Religious Leaders Seeking to Catch Jesus' Words - Luke 11:54

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “Woe unto you, lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in you hindered. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things”, and in chapter eleven and verse fifty-four of his book Luke shared how the scribes and Pharisees were, “laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth” where we read:

Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

The verse reads, “Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, ...” Luke began with the words, “laying wait for him” or “lurking, preparing to trap and plotting against Jesus”, “and seeking to catch something” which means “and desiring, demanding, craving and requiring through hunting or ensnaring a certain saying or utterance” “out of his mouth” or “from Jesus' physical mouth”. Luke shared how the “religious leaders” known as “scribes and Pharisees” were “lurking and preparing to trap” Jesus in “something” He said.

The verse goes on to say, “... that they might accuse him.” Luke continued with the words, “that they might accuse” or “so the religious leaders would have occasion to bring an accusation against and charge” “him” which refers to “Jesus”. Luke shared how the “religious leaders” intended to find “something” they could “accuse Jesus of” and with which to “charge” Him.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn the motive behind the questions from these “scribes and Pharisees”. These religious leaders were not wanting legitimate answers to their questions, they were only asking them to “indite” Jesus or bring some sort of “charge” against Him. Many people ask questions of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son with their own “answer” in mind, and they only make inquiries of Him to “prove” their position. God knows when questions are “genuine”, and He is willing to answer anyone through His word who truly seeks to have a personal relationship with Him. Those who are wise will not only ask their questions, but also examine whether they are asking them with ill-intentions in mind.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Luke shares how Jesus says to His disciples, “Beware you of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”, 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".