Luke 20:41-44

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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?” ~ Luke 20:41-44

It is Wednesday of the Lord Jesus' final week on earth. We return to the temple where He has been teaching all day, just two days before His crucifixion. The Jewish religious leaders continue to challenge Him with their insincere questions. They had no desire to follow God. They were more interested in the power, influence and prestige this world has to offer.

In order to garner more power, influence and prestige, they wore special garments, expected to be addressed with special titles and greetings, and looked for special seats at public gatherings.

After having answered a question from the Sadducees, the Lord Jesus asked the religious leaders one final question. But before He asked His question, He quotes Psalm 110:1 which reads, "Sit at My right hand, 43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." Then He asks, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?" 

According to  2 Samuel 7:13–14, Isaiah 11:1 and Jeremiah 23:5, God had ordained that the Messiah should come from the family of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

The term "Son of David" was the most common term for the Messiah of all of the terms in Judaism. The Jews, to whom the Lord Jesus spoke, believed their Messiah would be a human who would come into the world, become the ruler of Israel, reestablish the kingdom of God, and rule the world of nations from Jerusalem. They believed the Messiah would be the best of men, the noblest of men, the most gifted and blessed of men, and a son of David. But, they did not believe the Messiah would be God. They saw Him only as a man from God. 

The Lord Jesus knew some of the religious leaders present that day in the Temple were not far from the kingdom of God. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, were in that category, and they subsequently became followers of Christ. This explains why He is still down to the very last conversation inviting sinners headed to hell to receive His free gift of salvation.

According to Matthew 1 and Luke 3, the Lord Jesus came through the genealogy of David. Both His parents were from the Davidic line. He, therefore, is the Son of David. If He were not a Son of David, it would have been used to discredit Him because the scribes and the religious leaders were very careful with genealogical records.

Again, in v.41 we read, "And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?" The only way the Messiah could be David’s Son and David’s Lord, He had to be the eternal God who came as the God-man. This was too much for the Jewish religious leaders to take in. This made them change their interpretation of Psalm 110, saying it refers to Abraham not the Messiah. They did same same with Isaiah 53 with the suffering Messiah. Instead of interpreting Isaiah 53 speaking of the Messiah, they say it refers to Israel. My question is, "Why is the first person masculine pronoun used in Isaiah 53 for the suffering servant? Why isn't it a plural pronoun used if it speaks of Israel?

In v.44 we read, “Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?” The discussion with the Sadducees was over. Luke says they had nothing left to say. So the Lord Jesus asked His final question. A question they could not answer. And, as a result, they were doubly silenced. 

Where do we go if we reject the Lord Jesus Christ? We can't just think He is a good person and the Bible is a wonderful book. The Bible makes clear, the Lord Jesus is God. He is David’s Son and David’s Lord. If we believe that, we affirm Scripture. If we do not believe that, we deny Scripture. 

The Jewish religious leaders rejected their own Messiah and had Him crucified. They led the nation into ruin because they would not admit their sins and confess Jesus as the Son of David. These men were “experts” in the Bible, yet they did not apply its truths to their own lives. Their religion was a matter of external observance, not internal transformation. Yet, the miracles and the wisdom of the Lord Jesus speak for themselves. But the remaining question is: Do you believe Him to be God? If He is not, we have no savior. And, if He is, we have a wonderful, wonderful savior.

Luke 20:27-40

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27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 28 saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second took her as wife, and he died childless. 31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.” 

34 Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” 

39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore. ~ Luke 20:27-40

Today's text takes place on the final Wednesday of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus. Then He was crucified on that Friday. This was a busy day for Him as He taught in the temple all day in the context of the Jewish religious community trying to trip Him up with their questions. Good thing He is God, I couldn't have done it.

Toward the end of the day that Wednesday, a certain element of the Jewish religious leaders, the Sadducees, came to the Lord Jesus with a hypothetical question. The Sadducees accepted only the first five books of Moses as the word of God. In addition, they did not believe in angels, spirits, or the resurrection of the dead. And, by the way, when the Romans came in and destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Sadducees ceased to exist.

Central to this question from the Sadducees was the subject of the resurrection which is at the crux of all that we believe. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 15:14, the Apostle Paul tells us, without the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, we are all without hope.

Our eternity with God is not a mere continuation of the life we know right now. In heaven, we will maintain our identities and know each other, but there will be no more death. As a result, there will be no more need for marriage and procreation. In heaven we will share the image of Jesus Christ and be much higher than the angels.

In v.28-33, the Sadducees asked the Lord Jesus who will in heaven be the husband of a woman who had been married to seven different men. The Sadducees were trying to discredit Him in front of the people by asking Him this question that nobody had ever been able to answer. This was the question that stumped everybody. 

In v.34-38 the Lord Jesus answers the question. He was quick to say marriage is a thing of this temporal world. Then, He accentuates the fact that the angels do not procreate. They were all created at one time and they don’t procreate or die. Their number is fixed. And so, in heaven, there will be no need for marriage because there will be no procreation. 

According to v.36, people do not die, and in this sense we are equal to angels. When we believed in the Lord Jesus, we received His life, eternal life. When we received His life we became the sons and daughters of the resurrection. 

The resurrection proclaims: the believer in Christ finds his worthiness in the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ. And His resurrection from the dead sealed His merit as worthy. 

The Lord Jesus eliminated the need for the Sadducees' question. And, the real point comes in v.37-38 which reads, “37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” 

The Lord Jesus uses logic by directing our attention to Moses in Exodus 3. God identified Himself with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and thus affirmed that these three patriarchs are very much alive.

The Sadducees only believed in the first five books of the Old Testament, and the Lord Jesus uses Moses to make the most salient point to the Sadducees. He quotes Exodus 3:6, meaning, "I am, and therefore they are." God is the God of the living Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. From the vantage point of earth, these patriarchs are dead but in eternity they are alive. The Lord Jesus dismantled the Sadducees false views by proving that Moses affirmed in His writing that God is the God of the living.

In v.39-40 we read, "39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore." The Lord Jesus blew the minds of the most learned of that day. He silenced for the first time, ever, the hypothetical question of the Sadducees. 

One day there will be no more tears, pain, sickness, and death. For the believer in Christ, there will one day be complete harmony. In eternity, we will live in a new earth without the interference of sin and death. We who believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will enjoy sinless hearts and minds along with disease-free bodies. All that causes us pain and discomfort will be destroyed, and we, we will live forever. 

Luke 20:20-26

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20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent. ~ Luke 20:20-26

In spite of all the Old Testament revelation that pointed the Jews to the Lord Jesus Christ, they rejected Him. Herein, we have the general abiding principles of all time: being defined by good or being defined by evil. And, the hearts of the religious leaders were so hardened to God by evil, they were blind to the truth when He came. 

As we wade back into Luke 20, it is still Wednesday of the final week of the Lord Jesus earthly life. By Friday, the Lord Jesus will be crucified. On this Wednesday, He spent the day in the temple surrounded by the masses of people who had flowed into Jerusalem because it was Passover. And when He came into the city, they, full of hope, wanted Him to be the long-awaited Messiah. And so they gave Him a triumphal entry and they were still hanging on His every word and deed.  

In v.20 we read, "Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor."

The religious leaders hated the Lord Jesus so much they wanted Him dead. Yet, all their power, honor, position, and prominence came from the people. And the people were still feeling the euphoria of the triumphal entry that Jesus might be the Messiah. And so, the religious leaders were afraid to go against the crowd because they needed the crowd. 

And yet, they had nothing but contempt for the people. They had not a heart for God, so it makes sense that they had no heart for the people. They fed their proud souls on the accolades of those that they intimidated and abused.  And they knew that if the Lord Jesus was arrested by the Romans, the people’s hope in Him would be crushed, and they would get rid of Him. 

That little phrase, “pretended to be sincere” is of utmost importance to consider. In this phrase, we see the root of all of mankind's problems. Our unwillingness to admit that we need help, that we need a savior is at the root of it all evil in our lives. The coming of the Lord Jesus was God’s answer to the slavery of self-salvation. But if we are not willing to admit our need for the savior, we undoubtedly must pretend to have it all together.

The Lord Jesus came to liberate us from the pressure of having to fix ourselves, find and free ourselves. He came to rescue us from the slavish need to be right, rewarded, regarded, and respected. He came to relieve us of the burden we inherently feel to trust in ourselves in order “to get life right.” The Lord Jesus came to secure for us what we could never secure for ourselves. As a result, life ceases to be a tireless effort to establish, justify, and validate ourselves.

In v.21-22 we read, "21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

Although, all they were saying is absolutely true, they did not believe it. They were trying to position the Lord Jesus into a place where He’s going to be forced to give them an answer that will pit Him against Rome.

In v.23 we read, “He saw through their duplicity and said to them.” “Caesar’s,” they replied.” 

In the Jewish leaders minds, there was only one correct answer. They expected He would answer in such a way that once they got Him to do so, to speak against Rome, they were going to call the Romans who will arrest Him.

In v.24-25 we read, “24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

The denarius was a day’s wage coin made out of silver or gold.  They were in circulation between 300 B.C. to 300 A.D. Minted by the Caesar, each coin had his image on it. There are certain things in this world that belong in the providence of God to the temporal realm of this world. Money is one of them. God Himself had brought Israel under Roman rule. And He expected them to support the rule of the government because all government is ordained by God. Their's is the power that is ordained by God who gave them that power to protect the innocent and punish the evil.

Caesar has his sphere of rule by God’s design, and we owe what we owe to him in the providence of God. In His answer, the Lord Jesus affirms the role and the right of government to collect taxes for its support because it is ordained by God for man’s well being and protection. In fact, without it we have anarchy, chaos and destruction.

The believer in Christ lives in two worlds. The Lord Jesus was not suggesting that we divide our loyalties between God and government. We are to give Caesar what’s Caesar’s and thank God that providentially we are under His government. 

Our text today ends with "Give to God what is God’s.” That which is God's is what we owe to Him. We owe Him our being and all that goes along with it including our worship, praise, adoration, glory, obedience, love, and trust.

In v.26 we read, “They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.” The religious leaders went away perplexed because they failed to catch Him in a saying in front of the people that would have caused Him to be arrested and executed.

The alternative is quite different. Those who operate according to God's definitions do not go away from God because they have chosen for Him to define them. In addition, they go away in peace because they played according to God's rules. Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He insisted on being defined by the God of the Bible who used him to change the world as he played by God's rules. 

Luke 20:17-19

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17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. ~ Luke 20:17-19

Having just told the most clear, powerful, and stunning story of the farm hands killing the son of the farm owner, the Lord Jesus in v.17 "looked directly at the Jewish religious leaders." Yet again, the Lord Jesus confronts the religious leaders. His look designed to jolt them into embracing brokenness which is the shattering of the human will before God. Brokenness is saying “Yes, Lord! Have your way and will in my life." But the leaders were unwilling.

In v.17, the Lord Jesus reached back to Psalm 118:22 to make His point. The cornerstone is the most important part of any building. Every other stone is laid on top of the cornerstone. It's the alignment stone. It's the mass of stone that has to be cut so precisely and laid so perfectly, because if not, every other stone that takes its cue and its lines off of that stone is going to make for a very, very unreliable and crooked building. 

Peter quotes this message when he preaches in several more weeks after this event in this same place. Peter and John were in the temple, and they go up to the temple at the time of prayer. And they see a man who is paralyzed. He is broken and lame, and he's begging for money. And Peter says, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 

The man was healed right there in the temple courts. And so the leaders, like here with the Lord Jesus, react to Peter. And they say, you know, "What authority do you have to do this? What name do you come to us with? What is the name you are using?" 

Then, Peter says this: "If we are being judged this day for a good deed done to a helpless man, then be it known unto you, and to all of the house of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead, does this man stand before you whole."

In the Old Testament, the “stone” was a familiar symbol of God and of the promised Messiah. Because the Jews did not believe, they stumbled over Him and were judged. Those who trust Jesus Christ find Him to be the foundation stone and the chief cornerstone of the our existence.

In v.18 we read, "Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed." The preposition translated "on" in this verse can also be translated "before." Either we believe in Him and worship Him, or we are crushed by Him. Rejecting the free gift of the Lord Jesus Christ is the most tragic thing anyone can ever do. 

In v.19 we read, "The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people." 

The religious leaders knew the Lord Jesus was talking about them. They knew that He was identifying them as those who had rejected the Chief Cornerstone. Instead of being convicted of their sin, they resisted the needed brokenness to bring them into a personal relationship with the God they supposedly served.

Brokenness makes room for a contrite heart. And, a broken and contrite heart is the seedbed for repentance which is that which brings us into a relationship with God. Brokenness usually is introduced into our souls on the heels of miserable failure. Brokenness is not beautiful in and of itself, but the beauty in spiritual brokenness is found in where it brings us.

Vance Havner once said, "God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns in greater power than ever."

Luke 20:9-16

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9 Jesus told the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, rented it to tenant farmers, and went on a trip for a long time. 10 When it was time, he sent a servant to collect from the tenants his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants sent him away, beaten and empty-handed. 11 The man sent another servant. But they beat him, treated him disgracefully, and sent him away empty-handed as well. 12 He sent a third servant. They wounded this servant and threw him out. 13 The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I’ll send my son, whom I love dearly. Perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when they saw him, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “May this never happen!” ~ Luke 20:9-16

As we come back to the narrative of the Lord Jesus' last week on earth, it is still Wednesday. In just two days, Friday, He will be crucified. The Lord Jesus had long told His disciples this would be His conclusion when they arrived in Jerusalem.

In our text today, the Lord Jesus tells a story of a man who owned a vineyard and entered into a contract with some tenant farmers to run his vineyard. After a while, the man sent three different individuals to the tenant farmers to collect his portion of the fruit. He did this to no avail. Then he sent his son who the tenant farmers murdered.

In Luke 9:22 we read, "And he said, 'The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.'"

The word translated “rejected” means “to reject after careful investigation.” It was required that the Jews carefully examine the Passover lambs from the tenth day to the fourteenth day to make sure the lambs had no blemishes. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, was watched and tested by His enemies during that final week, and yet in spite of what they saw and learned, they rejected Him.

In response, the Jewish religious leaders responded in a senseless way. Instead of nustling up to God with a heart full of gratitude for their blessings, the Jews rejected their Savior. 

God displayed great patience with Israel. He sent them one messenger after another, yet they refused to allow their hearts to be vulnerable with God. Finally, when He sent His Son, they killed Him. In telling this story, the Lord Jesus gave His own death announcement.

In v.13 we read, "The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I’ll send my son, whom I love dearly. Perhaps they will respect him." What an act of grace. The lengths God has gone to rescue us and to earn our trust. But, the gospel only sounds good to those who are convinced that they need a savior. Those who think they’re good, grace is frustrating. For people who know they’re not, grace is exhilarating.

Shockingly, in v.14-15 we read, "But when they saw him, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours. 15 They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?" 

The religious leaders of Israel had full knowledge of who the son was. They understood more than they let on. This describes the religious leaders of Israel, they understood more than they let on.

In v.16 we read, "He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “May this never happen!" He will destroy them, and he will give the land into the care of others. This is appropriate judgment and no one would argue with that. 

The second half of v.16 is most interesting. “When the people heard this, they said, “May this never happen!” When they heard it, the people said, "Μὴ γένοιτο" in the Greek. This is the strongest negative possible in the Greek language. It means, "Never, never, never!" This response proves they had come to understand the verdict of the man whose son was murdered. But, there is no sign of regret or even guilt.

In Revelation 2-3 there is a repeated phrase, “Let him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit says.” The Lord is not talking about hearing sounds. He is not talking about hearing words or grasping messages. This kind of hearing brings with it the sense of understanding.

This story is about how God established Israel through the faith of Abraham. He gave Israel His culture and they distorted it and rejected it. And, God holds the religious leaders, partly accountable, for Israel's condition. And, now, the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus was in just two days. And, the religious leaders had been long planning it. 

The Bible is not a testimony to the best people making it up to God. It is a witness to God making it down to the worst of us. The Bible is one long story of God meeting us at our worst and in our greatest need. Will we be like the religious leaders of Israel who thought they deserved the kindness of God? Or, will we humbly live in such a way that brings glory to this God who has loved us with an ever lasting love?

Luke 20:1-8

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1 On one of those days, while Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, and announcing the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came up with the elders, and said to him, 2 ‘Tell us: by what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority?’ 3 ‘I’ve got a question for you, too,’ said Jesus, ‘so tell me this: 4 was John’s baptism from God, or was it merely human?’ 5 ‘If we say it was from God,’ they said among themselves, ‘he’ll say, So why didn’t you believe him? 6 But if we say “merely human”, all the people will stone us, since they’re convinced that John was a prophet.’ 7 So they replied that they didn’t know where John and his baptism came from. 8 ‘Very well, then,’ said Jesus. ‘Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.’ ~ Luke 20:1-8

The cleansing of the temple was an event that both captured the attention of the common folk and aroused the contempt of the Jewish religious leaders. 

And, it was the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy found in Malachi 3:1-3 which reads, "1 Look, I am sending my messenger who will clear the path before me; suddenly the Lord whom you are seeking will come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you take delight is coming, says the Lord of heavenly forces. 2 Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can withstand his appearance? He is like the refiner’s fire or the cleaner’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. They will belong to the Lord, presenting a righteous offering."

In Matthew 28:18 the Lord Jesus said, “All authority is given to Me in heaven and earth.” This is what it means to be absolutely sovereign. To have all authority means you have no human outside yourself to answer to. Of course, the Lord Jesus was in submission to His Father who gave Him the authority in the first place..

The Greek word that is used translated “authority” in this text is used three times. It means "the right to do something." To have all authority, then, is to have all power and all right to do everything and anything one wills to do. 

Now, to teach as the Lord Jesus did and to confront legalistic religion, and to have no human authority outside Himself was outrageous to the religious leaders. He went after everything they considered sacred and He quoted no Rabbi which was common for all Rabbi's of that day. He was not ordained in the  way all rabbis of that day were ordained. Nor was His theology checked and approved by the Jewish religious leaders.

The Lord Jesus was His own authority. He had to be. He had to be God because He could not be our savior without being God. He spoke prophetically. He rightly interpreted the Old Testament Scriptures. The religious leaders even admitted such. He forgave sin and He healed the sick. He raised the dead and He cast demons out of the possessed. And He did these things without ever seeking permission from any human authority. This outraged the Jewish religious leaders.

Here in Luke 20:1, it is now Wednesday. The Lord Jesus returns again to the temple to teach. Mark tells us He did it while walking in and around the courtyard of the temple. He moved among the vast crowd, teaching. And, the religious leaders were always there following Him around. This was a rabbinic way to teach, walking about and interacting with the people. 

In v.1-2 we read, "1 On one of those days, while Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, and announcing the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came up with the elders, and said to him, 2 ‘Tell us: by what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority?’"

The Jewish religious leaders had much difficulty containing their frustration and outrage. They restrained themselves by forming a question that masked their real hostility. In the end, they all collectively were overcome by their growing hatred of the Lord Jesus. This is what happens when we feed the flesh, it destroys us (See Galatians 6).

In v.3-4 we read, “‘3 I’ve got a question for you, too,’ said Jesus, ‘so tell me this: 4 was John’s baptism from God, or was it merely human?’” All good teachers always answered a question with a question to force the student deeper into the subject at hand. The Lord Jesus is not evading the question of the answer, He is just unmasking the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. 

Brilliantly, the Lord Jesus took the religious leaders back to John the Baptist. He did this for two reasons. First, John had pointed to the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. So, their rejection of John was actually a rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ as Messiah. Second, was this truth: if we do not respond positively to the truth given to us, God will not reveal new truth to us. They had refused John’s message, so they were given no more revelation at that point.

The question the Lord Jesus asks is pretty simple. Was John's baptism the work of men or was it of God? The religious leaders were stuck between either admitting the Lord Jesus is the Messiah, or they deny that John the Baptist is a prophet of God. 

In v.5-7 we read, “If we say it was from God,’ they said among themselves, ‘he’ll say, So why didn’t you believe him? 6 But if we say “merely human”, all the people will stone us, since they’re convinced that John was a prophet.’ 7 So they replied that they didn’t know where John and his baptism came from.” 

The religious leaders were deceitful in asking their question and dishonest in the way they avoided answering His. They were so steeped in deception, they could not receive or tell the truth. So, they give no answer. They self indicted themselves by being unwilling to answer the question of the Lord Jesus. They were fixed in their unbelief.

In v.8 we read, “Very well, then,’ said Jesus. ‘Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.’” At this point the numbness of the religious leaders hearts prevented them from appreciating any truth the Lord Jesus could have given them. They were to the point of no return which is the most scary place anyone can be. 

The religious leaders had missed the point of the word of God: to meet with God every time we read it. The Bible is meant to be like a pane of glass, designed for us to look through it and see God. When we come to the Bible, we must come looking for Him. The problem is most want to analyze the Bible to the point that they do not see God through it. In fact, they end up analyzing the window and subsequently become etched. The Bible is not first a blueprint for Christian living but a revelation book of the Lord Jesus who is the answer to all our questions and longings.

Luke 19:45-48

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45 He went into the Temple and began to throw out the traders. 46 ‘It’s written,’ he said, ‘my house shall be a house of prayer; but you’ve made it a brigands’ cave.’ 47 He was teaching every day in the Temple. But the chief priests, the scribes and the leading men of the people were trying to destroy him. 48 They couldn’t find any way to do it, because all the people were hanging on his every word.~ Luke 19:45-48

It was Tuesday, the day after the Lord Jesus entered Jerusalem on the donkey and it was the Passover week. The Lord Jesus lodged in Bethany that night and came into the city early the next morning. According to Mark, on His way to the temple, He cursed the fig tree. That particular tree draws His attention because it had a full covering of leaves and it should have already bore figs. This was an object lesson of Israel's rejection of the truth.

When He arrived at the temple, He entered the court of the Gentiles which was the only place in the temple that was accessible to the Gentiles. There, the Jews could witness to the Gentiles about the one true and living God. Instead of sharing their faith, they used the area for a “religious marketplace” where Jews from other lands could exchange money and purchase overpriced approved animals for the sacrifices. The priests managed this business and made a great profit from it.

In v.45 we read, "He went into the Temple and began to throw out the traders." This is the second time the Lord Jesus went into the temple to confront religion. The Jews hoped that He would overthrow Pilate and his Roman army. But, He didn't confront the pagan Romans, He confronted Judaism, the soul of the nation. The Jews didn't understand that their greatest enemy was themselves and their lust for this world's provisions. 

The ministry of the Lord Jesus has always been focused on the heart of man. It has always focused on that which concerns our relationship with Him. He is concerned about true worship of the true God in the true manner, not impacted by politics, or other earthly matters.

When the Lord Jesus entered the Court of the Gentiles, it was clear that it had been turned into a commerce center. The priests were selling animals for the needed sacrifices. And, the prices were jacked up, thus the people were being gouged with the high prices.

In v.46 we read, "It’s written,’ he said, ‘my house shall be a house of prayer; but you’ve made it a thieves’ cave."

The Temple was always designed by God to be a place of prayer, worship, devotion, confession, and praise. The religious had turned it into a circus of blasphemy and greed. 

In v.47 we read, "He was teaching every day in the Temple. But the chief priests, the scribes and the leading men of the people were trying to destroy him." 

According to Luke 20:1, the Lord Jesus was teaching the gospel. He was teaching about sin, forgiveness, and a personal relationship with God. In Matthew's gospel we learn that He was also healing the blind and the lame.

On the other hand, the religious leaders were in a rage, losing control, and so they were out to destroy the Lord Jesus. They wanted Him dead more than ever. What a contrast between the Lord and the flesh of the religious leaders.

In v.48 we read, "They couldn’t find any way to do it, because all the people were hanging on his every word." 

The people were so clued in on the teachings of the Lord Jesus, the religious leaders could not find a way to kill Him. Sadly, in a few days, the crowd decreased, and those who were left were found screaming for His death. After His resurrection, only 120 believers were in Judea gathered together and 500 were gathered in Galilee. He had been rejected, in order to fulfill God's purpose.

God has proven He is sovereign and we can trust Him with our lives. It is true that all things work together for our good when we let Him have His way in our lives. All things are not good. It would be a mockery to say that the death of a child is good.

In the chemistry of the cross, God takes things that, in and of themselves, are bad, and He puts them together, much as a chemist might take chemicals that, in and of themselves, may create danger and mixes them to make a medicine that brings healing.

When we mix sodium and chloride we get table salt. By itself, sodium is a deadly poison, and so is chloride. Salt flavors food, and a certain amount of salt is necessary for health and life. When God puts things together in the crucible of His wisdom and love, we end up as victors and benefactors. He works all things together for good, and He gives us the wonderful promise that He will always do so. We simply must trust Him!