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.

KJV (with Strong's)

But and {G1161} if {G1437} we say {G2036}, Of {G1537} men {G444}; all {G3956} the people {G2992} will stone {G2642} us {G2248}: for {G1063} they be {G2076} persuaded {G3982} that John {G2491} was {G1511} a prophet {G4396}.

Complete Jewish Bible

But if we say, ‘From a human source,’ all the people will stone us, because they’re convinced that Yochanan was a prophet.”

Berean Standard Bible

But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

American Standard Version

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

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 20:6 captures the profound dilemma faced by the chief priests, scribes, and elders when confronted by Jesus in the temple. Having challenged Jesus' authority, they are met with a counter-question about the origin of John the Baptist's baptism. This verse reveals their internal debate and their ultimate decision to avoid answering truthfully, not out of conviction, but out of a paralyzing fear that the populace, who universally revered John as a true prophet, would violently retaliate against them.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within a highly confrontational exchange between Jesus and the religious authorities in Jerusalem, immediately following His triumphal entry and the cleansing of the temple, actions that overtly challenged their authority and traditions. [Luke 20:1-2](/luke/20-1-2 "Luke 20:1-2 - The Challenge to Jesus' Authority") describes the leaders' direct question to Jesus: "Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?" Rather than directly answering, Jesus poses a strategic counter-question in [Luke 20:3-4](/luke/20-3-4 "Luke 20:3-4 - Jesus' Counter-Question"): "The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?" The leaders' subsequent internal deliberation, detailed in [Luke 20:5-7](/luke/20-5-7 "Luke 20:5-7 - The Leaders' Dilemma"), highlights their hypocrisy and fear of public opinion, culminating in their dishonest refusal to answer, which in turn allows Jesus to decline answering their original question.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is the Temple in Jerusalem, a focal point of Jewish religious and political life, especially during the Passover festival when the city would be teeming with pilgrims. The chief priests, scribes, and elders constituted the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish governing council, which held significant religious and judicial authority under Roman oversight. However, their power was often precarious, and they were acutely aware of the volatile nature of the Jewish populace, particularly when it came to figures perceived as prophets or messianic claimants. Stoning was a recognized form of capital punishment in Jewish law, typically for blasphemy or idolatry, and the threat of a mob carrying out such an act, even without formal legal process, was a very real danger that could lead to Roman intervention and further curtailment of their limited autonomy. The widespread belief in John the Baptist as a prophet, as attested by Josephus and the Gospels, meant that any public denouncement of him by the authorities would be met with severe popular backlash.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully illustrates several key themes prevalent in the Gospels. Firstly, it exposes the **hypocrisy and moral cowardice** of the religious leaders, who prioritize self-preservation and public image over truth and divine revelation. Their fear of man, specifically the threat of being stoned by the people, overrides their duty to discern and acknowledge God's will. Secondly, it underscores the **widespread recognition of John the Baptist's prophetic authority** among the common people, contrasting sharply with the leaders' calculated skepticism. This popular conviction is a testament to John's authentic ministry, which Jesus himself affirmed in [Luke 7:28](/luke/7-28 "Luke 7:28 - Jesus' Praise for John the Baptist"). Lastly, the passage highlights the **clash between divine authority and human power structures**. Jesus' authority, derived from heaven, is implicitly contrasted with the leaders' authority, which they seek to maintain through political maneuvering and fear of public opinion, rather than through spiritual integrity. This fear of the people's reaction is a recurring motif, as seen in [Matthew 21:46](/matthew/21-46 "Matthew 21:46 - The Leaders' Fear of the Crowds").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **say (Greek, _épō'_):** This verb signifies speaking or declaring, often with an implication of a definitive statement or answer. In this context, it refers to the religious leaders' hypothetical declaration regarding the origin of John's baptism. Their hesitation to "say" reflects their unwillingness to commit to a truthful answer that would expose their own spiritual bankruptcy or endanger their social standing.
* **stone (Greek, _katalitházō'_):** This word specifically means "to stone down, i.e., to death." It conveys the extreme violence and lethal intent of the people's potential reaction. The leaders' fear was not merely of disapproval or protest, but of a mob-instigated execution, highlighting the gravity of their perceived threat and the depth of the people's conviction concerning John.
* **persuaded (Greek, _peíthō'_):** This term indicates a deep conviction, a firm belief, or an assent based on evidence or authority. It describes the state of the people's minds regarding John the Baptist. They were not merely guessing or casually accepting; they were "firmly convinced" or "deeply believed" that John was indeed a prophet sent by God, making any public denial of his prophetic status by the leaders a direct affront to their deeply held faith.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"But and if we say, Of men;":** This clause reveals the internal deliberation of the religious leaders. They are considering the consequence of declaring John's baptism to be of human origin, rather than divine. This hypothetical statement underscores their awareness that such a declaration would be a direct contradiction of the popular belief and would be perceived as a dismissive, even blasphemous, judgment on a widely revered figure.
* **"all the people will stone us:":** This is the immediate and severe consequence the leaders anticipate. The phrase "all the people" emphasizes the widespread nature of the conviction regarding John, suggesting a unified and potentially violent popular uprising. The threat of stoning indicates their fear of summary execution by an enraged mob, highlighting the precariousness of their position and their perceived vulnerability to public sentiment.
* **"for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.":** This final clause provides the crucial reason for their fear. It explains *why* the people would react so violently: their deep, unshakeable conviction that John was a genuine prophet of God. This conviction made any denial of John's divine commission an intolerable offense, demonstrating the profound spiritual authority John held in the eyes of the common people, an authority the leaders themselves lacked and feared.

#### Literary Devices
Luke 20:6 employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. The primary device is **Dilemma**, as the religious leaders are caught between two undesirable choices: acknowledging John's divine authority (which would expose their own unbelief and inaction) or denying it (which would provoke the people). This creates a moment of intense tension and reveals their true priorities. There is also significant **Irony** at play; those who are supposed to be the spiritual shepherds of Israel are shown to be more concerned with their own safety and public image than with discerning or upholding divine truth. Their fear of the people's conviction about a true prophet stands in stark contrast to their own spiritual blindness. Finally, the verse highlights the pervasive theme of **Fear of Man**, which is a powerful motivator for the leaders' actions. This fear, rather than the fear of God, dictates their response, exposing their spiritual corruption and moral cowardice.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse serves as a potent commentary on the dangers of prioritizing human approval over divine truth, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture. The religious leaders, entrusted with spiritual guidance, are paralyzed by their fear of the crowd, revealing a profound lack of faith and spiritual integrity. Their concern for self-preservation and public opinion eclipses their responsibility to acknowledge God's messengers and His truth. This fear of man is a snare that prevents them from embracing the truth about John, and by extension, about Jesus, ultimately leading to their spiritual downfall. The passage thus challenges believers to examine their own motivations, ensuring that their convictions and actions are rooted in God's word and not swayed by the shifting tides of popular opinion or the fear of social repercussions.

* [Proverbs 29:25](/proverbs/29-25 "Proverbs 29:25 - The Snare of the Fear of Man")
* [Acts 5:29](/acts/5-29 "Acts 5:29 - Obeying God Rather Than Men")
* [Galatians 1:10](/galatians/1-10 "Galatians 1:10 - Seeking God's Approval")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 20:6 presents a stark mirror for self-reflection, urging us to consider the true source of our decisions and convictions. The religious leaders' fear of being stoned by the people, rather than a genuine desire for truth or fear of God, dictated their response to Jesus' question about John's authority. This serves as a powerful cautionary tale against the pervasive temptation to prioritize human approval, social acceptance, or personal safety over standing firm in the truth of God's Word. In a world increasingly influenced by public opinion and social pressures, believers are constantly challenged to discern whether their stances on faith, ethics, and truth are genuinely rooted in divine revelation or subtly shaped by the desire to avoid discomfort or gain favor. This verse calls us to cultivate a robust fear of God that liberates us from the enslaving fear of man, empowering us to speak and live truthfully, even when it is unpopular or costly.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might the "fear of man" be subtly influencing my decisions or convictions?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper "fear of the Lord" that enables me to stand for truth, regardless of popular opinion or potential consequences?**
* **Am I willing to acknowledge and align myself with God's truth, even when it challenges prevailing societal norms or risks personal discomfort?**

### FAQ
**Why were the Jewish people so convinced that John the Baptist was a prophet?**

Answer: The people's conviction that John was a prophet stemmed from several factors. His ascetic lifestyle, his powerful message of repentance, and his bold proclamation of the coming Messiah resonated deeply with the prophetic tradition of Israel, evoking comparisons to figures like Elijah. His ministry was accompanied by signs of divine anointing, and his message aligned with the long-held expectations of a prophet who would prepare the way for the Lord. Furthermore, Jesus himself affirmed John's prophetic status, even stating that among those born of women, none was greater than John ([Luke 7:28](/luke/7-28 "Luke 7:28 - Jesus' Testimony About John")). This popular belief was widespread and deeply ingrained, making any official denial by the religious authorities a direct affront to the people's spiritual discernment.

**Did the religious leaders truly fear being stoned, or was this an exaggeration to avoid answering Jesus?**

Answer: While it's impossible to definitively ascertain the precise degree of their fear, the threat of stoning was likely a genuine concern, not merely an exaggeration. Jerusalem, especially during festivals, was a volatile environment, and mob violence was a real possibility for figures perceived to be blasphemers or those who defied popular religious sentiment. The Sanhedrin's authority was also limited under Roman rule, and they often sought to avoid situations that could lead to civil unrest, which might provoke Roman intervention. Therefore, their fear was a calculated assessment of a real danger, but it also served as a convenient and self-serving excuse to avoid answering Jesus' trap question, which would have exposed their hypocrisy regardless of their response. Their priority was self-preservation and maintaining their precarious authority, rather than seeking or speaking the truth.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 20:6, while focusing on the religious leaders' fear of the people's conviction regarding John the Baptist, ultimately points to the greater truth of Jesus' own divine authority and prophetic fulfillment. John's role was to prepare the way for the Messiah, to point people to the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - John's Testimony to Jesus")). The people's recognition of John as a prophet foreshadowed the even greater truth that Jesus was not merely a prophet, but the Son of God, the ultimate embodiment of divine authority. The leaders' unwillingness to acknowledge John's heavenly authority directly parallels their later, and more egregious, rejection of Jesus' inherent divine authority, which He demonstrated through His teachings, miracles, and ultimately, His resurrection ([John 5:19-23](/john/5-19-23 "John 5:19-23 - The Son's Authority")). Their fear of being stoned for denying John's prophetic status pales in comparison to their audacious act of condemning Jesus, the true Prophet and King, to death. Thus, this verse subtly highlights the tragic irony of their spiritual blindness: they feared the people's reaction to a lesser truth, while completely missing and actively rejecting the ultimate truth of God incarnate, whose authority was not "from heaven" in the same way as John's, but *was* heaven itself, the very source of all authority in heaven and on earth ([Matthew 28:18](/matthew/28-18 "Matthew 28:18 - Jesus' Great Commission")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:26

But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

Matthew 11:9

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

Matthew 14:5

And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

Luke 1:76

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

John 10:41

And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

Luke 7:26

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

Luke 7:29

And all the people that heard [him], and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.