Luke 20:1-8 · Bible study
Luke 20:1-8 Commentary: Jesus' Authority Challenged in the Temple
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why religious leaders question Jesus' authority in the temple. Study the Greek grammar of their trap and his counter-question about John's baptism.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus evades a trap by challenging the leaders' acceptance of John's divine mission, exposing their hypocrisy.
- Key words: ἐξουσίᾳ (authority, v.2,8), συνελογίσαντο (reasoned together, only in NT, v.5), καταλιθάσει (stone to death, only in NT, v.6), πεπεισμένος (having been persuaded, perfect passive, v.6).
- Main debate: Whether Jesus' refusal to answer was a legitimate response or a sign of frustration.
- Theological theme: Divine authority vs. human authority; spiritual discernment and the cost of rejecting God's messengers.
- Best use: Teaching on the wisdom of Jesus, the nature of religious hypocrisy, and the connection between John the Baptist and Jesus.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him.
2“Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”
3“I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me:
4John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?”
5They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’
6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
7So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
8And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
1On one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, the priests and scribes came to him with the elders.
2They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”
3He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me:
4the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”
5They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7They answered that they didn’t know where it was from.
8Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
KJV King James Version 1769
1And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,
2And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
3And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
4The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
6But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
7And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.
8And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1And it came to pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, there came upon him the chief priests and the scribes with the elders;
2and they spake, saying unto him, Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
3And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask you a question; and tell me:
4The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?
5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why did ye not believe him?
6But if we shall say, From men; all the people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
7And they answered, that they knew not whence it was.
8And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And it came to pass, on one of those days, as he is teaching the people in the temple, and proclaiming good news, the chief priests and the scribes, with the elders, came upon him ,
2and spake unto him, saying, `Tell us by what authority thou dost these things? or who is he that gave to thee this authority?'
3And he answering said unto them, `I will question you--I also--one thing, and tell me:
4the baptism of John, from heaven was it, or from men?'
5And they reasoned with themselves, saying--`If we may say, From heaven, he will say, Wherefore, then, did ye not believe him?
6and if we may say, From men, all the people will stone us, for they are having been persuaded John to be a prophet.'
7And they answered, that they knew not whence it was ,
8and Jesus said to them, `Neither do I say to you by what authority I do these things.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And it came to pass on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and announcing the glad tidings, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up,
2and spoke to him saying, Tell us by what authority thou doest these things, or who is it who has given thee this authority?
3And he answering said to them, I also will ask you [one] thing, and tell me:
4The baptism of John, was it of heaven or of men?
5And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say, Why have ye not believed him?
6but if we should say, Of men, the whole people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
7And they answered, they did not know whence.
8And Jesus said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1And it came to pass that on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, with the ancients, met together,
2And spoke to him, saying: Tell us, by what authority dost thou these things? Or, who is he that hath given thee this authority?
3And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one thing. Answer me:
4The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
5But they thought within themselves, saying: If we shall say, From heaven: he will say: Why then did you not believe in him?
6But if we say, of men: the whole people will stone us. For they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
7And they answered that they knew not whence it was.
8And Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 20:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this passage records a deliberate confrontation. The religious leaders, chief priests, scribes, and elders, interrupt Jesus while he is teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel (Luke 20:1). Their question about authority is not sincere but designed to trap him (Matthew Henry; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). Jesus' counter-question about John's baptism exposes their hypocrisy (Gill). The leaders cannot answer without losing credibility: admitting John's baptism was from heaven would force them to explain why they rejected his testimony to Jesus, while denying it would enrage the crowds who held John as a prophet (Lange; Cambridge Bible). By pleading ignorance, they forfeit their right to question Jesus, and he refuses to answer them (Barnes; Mark 11:33). The passage demonstrates Jesus' wisdom in turning his opponents' challenge back on themselves, and it reveals the leaders' deeper refusal to acknowledge God's authority at work in both John and Jesus.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The religious leaders challenged Jesus' authority insincerely, and Jesus exposed their bad faith by tying his mission to John the Baptist's divine calling.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus' refusal to answer | All traditions agree that Jesus' refusal was justified by the leaders' bad faith. He was not evading a sincere question. | Some emphasize Jesus' right to withhold truth from those who reject it (Matthew 7:6); others focus on the leaders' cowardice and dishonesty. |
| The significance of John's baptism | John's ministry was from God, and Jesus ties his own authority to John's prophetic witness. | There is no debate on this point across traditions. |
| The leaders' motive | The leaders were not seeking truth but trying to trap Jesus and discredit him publicly. | Some stress their political calculation and fear of Rome; others emphasize their theological blindness and refusal to repent. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This encounter takes place in Jerusalem during the final week of Jesus' life. The Cambridge Bible places it on a Tuesday after the Triumphal Entry and the cleansing of the temple. Clarke notes it happened “on one of the four last days of his life,” likely the day after the fig tree curse and the temple cleansing. Jesus had returned to the temple courts to teach, and Luke emphasizes he was preaching the Good News (v.1). The temple was the nerve center of Jewish religious authority. Poole's annotations explain that Jewish custom likely prohibited anyone from teaching in the temple without official authorization from the chief priests and elders. By clearing the temple of merchants and then teaching there, Jesus was acting as if he had the authority of a prophet or even the Messiah. This directly challenged the power of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council made up of chief priests, scribes, and elders. Their question, “By what authority do you do these things?”, reflects their need to control who could speak in God's house. Mark 11:27-33 and Matthew 21:23-27 confirm this same confrontation. The reference to John's baptism in verse 4 is crucial because John was widely recognized as a prophet. His baptism was a public call to repentance, and he had identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). Herod Antipas had already killed John, but the people revered him; Josephus also notes the people's devotion to John (Antiquities 18.5.2). The leaders' fear of being stoned (v.6) was real, mob violence against religious authorities was not unknown, as the stoning of Stephen later shows (Acts 7). By refusing to answer Jesus' question, the leaders admitted they were more concerned with public opinion and their own position than with truth.
Textual Notes
The Cambridge Bible notes that the words “of those” (ἐκείνων) are omitted in some early manuscripts (א, B, D, L, Q) in verse 1. This does not change the meaning, it simply locates the event “on one of the days” rather than “on one of those days.” The consulted sources mention no other significant textual variants for this passage.
Reception History
This passage has been consistently read across traditions as a model of Jesus' divine wisdom in debate. Early church fathers like Augustine used it to show how Christ turns human questions back to reveal the heart. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin both pointed to the leaders' hypocrisy as a warning against trusting in human authority rather than God's Word. In the Wesleyan tradition, Adam Clarke highlights the contrast between the leaders' self-interest and Jesus' courage. The passage appears in lectionaries for Holy Week, drawing attention to the mounting opposition Jesus faced before his crucifixion.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The setting of confrontation (vv.1-2). Jesus preaches the gospel in the temple, and the religious leaders interrupt him with a question about his authority. Their challenge is not an honest inquiry but an attempt to discredit him publicly.
- The counter-question (vv.3-4). Jesus asks about John's baptism: was it from heaven or from men? He ties his own authority to John's divine mission, forcing the leaders to take a stand on God's work through his forerunner.
- The leaders' dilemma and defeat (vv.5-8). Caught between their fear of the people and their unwillingness to accept John's testimony, they plead ignorance. Jesus then refuses to answer them, exposing their bad faith.
Five-point outline
- Jesus' public ministry in the temple (v.1). He is teaching and preaching the gospel, fulfilling his prophetic role despite the threats around him.
- The leaders' challenge (v.2). They demand to know his credentials, questioning his right to teach and act in the temple precincts.
- Jesus' counter-question (vv.3-4). He redirects the debate to John, asking them to assess the origin of John's ministry. The question is not a diversion but a test of their own spiritual discernment.
- Their inner reasoning (vv.5-6). They calculate political consequences rather than theological truth. They are not ignorant, they are duplicitous.
- The refusal to answer (vv.7-8). They lie, claiming not to know. Jesus declines to satisfy them, leaving them in the silence their hypocrisy deserves.
Illustration hooks
- A manager at a company challenges a new employee’s credentials in a meeting, not to get information but to embarrass them. The employee’s calm response forces the manager to reveal their own insecurity or bad motives.
- A parent is asked by a teenager why they must follow a specific rule. The parent asks back, “Do you trust me?”, the real issue is not the rule but the relationship.
- A politician is asked by reporters to justify a policy decision, but the answer depends on a prior question they’ve evaded. Redirecting the conversation forces the issue into the open.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did Jesus not answer the leaders directly? Did he owe them an answer?
- What is the significance of John's baptism in this exchange? How does that connect to Jesus' authority?
- How do I know when a challenge to my faith or actions is sincere versus intended to trap me?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows Jesus facing a direct challenge to his authority from the religious establishment. As you work through the questions, pay attention to the leaders’ motives and how Jesus responds. His method of turning the question back on them is not evasion but wisdom. Consider what it means to trust God's authority when human approval is withheld.
Discussion questions
- What do we learn about Jesus from the fact that he continued teaching the gospel in the temple even after the leaders' earlier opposition (Luke 19:47-48)?
- Why do the leaders ask about his authority? What does their question reveal about their assumptions?
- Jesus asks about John's baptism, why does he choose this particular question? How does it connect to his own authority?
- Verse 5 says the leaders “reasoned with themselves.” What does their internal debate reveal about their priorities?
- The leaders feared the people more than they feared God. In what situations do you face a similar pressure?
- Jesus refuses to answer them when they plead ignorance. Is this fair? Why does he do it?
- How does this passage call us to be honest about what we know, and what we don't know, when it comes to God's work?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Chronicles 24:1 | These were the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. |
| I Chronicles 24:31 | These likewise cast lots even as their brothers the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites, the fathers’ households of the chief even as those of his younger brother. |
| Matthew 21:23 | When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?” |
| Matthew 21:27 | They answered Jesus, and said, “We don’t know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. |
| Matthew 26:55 | In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me. |
| Mark 11:27 | They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him, |
| Mark 11:33 | They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” |
| Luke 8:1 | Soon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke pinpoints the setting of this confrontation to one of Jesus' last days, likely Tuesday before the Passover. He narrows the vague phrase "one of those days" to a specific moment in Holy Week, tying the question about authority directly to the final events of Jesus' life.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes offers no fresh comment on this verse. He simply directs the reader to his earlier notes on Matthew 21:23-27 for an explanation of the present passage.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the Sanhedrin came upon Jesus suddenly and in a body, angry because His temple cleansing cost them rental income. Their internal reasoning shows they knew John's baptism was from heaven but lied to avoid confessing the truth, exposing their sacrifice of conscience for self-interest.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the religious leaders' hatred grew not from misunderstanding Jesus but from understanding Him too well; the clearer the light, the deeper their malice. Jesus' counter-question about John's baptism was a strategic trap that exposed their dishonesty and left them defenseless.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on the detail that Christ, having purchased salvation, also published it himself by preaching in the temple. This fact confirms the gospel’s truth and honors every faithful preacher, who shares in Christ’s own work. The interruption by enemies shows Satan’s effort to block the preaching that most weakens his kingdom.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights two rare Greek words that appear only once in the New Testament. The word for "they reasoned" includes a prefix meaning "together," pointing to an intense, close discussion among themselves. The word for "stone" means "stone down," indicating a deliberate, fatal attack.