfillment and a future one as well. As the time draws nearer for Jesus’s return, there will be, and already is an increase in persecution of believers. As recently as a week ago Christians were massacred in Nigeria. Here is a link to a report from March 19, 2019:


Susie: The persecution is widespread and increasing. Voice of the Martyrs published an updated version of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs in 2007 which includes the accounts of martyrs up to the time the book was compiled. I am quoting from the forward of that book:

. . . I must tell you that persecution of Christians is more common in our generation than ever in history. The oft-quoted statistic is that more people died for their Christian faith in the past century than in all the other centuries of recorded history combined. (David B. Barrett, International Bulletin of Missionary Research, January 2007).



Luke 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

Susie: Believers were despised by Jews and Gentiles alike as confirmed in Acts:

Acts 28:22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.

Susan: Christians are vilified for testifying to the truth that Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). What we share out of love and concern for all of humanity is twisted to sound like hatred for those who believe differently than we do.

Luke 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

Susie: Does Jesus contradict what He just said above, that many of them would be put to death? Absolutely not! For those who believe and place their lives in His hands, death here is a momentary doorway through which we pass to be forever with the Lord. He promises that we are securely held forever:

John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Susan: The second that we breathe our last in this life, our body, our earth-suit, we are instantaneously with the Lord:

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

Susie: The King James Version was a little difficult to understand, but we found some help in this commentary:

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers as quoted at https://biblehub.com/luke/21-19.htm

(19) In your patience possess ye your souls.--Better, By your endurance gain ye your lives. The verb, unless used in the perfect tense, always involves the idea of "acquiring" rather than "possessing," and the command so understood answers to the promise, "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved," in Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13. Some of the best MSS., indeed, give this also as a promise, "By your endurance ye shall gain."

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mark 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Susan: These verses are not teaching that we must persevere or endure by our own strength. The Lord is the One who saved us, keeps us saved, and will empower us to persevere.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)    And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Romans 14:4b (NIV) To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

Susie: The bottom line is this: We are saved, we are being saved (sanctification), and we will be saved (perfected in Heaven); but we contribute nothing to any of it. It is all the work of the Lord in and through us, and He cannot fail. Once we surrender our lives to Him, He will finish what He starts in us.

Ponder this and Apply it: Reflect on the earlier verses in this chapter. Even in the middle of persecution or if we are called to face a martyr’s death, the Lord will fill us with tenacious strength and voracious courage even filling our mouths with the words to speak until the day we leave our earth-suit and He changes our address to our eternal home. We need not live in fear.

Thursday, April 25, 2019

LUKE 21:12-15 HOLY SPIRIT WILL HANDLE OUR SPEAKING


HOLY SPIRIT WILL HANDLE
OUR SPEAKING
LUKE 21:12-15
(See also Matthew 24 and Mark 13)

Luke 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

Susie: Before the immediate wars, famines, etc. and the destruction of the temple in AD 70, Christians would undergo severe persecution. Charges would be brought against them by the leaders of their synagogues and then would even stand trial before Roman Governors and both the Jewish kings and the Roman emperor.

Susan: The persecution Jesus described was in direct correlation to the fact that these people believed in, trusted, and followed Jesus Christ. In the book of Acts, we see believers first labeled “Christians”, literally bearing His name. Therefore, they were persecuted “for my name’s sake” or because of His name.

Luke 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Susie: The persecution of believers and even their being brought to trial would also give them opportunity to testify about the power of Jesus’s name. Peter, when he testified before the High Priests, rulers, elders, and Scribes stated:

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Luke 21:14-15 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

Susan: Jesus assured them they did not need to worry about what to say when they were brought before these rulers. They did not need to give it a second thought, or a first thought, for that matter, because He (by the power of the Holy Spirit) would fill their minds with the right response for every situation. This should give everyone who witnesses on behalf of the Lord the encouragement and confidence to speak boldly without fear.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Susie: As we read the sequel to the Gospel of Luke which is called The Acts of the Apostles, we see the Holy Spirit fulfilling this promise the Lord gave us. The pages of Acts are filled with Christians on trial because of their faith in Jesus. Each time, they are given what to say:

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 23 – Paul presented his defense before Felix the procurator (governor) of Judea

Acts 25 – Paul testified before Festus who had taken over as procurator of Judea

Acts 26 – Paul bore witness before King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice

Ponder this and Apply it: Years ago, I (Susie) had a friend who had endured persecution, imprisonment, and even beatings because he boldly published a Christian newsletter in communist Romania. I told him that in a way, I envied him because he knew he had stood firm for the Lord, and I did not know if I could do the same. He assured me that, as Jesus promised in these verses in Luke, I would be given the strength to endure and the words to speak. As believers our main preparation for persecution is to be walking closely with our Lord. When we have complete trust in Jesus, we need not fear whatever the future may bring.

Monday, April 22, 2019

LUKE 21:5-11 TERRIFIC TEMPLE TO BE TOTALED


TERRIFIC TEMPLE TO BE TOTALED
LUKE 21:5-11
(See also Matthew 24 and Mark 13)

Luke 21:5-6 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Susie: The temple in the time of Christ was a magnificent edifice shining with polished marble and gold ornamentation. An excellent description is given by John MacArthur, and can be found in the MacArthur Study Bible  or online at:

Another excellent article about the temple built under the direction of King Herod is found at:


Suffice it say that it was one of the most splendid temples of its day, impressive to Jews and Gentiles alike.

Susan: The foretelling of the Temple’s destruction to the point of being reduced to rubble would have been extremely earthshattering to any Jew and particularly to Jesus’s followers.

Susie: Jesus’s prophecy was fulfilled in AD 70 when the Romans demolished much of Jerusalem including the Temple. John MacArthur explains the destruction of the Temple in his commentary on the companion passage in Matthew:

MacArthur Study Bible

Matthew 24:2 not one stone shall be left here. These words were literally fulfilled in A.D. 70. Titus, the Roman general, built large wooden scaffolds around the walls of the temple buildings, piled them high with wood and other flammable items, and set them ablaze. The heat from the fires was so intense that the stones crumbled. The rubble was then sifted to retrieve the melted gold, and the remaining ruins were “thrown down” into the Kidron Valley.

Luke 21:7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

Susan: The disciples wanted to know when, where, and how. They were asking if they would get a “heads up” before this all happened. Their hearts’ desire and expectation was still that Jesus would set up His earthly kingdom then and there, not sometime in the distant future. They were fed up with Roman rule.

Susie: This was another reason the prophecy of destruction was unnerving. How could that fit with the Messiah/King they supposed Jesus would become?

Luke 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

Susan: Jesus warned His disciples to pay attention, to be alert. He predicted false Messiahs who would come proclaiming the time was near, but they should run away from them.

Susie: Jesus had explained earlier that His coming would be obvious to the entire planet. There would be no doubt about His authenticity:

Luke 17:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

Luke 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Susie: The time period right after Jesus’s death and resurrection was filled with war. In our own lifetime, we have seen great earthquakes, tsunamis, drought, and famine. In Matthew’s account, Jesus says this is just the beginning:

Matthew 24:8 (AMP) But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].

Susie: I hear knowledgeable Bible scholars saying we are living in the end times. If so, how does Jesus tell us to respond?

Susan: Above all, Jesus taught we are not to fear. God is in control even when all chaos seems to have broken loose on the earth.

Susie: Neither should we drop everything and just sit around waiting for the Lord’s return. Paul spent most of chapter three of his second letter to Thessalonica telling people to keep working and behaving in an orderly manner.

Susan: We should live each day trusting in Jesus and, thereby, glorifying God. We should behave as if our Lord could return at any moment, today or tomorrow.

Susie: As believers, Jesus’s soon return should not cause panic, but peace if we are living according to His word.

Ponder this and Apply it: The disciples wanted to know the signs that would occur before the destruction of the Temple and the “end times.” They wanted a time-line, but Jesus did not draw it out as such. We must live as though His return is eminent; but the key is that we continue to live. We go about our lives obedient to His commands and seeking to glorify our Father. Knowing Jesus will return should spur us to tell our family, friends, and even strangers how to begin a relationship with the Lord Jesus. We should offer them the same peace in Him that we have received.

Friday, April 19, 2019

LUKE 21:1-4 ALL SHE HAD


ALL SHE HAD
LUKE 21:1-4
(See also Mark 12:40-44)

Luke 21:1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

Susie: The treasury consisted of thirteen containers with funnel shaped openings, each of which was labeled for a specific use. The givers were donating funds for those purposes.

Luke 21:22 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

Susie: A mite was the smallest denomination of money in use at the time. It was made of copper and was worth about an eighth of a cent, a tiny offering compared with those of the rich men.

Susan: In other words, if this were today, she wouldn’t even be able to buy penny candy for her children if she had any!

Luke 21:3-4 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

Susie: Jesus made the astonishing deduction that the poor widow had given the greatest offering of all. That must have peaked the interested of His listeners, many of whom had much more to give than two mites.

Susan: By using the King James Version of the Bible, we often encounter words that have fallen out of common use. Therefore, to be sure that all understand the situation of this widow, we looked up “penury.”

American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828.

PEN'URY, noun [Latin penuria, from Gr. needy.]—Want of property; indigence; extreme poverty.

Susan: This widow was a person to whom our modern-day deacons would have voted to give money from the benevolence fund. But instead of accepting charity, she gave all she had to the work of the Lord. She put herself and her family on the line, trusting God’s grace and merciful nature completely to lovingly provide for her and her family and sustain them.

Ponder this and Apply it: Many times, people feel they do not have enough to give to the Lord. However, the tithe in the Old Testament was to be the “first fruits” before taking anything for themselves. It is a matter of trust to give to the Lord first and trust Him to provide. The widow gave, not a tenth, but ALL she had. Paul taught, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). We are to give out of our love for God and His people, not to test Him but to demonstrate our trust in Him. Are you trusting God with your finances today?

Monday, April 15, 2019

LUKE 20:41-47 QUESTIONERS QUESTIONED


QUESTIONERS QUESTIONED
LUKE 20:41-47
(See also Matthew 22:42-45 and
Mark 12:35-37)

Luke 20:41 And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?

Susan: The religious leaders in Jesus’s day saw the title “Son of David” as being indicative of the fact that the Messiah would be a man. They did not understand the reality of His divinity alongside His humanity. They did not know that the Messiah would be the God-Man, equally human and divine.

MacArthur Study Bible:
Son of David. The common messianic title that was standard scribal teaching. The religious leaders were convinced that the Messiah would be no more than a man, thus they deemed such a title appropriate

Luke 20:42-43 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Susan: Jesus, in this passage, was quoting from Psalm 110, a Davidic psalm agreed by the rabbis as being a Messianic prophecy.

Psalm 110:1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Susie: Both Matthew and Mark’s Gospels make it clear that David wrote under the divine influence of the Holy Spirit in Psalm 110.

Matthew 22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord,

Mark 12:36a For David himself said by the Holy Ghost . . .

Susan: All the human writers of the Bible wrote under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and David was no different.

Luke 20:44 David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?

Susan: Since the teachers of His day did not see the Messiah as being God incarnate, they could not explain David’s calling Him “Lord.” However, the two words David used for Lord meant “supreme master, controller”. We cannot explain this better than a couple of our resources:

The Pulpit Commentary as quoted at https://biblehub.com/luke/20-42.htm

Verse 42. - And David himself saith in the Book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand. The Hebrew runs thus: "Jehovah said to my Lord (Adonai)." The Eternal is represented as speaking to David’s Lord, who is also David's Son (this appears clearer in St. Matthew's account, Matthew 22:41-46). The Eternal addresses this Person as One raised to sit by him, that is, as a Participator in his all-power, and yet this one is also David's Son!

Matthew 22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

MacArthur Study Bible:
22:45 David then calls Him ‘Lord.’ David would not have addressed a merely human descendant as “Lord.” Here Jesus was not disputing whether “Son of David” was an appropriate title for the Messiah; after all, the title is based on what is revealed about the Messiah in the OT (Is. 11:1; Jer. 23:5) and it is used as a messianic title in 1:1 (see note there). But Jesus was pointing out that the title “son of David” did not begin to sum up all that is true about the Messiah who is also “son of God” (Luke 22:70). The inescapable implication is that Jesus was declaring His deity.

Luke 20:45-47 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Susie: Jesus addressed this caution to His disciples but within earshot of everyone in the crowd. He intended this message for all the people, not just His followers or the Twelve.

Susan: The scribes, the teachers of the law and leaders of the Jewish religion, valued their own prestige above all else. They wore the long robes and prayed long prayers to look important and highly spiritual. They enjoyed being addressed with respect and seated as prominent guests of honor. They were not interested in bringing glory to God. They were glory-hounds, interested only in self-aggrandizement.

Susie: Also, they were, as we would say today, “in it for the money.” They may not have directly stolen a widow’s home, but in a sense that is exactly what they did. The scribes often acted as estate planners for widows and advised them to give great sums toward the scribes’ own pet projects. In other words, rather than advising the widow to provide for her own needs and later years, they would line their own pockets with the inheritance her husband had provided for her care.

Susan: These scribes would fall under strict judgement for failing to glorify God and using their positions to abuse helpless people.

Ponder this and Apply it: Jesus was the “Son of David” because through both Mary and Joseph He was a descendant of King David. However, that does not mean He was merely a man. Since Mary conceived Him by the power of the Holy Spirit, God is His Father, and He is equal to God. We must remember that Jesus IS God and revere Him as such. Honoring the Lord includes being humble, giving Him the credit for everything. Being His child also means caring for His other children and treating everyone fairly. The scribes were failing in these things. We must ask ourselves, “Am I being humble and treating others as the Lord would have me treat them?”


Friday, April 12, 2019

LUKE 20:27-40 SEVEN BROTHERS, ONE WIFE


SEVEN BROTHERS,
ONE WIFE
LUKE 20:27-40

Luke 20:27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,

Susan: The Pharisees and Herodians had taken a crack at Jesus with the question about taxes and failed miserably. Now the Sadducees are going to take a stab at getting Jesus to say something that could be held against Him according to either Jewish or Roman law. The irony of their question is that Sadducees did not even believe in the resurrection of the dead. They thought this life on earth was it, and when you were dead, you ceased to exist.

Luke 20:28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

Susie: The writing of Moses they referred to is found in Deuteronomy:

Deuteronomy 25:5-6 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her. And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.

Susan: We see examples of this being put into practice in the story of Judah’s sons and his daughter-in-law, Tamar.

Genesis 38:8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

Archeological Study Bible (Zondervan)

Genesis 38:8 refers to the social and legal obligation of the levir (Latin for “husband’s brother”) to marry his widowed sister-in-law in the event his brother had died and left her childless.

Susan: We see another example of this when Boaz married Ruth. He was a near relative of her husband who had died. Thus, her son, Obed was considered to be her original husband’s heir.

Susie: Both Tamar’s son, Perez, and Ruth’s son, Obed, were in the lineage of Jesus.

Susan: The scenario the Sadducees were about to propose was preposterous not only because it involved SEVEN levirate marriages, but because they did not even believe in an afterlife!

Luke 20:29-33 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children and died. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? For seven had her to wife.

Susie: These Sadducees described a hypothetical situation in which seven brothers each married the same woman in order to try to preserve the eldest brother’s family line, but in the end, she still was childless. Their question was, “Who would be her husband in the afterlife?” Bizarre question since they did not believe there was an afterlife.

Luke 20:34-36 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

Susie: Jesus makes at least two points here. The first is that there will be no marriage in Heaven, and the second is that not everyone will be there. Only those who are God’s children, i.e. those who have believed and trusted in Jesus, will enjoy being with God in the afterlife.

Susan: There is only one Bridegroom in Heaven, and that is Jesus. Nothing can compare with the love He has for us, and the love we will have for Him. All barriers to the perfect relationship with the Lord, all sin, will be completely abolished, and we will enjoy all-consuming, incomparable love with Him!

Luke 20:37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

Susie: Jesus is referring to what Moses wrote of his encounter with the Lord when God spoke to him from a bush that was on fire but was not consumed, did not burn up. God introduced Himself thus:

Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Luke 20:38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

Susan: Note that God said, “I AM the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” He did not say, “I was.” Even though the patriarchs had died, they were still alive to God in the afterlife. Therefore, Jesus summarizes that He is the God of the living, not the dead.

Susie: Jesus was using this as a proof for life after death. We are eternal beings. The only question is will we be in the wonderful presence of the Lord (Heaven) or will we exist in a place where there is absolutely nothing good (Hell).

Luke 20:39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

Susan: Some of the scribes acknowledged that Jesus nailed it with His answer.  He was well-spoken and articulate. No truer words had been spoken on the subject.

Susie: They had to admit that His logic and use of Scripture were point on.

Luke 20:40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.

Susan: They realized that Jesus could catch them in a worse trap than they were trying to set for Him. Jesus was far too wise and perceptive to be tripped up by their questions. Before they could set their traps, He was already attuned to their motives.

Ponder this and Apply it: Jesus confirmed in His answer to the Sadducees that there is, indeed, life after death. The question is how will you spend eternity? Will it be in the intimate, loving relationship with Jesus that is the reward of all who surrender their lives to Him in faith by the grace of God. Or will it be forever separated from God—forever in a place with absolutely nothing good or pleasant, a place of eternal torment. If the following verse is true for you, we will enjoy the love of our Lord forever together:

John 5:24 (ESV) Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Monday, April 8, 2019

LUKE 20:21-26 ANSWER AWES ANTAGONISTS


ANSWER AWES ANTAGONISTS
LUKE 20:21-26
(See also Matt. 22:16–21; Mark 12:13–17)

Luke 20:21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

Susie: According to the parallel passage in Mark’s gospel, this question was posed by a group of Pharisees and Herodians. These two groups were on opposite sides when it came to the occupying Romans. The Pharisees despised being under Rome’s authority whereas the Herodians backed Herod who was Rome’s puppet king. However, both opposed Jesus and united their efforts to bring Him down.

Mark 12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

Susan: They shrewdly and deceptively tried to lull Jesus into a stupor with their flattery. They complimented His teaching as authentic and according to God’s way. They acknowledged that He did not give VIP treatment to people of stature in the community, nor did He shun those who were poor or looked down upon. However, these were not their sincere feelings toward Him, evidenced by the fact that they refused to be His followers.

Susie: They are attempting to present themselves as honest seekers of wisdom and truth.

Luke 20:22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

Susie: These Pharisees and Herodians (supporters of Herod, Rome’s puppet king) asked Jesus a loaded question. If He answered that it was not lawful, He would be opposing Rome and guilty of breaking the civil law. If He answered that it was lawful, the Jews would see Him as breaking Jewish laws against graven images and worshipping false gods.

Luke 20:23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

Susan: Jesus realized that rather than honest seekers, these men were slithering snakes in the grass, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Susie: Some Greek manuscripts leave out “Why tempt ye me?” but the Aramaic texts include it.

Luke 20:24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

Susan: Jesus asked them to show Him the Roman coin used to pay the tax which was a denarius worth one day’s wage for the common worker.

Susie: He asked them whose image was engraved on the coin, and they rightly replied that is was Caesar’s picture. Then He gave the wise answer to give back to Caesar what was Caesar’s and to God what was God’s.

Susan: The Roman coin belonged to Rome, to Caesar. Therefore, Jesus indicated they should pay their taxes to Rome. Jesus then pointed out that we should give to God what is God’s. We really liked this verse in The Passion Translation of this verse:

Luke 20:25 (TPT) Jesus said, “Precisely. The coin bears the image of the Emperor Caesar, and you should give back to Caesar all that belongs to him. But you bear the image of God. So give back to God all that belongs to him.”

Susan: The coin bore the image of Caesar, but we are made in the image of God.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Susan: Since we bear the image of God, we should commit all we have and all we are to the Lord.

Susie: We pay our taxes to the civil government that God has authorized to provide things like roads, armies, and other needs of society. However, our greater tribute is due to the One who created us and sustains us. This is especially true for those of us who have trusted Jesus as our Savior.

Hebrews 1:3 (NIV) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Luke 20:26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

Susie: They had set out to entrap and embarrass Jesus in front of His followers and the large crowds who came to hear Him at the temple.

Susan: However, their plot was foiled again. His answer awed, amazed, and silenced these Pharisees and Herodians!

Ponder this and Apply it: Jesus did not speak out against paying the tax. However, He then pointed out that we should give God that which is due Him. Since God owns everything, we must realize we are only stewards of what we call “ours.” We should give generously of our time, talents, and money to the Lord’s work, and daily sacrifice ourselves to His service:

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.