Money Changers

LUKE — LESSON 20

Scriptures for this lesson are taken from Luke 19.

In lesson 19 we studied the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 and then moved to the Gospel of John chapters 11 and 12 to study about the death and resurrection of Lazarus that was used by God to bring about the crucifixion of Christ at the coming Passover which was only a couple of weeks away. We will now go back to the gospel of Luke chapter 19.

[Luke 19:28-31] (28) After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. (29) As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, (30) “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. (31) If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

“After this”, refers to the parable that Jesus told in Luke 19:11-27. In the NIV it is referred to as the “Parable of the 10 Minas.” In other versions it is called “Parable of the Pounds.” Jesus told this parable as He was coming near to Jerusalem. The people who were following Jesus thought that the Kingdom of God was going to be established on the earth all at once and soon. So Jesus told this story that shows we are responsible for how we use the wealth, means and time that God gives here on earth. There will be rewards and punishments when Jesus comes again. The story seems to refer to Jesus’ second coming. Our life here on earth is a training time for that next life and we will be held responsible for how we use it.

Jesus had come across the Jordan River from Peraea, over to Jericho where He met Zacchaeus in the tree and then went to his home for dinner. In Luke 19:28, Jesus approached Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives just outside Jerusalem. He sent two of His disciples to go ahead to Bethphage (Matthew 21:1-9) where they would find a colt, a young donkey that had never been ridden tied up. If anyone challenged them for taking the donkey they were to say, “The Lord needs it.”

[Luke 19:32-40] (32) Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. (33) As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” (34) They replied, “The Lord needs it.” (35) They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. (36) As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. (37) When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: (38) “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (39) Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” (40) “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Jesus’ disciples were obedient in going to Bethphage where they found the young donkey just as Jesus told them they would. The owner of the donkey asked why they were taking it and they replied as Jesus instructed, “The Lord needs it.” Apparently the owner was okay with that. Whether the donkey was returned to the owner is not told but a young colt was a valuable animal to the owner so he was being generous in allowing them to take it. When they came to Jesus they put their outer cloaks on the donkey so that Jesus would have a more comfortable ride. As Jesus and His disciples moved closer to Jerusalem down the road that went through the Mount of Olives, a big crowd was moving with them. They spread their cloaks in the road as was customary for an entering king and waived palm branches. As they walked along they were shouting out praises to the King. “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” These praises were acknowledging that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Some of the Pharisees who were in the crowd told Jesus to tell them not to call Him, “Messiah and Son of God.” But Jesus said that if they did not shout it out that the rocks along the road would. He was the Messiah, the Son of God entering the Holy City, Jerusalem as its King. Why was Jesus riding on a donkey? Why not a great stallion? It was a custom in that time if a King or the leader of an army entered a city on a white horse; they were coming to do battle. If they rode in on a donkey, they were coming in peace. So, in this case, Jesus entered the Holy City as its King who came in peace. The next time Jesus comes He will come to do battle with the gentile nations.

[Luke 19:41-44] (41) As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it (42) and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes. (43) The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. (44) They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

Jerusalem, the city that God had chosen as the place where He would dwell with His people, Israel, had received her king and was about to reject Him. As Jesus looked over the city, He wept because of their great loss and what it was going to cost the people before they were willing to accept Him as their Messiah. The great trials and tribulations they would go through. In about forty years the Romans, led by Titus, would take the city and destroy it. Many times of war and troubles would follow. Hitler’s determination to destroy all Jews brought such terrible suffering and loss of life. It is estimated that over SIX MILLION Jews were killed in concentration camps during WWII.

[Luke 19:45-48] (45) When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. (46) “It is written,” He said to them, “My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.” (47) Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. (48) Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

The Temple was God’s dwelling place. It was here that the people brought their gifts and sacrifices to God as their worship under the Old Covenant Mosaic Law. The family of the High Priests, led by Annas owned the booths where they changed money to temple money, sold lambs, bulls, pigeons and turtle doves that were used for the sacrifices. People could bring their own animals but the priests would say they were unfit and force the people to purchase their animals and birds from them. They cheated and robbed the people by charging too much. When Jesus came into the temple area with His whip driving the booth tenders out, He was publicly and personally attacking the integrity of the High Priest’s family. They were supposed to be the spiritual leaders for the people, but instead they used them and their worship system to make themselves rich! This was not pleasing to God.

We will go now to Luke chapter 20. These events told by Luke happened during Jesus’ last week on earth. He is in Jerusalem where He will spend time in the temple speaking and teaching God’s Word.

[Luke 20:1-8] (1) One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. (2) “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” (3) He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: (4) John’s baptism — was it from heaven, or of human origin?” (5) They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ (6) But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” (7) So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.” (8) Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

This scene showed Jesus in the temple teaching His disciples who were gathered in front of Him and a larger crowd to the side listened. The Priests and Pharisees dressed in their fine robes were also listening trying to hear Jesus say something that they could use against Him. Following the raising of Lazarus, the High Priest had declared that Jesus must die. On Monday of Jesus’ last week He had chased the men who worked for the High Priest’s family selling the sacrificial animals and changing the money out of the temple area. In Luke 20:2 it is Tuesday of Jesus’ last week. The religious leaders asked Jesus who gave Him the authority to teach about God’s Kingdom. The people where acknowledging that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah. What they were actually asking was whether Jesus was claiming that He was the Messiah or a man or a prophet. Who did He say He was? If He said that He was the Messiah then they could say He was guilty of blasphemy and have cause to stone Him. But Jesus, knowing what they were doing, asked them whether John’s baptism was from God or from man. Well John the Baptist was very popular with the people and they feared if they denied that John was a true prophet of God they people would rise up and kill them. If they said that John was a prophet then why did they not believe his message? So they did not answer Jesus’ question. Then Jesus refused to answer their question.

[Luke 20:9-18] (9) He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. (10) At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. (11) He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. (12) He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. (13) “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’ (14) “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ (15) So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? (16) He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!” (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.”

This parable follows the Jewish religious leaders trying to get Jesus to openly say that He was the Messiah, trying to use that to have Him killed. Jesus tells this story aimed directly at them. The man who planted a vineyard represents God. The vineyard is Israel and the nation’s mission to teach the world about God and God’s laws. The servants are God’s prophets, John the Baptist being the last. The fruit is the souls of men. The heir to the vineyard is Jesus Christ. Plainly Jesus was saying to the religious leaders, “you are the leaders of Israel and you should be teaching the people to love God first, to love each other, to take care of the poor, etc. But you have failed. You are righteous on the outside and sinners on the inside. God’s prophets have come to warn you but you killed them. Now God has sent His Son and you will kill Him. God will destroy you and give your ministry to others.” Jesus went on to say that they rejected the cornerstone which is Jesus and that rejection will be their downfall. Then Jesus said that anyone, on whom the cornerstone falls, meaning Jesus as judge, will be destroyed. These are strong words of condemnation coming from Jesus toward the Priests and other religious leaders.

[Luke 20:19-26] (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. (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.

The priests and religious leaders were really upset with Jesus after the parable he told about them so they arranged for spies who would be dressed like the people who regularly followed Jesus to blend into the crowd to try to get Him to say something that they could use to bring a charge of treason against Him and take it to the Roman governor who was the only one who could deliver a death sentence. They desperately wanted Jesus dead. One of their spies asked Jesus if it was right for a Jew to pay taxes to Rome or should they pay their tithes to God. This was a very clever question because the people hated paying taxes to Rome. If Jesus said to pay taxes to Rome then the people would be upset with Him, and if he said to pay the tax money to God instead then that would be against the Roman law and could be called treason. But Jesus could see into their minds and He knew what they were trying to do, so He answered the question by asking them a question: (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.” They had no answer. They were no match for Jesus.

[Luke 20:27-40] (27) Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. (28) “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. (29) Now there were seven brothers. (30) The first one married a woman and died childless. (31) The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. (32) Finally, the woman died, too. (33) Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” (34) Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. (35) But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, (36) and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. (37) But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. (38) He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (39) Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” (40) And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Still trying to get Jesus to say something that they could use against Him, some Sadducees asked Him a question about marriage. First, let me say that the Sadducees did not believe in resurrection of the dead. The Pharisees, however, did believe in resurrection. The Sadducees chose the law of Levirate marriage taken from Deuteronomy 25:5-10 to try to get Jesus so answer in a way that would make trouble for Him among the Pharisees. Briefly this law says that if a married man dies and he has no sons then his brother should marry his wife and her first son would be the dead man’s heir. The purpose for this was to take care of the widows and to keep the tribal lands in the hands of their rightful families. Once again, Jesus was way ahead of them. His answer gives us an insight into what our life after earthly death will be like. In heaven there will be no married life and no one will die. We will be like the angels praising God and doing His will day and night. Note that Jesus did not say that we would be angels but that we would be like the angels, not marrying and not dying. Well the scribes and Pharisees praised Jesus for His answer but the Sadducees had no more to say.

[Luke 20:41-47] (41) Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? (42) David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand (43) until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ (45) While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, (46) “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. (47) They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Jesus quoted Psalm 110:10. The Pharisees were pleased with Jesus’ answer about the resurrection of the dead and life in heaven, but they were silent about Jesus’ question about the Messiah being the son of David. The Psalm 110 said basically that Jesus as the Son of God was David’s Lord, but as a man Jesus was the son of David. The scribes were the teachers and the interpreters of the Law. They went around wearing their long tasseled robes, sitting in the most prominent seats in the synagogues and banquets, making long loud prayers in public places trying to look pious and righteous, but they used their position to steal the homes of widows and the poor. Jesus said that they would receive severe punishment for their hypocrisy.

Lessons learned from Luke 19:28-20:47:

1. We should be generous with our gifts to the Lord.

2. When the Lord calls, we should be obedient to go.

3. We need to be sincere in our worship. God will not tolerate hypocrisy.

4. Out time here on earth is but a training time for our next life. We will be held responsible for how we use our spiritual gifts, our time and all wealth that God gives us.

Previous ↔ Next