Luke 19:45 – 20:8 Whose in charge?
Jesus has just entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey in glory and been recognised as God’s king by many of the people. His next act was to enter the temple and say that his house was being used improperly! It is striking that Luke omits to tell us about his upsetting the money changers’ tables and driving out the animals, surely because that was not what he wanted to emphasise
“When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
One 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. “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”
He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
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, ‘Of human origin,’ 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, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” Luke 19:45 – 20:8
Jesus’ authority
The authority of Jesus is the key question Luke wants his readers to address in this section. He even uses the word ‘authority’ three times and the text keeps the focus on who he is. Jesus is the key figure, notice how often Jesus is referred to both by others and himself with the many ‘he’s’ and ‘I’s’.
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem he discovered that the Jewish religion had become a total sham. It was being perpetuated for man’s benefit not God’s!
Another emphasis is on what Jesus taught. Luke seems to specifically contrast what Jesus was teaching with what the ‘teachers of the law’ were saying. Their emphasis was on the rules God requires people to live by in order to be acceptable to God. In contrast Jesus’ emphasis was on the proclamation of the gospel, that God’s kingdom is open to all who repent and allow God’s king to be their King. Jesus wants our hearts and his rule will be reflected in our obedience to him.
As he often did, Jesus gets the discussion going on spiritual matters by asking a question. This is an important lesson for all of us. If we want to talk to others about spiritual matters first learn to ask good questions. Jesus’ question was very shrewd,
“Was John’s baptism of God is was it just of human origin.” Luke 20:3
This is a vital question today as much religion is just of human invention. Truth is a feature of God so a true faith must be testable and evidence based.
The chief priests and teachers of the law quickly realised the dilemma they were in. If John and his baptism were from God why did they not also agree to be baptised? Why were they opposed to him and his message? The public recognised that John’s authority came from God so it would be political suicide for the leaders to deny this. No wonder they refused to come off the fence.
There are many today who like some aspects of what Jesus and his apostles taught, they admire his morality and honesty but reject his essential message that he is the Son of God and that allegiance to himself is vital if anyone is to be acceptable to God. He alone can forgive us our sin of rejecting God’s rule in our lives. He alone died for each of us to pay the price for sin. To try to be moral and even religious without accepting the rule of Christ will not count when we stand before God in judgment. The apostles Peter and John were on trial before the Sanhedrin just a few weeks after that body had decided to hand Jesus over to be crucified. The apostles were told not to speak about Jesus but they boldly responded,
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
The apostle John wrote:
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:18
What a terrible thing it is to reject the authority of Jesus over us.
Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on manoeuvrers in heavy weather for several days. As night fell the visibility became poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities.
Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing reported, “Light, bearing on the starboard bow.”
“Is it steady or moving astern?” the captain called out.
The lookout replied, “Steady, Captain,” which meant they were on a dangerous collision course with that ship. The captain then called to the signalman,
“Signal that ship: 'We are on a collision course, advise you change course twenty degrees.'”
Back came the signal,
“Advisable for you to change course twenty degrees.”
The captain said,
“Send: ‘I'm a captain, change course twenty degrees.’”
“I'm a seaman second-class,” came the reply. “You had better change course twenty degrees.”
By that time the captain was furious. He spat out,
“Send: ‘I'm a battleship. Change course twenty degrees.’”
Back came the flashing light,
“I'm a lighthouse.”
The battleship then changed course, it was a matter of whose authority carried more weight.
Today, in the west, there is a tendency to distrust all authority. The writer Philip Pulman is an atheist. In his book ‘The Golden Compass’ God is called ‘The Authority’ and he is cruel and tyrannical. However he is a frail old man who is easily killed off by the adventurous heroine and her helpers. The God of the Bible is very different. God explained to Moses that he is not weak but he is loving, he is the Lord:
“ . . .the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished . . .” Exodus 34:6
This is, not surprisingly, the character of Jesus.
Jesus’ vine
Jesus was more concerned about teaching the ordinary people than to be worried about the antagonism of the religious, whom he no longer focussed on.
“He went on to tell the people this parable: “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.’”” Luke 20:9-13
In the Old testament the ‘vineyard’ was frequently used as a picture of Israel, God’s people. They were meant to produce fruit for their Lord, spiritual fruit. Isaiah wrote:
“I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.
“Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.” The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.” Isaiah 5:1-7
If God’s vineyard is not productive for him then it will be destroyed.
Hosea also uses the analogy of the vine. He warns God’s people that affluence can have a terrible effect, God’s people can remain outwardly religious but forget God and their responsibilities to him:
“Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones. Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The Lord will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones. Then they will say, “We have no king because we did not revere the Lord. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us?” Hosea 10:1-3
This is a timeless warning. A psalmist wrote similarly about the vine God has established for his purposes yet which he had deserted:
“Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. Its branches reached as far as the Sea, its shoots as far as the River. Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its grapes? Boars from the forest ravage it, and insects from the fields feed on it.” Psalm 80:7-13
Jesus also portrays Israel as the branches of the vine but began in a breathtaking way:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2
Jesus’ love
Jesus again picks up on these pictures and here tells a similar story of a powerful man who built a vineyard and who rented his vineyard to others, leaving them to run it for him. At harvest time he sent a servant to collect some of his fruit. He cared for his workers and recognised that they should have their share, he is a gracious Lord. However the workers decided that they did not want anything to do with the owner and beat his servant, sending him away with nothing.
It might be expected that when the servant of a powerful Lord is treated in this way he would react immediately and punish his workers. Yet the owner then sends a second servant who again asked for what was reasonable. This servant was ‘beaten and treated shamefully’ and again sent away empty handed. Yet still the only reaction of the master was to send yet a third servant to ask for what was his. This servant was treated even worse, he was ‘wounded and thrown out’. This is a wonderful picture of a loving God who is remarkably ‘slow to anger’.
God’s prophets in the Old Testament and in many countries today have been treated appallingly. Isaiah was sawn in two whilst still alive, Jeremiah was ridiculed in the public stocks, sunk up to his armpits in the city sewage and despised, Micaiah was imprisoned and starved, Hanani was put in the stocks and imprisoned, Zechariah was stoned in the temple courtyard and Uriah was struck down by the sword on the orders of the king. The Jews listening to Jesus tell this parable would know of these stories.
God has a remarkable patience with those who have rejected his rule. Yet he still does not come to evict his tenants. He has one further plan of action:
“What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.” Luke 20:13
Would the coming of the Son of God have the effect of drawing people back to repentance? Would he bring people to their senses?
What a terrible thing it is to accuse God of not doing enough to convince us about his demands. God insists that we all repent and turn back to him. Our world too often points the finger at God and demands that he defends himself. It is not Jesus who is in the dock but we ourselves.
In spite of the love Jesus displayed for people in need, Luke portrays the increasing hatred the authorities had for him.
Luke 5:30 They complain about who Jesus mixes with
Luke 6:11 They were furious and began to discuss what they might do to Jesus
Luke 11:53 Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely after he had criticised the Pharisees
Luke 15:2 Pharisees and teachers of the law ‘muttered’ over who Jesus welcomed
Luke 16:14 The Pharisees ‘sneered’ at Jesus after his teaching about ‘loving money’
Luke 19:47 Chief Priests and leaders ‘were trying to kill him’
In this parable Jesus describes the reaction of the tenants:
“This is the heir, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” Luke 20:14
The tenants not only did not want to pay their dues to the owner, they now thought that if they forgot him they would become the owners of the vineyard.
That is precisely what the tenants did – it was premeditated murder:
“So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.” Luke 20:15
How foolish they were to think that the owner was impotent. They wanted to take his place at the top table.
The Jews in Jesus’ day had been given every advantage. They knew that although God was omnipotent he was also patient and kind. The Scriptures were clear about this. Yet they chose to overlook what the Scriptures teach. They gave a formal allegiance to God but in reality they followed their own idols. The prophet Ezekiel had warned the Jewish leaders of his day about the danger of pretence and repeated condemned those who worship ‘idols in his heart’ but remain religious.
“Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.’” Ezekiel 14:4-5
This parable describes the recurrent problem all people have. We all worship someone or something, even atheists worship. If the object of our worship is not the living God and his incarnate Son, God says we will face his judgment. This is not an intellectual question but a moral one. My book that is about to be published ‘Stepping Stones to Faith’ shares the types of evidence that are available. Man’s root problem is mainly that we do not want God, we want to be ‘masters of our souls’.
It is easy to accuse the first century Jewish leaders for their obvious faults and yet overlook that our society has exactly the same problem. We want to forget God.
Jesus’ judgment
How will the owner of the vineyard react after being repeatedly rejected is no surprise?
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!” Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on 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. But they were afraid of the people. “ Luke 20:15-19
To reject and kill the owner’s son is a capital offence. Jesus says that he will give the vineyard to others, to Gentiles, who will be saved and enabled to enter God’s kingdom. No wonder the Jews were aghast, saying, ‘Surely not!’ Would their God allow the heathen to take their privileges, their temple and their land and give it to others when they had fought so hard to preserve their traditions and standing.
Jesus answers by amalgamating three Old Testament passages which show that this has always been the way God has warned people.
a) The reference from Psalm 118 could refer to the Gentiles whom God will give the privilege of being his chosen people through their commitment to God’s son, Jesus. However it is most likely to be a prophecy about Jesus himself who was to be rejected by the leaders of Israel and yet has taken the most important position, sitting on a throne next to his Father in heaven.
“I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes.” Psalm 118:22-23
Jesus is accusing the Jewish leaders of rejecting God’s king. His resurrection would prove that he is the ‘capstone’ of God.
Our salvation has never been obtainable through living comparatively good lives – it has always been the gift of God that is only given to few. Jesus said,
“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:14
b) Jesus reminds his listeners of two other references that speak of the final judgment of those who reject God’s son.
“The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread. He will be a holy place; for both Israel and Judah he will be a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.” Isaiah 8:13-14
The stone that the Jews would reject is both holy and a person. He will become a trap to them and many will stumble.
Another account of a rock that comes from God is recounted in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream which Daniel interpreted:
“While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.” Daniel 2:34-35
This reminds us of what the elderly priest Simeon said about the baby Jesus when he was presented in the temple,
“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against.” Luke 2:34
Jesus has always had this effect on people, some reject him and his rule whilst others are lifted up by him. The choice is ours but this decision has eternal consequences. If we reject the Lord Jesus we spurn the patient love and kindness of God and in so doing we exhibit a wilful high-handed rebellion against him. Consequently we call down on ourselves the righteous judgment of God.
The Bible’s verdict is clear. Jesus is the cornerstone of us all and he will return to gather his people to himself but he will judge those who have rejected him. What a disaster it is that many today stumble over this rock that is clearly positioned in front of us.
BVP
