What is the meaning of Luke 20:40? And they did not dare Luke records, “And they did not dare to question Him any further.” (Luke 20:40) • The chief priests, scribes, elders, Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees had just taken their best shots at Jesus (Luke 20:1-38). • Each group tried to trap Him—first with a demand for His credentials (Luke 20:1-8), then with the politically loaded tax question (Luke 20:20-26), and finally with the Sadducees’ hypothetical about resurrection (Luke 20:27-38). • After every attempt, Jesus’ answers left them stunned, just as earlier He had left crowds “astonished at His teaching” (Matthew 7:28-29). • The phrase “did not dare” shows more than simple reluctance; it signals a recognition that they were outmatched. Similar scenes appear in John 7:46 (“No one ever spoke like this man”) and Luke 13:17, where opponents were “humiliated.” to question Him • Their intent had never been honest inquiry; it was to undermine His authority before the people (Luke 20:19, 26). • Jesus exposed the hypocritical motives behind their questions—He knew their “craftiness” (Luke 20:23). • By turning their own questions back on them (Luke 20:3-4) and by grounding His replies in Scripture (Luke 20:37-38, citing Exodus 3:6), He demonstrated mastery over both logic and the Word of God. • In Mark’s parallel, “no one dared to question Him further” follows Jesus’ declaration that loving God and neighbor is “more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:34). His superior understanding of the Law left no room for debate. any further • This marks a decisive pause in their opposition. They still plotted, but they shifted from verbal traps to covert schemes (Luke 22:2; John 11:53). • The silence anticipates the eventual fulfillment of Psalm 110:1, which Jesus had just cited (Luke 20:41-44)—His enemies would be made His footstool. • Matthew captures the same finality: “No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to question Him any further” (Matthew 22:46). • Their inability to continue questioning underscores Jesus’ divine authority and the futility of resisting the truth (Acts 5:39). summary Luke 20:40 shows the religious leaders retreating, silenced by the wisdom and authority of Jesus. Their daring evaporates because every attempt to trap Him only reveals His mastery of Scripture and His divine identity. Unable to refute or entangle Him, they abandon open confrontation, proving that when Truth speaks, all opposition ultimately falls silent. |
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