Luke 20 Luke 20:1–8 Christ silences those who questioned his authority. Luke 20:9–18 The parable of the vineyard let out to wicked husbandmen. Luke 20:19–26 The chief priests and scribes seek matter against him: his reply to their insidious question concerning: paying tribute to Caesar.

We have along the history of the gospel observed, that the scribes and Pharisees took all advantages imaginable against our Saviour: failing in all their acts, they now come to question his authority, which seemeth not so much to have respect to his preaching, as to his act in casting of the buyers…

See Poole on “Matt. 21:24”, and following verses to Matt. 21:27. See Poole on “Mark 11:29”, and following verses to Mark 11:33. The substance of our Saviour’s answer is this: From whence had John his authority? He preached and baptized; who gave him his authority? They had sent much such another…

We met with this parable at large both in Matt. 21:33–41, and in Mark 12:1–11. Its obvious scope is to let them know, that God in righteous judgment, for the Jews’ abusing the Lord’s prophets, John the Baptist, and himself, who was in a few days to be killed by them, would unchurch and destroy…

There is nothing in these verses, but what we before met with, and is opened in the notes on Matt. 21:45–46, or Mark 12:12–13. They let us see as in a glass the spirit and genius of wicked men filled with malice against the gospel.

This piece of history we have likewise met with, both in Matt. 22:16–22, Mark 12:14–17.

See Poole on “Matt. 22:23”, and following verses to Matt. 22:32, See Poole on “Mark 12:18”, and following verses to Mark 12:27, where all the passages in this piece of history are fully opened.

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.

The answer had been easy if the scribes and Pharisees, who (Matthew saith) were there also, had owned Christ to be the Son of God. But this they did not own, and so, as Matt. 22:46 tells us, No man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

We have met with all this before, See Poole on “Luke 11:43”. See Poole on “Matt. 23:6–7”. See Poole on “Mark 12:38”, and following verses to Mark 12:40.