Stoned by the People? - Luke 20:6

The beloved physician Luke wrote as Jesus, “taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, And spoke unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority do you these things? or who is he that gave you this authority? And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed you him not?”, and in chapter twenty and verse six of his book Luke shared the religious leaders reasoned, “if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us” where we read:

But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

The verse reads, “But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us:” Luke began with the words, “but and if we say” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover and whether we, the religious leaders, utter, declare, proclaim and answer”, “of men” which means “from human beings” “all the people” or “each, every, the whole and everyone of the people in the crowd or multitude” “will stone us” which means “will overwhelm the religious leaders with rocks until they die”. Luke shared how the “chief priests, scribes and chief of the people” knew if they answered that John the Baptist's baptism was from “man”, the multitude would “stone” them to death.

The verse continues, “for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.” Luke added the words, “for they be persuaded” or “because, since and on account that the religious leaders were convinced and induced to believe” “that John” which refers to “that John whose name means Jehovah is a gracious giver and was the son of Zachariah and Elizabeth and the forerunner of Christ” “was a prophet” or “existed as one who was moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman and solemnly declared to men what he has received by inspiration especially concerning future events and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation”. Luke shared how the “religious leaders” knew the people believed that John the Baptist was a “prophet” of God.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we realize what a quandary Jesus put the “religious leaders” into when He asked them the “source” of the “baptism of John”. If they answered that John's baptism was from “heaven”, Jesus would ask them why they didn't believe and follow Him. If they said John's baptism was from “man”, the people would “stone” them because the people believed John to be a “prophet” of God. Jesus knew how to perplex anyone who doubted Him, and when a person examines closely the life and words of Jesus, they will find Him to be the “Savior and Lord” of the world who wants them to believe and trust in Him.

Next time Luke share how the religious leaders say, “they could not tell from where it was”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".