Luke 20 is a chapter about questions. Jesus is teaching in the temple when religious leaders confront him about his authority, try to trap him over paying taxes to Rome, and then press him with a hypothetical about marriage after death. People read Luke 20 because it shows how Jesus handled hostile questions with wisdom, and because it closes with a warning about religious pride that still speaks clearly today.
Luke 20 Summary
The chapter opens with the chief priests, scribes, and elders demanding to know by what authority Jesus teaches and acts. He answers with a question about John the Baptist, and they refuse to commit to an answer, so he declines to answer theirs. He then tells a parable about tenant farmers who mistreat the owner’s servants and finally his son, which the listeners recognize as a picture of their own rejection of God’s messengers.
From there the questions grow more pointed. Spies ask whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, and Jesus asks for a coin and reveals that it bears Caesar’s image. Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, bring a story about seven brothers and one widow to mock the idea of life after death, and Jesus explains that resurrection life is different from this age and that God is the God of the living. The chapter ends with Jesus asking how the Christ can be David’s son when David calls him Lord, and then warning the crowds about scribes who use religion to gain status while exploiting the vulnerable.
Background and Setting
The Gospel of Luke is traditionally attributed to Luke, a companion of Paul, and is generally dated to the 70s to 90s AD by most scholars, though some place it earlier. It was written to a Gentile readership, often thought to be addressed to a figure named Theophilus, and it presents Jesus as the savior for all people, not only Israel. Its careful historical framing and attention to the poor and outsiders give it a distinct voice among the Gospels.
Chapter 20 sits in the final week of Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem, after his triumphal entry and cleansing of the temple. The conflicts here build directly on that drama. Luke places these confrontations in the temple courts, where the religious authorities had the most to lose and where Jesus was most visible to the crowds.
Luke 20 Section by Section
Verses 1-8: The Question About Authority
2 They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?” 3 He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me: 4 the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”
Luke 20:2-4 (WEB)
The leaders ask Jesus a direct question about his authority, but their motive is to discredit him rather than to learn. Jesus answers with a question of his own about the baptism of John, which puts them in a bind. If they say John’s authority came from heaven, they must admit they did not believe him; if they say it came from people, the crowd would turn on them.
Their evasive answer, “We don’t know,” shows that they cared more about their reputation than about the truth. Jesus then declines to answer them, not out of evasion, but because they had already shown they were unwilling to receive the truth. The passage teaches that honest questions get honest answers, while questions asked to trap rarely do.
Verses 9-19: The Parable of the Tenants
13 The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’ 14 “But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 They threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!”
Luke 20:13-16 (WEB)
In this parable the owner of the vineyard sends servant after servant, and each is beaten or sent away empty. Finally he sends his beloved son, and the tenants kill him to seize the inheritance. The story would have been clear to the listeners, who would have recognized the prophets sent to Israel and the rejection they received.
When the leaders hear it, they say, “May it never be!” They understand that the parable is about them, and they seek to arrest Jesus, but they fear the crowd. Jesus then quotes Psalm 118 about the stone the builders rejected, showing that rejection by human leaders does not thwart God’s purpose. The passage calls readers to consider how they respond to the one God has sent.
Verses 20-26: Taxes and the Coin
24 Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Luke 20:24-25 (WEB)
Spies pretend to be sincere and ask whether paying taxes to Caesar is lawful. Whether Jesus said yes or no, they hoped to get him in trouble with either Rome or the people. He asks for a denarius and points out Caesar’s image, then gives an answer that has shaped Christian thinking about public life for centuries.
The phrase “give to Caesar… and to God” does not split life into two unrelated spheres. Rather, it recognizes that everything belongs to God, including the coin that bears Caesar’s face, because human beings bear God’s image. The leaders marveled and fell silent, unable to trap him.
Verses 27-40: The Question About the Resurrection
34 Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. 36 For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.”
Luke 20:34-38 (WEB)
The Sadducees present a hypothetical designed to make the idea of resurrection look absurd. Jesus responds that the life to come is not simply a continuation of marriage as it is now, and that those who share in it are like the angels and children of God. He then points to Exodus 3, where God calls himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob long after their deaths, and concludes that God is the God of the living.
The argument reveals that the Sadducees had misunderstood both Scripture and the power of God. Some scribes praise his answer, and the rest do not dare to ask further questions. The passage assures readers that death does not have the final word for those who belong to God.
Verses 41-47: David’s Son and the Warning
44 “David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?” 45 In the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of those scribes who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts; 47 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”
Luke 20:44-47 (WEB)
Jesus asks how the Christ can be David’s son if David calls him Lord, quoting Psalm 110. The question points to a identity greater than a merely human descendant, and it is left open for the listeners to consider. Then he turns to his disciples in the hearing of the crowd and warns them about scribes who display piety for personal gain.
These leaders loved status, honor, and public prayer, yet they devoured the homes of widows, who were among the most vulnerable people in society. Jesus says their condemnation will be greater. The chapter closes with a sober reminder that God sees how religion is practiced, not only how it is displayed.
Key Themes in Luke 20
- Authority: Jesus’ authority comes from God, and those who refuse to acknowledge John’s message cannot claim to recognize Jesus’ authority.
- Rejection and Vindication: The parable and the cornerstone image show that God’s chosen Son is rejected by people but ultimately established by God.
- God and Caesar: Believers give civic responsibilities their due while recognizing that all things ultimately belong to God.
- Resurrection: God is the God of the living, and death does not separate people from him.
- Religious Hypocrisy: Public piety that exploits the vulnerable is condemned by God, who sees beyond outward appearances.
Lessons From Luke 20 for Today
When someone challenges your faith with a clever question, you can respond with humility and honesty rather than fear. Consider a coworker who asks why you believe what you believe, perhaps hoping to catch you in a contradiction. Jesus shows that you can answer thoughtfully, ask a clarifying question of your own, and trust God with the outcome.
The chapter also speaks to how believers handle money, power, and public life. Paying taxes, serving honestly in your job, and respecting civic duties are part of living under God’s rule, but they never replace your ultimate loyalty to him. Similarly, when you feel anxious about death or the loss of someone you love, Luke 20 reminds you that God is the God of the living and that he holds his people beyond the grave.
Questions for Reflection
- When have you asked a question about faith that was really a test rather than a sincere search for truth?
- How does the image of the rejected cornerstone shape the way you think about setbacks in your life or community?
- What does it look like in your daily routine to give God the things that are God’s, including your time, money, and attention?
- How does knowing that God is the God of the living change the way you think about people who have died?
- Where might religious habits in your life be serving your image rather than your neighbor’s needs?
A Prayer From Luke 20
Lord, you are the one who holds all authority, and I bring my questions to you with a humble heart. Keep me from using faith as a weapon or a trap, and help me ask honestly when I do not understand. Show me where I have given my loyalty to things that belong to you alone, and gently correct my habits when they serve my reputation instead of others. Thank you that you are the God of the living, and that nothing in death or in my failures can separate me from your love. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the religious leaders ask Jesus about his authority?
They wanted to discredit him in front of the people and find a reason to arrest him. Their question was designed to put him in a corner, whatever answer he gave. Jesus turned the question back on them, exposing their unwillingness to honestly evaluate John the Baptist.
What does “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” mean?
Jesus affirmed that citizens have real obligations to governing authorities, including paying taxes. He also made clear that everything ultimately belongs to God, since human beings bear his image. Believers honor civil duties while placing their deepest loyalty in God.
Why does Jesus say God is the God of the living in Luke 20?
He pointed to God’s words to Moses at the burning bush, where God describes himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Since God is a God of living relationships, those people must still be alive in some sense, which supports the reality of resurrection. The Sadducees, who denied resurrection, had missed this point in Scripture.
