Luke 20:8

KJV

And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} Jesus {G2424} said {G2036} unto them {G846}, Neither {G3761} tell {G3004} I {G1473} you {G5213} by {G1722} what {G4169} authority {G1849} I do {G4160} these things {G5023}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Yeshua said to them, “Then I won’t tell you by what s’mikhah I do these things.”

Berean Standard Bible

And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

American Standard Version

And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 20:8 captures Jesus' profound and strategic refusal to answer the chief priests, scribes, and elders who challenged His authority in the Temple. This pivotal moment, occurring during Passion Week, underscores Jesus' divine sovereignty and wisdom, as He deftly exposes the insincere motives of His interrogators while implicitly asserting that His authority originates from a source far beyond human questioning or validation.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is the culmination of a direct confrontation initiated by the religious establishment in Jerusalem during the final days of Jesus' earthly ministry, often referred to as Passion Week. Immediately preceding this, Jesus had entered Jerusalem triumphantly and cleansed the Temple, actions that directly challenged the religious leaders' control and authority. In [Luke 20:1-2](/luke/20-1-2 "Luke 20:1-2 - Jesus' Authority Challenged"), the chief priests, scribes, and elders, representing the Sanhedrin, confront Jesus in the Temple courts, demanding to know "by what authority" He was doing these things. Their question was a calculated trap: if Jesus claimed divine authority, they could accuse Him of blasphemy; if He claimed human authority, they could dismiss Him as a revolutionary. Jesus, however, masterfully counters their question with one of His own regarding the baptism of John the Baptist ([Luke 20:3-4](/luke/20-3-4 "Luke 20:3-4 - Jesus' Counter-Question about John's Baptism")). The leaders, fearing the people who regarded John as a prophet, refused to answer Jesus honestly ([Luke 20:5-7](/luke/20-5-7 "Luke 20:5-7 - Leaders' Refusal to Answer")). Jesus' response in [Luke 20:8](/luke/20-8 "Luke 20:8 - Jesus' Refusal to Answer") is a direct consequence of their evasion, effectively turning the tables and highlighting their hypocrisy.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is the Temple in Jerusalem during Passover week, a time of heightened religious and political tension. Jerusalem would have been teeming with pilgrims, making the Temple courts a focal point for public discourse and potential unrest. The chief priests, scribes, and elders were the most powerful religious and political figures in Judea, holding seats on the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish governing council. Their authority was deeply intertwined with the Temple system and the interpretation of the Mosaic Law. Challenging Jesus' "authority" (Greek: _exousia_) was not merely an academic debate; it was a direct challenge to His legitimacy as a teacher, prophet, and potential Messiah, threatening their established order and control over the populace. Their fear of the people's reaction to John the Baptist's prophetic status ([Luke 20:6](/luke/20-6 "Luke 20:6 - Leaders' Fear of the People")) reveals their pragmatic, self-preserving motives over any genuine theological inquiry.

* **Key Themes:** This passage significantly contributes to several overarching themes within Luke's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully underscores the theme of **Divine Authority vs. Human Authority**. Jesus' actions and teachings consistently demonstrate an authority that transcends human institutions, a point emphasized earlier in [Luke 4:32](/luke/4-32 "Luke 4:32 - Jesus Teaches with Authority") and [Luke 4:36](/luke/4-36 "Luke 4:36 - Jesus Commands with Authority"). His refusal to answer implicitly asserts that His authority is not subject to their interrogation or validation. Secondly, the passage highlights the **Hypocrisy and Blindness of Religious Leaders**. The leaders' inability or unwillingness to answer Jesus' simple question about John's baptism exposes their spiritual bankruptcy and their greater concern for reputation and power than for truth. This theme is pervasive in Jesus' interactions with the Pharisees and scribes throughout the Gospels, culminating in the woes pronounced in [Luke 11:37-54](/luke/11-37-54 "Luke 11:37-54 - Woes to the Pharisees and Lawyers"). Finally, Jesus' strategic silence exemplifies **Divine Wisdom and Discernment**. He discerns their malicious intent and refuses to be drawn into their trap, demonstrating a wisdom that consistently outmaneuvers His adversaries, a characteristic evident in many of Jesus' parables and dialogues, such as the parable of the wicked tenants immediately following this exchange in [Luke 20:9-19](/luke/20-9-19 "Luke 20:9-19 - Parable of the Wicked Tenants").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **I (Greek, _egṓ'_):** G1473, a primary pronoun of the first person, used here emphatically. By stating "Neither tell **I** you," Jesus highlights His personal agency and sovereign choice in withholding information. It underscores His unique position and authority, distinct from any human teacher or prophet who might be compelled to justify their actions. This emphatic "I" implicitly asserts His identity as the one who possesses inherent authority, not one who receives it from human institutions.
* **tell (Greek, _légō'_):** G3004, a primary verb meaning to "lay forth" or relate in words, often implying systematic or set discourse. Jesus' refusal to "tell" (or speak definitively) indicates a deliberate withholding of an explanation or justification. It's not merely a refusal to answer, but a refusal to engage in the kind of discourse they expect, thereby denying their premise that He is accountable to them for His actions. This choice of word highlights the intentionality of His silence as a form of communication.
* **authority (Greek, _exousía'_):** G1849, derived from the sense of ability, signifying privilege, force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, and by implication, delegated influence or jurisdiction. The leaders' question was about the source of Jesus' _exousía_. Jesus' refusal to disclose "by what authority" He acts implies that His authority is not derived from any source they could comprehend or validate. It is an inherent, divine right and power, making their demand for an explanation moot and impertinent.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Jesus said unto them,"**: This clause sets the scene, indicating Jesus' direct and final response to the religious leaders. It highlights the confrontational nature of the exchange and Jesus' active participation in it, even if His response is a refusal to speak.
* **"Neither tell I you"**: This is Jesus' direct and emphatic refusal. The word "Neither" (Greek: _oudé_) strongly negates any intention on His part to provide the requested information. The emphatic "I" (Greek: _egṓ_) underscores that this is a deliberate, personal decision by Jesus, not an inability to answer. He is not merely silent; He is actively choosing not to disclose.
* **"by what authority I do these things."**: This phrase reiterates the core of the leaders' original question, emphasizing that Jesus' refusal directly addresses their challenge regarding the source of His power and actions. "These things" refers to His teachings, healings, and particularly His actions in the Temple, which had provoked their challenge. By refusing to explain the "what authority," Jesus asserts that His authority is either self-evident, beyond their comprehension, or not subject to their scrutiny.

#### Literary Devices
Luke 20:8 employs several potent literary devices. **Irony** is prominent, as the religious leaders, who ostensibly represent divine authority, are utterly incapable of discerning or acknowledging true divine authority embodied in Jesus. Their demand for an explanation of His _exousía_ is met with a refusal that implicitly underscores the very divine nature of that authority, which they are too spiritually blind to perceive. Jesus' response also functions as a **Rhetorical Counter**, a strategic non-answer that effectively turns the tables on His interrogators. Instead of directly engaging their trap, He uses their own refusal to answer His question about John the Baptist as justification for His silence, thereby exposing their hypocrisy and insincerity. This act of strategic silence is a form of **Implication** or **Subtext**, where the unspoken message is more powerful than any direct statement. By refusing to explain, Jesus implies that His authority is not derived from human institutions or traditions, but from a higher, unquestionable source, making their inquiry irrelevant.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 20:8 is deeply theological, revealing profound truths about Jesus' identity, the nature of divine authority, and the spiritual blindness of those who reject God's truth. Jesus' refusal to answer is not an evasion, but a powerful assertion that His authority is self-attesting and not dependent on human validation or explanation. It highlights the chasm between human-conceived religious power and genuine divine power. The leaders sought to trap Jesus within their legalistic framework, but Jesus operates from a realm of inherent divine right, demonstrating that true authority is recognized by spiritual discernment, not by institutional credentials. This episode serves as a stark warning against intellectual pride and spiritual obstinacy, showing how those who claim to be guardians of truth can become its greatest opponents when their own power is threatened.

* [Matthew 21:23-27](/matthew/21-23-27 "Matthew 21:23-27 - Jesus' Authority Challenged in Matthew")
* [Mark 11:27-33](/mark/11-27-33 "Mark 11:27-33 - Jesus' Authority Challenged in Mark")
* [John 5:19-23](/john/5-19-23 "John 5:19-23 - Jesus' Divine Authority and Relationship with the Father")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 20:8 offers profound lessons for believers navigating a world that often challenges spiritual authority and truth. Jesus' example teaches us the importance of discernment in our interactions, particularly when confronted by those whose motives are not genuine inquiry but rather an attempt to trap or discredit. Not every question deserves a direct answer, especially when the interrogator's heart is closed to truth. Sometimes, strategic silence or a counter-question, as Jesus demonstrated, can be the most powerful way to expose hypocrisy and uphold truth without casting "pearls before swine" ([Matthew 7:6](/matthew/7-6 "Matthew 7:6 - Do Not Cast Pearls Before Swine")). This passage challenges us to recognize that true authority, whether in our lives or in the church, ultimately comes from God, not from human titles, positions, or popular opinion. Our allegiance should be to Christ's divine authority, not to the shifting sands of human approval or institutional power. It encourages us to stand firm in the truth, even when it is misunderstood or rejected, trusting in God's wisdom to vindicate His ways.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **When have you faced questions or challenges where the interrogator's motives were not sincere, and how did you respond?**
* **How can we discern when to offer a direct answer versus when to employ wisdom and strategic silence, as Jesus did?**
* **In what areas of your life might you be tempted to seek or rely on human authority rather than God's ultimate authority?**
* **How does Jesus' example of exposing hypocrisy challenge you to live with greater integrity and spiritual discernment?**

### FAQ

**Why did Jesus refuse to tell the religious leaders by what authority He did these things?**

Answer: Jesus refused to answer the religious leaders' question not because He lacked an answer, but because He recognized their malicious intent. Their question was a trap, designed either to accuse Him of blasphemy (if He claimed divine authority) or to dismiss Him as a revolutionary (if He claimed human authority). By first asking them about John the Baptist's authority ([Luke 20:3-4](/luke/20-3-4 "Luke 20:3-4 - Jesus' Counter-Question")), Jesus exposed their hypocrisy and fear of the people. Since they refused to answer His question truthfully, Jesus reciprocated by refusing to answer theirs. His refusal implicitly asserted that His authority was divine and not subject to their human interrogation or validation, simultaneously highlighting their spiritual blindness and unwillingness to acknowledge God's messengers.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 20:8, though a moment of refusal, powerfully points to the Christ-centered fulfillment of all authority. Jesus' refusal to state "by what authority" He acted underscores that His authority is not derived but inherent, flowing from His very being as the Son of God. This inherent authority is foundational to His redemptive mission. The very "things" He did – teaching with power, casting out demons, healing the sick, and ultimately cleansing the Temple – were all manifestations of His divine _exousía_. This authority culminates in His death and resurrection, where He demonstrates ultimate power over sin and death, fulfilling the prophecies of a Messiah who would reign with supreme dominion. After His resurrection, Jesus declares, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" ([Matthew 28:18](/matthew/28-18 "Matthew 28:18 - The Great Commission and Jesus' Authority")), confirming that the authority He implicitly asserted in Luke 20:8 is now explicitly His, to be exercised for the building of His kingdom and the salvation of all who believe. His refusal to answer the religious leaders foreshadows their ultimate rejection of His authority, leading to His crucifixion, yet it is through this very act that His divine authority is ultimately revealed and established for all eternity ([Philippians 2:9-11](/philippians/2-9-11 "Philippians 2:9-11 - Christ's Exaltation and Universal Lordship")).

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

Mark 11:33

And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Matthew 15:14

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Matthew 16:4

A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

Proverbs 26:4

¶ Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

Proverbs 26:5

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

Job 5:12

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform [their] enterprise.

Job 5:13

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.