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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Luke 20:23

Why tempt ye mey&c. Our Lord saw at once that it was a cunning test-question meant only to entrap Him. Not for a moment did these fawning spies deceive him though

"Neither man nor angel can discern

Hypocrisy, the only evil that walks

Invisible, except to God alone."

These Pharisees were illustrating the truth that "no form of self-deceit is more hateful than that which veils spite and falsehood under the guise of frankness, and behind the profession of religion."

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See also Luke 20:23 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    See this explained in the Matthew 22:15 notes, and Mark 12:13 notes....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 _ 1. His Authority Demanded and His Answer.(Luke 20:1)_ 2. Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen. (Luke 20:9) 3. Question about Tribute to Caesar. (Luke 20:20) 4. The Question Concerning Resu...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE QUESTION OF TRIBUTE (Mark 12:13 *, Matthew 22:15 *). The authorities send spies who pretend to be honest inquirers, pious observers of the Law, with a really conscientious scruple. Luke 20:21. th...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    BY WHAT AUTHORITY? (Luke 20:1-8)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    The scribes and chief priests tried to lay hands on Jesus at that very hour; and they feared the people, for they realized that he spoke this parable to them. They watched for an opportunity, and they...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    PERCEIVED. discerned. Greek. _katanoeo._ Not the same word as in Luke 20:19. CRAFTINESS. cunning. Greek. _panourgia._ Used only by Luke (here), and Paul (1 Corinthians 3:19; 2 Corinthians 4:2;...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    QUESTION ABOUT THE TRIBUTE MONEY...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 19. And the Chief Priests and the Scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. 20. And they watche...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΚΑΤΑΝΟΉΣΑΣ _aor. act. part. (temp.) от_ ΚΑΤΑΝΟΈΩ (G2657) обращать внимание, воспринимать, внимательно рассматривать. ΠΑΝΟΥΡΓΊΑ (G3834) _букв._ готовность ко всему, навык, в отрицательном смысле: улов...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTS SECTION 3 Religion and Government (Luke 20:20-26) 20So they watched him, and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might take hold of what he said, so as to deliver hi...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    APPLEBURY'S COMMENTS _The Search For An Excuse Scripture_ Luke 20:19-47 And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in that very hour; and they feared the people: for they percei...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    44 Compare Mic_3:12; Mat_24:2. 45-48 Compare Mat_21:12-17; Mar_11:11; Mar_11:15-19. 45 His kingdom will be a combination of church and state and He will be the Head of both. Hence He not only presen...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    VARIOUS INCIDENTS OF THE LAST WEEK 1-8. The authority of Jesus challenged (Matthew 21:23; Mark 11:27). See on Mt....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TRIBUTE MONEY (Matthew 22:15; Mark 12:13). See on Mt....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LUKE’S GOOD NEWS LUKE _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 20 THE QUESTION ABOUT JESUS’ AUTHORITY 20:1-8 V1 One day Jesus was in the *Temple. He was teaching the people and declaring the Good News. The chief...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THEIR CRAFTINESS. — The Greek noun does not appear in the other Gospels, but is used four times by St. Paul, as in 2 Corinthians 4:2; Ephesians 4:14....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (20-26) AND THEY WATCHED HIM. — See Notes on Matthew 22:15 and Mark 12:13. AND SENT FORTH SPIES. — The noun is, again, one of St. Luke’s characteristic words not used by any other New Testament writer...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _The tribute question_ (Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17)....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    πανουργίαν, craft, cunning, as in 2 Corinthians 4:2, which possibly the evangelist had in his eye. Each synoptist has his own word here (πονηρίαν Mt., ὑπόκρισιν Mk.) as if trying to describe the indes...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    TRIBUTE TO CAESAR AND TO GOD Luke 20:19-26 Fearing to touch Him themselves, and finding no foothold against Him according to the Mosaic law, His enemies sought to bring Christ into collision with th...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This chapter records the remarkable happenings gathered around our Lord's entrance into the Temple. By a parable He revealed the awful sin and failure of the Hebrew nation, culminating in His own reje...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    But he perceived their (f) craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? (f) Craftiness is a certain diligence and subtle knowledge to do evil, which is achieved by much use and great practise in...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    TRIBUTE TO CAESAR Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26. “And lying in wait for Him, they sent sharpers, hypocritically claiming to be righteous, that they may catch His word, in order to del...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    4. _The Question of the Pharisees: Luke 20:20-26_. The official question of the Sanhedrim served only to prepare a triumph for Jesus. From this time forth the different parties make attempts on Him s...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The last chapter gave in the judgment of present things, another world and eternal things in good and evil, the Lord's instruction for the disciples after the dealings of grace in Luke 15:1-32, and th...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    It will be remarked here that, as He draws nigh to Jerusalem, the Lord weeps over the city. It is not now as in Matthew, where, while discoursing with the Jews, He points it out to them as that which...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT HE PERCEIVED THEIR CRAFTINESS,.... Knowing what was in them, and being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of their hearts, he clearly saw that their view was either, that they might have a ch...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And they watched him_ For an elucidation of this paragraph, see on Matthew 22:16, and Mark 12:13; _and sent spies, which should feign themselves just men_ Men scrupulously conscientious in every poin...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    Tribute to Cesar-the resurrection. Matthew 22:15-33....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The answer of Jesus:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BUT HE PERCEIVED THEIR CRAFTINESS AND SAID UNTO THEM, WHY TEMPT YE ME?...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    AUTHORITY:FROM HEAVEN OR OF MEN? (vs.1-8) The chief priests and scribes used every means they could to discredit the Lord Jesus among the people. While He was teaching and preaching in the temple, th...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    20-26 Those who are most crafty in their designs against Christ and his gospel, cannot hide them. He did not give a direct answer, but reproved them for offering to impose upon him; and they could no...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SEE POOLE ON "LUKE 20:21...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Luke 20:23 But G1161 perceived G2657 (G5660) their G846 craftiness G3834 said G2036 (G5627) to G4314 them...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose image and superscription has it?” And they said, “Caesar's.” ' Jesus, however, saw through them immediately. And so He...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SECOND TEST: IS IT LAWFUL TO GIVE TRIBUTE TO CAESAR? (20:20-26). In the chiasmus of the Section this challenge parallels the challenge concerning His authority (Luke 20:1). Sneakily they seek to...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Passing over the incident of the barren fig tree (Monday evening and Tuesday morning, on the way to and from Bethany) related by Matthew and Mark, Luke gives a sketch of the various assaults made upon...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Luke 20:20-26. THE QUESTION RESPECTING TRIBUTE. See on Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17. Luke's account states more fully the crafty method of the chief-priests, but as regards the interview itself pre...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    PERCEIVED (κατανοησας). From κατανοεω, to put the mind down on. Mark has ειδως, "knowing," and Matthew γνους, coming to know or grasping (second aorist active participle of γινωσκω).CRAFTINESS (π...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jesus' authority questioned. Parable of the vineyard. Question of the tribute money. Answer to Sadducees about resurrection. Jesus questions Scribes. CHARACTERS: Jesus, priests, Scribes, Jo...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Luke 20:2. _Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things._ A question after all his miracles which offered the foulest insult to God, and was the emanation of complot and of malice. See Matthew...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    TELL US, IS IT AGAINST OUR LAW? For notes on this question about paying taxes, see Matthew 22:15-22....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _They watched Him_ CHRIST WAS WATCHED, AND SO ARE WE The chief priests and rulers of the Jews watched Jesus, but not to learn the way of salvation. They watched Him with the evil eyes of malice and...

  • The Gospels Compared

    RELIGIOUS LEADERS QUESTION JESUS ABOUT PAYING TAXES MATTHEW 22:15-22; MARK 12:13-17; LUKE 20:20-26; MATTHEW 22:15 Then went

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 20 VER. 36. _They are equal unto the angels._ So the Arabic, Syriac, Egyptian, Persian, and Ethiopic; equal in celibacy, immortality, glory. As therefore the angels do not marry nor generate,...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Luke 20:19. AND THEY FEARED THE PEOPLE.—The state of mind in which the attempt to ensnare Jesus was made: “and they did so in fear of the people” (_Alford_). Luke 20:20. THEY WATCHED...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION LUKE 20:1 _Question of the priests and scribes as to the nature of the authority under which Jesus was acting._ LUKE 20:1, LUKE 20:2...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    We are in the final week of the life of Jesus. He is now in Jerusalem. This is the week in which pilgrims are coming from all over the world to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. He has made His tri...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 10:9; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Hebrews 4:13; John 2:24;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Perceived. See on considerest, Matthew 7:3. Craftiness [π α ν ο υ ρ γ ι α ν]. From pan, every, and ergon, deed. Readiness for every and any deed. Hence unscrupulousness, and so, generally, knavery....

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