Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 20:3
And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
3. I will also ask you one thing ] Rather, a question. The divine readiness and (if we may be allowed the expression) presence of mind of Jesus was most conspicuously shewn on this perilous day and the next day.
and answer me ] We see from St Mark (Luk 11:30) that this emphatic expression came after His question as though to hasten their delay, and break up a whispered colloquy of perplexity.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See Poole on “Mat 21:24“, and following verses to Mat 21:27. See Poole on “Mar 11:29“, and following verses to Mar 11:33. The substance of our Saviours answer is this: From whence had John his authority? He preached and baptized; who gave him his authority? They had sent much such another message to John, Joh 1:19-22. Was Johns authority ordinary or extraordinary? It is plain that he had no authority from them, for then they would not have sent to him to know who he was. He must therefore have it from heaven. Now if they had allowed Johns call extraordinary, why should not they allow Christs to be such, to whom John gave so large a testimony, and who confirmed his extraordinary mission by miraculous operations, which we do not read that John ever did? Besides, the Pharisees saw that if they allowed Johns mission to be extraordinary, and from heaven, they had obviously exposed themselves to a check for not believing what he said; they therefore refuse to make any answer, and Christ refuseth also to satisfy them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he answered and said unto them,…. That is, Jesus replied to them, as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Persic versions express it:
I will also ask you one thing, and answer me; when he also promised, that if they would give him an answer to his question, he would satisfy them in the point they interrogated him about: and as this was a prudent decline to avoid the snare they laid for him, so it was not an impertinent reply to them; since it led on to a proper answer to their question, as appears by the case proposed;
[See comments on Mt 21:24].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Question (). Literally, word. So in Mark 11:29; Matt 21:24.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And he answered and said unto them,” (apokritheis de elpen pros autous) “Then replying he said directly to them,” with a similar challenge, Mat 21:24; Mar 11:29. They were miffed not only over His teaching, preaching, and miracle working, but also at His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and His cleansing the temple.
2) I will also ask you one thing;” (eroteso humas kago logon) “I will also ask you just a word,” about your behavior, Mat 21:24; Mar 11:29.
3) “And answer me:” (kai eipate moi) “and you all answer me:” Then I will tell you the source of my authority, Mat 21:24; Mar 11:29.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
‘And he answered and said to them, “I also will ask you a question, and you tell me, The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?” ’
Jesus replied by using the Rabbinic method of dealing with a question by a question. He had, of course, twofold authority, the first came as a result of what had happened when He had been baptised by John, and John as a prophet had testified to Him both then and afterwards, while the second came through His mighty signs and wonders that demonstrated that God was with Him (see Joh 5:31-37). This was why initially He had every reason for seeking to establish John’s authority.
So in support of the first basis for His authority He sought to establish the credentials of John the Baptiser, and He did it by a counter-question. But while we need not doubt that He probably saw it as a foregone conclusion that His opponents would dodge the question, for how could they do otherwise when they had not supported John, it was not a trick question. The answer to it was fundamental to His own claims. But although they had not supported John, He would know that they would not dare speak against John because of the number of John’s supporters among the crowds. So He certainly knew that He was putting them on the spot.
The question that He put was outwardly simple and straightforward. Here they were claiming the authority to decide on other people’s claims to authority, so let them now tell Him and the crowd the answer to this question, “The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?” The way He put the question was very subtle, for He and they knew that they were surrounded by people who had been baptised by John, a baptism which they believed to be extremely important to them. Thus, as they themselves realised, to have denied John’s baptism in front of such a festal crowd, who were in a high state of religious emotion, and many of whom treasured the fact that they had been baptised by John, and most of whom saw him as a prophet, would have been the equivalent of suicide. For as a result of his martyrdom John’s memory was especially sanctified.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The answer of Jesus:
v. 3. And He answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer Me:
v. 4. The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?
v. 5. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, He will say, Why, then, believed ye him not?
v. 6. But and if we say, Of men, all the people will stone us; for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
v. 7 And they answered that they could not tell whence it was.
v. 8. And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. The challenge of the Jews Jesus answered with a counter question, which incidentally contained the answer they demanded. For His question implied that He personally knew John’s ministry to have been a divine commission. And if the Jews would concede so much to be true, they would admit also the authority of Jesus, for John had expressly testified concerning the Prophet of Galilee. The question of the Lord was therefore a poser for the members of the Sanhedrin, since Jesus made their answer the condition of His own answering. They well knew that to this question, whether the baptism of John had been done by divine authority and commission, there were only two answers possible, yes or no, from heaven or of men. They therefore conferred very earnestly among themselves in order to find some way out of the dilemma, either alternative being exceedingly distasteful to them. If they should say: From heaven, they would thereby invite the just censure of Christ on account of their refusal to believe. Should they say, on the other hand, that John had no divine commission, but acted solely on his own authority, they would incur the hatred of the people, who would probably stone them without the slightest compunction. For the people at large had the firm persuasion that John was a prophet, and would therefore have meted out quick justice upon any blasphemous denier of this truth. And so the wise leaders of the people had to acknowledge themselves outwitted and unable to answer; whereupon Jesus informed them that His answer would also be deferred. They had actually received both answer and refutation, and well they felt it. They had to admit to their own hearts: If even the baptism and ministry of John was from heaven, then Christ, whose miracles and preaching both proclaimed Him a greater than John, would have still greater authority to act as He did in the world. Note: It appears from this story how despicable, even from the standpoint of mere morality, unbelief must acknowledge itself to be. The unbelievers cannot deny the power of the truth, and yet refuse to bow to the truth. And so they try to avert disaster by making use of lies, subterfuges, and excuses. If a Christian is firmly grounded in the truth of the Scriptures, it will not even be necessary for him to know all the arguments of the opponents in advance. By simply marshaling facts of Scripture and calmly standing on the infallibility of the Bible, he can confound, even if he cannot convince, the gainsayers.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Luk 20:3-8. And he answered, &c. The great sanhedrim seems to have been established after the failure of prophesy; and concerning the members of this body the rabbies tell us there was a tradition, that they were bound to be skilled in the sciences. So far is certain, that they extended their jurisdiction to the judging of doctrines and opinions. (see on Mat 21:23.) as appears by their deputation to Jesus, to know by what authority he did his works. We are not to suppose the answer of Christ to this deputation, to be a captious evasion of the question made by those whose authority he did not acknowledge; on the contrary, it was a direct reply to an acknowledged institution, (as Jesus was obedient to all the institutions of his country,) convincing them, that the question needed not any precise answer, even on the principles of that jurisdiction. They sent to him to know his authority: he asked them, whether they had yet determined of John’s? They acknowledged that they had not. “Then, (replies Jesus) I need not tell you of my authority, since the sanhedrim’s not having determined of John’s, shews such a determination unnecessary: or, at least, since both by John’s account and mine he is represented as the forerunner of my mission, it is fit to begin with his pretensions first.” The address and reason of this reply are truly divine.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was. And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
I should not detain the Reader over these verses, for they are too plain to need a comment, were it not that I wish to remark to him, how very suited the LORD’S answer was to the menacing question of those designing men. How graciously the LORD teacheth his people by his lovely example, to avoid the captious conduct of the ungodly. Men of the same principles as those Scribes and their companions, are in every generation. And as they are all alike enemies to the pure truths of the Gospel, the faithful cannot be too earnest in seeking grace, to avoid all unnecessary conversation, which minister questions rather than godly edifying. 1Ti 1:41Ti 1:4 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
Ver. 3. See Trapp on “ Mat 21:23 “ See Mar 11:27 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 20:3 . : without the of the parallels. Vide notes there.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
I will also = I also will.
thing: or question. Greek. logos = word. See note on Mar 9:32.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 20:3. , tell ye Me) Answering to , tell us, in Luk 20:2.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
I will: Luk 22:68, Mat 15:2, Mat 15:3, Col 4:6
Reciprocal: Mar 11:29 – I will
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jesus’ reply with a counter-question was common in rabbinic discussions. [Note: Marshall, The Gospel . . ., p. 725.] He used "heaven" as a synonym for God. Luke recorded many instances of this practice. The Jewish leaders had opposed John the Baptist, though the people followed him. Luke alone mentioned the leaders’ fear of stoning. Stoning was the penalty for prophesying falsely (Deu 13:1-11). Here the leaders feared that they might suffer the same fate for denying the legitimacy of a true prophet. Luke therefore hinted that the people who listened to Jesus were the faithful Israelites and that their leaders who rejected Him were worthy of stoning.