Luke 20:39

The scribes were students in the law, and expositors of it to the people, men in reputation for wisdom and honour, but the generality of them were enemies to Christ and his gospel. Now here we have some of them attending him, and four things we have in these verses concerning them, which we had before: -

I. We have them here commending the reply which Christ made to the Sadducees concerning the resurrection: Certain of the scribes said, Master, thou hast well said, Luk 20:39. Christ had the testimony of his adversaries that he said well; and therefore the scribes were his enemies because he would not conform to the traditions of the elders, but yet when he vindicated the fundamental practices of religion, and appeared in the defence of them, even the scribes commended his performance, and owned that he said well. Many that call themselves Christians come short even of this spirit.

II. We have them here struck with an awe of Christ, and of his wisdom and authority (Luk 20:40): They durst not ask him any questions at all, because they say that he was too hard for all that contended with him. His own disciples, though weak, yet, being willing to receive his doctrine, durst ask him any question; but the Sadducees, who contradicted and cavilled at his doctrine, durst ask him none.

III. We have them here puzzled and run aground with a question concerning the Messiah, Luk 20:41. It was plain by many scriptures that Christ was to be the Son of David; even the blind man knew this (Luk 18:39); and yet it was plain that David called the Messiah his Lord (Luk 20:42, Luk 20:44), his owner, and ruler, and benefactor: The Lord said to my Lord. God said it to the Messiah, Psa 110:1. Now if he be his Son, why doth he call him his Lord? If he be his Lord, why do we call him his Son? This he left them to consider of, but they could not reconcile this seeming contradiction; thanks be to God, we can; that Christ, as God, was David's Lord, but Christ, as man, was David's Son. He was both the root and the offspring of David, Rev 22:16. By his human nature he was the offspring of David, a branch of his family; by his divine nature he was the root of David, from whom he had his being and life, and all the supplies of grace.

IV. We have them here described in their black characters, and a public caution given to the disciples to take heed of them, Luk 20:45-47. This we had, just as it is here, Mar 12:38, and more largely Mt. 23. Christ bids his disciples beware of the scribes, that is,

1. "Take heed of being drawn into sin by them, of learning their way, and going into their measures; beware of such a spirit as they are governed by. Be not you such in the Christian church as they are in the Jewish church."

2. "Take heed of being brought into trouble by them," in the same sense that he had said (Mat 10:17), "Beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils; beware of the scribes, for they will do so. Beware of them, for," (1.) "They are proud and haughty. They desire to walk about the streets in long robes, as those that are above business (for men of business went with their loins girt up), and as those that take state, and take place." Cedant arma togae - Let arms yield to the gown. They loved in their hearts to have people make their obeisance to them in the markets, that many might see what respect was paid them; and were very proud of the precedency that was given them in all places of concourse. They loved the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts, and, when they were placed in them, looked upon themselves with great conceit and upon all about them with great contempt. I sit as a queen. (2.) "They are covetous and oppressive, and make their religion a cloak and cover for crime." They devour widows' houses, get their estates into their hands, and then by some trick or other make them their own, or they live upon them, and eat up what they have; and widows are an easy prey to them, because they are apt to be deluded by their specious pretences: for a show they make long prayers, perhaps long prayers with the widows when they are in sorrow, as if they had not only a piteous but a pious concern for them, and thus endeavour to ingratiate themselves with them, and get their money and effects into their hands. Such devout men may surely be trusted with untold gold; but they will give such an account of it as they think fit.

Christ reads them their doom in a few words: These shall receive a more abundant judgment, a double damnation, both for their abuse of the poor widows, whose houses they devoured, and for their abuse of religion, and particularly of prayer, which they had made use of as a pretence for the more plausible and effectual carrying on of their worldly and wicked projects; for dissembled piety is double iniquity.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

20:39 Well said, Teacher! Most teachers of religious law were Pharisees, so they agreed with Jesus on the resurrection and were pleased that he refuted the Sadducees.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 20:39. Καλῶς εἶπας, Thou hast well said) On this ground also, as well as on others, the truth should be freely spoken, because, though (when) it offends some, it however is approved of by others.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 20:39 . καλῶς εἶπας , Thou hast spoken well; complimentary, but insincere, or only half sincere. They are glad to have the Sadducees put down, but not glad that Jesus triumphed.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

scribes . . . well said--enjoying His victory over the Sadducees.

they durst not--neither party, both for the time utterly foiled.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(39) Master, thou hast well said.—The words came, it is obvious, from the better section of the Pharisees, who welcomed this new defence of the doctrine on which their faith rested.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

39. Then certain of the scribes] Even the Pharisees could not fail to see the luminous wisdom and spiritual depth of our Lord’s reply, and while all of them would rejoice at this unanswerable confutation of their hereditary opponents, some of them would have the candour to express their approval. Truth will always offend some, but others will value it. After this grateful acknowledgment, however, one of them could not refrain from gratifying the insatiable spirit of casuistry by asking Christ ‘which is the great commandment of the Law?’ (Mat_22:34-40; Mar_12:28-34.) This incident is omitted by St Luke, because he has given similar ones before.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then in the audience of all the people,.... Whilst they were about him, and hearing him, and for their sakes too;

he said unto his disciples; yea, he spake to the multitude, as well as to the disciples, as appears from Mat 23:1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

Ver. 39. Thou hast well said] Because he had set down the Sadducees, who were their counterfactionists.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See the notes at Mar 12:32.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Scribes, seeing the Sadducees thus silenced, seemed to side entirely with our Saviour saying: Master, thou hast said well. And, apprehensive of being exposed to a similar disgrace and discomfiture themselves, they were afraid to ask him any more questions. But this was only an apparent and false conformity; for they afterwards procured him to be put to death by the Romans. Thus mortal hatred or envy may indeed be smothered for a time, but can hardly ever be extinguished. (Theophylactus)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The scribes were the Jewish doctors of the Pharisees faction, and enemies to the Sadducees; they applaud our Saviour’s answer: thus as the Herodians before, (in the case of the tribute), so the Sadducees here, are put to silence. He will now put the scribes and Pharisees to silence.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 39, 40. Then certain of the scribes answering, said, Master, thou hast well said. And after that they durst not ask him any question at all. "This prompt and sublime answer filled with admiration the scribes, who had so often sought this decisive word in Hoses without finding it; they cannot restrain themselves from testifying their joyful surprise. Aware from this time forth that every snare laid for him will be the occasion for a glorious manifestation of his wisdom, they give up this method of attack" (Godet).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The counter-question of Jesus:

v. 39. Then certain of the scribes, answering, said, Master, Thou hast well said.

v. 40. And after that they durst not ask Him any question at all.

v. 41. And He said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s Son?

v. 42. And David himself saith in the Book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand,

v. 43. till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.

v. 44. David therefore calleth Him Lord, how is He, then, his Son?

The answer of Jesus had been so convincing that even some of the scribes had to admit that He had spoken well. And all the enemies having been vanquished and no longer daring to ask any questions, the Lord, on His part, assumed the offensive. The question which He here put is one of the great questions of the ages. Its answer has become a touchstone to distinguish the believers from the unbelievers. How can people say that Christ is the Son of David? What think ye of Christ, whose son is He? How does the fact that He is called David’s Son agree with the fact that David himself, in Psa 110:1, calls Him his Lord? Though Christ therefore is truly the Son of David, the descendant of David according to the flesh, yet He is at the same time a Lord, David’s Lord, the Son of God. Now, since Jesus had from the beginning claimed for Himself the Sonship of God, Christ’s is the unanswerable question of the ages for all such as do not believe the Scriptures or want to modify the Bible to suit their so-called modern. ideas. But for everyone that believes the old Gospel word for word, He is true God, born of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The design of our blessed Saviour in propounding this question to the Pharisees, (how Christ could be David’s son, when David by inspiration called him Lord) was two-fold:

1. To confute the people’s erroneous opinion touching the person of the Messiah, who they thought should be a mere man, of the stock and lineage of David only, and not the Son of God.

2. To strengthen the faith of his disciples touching his Godhead, against the time that they should see him suffer and rise again: the place Christ alludes to is The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand. Psa 110:1 The Lord, that is, to God the Son; who was to be incarnate, whom David calls his Lord, both as God, and as Mediator, his Lord by a right of creation and redemption also.

Now the question our Saviour puts to the Pharisees is this, how Christ could be both David’s Lord, and David’s Son? No son being Lord of his own father; therefore if Christ were David’s Sovereign, he must be more than man, more than David’s son. As man, he was David’s son; as God-man was David’s Lord.

Note hence, 1. That though Christ was truly and really Man, yet he was more than a mere man; he was Lord unto, and the salvation of, his own forefathers.

Note, 2. That the only way to reconcile the scriptures which speak concerning Christ, is to believe and acknowledge him to be both God and Man in one person. The Messiah, as man, was to come forth out of David’s loins; but as God-man, was David’s Lord, his Sovereign and Saviour: as man he was David’s son; as God-man, he was Lord of his own father.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Some of the scribes answered

"Some of the scribes said to Jesus." There were scribes present when the Sadducees were questioning Jesus. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

For they

It is unclear if this refers to the scribes, or the Sadducees, or both. It is best to keep the statement general.

they did not dare ask him any more questions

"they were afraid to ask ... questions" or "they did not risk asking ... questions." They understood that they did not know as much as Jesus did, but they did not want to say that. This can be made explicit. AT: "they did ask him any more tricky questions because they feared that his wise answers would make them appear foolish again" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

scribe

teacher

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

39. τινες τῶν γραμματέων. Even the Pharisees could not fail to see the luminous wisdom and spiritual depth of our Lord’s reply, and while all of them would rejoice at this confutation of their opponents, some of them would have the candour to express their approval. Truth will always offend some, but others will value it. After this grateful acknowledgment, however, one of them could not refrain from gratifying the insatiable spirit of casuistry by asking Christ ‘which is the great commandment of the Law?’ (Mat 22:34-40; Mar 12:28-34). This incident is omitted by St Luke, because he has given similar ones before.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

39, 40. The Testimony of the Scribes. Some of the Pharisees could not refrain from expressing their admiration of the manner in which lesus had vanquished their opponents. That proof of the doctrine of the resurrection, which Sadducees had defied a Pharisees to find in the Pentateuch, Jesus had produced, and in the most convincing manner. The scribes were now persuaded that it was useless to ply Jesus with hard questions. Such attempts merely gave Him the opportunity of winning victories. But we learn from Mt. and Mk. that one of them came forward to try Him once more (πειράζων αὐτόν) with a question that was much debated, as to which commandment was chief. There is nothing to show, however, that there was any snare in the question: the scribe may have wished to try His sagacity on a point which was very interesting. That a similar inquiry has been narrated elsewhere (10:25), may be Lk.’s reason for omitting the incident here.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.