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Day 252

Luke 20:39-47 "JESUS' TURN TO RAISE QUESTIONS"

Day 252 – Luke 20

Text: Luke 20:39-47

JESUS’ TURN TO RAISE QUESTIONS

The chief priests, scribes and the Sadducees all had their turn to raise questions. They had asked complex questions, and all of them were designed to trip Jesus up. However, they had reckoned wrongly, thinking that Jesus could be trapped so easily by their questions.

Their questions may have seemed “clever” but they only reflected the fact that they did not know their Scriptures all that well. Their grasp of the Scriptures was far from perfect! They were completely outclassed when compared to Jesus.

It was now Jesus’ turn to raise questions to the scribes, the experts in both the Mosaic law and the traditions of their forefathers.

A QUESTION CONCERNING THE MESSIAH

The concept of God sending “The Messiah” to Israel was an age-old belief. Certainly, the Prophets foretold the coming of The Messiah. However, they were not the only ones who did that.

Jesus cited one of the Messianic Psalms of David,

“The LORD said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
Luke 20: 42-43 (Cf. Psalm 110:1)

The common belief among the people was that “The Christ is the Son of David” (Luke 20:41). This common belief actually placed “The Christ”, that is “The Messiah”, as lesser or lower than David. Jesus contradicted this common belief.

Yes, in a sense Jesus descended from the line of David. However, was that all there was to note about Jesus? Was He only the physical descendant of King David?

If this popular belief was right, then David was wrong when he wrote this Psalm. In this Psalm, he clearly mentioned two Lords. The first LORD was of course a reference to the God of Israel. This was the usual way in which God addressed Himself when He spoke to His people. The term LORD was the way the Biblical translators rendered the term YHWH (sometimes translated as Yahweh or Jehovah). This term represented God as the Covenant LORD of Israel.

This LORD spoke concerning The Messiah. David called him “Lord”. The word was a lofty one. It signified power, authority, glory and lots more. The word “lord” was written such so as to distinguish between the Two.

Who was “the Lord”? Obviously, He was far greater than David himself. If he had been a lesser person, why would David have called Him “Lord”? If He was indeed “Lord” then obviously, “The Son of David” was more than just the physical descendant of the mighty king of ancient Israel!

Jesus was trying to teach His hearers that their common and popular belief was faulty! Yes, the Messiah was the Son of David, but He was also David’s Lord! That portion of prophetic Scripture must teach them an important truth!

The Messiah they look for would be more than just an ordinary human being! He was human, for otherwise He could not be the Son of David. However, He was more than that! The LORD Himself called him “Lord”.

The LORD had given to the Messiah-Lord an awesome word. He would sit at the His “right hand”. This was a reference to a position of the greatest honour! This was a position of power as well! Not even David was given this high honour! No angel was given this word of promise ever!

The LORD also promised that He would deal with the enemies of the Messiah-Lord! He would bring the enemies of the Messiah-Lord to kneel at His feet! They would be His footstool!

THE EVIDENCE WAS ALL THERE

Did the scribes understand this plain teaching? They had understood His Parable of the Vineyard! The evidence concerning the identity of Jesus was all there!

1. They could have checked His genealogy.

2. They could have examined the Scriptures.

3. They could have considered the many mighty miracles He performed.

4. They could have pondered over the way He taught the Scriptures!

5. They could have examined His lifestyle!

All these factors would have led them to ONE conclusion! Jesus was the Messiah-Lord! The evidence was all there and plain to all who were honest searchers of the truth!

“BEWARE OF THE SCRIBES…” Luke 20:46

Jesus knew the hearts of the Scribes. They had deliberately chosen to ignore the evidence before their eyes. They had rejected Jesus as the Messiah-Lord. They had plotted to kill the Messiah too!

He needed to expose them for what they were! Thus He solemnly spoke against the scribes in particular, and in public. He addressed both the people and His Disciples.

“Beware of the scribes,
who desire to go around in long robes,
love greetings in the market-places,
the best seats in the synagogues,
and the best places at feasts,
who devour widows’ houses,
and for a pretence make long prayers.
These will receive greater condemnation.”
Luke 20:46-47

No more kids’ gloves! Jesus had to warn both the multitude and His Disciples that the scribes were far more deadly than realized. They were hypocrites and worse! They deserved “greater condemnation”! Not to see through them was hazardous to life!