Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 20:5
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
5. they reasoned with themselves ] They went aside to discuss together what answer they should give. This deliberation rendered their confession of ignorance more glaring and more fatal to their claims.
Why then believed ye him not? ] See Luk 7:30. It never occurred to them to speak with the courage of their convictions.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
5. Why then believed ye himnot?that is, in his testimony to Jesus, the sum of his wholewitness.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And they reasoned with themselves,…. Or “they thought with themselves”, as the Syriac version; or “within themselves”, as the Vulgate Latin, though they did not express it; or “one with another”, as the Arabic version; they took counsel together, and debated the matter among themselves, and reasoned after this manner:
saying, if we shall say from heaven; which was what, in their own consciences, they believed to be true,
he will say, why then believed ye him not? in what he said concerning the Messiah; which if they had, as they should, there would have been no reason for such a question they had put;
[See comments on Mt 21:25].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They reasoned with themselves (). First aorist middle of , to bring together accounts, an old word, only here in the N.T. Mark and Matthew have (imperfect middle of , a kindred verb, to reckon between one another, confer). This form () in verse 14 below.
If we shall say ( ). Third-class condition with second aorist active subjunctive. Suppose we say! So in verse 6.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
They reasoned [] . Only here in New Testament. The preposition, sun, together, and the additional with themselves, denote a very close conference.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And they reasoned with themselves, saying,” (hoi d0 sunelogisanto pros,heautous legontes) “Then they debated with (among) themselves, repeatedly saying,” perhaps they had gone aside for a conference, with conscience-stricken guilt over their entrapment question, concluding among themselves; Mat 21:25; Mar 11:31.
2) “If we shall say, From heaven;” (hoti ean eipomen eks ouranou) “That if we say out of or from heaven,” Mat 21:25; Mar 11:31.
3) “He will say, Why then believed ye him not?” (ere! dia ti ouk episteusate auto) “He will say, why did you all not believe him, then?” Mat 21:25; Mar 11:31. They therefore gave credit to the fact that John had given witness to Jesus as the Messiah. If they could not answer this question, then they were incompetent to decide upon the authority by which Jesus worked, for both were sent (commissioned or mandated) from God, from heaven, Joh 3:6; Joh 3:17; Luk 19:10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
‘And they reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why did you not believe him? But if we shall say, From men, all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
His opponents in their discussions together revealed how clearly they themselves recognised their predicament. They knew that if they said that John’s baptism was ‘from Heaven’ Jesus would ask why in that case they had not supported John more, and why they had not listened to him, and promulgated his baptism, and He would then also point out what John had said of Him, describing Him as greater than himself. But if they said ‘from men’ they knew very well that the crowds, who still remembered John vividly, and the method of his death, would stone them for the equivalent of blasphemy. For all the crowds knew that John was a prophet, and at this time feelings were running high. The principle behind the crowd’s thinking would be that while it was true that a false prophet had to be stoned, it was also true that any who falsely accused a true prophet of being a false prophet was also liable to stoning, the false accuser bearing the penalty that would have been that of the accused if the charge had been proved. This was an ancient principle of the Law (see Deu 13:1-11; Deu 19:15-21). And the members of the Sanhedrin were well enough aware of the mood of the crowd to realise that feelings were such that such a stoning would be a very likely consequence of any denial.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 20:5 . : for the more usual .; here only in N.T. may be connected either with this verb or with .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
reasoned. Greek. sullogizomai. Occurs only here. It implies close deliberation with one another.
with = among. Greek pros. App-104.
If, &c. Expresses a contingency. App-118.
believed. App-150.
not. Greek. ou. App-105. As in verses: Luk 20:26, Luk 20:38; not as in Luk 20:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Why: Joh 1:15-18, Joh 1:30, Joh 1:34, Joh 3:26, Joh 3:36, Joh 3:26, Joh 3:36, Joh 5:33-35, Act 13:25
Reciprocal: Mat 21:25 – Why Mar 8:16 – General Luk 14:18 – all Luk 20:14 – reasoned