luke 20

Read Luke 20 at Bible Gateway.

Luk 20 outline:

Luk 20:1-8, Chief priests, scribes, and elders questioned Jesus’ authority
Luk 20:9-19, The parable of the unworthy vinedressers / the stone which the builders rejected
Luk 20:20-26, Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar
Luk 20:27-40, Jesus corrects the Sadducees about the resurrection
Luk 20:41-44, Jesus questions the chief priests
Luk 20:45-47, Beware of the scribes, who will receive the greater condemnation

Luk 20 chiastic structure:

1a) Luk 20:1-8, Chief priests, scribes, elders questioned Jesus/ He questioned them + they could not answer;

1a) Luk 20:1-2, Chief priests and scribes questioned Jesus: By what authority do you do these things?
1b) Luk 20:3-4, Jesus questioned them: Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?
central axis) Luk 20:5-6, They reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say ‘From heaven,’ He will respond, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’; but if we say ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet;”
2b) Luk 20:7, So they answered, they did not know where it was from;
2a) Luk 20:8, Jesus answered, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things;

1b) Luk 20:9-15, Parable of the unworthy vinedressers (the vinedressers kill the beloved son);

1c) Luk 20:16, He will come and destroy those vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others;

central axis) Luk 20:17-18, Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’? Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder;”

2c) Luk 20:19, Chief priests + scribes sought to lay hands on Him + they knew the parable was against them;

2b) Luk 20:20-40, The chief priests sent spies that they might seize Him to deliver Him to the governor;

1a) Luk 20:20, They sent spies that they might seize Him in His words;
1b) Luk 20:21-25, Question about taxes;
central axis) Luk 20:26, They could not catch Him in His words, and they marveled at His answers and kept silent;
2b) Luk 20:27-38, Question about the resurrection;
2a) Luk 20:39-40, Teacher, You have spoken well + they dared not question Him anymore;

2a) Luk 20:41-47, Jesus’ questioned the scribes + they could not answer/ Beware of the scribes.

Luk 20:20-26, the question about paying taxes, also forms its own chiastic structure which overlaps this one.

My understanding of the central axis, is that all mankind has to make a decision about the chief cornerstone which the builders rejected. You can come voluntarily and fall on Him, broken at His feet because of your sins, and humble yourself. You can receive His substitutionary death for forgiveness of sins, and receive a a new heart and new spirit as the prophets prophesied. Or you can harden yourself and refuse to either humble yourself or receive Him, and because of your hardness, when He falls on you, you will be ground to powder. Choose well!