“So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?" They said, "Caesar's." He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent. There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife." And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him." Then some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you have spoken well." For they no longer dared to ask him any question. But he said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is David's son? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, "' The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.' David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?" And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."”
Introduction
Luke 20:20-47 places Jesus at the center of a hostile attention from religious leaders who test him with questions about loyalty to Caesar, the resurrection, and the Messiah. In this passage, Jesus skillfully exposes both political and theological tensions of his day, teaching that God’s reign both transcends earthly power and calls for faithful witness. The scene moves from a trap regarding tribute to a dramatic dispute about the resurrection and ends with a warning about religious leaders who use position and appearance to prey on the vulnerable. For modern readers, the text invites reflection on where our allegiance lies, how we discern truth amid clever rhetoric, and how we honor God in daily living.
Historical-Cultural Context and Authorship
Luke’s Gospel is addressed to a largely Gentile audience and emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel’s Scriptures, the Son of God who brings forgiveness and new life. In Luke 20, we witness the complex dynamic between Roman rule and Jewish religious authority. The question about paying taxes to Caesar reflects real political tensions: allegiance to God and to the Roman state could appear conflicting. The Sadducees’ oral argument about marriage in the age to come represents a Hellenistic–pharisaic debate about the afterlife and the interpretation of Mosaic law. Jesus responds not with abstractions but with scriptural insight, revealing the continuity and the new reality of God’s kingdom. Luke writes with careful detail to show how Jesus confronts manipulation, clarifies doctrine, and invites listeners into a lived faith.
Characters and Places
- Jesus: the teacher and Son of God, whose answers reveal the nature of God’s kingdom.
- The spies: challengers who pretended sincerity to trap Jesus.
- The crowd: observers who marvel at Jesus’ wisdom.
- The Sadducees: a Jewish sect denying the resurrection, proposing a hypothetical marriage scenario.
- The scribes: religious leaders who focus on public display and influence.
- The Pharisees, the Temple and marketplaces: symbolic settings where authority and honor are contested.
- The denarius: the instrument of Caesar’s authority used to illustrate the distinction between earthly and heavenly obligations.
Explanation and Meaning of the Text
The first test asks whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus sees through the trap and asks for the coin, inviting a reflection on whose image bears the inscription. By saying, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s,” he distinguishes the legitimate sphere of political authority from the higher allegiance owed to God. This does not ignore political life; rather, it situates it under God’s sovereignty and limits it to its proper domain.
The Sadducees’ dilemma about a woman who marries seven brothers probes the nature of the resurrection. Jesus teaches that in the age to come, earthly marital structures do not bind the living in the same way; instead, the resurrected state resembles the unending life of the angels and the children of God who are “sons of the resurrection.” He grounds the argument in the faith of Moses, who acknowledges the God of the living, not the dead, thereby affirming the continuity of God’s promises beyond death.
The question about David’s son probes messianic expectation: if the Messiah is David’s son, how can David call him Lord? Jesus answers that the Messiah is both David’s descendant and David’s Lord, pointing to a divine mystery embedded in Scripture and fulfilled in Jesus himself. Finally, Jesus warns the crowd and his followers about the scribes who desire public honor but use vulnerability for gain. Their behavior—long robes, greetings, seats of honor, and exploitation of widows—reveals a spiritual bankruptcy that God will judge. The passage calls readers to humility, integrity, and reverent worship, trusting that God’s justice and mercy outrun human schemes.
Devotional
- In moments when we feel tested by clever questions or demanding expectations, we can prayerfully ask Jesus to give us a discerning heart. May we learn to distinguish what belongs to the world’s powers from what belongs to God, and to live with faithful devotion that honors both truth and compassion.
- Reflect on the examples of the scribes and the humble trust of those who sought truth. Ask God to shape our own hearts away from vanity and toward service, generosity, and reverent worship, so that our lives reflect the reality of God’s kingdom in everyday actions.