How does Luke 20:7 demonstrate the leaders' fear of public opinion? Setting the Scene Luke 20 opens with Jesus teaching in the temple courts. The chief priests, scribes, and elders confront Him, demanding to know, “Tell us by what authority You are doing these things” (Luke 20:2). Jesus answers their question with one of His own about John’s baptism (Luke 20:3-4). Before replying, they huddle to weigh the political fallout (Luke 20:5-6). The Leaders’ Calculated Response in Luke 20:7 “So they answered that they did not know where it was from.” (Luke 20:7) Why This Response Shows Fear of Public Opinion • They had already concluded John’s baptism “was from heaven” (Luke 20:5), yet chose not to say so. • Admitting the truth would expose their refusal to accept John—and by extension, Jesus—placing themselves under condemnation. • Denying John’s divine commission would provoke the crowd, who “all held that John was a prophet” (Luke 20:6). • Their evasive “We do not know” was a strategic dodge—protecting their reputation rather than honoring the truth. • The leaders’ priority was self-preservation; public esteem mattered more to them than obedience to God (cf. Proverbs 29:25). Fear of Man in the Broader Gospel Record • “They were afraid of the people” (Luke 20:19) when they sought to arrest Jesus after the parable of the wicked tenants. • “They were afraid of the people” (Luke 22:2) when plotting His death. • Parallel passage: “They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet” (Mark 11:32). • “If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11:48). • The apostles faced the same pressure yet chose differently: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Take-Home Truths • Luke 20:7 lays bare a heart that values human approval above divine truth—a snare warned against throughout Scripture. • Truth suppressed for the sake of popularity leads to spiritual blindness (Romans 1:18). • Courage to confess Christ openly flows from fearing God more than people (Matthew 10:28). |
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