Saturday, April 4, 2020

Luke 20:39-47

39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore. 41 And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? 42 Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ 44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?” 45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, 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.”

Vs. 39-40 39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

When the scribes (likely of the Pharisees) heard how Jesus had silenced the Sadducees loaded question about the resurrection of the dead they briefly spoke up and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

Vs. 41-44 41 And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? 42 Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ 44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

When the scribes also went silent, Jesus now asks them all about a commonly held belief amongst all Jews, that the Christ is the Son of David. Yes, the Christ did come through the lineage of David, according to the Scriptures, that is correct. However, the scribe’s beliefs in placing the Christ as the Son of David had inadvertently placed Him lower than him, something which will never be. And so here the Lord Jesus Christ corrects that through the Scriptures by citing to them what David himself said of the Lord in the Book of Psalms, when he said: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ Psalm 110:1 The interpretation which is, God the Father (the Lord) said to my Lord, David’s Lord (and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ God’s Son) “Sit at My right hand, 43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ Thus, this promise is from God the Father promising to exalt His only begotten Son to His own right hand until He makes all His enemies His footstool. Whereupon He will place the Lord Jesus Christ on His Throne forever! Therefore, in citing to them what David said of the Lord Jesus Christ in Psalms, Jesus now asks them: “Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

Vs. 46-47 46 “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, 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.”

Having then refuted the scribes (and their erroneous ideas and doctrines) on several levels, the Lord Jesus Christ now warns the crowds and multitudes about them, saying: “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, 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.”

First thing to note about them is that they love to go around dressed in their religious garb so that they appear like righteous religious men, so as to have the reverence and the respect of the people. However, neither clothing, nor having a revered title, nor occupying a respected position of trust, in of itself, makes a man righteous or trustworthy. And so, though we are to respect, honor, and obey all who are in authority (especially when they operate within the boundaries of law and justice, which we always fully applaud and honor), sadly not all who hold positions of authority are righteous or Godly. Therefore, we all need to be discerning with how much of our personal faith and trust we place in those individuals until they are tested and proven (Acts 15:24; 18:24-27; Phil. 2:19-24; 2:25-30; 1 Tim. 3:6-7; 8-10, 1 Tim. 5:19 etc. antithesis, Rom. 16:17-18; Gal. 1:6-10; 2:4; 2 Cor. 11:12-15; Phil 3:1-3; Titus 1:10-11; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1 Rev. 2:2 etc.). Second Jesus also reveals their vainglory nature, saying of them that they not only like to be revered through their outward apparel, but they also love greetings in the marketplaces (that is the most public places where people are gathered) as devout religious men. Same in the synagogues; the local places of worship; where they love to have the best seats for themselves. Same with their attending the Jews religious feasts and festivals where again they love to be paraded before all, before being seated in the highest places of honor. Serving and helping or caring for others is not what drives them. Finally, in verse 47 Jesus reveals what they do to helpless and vulnerable widows in secret, and that is they devour their houses, robbing and exploiting them for their own profit and gain. And if that wasn’t enough, they then will on a pretense make long winded prayers so as to appear religious before all. Therefore, Jesus says they will receive greater condemnation!

Scripture Quotations
New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson 

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