Luke 20 26

Luke 20:26 kjv

And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

Luke 20:26 nkjv

But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

Luke 20:26 niv

They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

Luke 20:26 esv

And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.

Luke 20:26 nlt

So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.

Luke 20 verses

Luke 20 26 Meaning

Luke 20:26 depicts the decisive failure of Jesus' adversaries to entrap Him with their carefully crafted questions. Despite their malicious intent to find grounds for accusation, Jesus' divinely inspired wisdom in His response silenced them. This verse highlights Jesus' intellectual and spiritual triumph over His enemies in a public forum, confirming His unmatched authority and wisdom.

Luke 20 26 Context

Luke 20:26 concludes the narrative where the chief priests, scribes, and elders (v. 19-20) attempted to trap Jesus with a politically charged question regarding tribute money to Caesar (v. 21-25). This was one in a series of calculated confrontations in the temple where these religious authorities sought to discredit Jesus publicly and find grounds to arrest Him. Their motivation was driven by jealousy, a sense of threatened authority, and a desire to expose Him as either a rebel against Rome or a disloyal Jew. Jesus' answer, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's," brilliantly navigates the political and religious trap, affirming both civic duty and ultimate divine sovereignty. Verse 26 summarizes the profound effect of His response on His adversaries and the watching crowd.

Luke 20 26 Word analysis

• And they could not (Καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν - Kai ouk ischusan):
  • ischuo means "to be strong," "to be able," or "to have power." The negation ouk indicates their complete lack of ability or power to succeed in their endeavor. This highlights the absolute nature of their failure.
  • Signifies their utter defeat in their objective.
• catch Him (ἐπιλαβέσθαι αὐτοῦ - epilabesthai autou):
  • epilambanomai means "to lay hold of," "to take firm possession of," "to seize." In this context, it implies laying hold of Him with intent to accuse or trap Him by His words, finding something incriminating to use against Him. It denotes a malicious intent to ensnare.
  • Suggests their desire for legal grounds for arrest or condemnation.
• in His words (ῥήματος - rhēmatos):
  • rhēma refers to an "utterance," "word," or "spoken thing." It refers specifically to what Jesus said in response. The intent was to find a single word or phrase that could be twisted.
  • Emphasizes the precision of their trap, seeking a definitive verbal misstep.
• in the presence of the people (ἐναντίον τοῦ λαοῦ - enantion tou laou):
  • enantion means "in front of," "in the presence of," "before." Laos refers to "the people" or "the crowd." This detail is crucial, as the entire confrontation was public.
  • The public nature made their failure all the more humiliating for the religious leaders and served to affirm Jesus' wisdom to the onlookers.
• And they marveled (καὶ θαυμάσαντες - kai thaumasantes):
  • thaumazo means "to wonder," "to marvel," "to be amazed" or "astonished." It denotes a reaction of profound surprise and admiration at the unexpected brilliance or profundity.
  • Their marvel suggests recognition, perhaps unwillingly, of Jesus' superior insight and divine wisdom.
• at His answer (ἐπὶ τῇ ἀποκρίσει αὐτοῦ - epi tē apokrisei autou):
  • apokrisis means "an answer" or "a reply." It highlights Jesus' direct and effective counter-response.
  • Signifies the powerful impact and irrefutable nature of Jesus' specific reply.
• and were silent (ἐσίγησαν - esigēsan):
  • sigaō means "to be silent," "to hold one's peace." It implies they had nothing further to say; they were silenced because there was no logical or theological counter-argument.
  • Denotes their absolute defeat, lacking any means to continue their accusation or argumentation.

Words-Group analysis:

• "And they could not catch Him in His words": This phrase succinctly describes the absolute failure of their carefully constructed scheme. The religious leaders had a specific aim – to ensnare Jesus by His own words, so that He might incriminate Himself politically to the Roman authorities or religiously before the Jewish law, or at least lose credibility with the people. The Greek indicates their complete inability despite their best efforts. This inability is not just a lack of skill, but a spiritual and intellectual impotence when faced with divine wisdom.
• "in the presence of the people": This context underscores the public vindication of Jesus and the public humiliation of His accusers. Their intention was to expose and shame Jesus publicly; instead, they were exposed and shamed themselves before the very crowd they hoped to sway. The people became witnesses to Jesus' divine insight and the futility of human malice against it.
• "And they marveled at His answer and were silent": This concluding phrase perfectly captures the impact of Jesus' reply. Their amazement (thaumazo) suggests that even His opponents recognized the brilliance and unassailable truth of His words. This amazement, followed by immediate silence, signifies total capitulation. They had no further retort, no way to twist His words, and no further questions they dared to ask regarding this matter, demonstrating the definitive victory of Christ's wisdom. This silence is the strongest testament to the unassailable nature of His wisdom.

Luke 20 26 Bonus section

This incident, particularly Luke 20:26, showcases a key aspect of Jesus' ministry: His unyielding truthfulness and wisdom even under immense pressure and adversarial intent. The tactics used by His opponents—deception, insincere flattery, and carefully designed "either/or" questions—are timeless methods of opposition against the righteous. Jesus' response and the outcome serve as an enduring testament to the power of truth and divine wisdom to silence even the most determined critics. This dynamic illustrates the principle that those who operate from malice and deceit, no matter how cunning, will ultimately be confounded when confronted by the wisdom that comes from God.

Luke 20 26 Commentary

Luke 20:26 offers a concise yet powerful summation of Jesus' masterful response to a critical attempt to trap Him. Following His handling of the controversial "Caesar's coin" question, designed to force Him into an allegiance that would either condemn Him to Rome or alienate Him from the Jewish populace, this verse emphasizes the total defeat of His adversaries. The religious leaders' meticulous plotting, involving spies feigning sincerity, aimed to seize upon any word to use as grounds for legal action or public condemnation. However, Jesus' divinely imbued wisdom allowed Him to provide an answer that transcended the human dilemma, simultaneously affirming earthly governmental authority and supreme divine sovereignty. This unexpected wisdom caused astonishment even among His hostile interrogators, rendering them speechless and defeated in the full view of the assembled crowd. The public nature of this encounter amplified their humiliation and cemented Jesus' spiritual and intellectual ascendancy over those who sought to destroy Him. This incident serves as a powerful illustration of the futility of human cunning and malice against God's wisdom, proving that no one can withstand the truth revealed by Christ.