Luke 20:26, “And they were unable to catch Him in a saying
in the presence of the people, and marveling at His answer, they became
silent.”
They were trying to find a way to get rid of him. They went so far as to send spies who
pretended to be His disciples (Luke 20:20).
They were trying find something, anything, in which to accuse Him. Their plan was to “catch Him in some
statement” that could be used against Him, that they might deliver Him up the
Roman authorities (Luke 20:19).
Someone came up with a great idea. “Ask Him about paying taxes,” they
suggested. So they first flattered him
to be a true and impartial teacher (Luke 20:21), then they laid the big
question on Him, “Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar,
or not?” One can imagine their smugness
and delight in putting the question forth.
Like spiders spinning a web they worked to draw Him into their
trap. They would have Him at last, they
thought, there was no way He could wiggle His way out of this one. If he answered YES, the people would be upset
with Him—because the people deemed the tax illegal. The people had stood in their way of their
conspiracy before, but a YES answer would serve to alienate Him from them. The religious leaders would then be free to do
with Him as they pleased. A NO answer
would be equally beneficial for them.
The tax was the law. To speak
against the tax was to speak against the authorities. If he answered NO they would have cause to
deliver Him up to the Roman authorities as a seditious enemy of the state. He
was caught in a trap, they thought, either answer would serve them well.
“But He detected their trickery and said to them, ‘Show Me a
denarius. Whose likeness and inscription
does it have?’ And they said,
‘Caesar’s.’ And He said to them, ‘Then
render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are
God’s” (Luke 20:24-25). He didn’t answer
NO and He didn’t answer YES. He wisely
gave an alternative that they had not considered.
“And they were unable to catch Him in a saying in the
presence of the people, and marveling at His answer, they became silent” (Luke
20:36). We might say, “He silenced His
critics.” This is not the only example
of Jesus silencing His critics in this chapter. The Sadducees concocted a foolish conundrum to
likewise challenge His teaching and authority (Luke 20:27-38). They were silenced too: “For they did not
have courage to question Him any longer about anything” (Luke 20:40).
Skeptical foes bombarded Him with questions, and they do to
this day. But in Him “are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). The religious skeptics of His day “searched
the Scriptures” but had no heart for The Truth (John 5:39). The foolishness of their religious skepticism
was readily exposed in the light of His great wisdom. They marveled at His answer, but not so as to
believe in Him. Let us marvel in belief. He is all-wise. His wisdom is imparted to us by the Spirit through
His word. Skeptics remain. They love to antagonize and instigate His
followers. J. C. Ryle, “Blessed be God,
He who silenced the chief priests and scribes by His wise answers, still lives
to help His people and has all power to help them. But He loves to be
entreated.” He is glad to impart wisdom
to those who ask (James 1:5).
Monday, March 31, 2014
SILENCING HIS CRITICS (Luke Chapter 20)
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