Luke 20 6

Luke 20:6 kjv

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

Luke 20:6 nkjv

But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet."

Luke 20:6 niv

But if we say, 'Of human origin,' all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet."

Luke 20:6 esv

But if we say, 'From man,' all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet."

Luke 20:6 nlt

But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet."

Luke 20 verses

Luke 20 6 Meaning

Luke 20:6 describes the dilemma faced by the chief priests, scribes, and elders. They are afraid to deny the divine origin of John's baptism (and therefore his prophetic authority) because the general populace strongly believed John was a prophet. Their fear of popular backlash, specifically being stoned by the people, outweighs their desire to trap Jesus, revealing their priority for self-preservation and human approval over truth and divine will.

Luke 20 6 Context

Luke 20:6 is part of a crucial confrontation between Jesus and the religious establishment in Jerusalem during the final week before His crucifixion. Following Jesus's triumphal entry and cleansing of the temple, the chief priests, scribes, and elders directly challenge His authority (Lk 20:1-2): "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority?" Jesus responds with a counter-question about the origin of John's baptism—was it "from heaven or from men?" (Lk 20:3-4). The religious leaders discuss among themselves the implications of their answer (Lk 20:5-6). Their internal deliberation, recorded in Luke 20:5, concludes in Luke 20:6 with the specific concern of being stoned by the people if they deny John's prophetic authority. This highlights their deep fear of public opinion and their strategic, rather than truth-seeking, approach to divine matters.

Luke 20 6 Word analysis

• But if we say (Ean de eipōmen - ἐὰν δὲ εἴπωμεν):

  • Ean (ἐὰν): "If" (followed by a subjunctive verb). Introduces a conditional clause, indicating a possible future scenario they are contemplating.
  • de (δὲ): "But" or "and." Here, it marks a transition to the alternative scenario, contrasting with the previous option of saying John's baptism was "from heaven."
  • eipōmen (εἴπωμεν): "We say" (aorist subjunctive of legō). Highlights their consideration of articulating this position.
  • Significance: This phrase vividly portrays their internal strategizing and dilemma. They are calculating the political repercussions of each answer, not discerning theological truth.

• ‘From men’ (ex anthrōpōn - ἐξ ἀνθρώπων):

  • ex (ἐξ): "Out of," "from." Indicates origin or source.
  • anthrōpōn (ἀνθρώπων): "Men" (genitive plural of anthrōpos). Referring to human origin or authority.
  • Significance: This is the critical counterpoint to "from heaven" (ek ouranou). It suggests an earthly, man-made initiative without divine authorization. For the religious leaders, declaring John's baptism "from men" would imply it was illegitimate or purely human, something they dared not do in public.

• all the people (pas ho laos - πᾶς ὁ λαός):

  • pas (πᾶς): "All," "every." Emphasizes the unanimous belief and strong collective sentiment of the populace.
  • ho laos (ὁ λαός): "The people." Refers to the common folk, not the religious elite. In the Synoptics, the "people" are often depicted as more receptive to Jesus and John than the authorities.
  • Significance: Their fear is not of a few individuals, but of the collective power and opinion of the entire crowd gathered in Jerusalem for Passover, which could quickly turn into an unruly mob.

• will stone us (lithobolēsei hēmas - λιθοβολήσει ἡμᾶς):

  • lithobolēsei (λιθοβολήσει): "Will stone" (future indicative of lithoboleō). This is a strong and direct threat of violent action. Stoning was a severe form of execution in Jewish law, but here it suggests mob violence driven by public outrage, not necessarily a formal judicial act.
  • hēmas (ἡμᾶς): "Us" (accusative plural pronoun). Identifies the target of the threatened violence – the religious leaders themselves.
  • Significance: This reveals the profound fear they had for their lives and positions. The phrase highlights the danger of denying a prophet’s status. A mob reaction to perceived blasphemy or insult to a holy figure could be deadly.

• for they are convinced (pepeismenos estin gar - πεπεισμένος ἐστὶν γὰρ):

  • pepeismenos (πεπεισμένος): "Convinced," "persuaded," "assured" (perfect passive participle of peithō, "to persuade"). The perfect tense denotes a settled, enduring state. It's not a fleeting opinion but a deep, firm conviction.
  • estin (ἐστὶν): "Is." Connects the conviction to the people.
  • gar (γὰρ): "For," "because." Introduces the reason for their fear and the anticipated violent reaction.
  • Significance: This indicates the leaders understood the depth and stability of the people's belief. The people's conviction was already settled; to challenge it would be met with fierce opposition.

• that John was a prophet (hoti Iōannēs prophētēs estin - ὅτι Ἰωάννης προφήτης ἐστὶν):

  • hoti (ὅτι): "That" (introduces a direct statement or cause).
  • Iōannēs (Ἰωάννης): "John." Referring to John the Baptist.
  • prophētēs (προφήτης): "Prophet" (one who speaks for God, a divinely inspired messenger).
  • estin (ἐστὶν): "Is." Affirming John's status.
  • Significance: This is the core belief that binds the people. In ancient Judaism, a true prophet was revered as God's spokesperson. To deny John's prophetic status was to challenge the people's understanding of divine activity in their midst and to deny the popular movement that had flocked to John. The leaders knew they would incur the people's wrath.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us": This phrase captures the calculated pragmatism and fear-driven decision-making of the religious authorities. They weigh the consequence of an unfavorable theological pronouncement (from men) against immediate, tangible danger (stoning), clearly prioritizing their physical safety and position over doctrinal honesty. It highlights their ethical failure and moral cowardice in this crucial moment.

• "for they are convinced that John was a prophet": This segment reveals the irresistible force of public conviction. The religious leaders acknowledge the deep, widespread, and unwavering belief of the people in John’s divine prophetic mandate. This popular perception acts as an insurmountable barrier to their desired response, trapping them in a corner where their cunning fails against the simple faith of the masses.

Luke 20 6 Bonus section

The chief priests and scribes typically wielded judicial authority within Jewish law, but under Roman rule, their power to carry out capital punishment was severely limited, often requiring Roman consent (as seen in Jesus's trial). The threat of "stoning" in this context (Lk 20:6) suggests less a formal Sanhedrin execution and more an act of spontaneous mob violence, akin to a lynching. This emphasizes the extreme danger the leaders perceived from an enraged populace. Their unwillingness to publicly accept John's divine mission, despite popular belief, revealed their deep-seated unbelief in a new prophetic movement unless it originated through their established channels or endorsed their power.

Luke 20 6 Commentary

Luke 20:6 encapsulates the moral and spiritual bankruptcy of the religious leaders. Faced with Jesus's simple, yet profound counter-question about John's authority, their immediate concern is not truth or the divine will, but political expediency and self-preservation. They are trapped between affirming a truth (John was a prophet, which implies Jesus's authority also) that validates Jesus and denying it, which risks a violent uprising from the people. Their fear of being stoned underscores how completely beholden they were to public opinion and human respect rather than divine revelation. This short verse lays bare their hypocrisy, showing that their hearts were far from God, focusing instead on power, reputation, and control, ultimately confirming why they could not recognize the true Prophet standing before them.