Lucas 20
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 20
Vernon McGee - Today you and I can fall on that Stone, who is Christ Jesus, and be saved—that is, we have to come to Him as a sinner, broken in spirit, broken in heart. When we do this, we are on the foundation that no man can lay, which is Jesus Christ the Stone. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). Daniel tells of that Stone which will fall in judgment someday and “grind to powder” the nations that reject Him (see Da 2:34-35+). What the Lord is saying in this parable is as clear as the noonday sun. It could not have been misunderstood. (Borrow Luke - or listen to mp3), Broken to pieces (4917)(sunthlao from sun/syn = together + thlao = to crush) means literally to crush together, to dash to pieces. BDAG - to crush in such a way that an object is put in pieces. The only other NT uses is in the parallel passage in Mt 21:44. In the Septuagint used of shattering Sisera's head (Jdg 5:26), of a millstone crushing Abimelech's skull (Jdg 9:53), of God surely shattering the head of His enemies (Ps 68:21), of the Messiah shattering kings in the day of God's wrath (Ps 110:5, cf Ps 110:6 - the same psalm Jesus quotes from in Luke 20:42-note). Sunthlao - 8x in 8v in the Septuagint - Jdg. 5:26; Jdg. 9:53; Ps. 58:6; Ps. 68:21; Ps. 74:14; Ps. 110:5; Ps. 110:6; Mic. 3:3; Matt. 21:44; Lk. 20:18 It will scatter him like dust - As one writer says anyone who persists in opposing Christ will be pulverized! To pulverize something means to make it into a powder by breaking it up and/or causing it to become dust. This is a vivid picture of the horrible fate for all who reject the Stone, whether they be Jews or Gentiles! R Kent
Lucas 20
McGee quips that "The problem is that too many people in our churches today miss the point." Against them - (pros autous) -
Lucas 20
Vernon McGee - Rome (CAESAR) did provide certain advantages and privileges. Rome maintained law and order by her standards and provided protection (PAX ROMANA). Rome made and maintained roads and kept the sea lanes open. She had a universal currency system which was an aid to business. The Jews owed Rome something for the use of coins, roads, and law and order. Caesar had something coming to him. God had something coming to Him also. He provided all the utilities: lights, air, water, and the elements from which roads and coins are made. There are two areas of life in which we have a responsibility. Man has both an earthly and an heavenly obligation. He has both a physical and a spiritual responsibility. Citizens of heaven pay taxes down here. Pilgrims down here should deposit eternal wealth in heaven. Robertson McQuilkin - Christ responded to a trick question from the Herodians. He told them that they should "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" (Mt. 22:21). Whole theologies of cultural integration have been built on that enigmatic statement. However, it is plain from the context that Jesus was giving an answer in kind to those who would trap Him with an insincere question. Research into the cultural background indicates that "secular" money (ROMAN COINAGE) was not legitimate as an offering in the Temple. That is why there were money changers in the Temple. Temple offerings had to be made in Temple currency, so there were money exchange banks on the premises. The Herodians were trying to trap Jesus into making an unpatriotic statement. Either He would have to oppose the law of the land, the hated Roman taxation, and thus be unlawful; or He would have to favor the taxation and be a traitor to His own people. In the face of that, He sidestepped the question by indicating that if a coin had a man's name and face on it, it must belong to him! Similarly, Temple coins should be put in the Temple offering, not used to pay Roman taxes. By His answer Jesus remained both a law-abiding subject of Rome and a loyal son of Israel. Profound teaching concerning a cultural mandate to be involved in the affairs of this world will have to be sought elsewhere in Scripture. Hence, the cultural background can help considerably in the understanding of a passage. (Borrow Understanding and Applying The Bible) Glen Spencer - Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. (Romans 13:7+) No matter one's opinion on how the government spends money. No matter who is in office. No matter how much the money is needed for something else. The biblical command is that we pay our taxes Adrian Rogers on render unto God the things that are God's - Very quickly, let me show you what belongs to God. Turn to 1 Timothy 1:17. See if you don’t love this verse: “Now unto the King eternal”—do you like that?—“the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17). Render unto Him the things that are His. What does this verse tell us? It tells us that for Him there can be no rival: He is the King eternal; He is the King immortal; He is the King invisible. Friend, you didn’t vote Him in, and you’re not going to vote Him out. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. I want to tell you something: I am going to respect and obey the laws of my land until the laws of my land bring me in direct confrontation with the laws of my God. And then, I’m going with the laws of my God, and I hope you will too. Is there a place for civil disobedience? Absolutely, beyond the shadow of any doubt. When the laws of man so directly, so overtly, so openly contradict the laws of our God and His Christ, then we must say, “Choose You.” What do you think? Should we obey God or man? We’re going to obey God. These early Christians, who were taught to render unto Caesar the things that were Caesar’s, did not render unto Caesar the things that were God’s. And, they told these early Christians, “Say these words: ‘Caesar Kurios’ ”—“Caesar is Lord.” They said, “No, we’ll pay tribute. We’ll pay taxes. We will obey your laws, but we’ll not worship that man. We will not do it. We will not say, ‘Caesar is Lord.’ There’s one King immortal, invisible, eternal—our God and our King. And, we’re not going to bow the knee to Caesar.” And, they put them to their death—no rights. At age eighty-six, Polycarp, the second-century bishop of Smyrna and disciple of the apostle John, was brought to the Roman authorities and ordered to confess that Caesar is lord. Though doing so would have saved his life, Polycarp refused and was murdered, inspiring others to remain faithful. Polycarp knew that in this context kurios signified divinity when used of the Caesar. And faithful follower of Christ that he was, Polycarp refused to call Caesar lord and violate the most basic tenet of the faith that “You shall have no other gods before Me." (Ex. 20:3).He refused to render to Caesar the thing that belonged solely to God, Lordship! And the result? He soon thereafter saw the God he worshiped, for in the instant he was martyred, he was absent from his body, and present forever at home with his Lord (2 Cor 5:8) And one day Caesar will bow his knee and declare that "Jesus is Lord!" (Php 2:9-11) QUESTION - What did Jesus mean when He said, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s”? ANSWER - “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s” is a well-known quote that appears in Matthew 22:21 and is part of Jesus’ response to a joint attempt by the Herodians and Pharisees to make Jesus stumble in front of His own people. The Herodians were a non-religious Jewish party who supported the dynasty of Herod and the general policy of the Roman government. They perceived that Christ’s pure and spiritual teaching and influence were antagonistic to their interests. The Pharisees, on the other hand, were members of an ancient Jewish sect who believed in the strict observance of oral traditions and the written Law of Moses. They didn’t believe that Christ was the Messiah, despite His many miracles during His earthly ministry. Although Herodians and Pharisees were at opposite ends of the political spectrum, their common hatred of Christ was enough for them to join forces to try to destroy Him. Here is the context of Jesus’ command to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”: in Matthew 22 Jesus had just returned to Jerusalem for the final time and recently finished sharing several parables with the crowd. Jesus’ enemies saw an opportunity to put Jesus on the spot in front of His followers. In Mt 22:17, they say to Jesus, “Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (ESV). It was a trick question, and they knew it. If Jesus answered, “No,” the Herodians would charge Him with treason against Rome. If He said, “Yes,” the Pharisees would accuse Him of disloyalty to the Jewish nation, and He would lose the support of the crowds. To pay taxes or not to pay taxes? The question was designed as a Catch-22. Jesus’ response is nothing short of brilliant: “But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius” (Matthew 22:18–19ESV). The denarius was a coin used as the tax money at the time. It was made of silver and featured an image of the emperor with an inscription calling him “divine.” The Jews considered such images idolatry, forbidden by the second commandment. This was another reason why, if Jesus answered, “Yes,” He would be in trouble. His acceptance of the tax as “lawful” could have been seen as a rejection of the second commandment, thus casting doubt on His claim to be the Son of God. With the coin displayed in front of them, Jesus said, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” The Herodians and Pharisees, stating the obvious, said, “Caesar’s.” Then Jesus brought an end to their foolish tricks: “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21, ESV). Upon hearing this, Jesus’ enemies marveled and went away (verse 22). When Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” He was drawing a sharp distinction between two kingdoms. There is a kingdom of this world, and Caesar holds power over it. But there is another kingdom, not of this world, and Jesus is King of that (John 18:36). Christians are part of both kingdoms, at least temporarily. Under Caesar, we have certain obligations that involve material things. Under Christ, we have other obligations that involve things eternal. If Caesar demands money, give it to him—it’s only mammon. But make sure you also give God what He demands. Caesar minted coins, as he had a right to do, and he demanded some coins in return, as was his right. After all, his image was stamped on what he had made. God has “minted” the human soul, and He has stamped His image on every one (Genesis 1:27). So give Caesar his due—the temporary stuff of this world—but make sure to give God His due: “Offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness” (Romans 6:13).GotQuestions.org Related Resources: What does the Bible say about government? What does the Bible say about paying taxes? CIVIL OBEDIENCE Jesus taught that Christians should render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. In this passage, Jesus did not elaborate on all the issues related to a Christian citizen's responsibility to the state, but he did indicate a preference for compliance and civil stability. So . . . Choose your battle carefully. No state is perfect. If you refuse to live with moments of unfairness or bureaucratic hassle, you'll need to live by yourself on an island. Cooperate and support the state as far as faith will take you. Fortunately in democratic countries (unlike Judea in Jesus' time), we can work for peaceful change through speeches, publications, assemblies, boycotts, and media campaigns. There is no need to be a hermit or a rebel. Be wary of radicals on the left and reactionaries on the right. Militia movements have appealed to worried Christians and caused them to become more worried still. Leftist movements have attracted other Christians, who confuse political change with spiritual growth. When resistance is required, pray a lot and take counsel from Christian friends. Citizenship requires compromise, but Christians should not compromise Christ or do injustice before God. (See Matthew - LAC) GOOD TIMING The Pharisees and Herodians thought they could trap Jesus by forcing him to choose between two responsibilities. He stunned them by choosing both. He demonstrated that behind many of our conflicts lies a failure to recognize priorities. Should we give time and attention to our families or our work? Can we communicate our relationship with God through the work we do or by setting our work aside and engaging our fellow workers in conversation? Should we support our church or other worthy causes? According to Jesus' handling of this situation, these problems are issues of timing and priority, not right and wrong. The real challenge for most of us concerns whether or not we are doing what we should be doing at the appropriate time. Citizenship in the kingdom of God doesn't lessen commitments. In fact, it often intensifies them! Marriage duties, parental roles, church involvement, earthly citizenship-all take specific place under God's authority. Make sure your commitment to God stays strong, then all your priorities will be under his authority. (See Matthew - LAC) Money And Time Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. —Mark 12:17 Today's Scripture: Mark 12:13-17,28-31 During a trip to London, I visited the Bank of England Museum, then made my way to The Clockmakers’ Museum. At some point, it struck me that both money and time have been very important commodities as far back as anyone can remember. Yet they present one of the great dilemmas of life. We trade our valuable time working for money, and then we spend our money to make the most of our time off. We seldom possess the two with any degree of balance. In contrast, our Lord never seemed perplexed by money or time. When asked if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus answered: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). With great demands on His time, Jesus spent early mornings and late nights in prayer, seeking to know and do His Father’s will. Hymn writer Frances Havergal wrote: Take my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise. Take my silver and my gold, Not a mite would I withhold; Take my intellect and use Every power as Thou shalt choose. We can properly balance time and money when we offer ourselves without reservation to God. —David McCasland Spend time and money wisely—they both belong to God. Walter Kaiser - Render to Caesar? For many readers of the Gospels this does not seem to be a particularly hard saying. They pay their taxes to the state and give financial support to the church and various forms of religious and charitable action, and consider that this is very much in line with the intention of Jesus’ words. There are others, however, who find in these words material for debate, arguing that their meaning is not at all clear, or else, if it is clear, that it is quite different from what it is usually taken to be. Our first business must be to consider the setting in which the words were spoken. When we have done that, we may realize that some of those who heard them felt that here was a hard saying indeed. Mark, followed by Matthew (Mt 22:15–22) and Luke (Lk 20:19–26), tells how a deputation of Pharisees and Herodians came to Jesus while he was teaching in the temple precincts during his last visit to Jerusalem and, expressing their confidence that he would give them a straight answer, without fear or favor, asked him if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not. By “lawful” they meant “in accordance with the law of God, the basis of Israel’s corporate life.” Mark says that the questioners planned “to entrap him in his talk” (Mk 12:13 RSV); Luke spells this out more explicitly: their purpose, he says, was to “take hold of what he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor” (Lk 20:20 RSV). The governor or prefect of Judea was the representative of Caesar, and any discouragement of the payment of taxes to Caesar would incur sharp retribution from him. It was, indeed, a very delicate question. After Herod the Great, king of the Jews, died in 4 B.C., the Romans divided his kingdom into three parts, giving each to one of his sons. Galilee, where Jesus lived for most of his life, was ruled by Herod Antipas until A.D. 39. Judea, the southern part, with Jerusalem as its capital, was given to Archelaus (compare Mt 2:22). The sons of Herod received taxes from their subjects, as their father Herod had done. The Herods were not popular, but religiously they were Jews, so no religious difficulties stood in the way of paying taxes to them. But Archelaus’s rule in Judea proved to be so oppressive that, after nine years, the Roman emperor removed him to forestall a revolt and reorganized Judea as a Roman province, to be governed by a prefect appointed by himself. From now on the people of Judea were required to pay their taxes to the Roman emperor, Caesar. A census was held in A.D. 6 to determine the amount of tribute the new province was to yield. The Jews had been subject to Gentile overlords for long periods in their history, but no prophet or religious teacher had ever taught in earlier days that there was anything wrong in paying tribute to those overlords. On the contrary, the prophets taught them that if they fell under Gentile domination, this was by God’s permission, and they should acknowledge the divine will by paying tribute to their foreign rulers. But around the time of the census in A.D. 6 a new teaching was spread abroad, to the effect that God alone was Israel’s king, and therefore it was high treason against him for his people to recognize any Gentile ruler by paying him tribute. The principal teacher of this new doctrine was Judas the Galilean, who led a revolt against the Romans (see Acts 5:37). The revolt was crushed, but its ideals lived on, and the propriety of paying taxes to Caesar continued to be a subject for theological debate. It would be generally agreed that Jews in the lands of the Dispersion, living on Gentile territory, should pay taxes in accordance with the laws of the areas where they lived. But the land of Israel was God’s land; this was recognized by its inhabitants when they handed over one-tenth of its produce to the maintenance of his temple in Jerusalem. But the taxes that the Roman emperor demanded were also derived from the produce of God’s land. Was it right for God’s people, living on God’s land, to give a proportion of its produce to a pagan ruler? When the question was framed in those terms, the obvious answer for many was no. What would Jesus say? While he stayed in Galilee the question did not arise; taxes in that region were paid to a Jewish tetrarch. But when he visited Judea, he came to a place where it was a burning question. However he answered it, it would be almost impossible to avoid giving offense. If he said that it was unlawful to pay taxes to Caesar, the Roman governor would get to hear of it and he could be charged with sedition. If he said that it was lawful, he would offend those who maintained the ideals of Judas the Galilean, and many would think him unpatriotic. This would lose him much of his following in Judea. “Bring me a denarius,” said Jesus; “let me look at it.” The denarius was a Roman silver coin; Roman taxes had to be paid in Roman coinage. When a denarius was forthcoming, Jesus asked, “Whose face is this? Whose name is this?” The answer, of course, was “Caesar’s.” Well, said Jesus, the coin which bears Caesar’s face and name is obviously Caesar’s coin; let Caesar have it back. The verb translated “render” has the sense of giving back to someone that which belongs to him. Did he imply that the use of Caesar’s coinage was a tacit acknowledgment of Caesar’s sovereignty? Perhaps he did. There were some Jews whose orthodoxy was such that they would not look at, let alone handle, a coin which bore a human face. Why? Because it was said to infringe the second commandment of the Decalogue, which forbade the making of “any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Ex 20:4 RSV). Jesus did not necessarily share this attitude—money of any kind was held in little enough regard by him—but there may have been an implication in his words that the Pharisees among his questioners might have appreciated: such coins were unfit for use by people who were so scrupulous about keeping the law of God, and should go back where they came from. Caesar’s coins were best used for paying Caesar’s tribute. If that was what Caesar wanted, let him have it; the claims of God were not transgressed by such use of Caesar’s money. What was really important was to discover what God’s claims were, and see to it that they were met. Once again, he laid primary emphasis on seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness. Some interpreters have discerned more subtle ambiguities in Jesus’ answer, as though, for example, he included in “the things that are God’s” the produce of God’s land and meant that none of it should go to Caesar, not even when it was converted into Roman coinage. But this kind of interpretation would render the whole business about producing a denarius pointless. Certainly his answer would not satisfy those who believed that for Judeans to pay tribute to Caesar was wrong. If some of the bystanders had been led by the manner of his entry into Jerusalem a few days before to expect a declaration of independence from him, they must have been disappointed. And indeed, there seems to have been less enthusiasm for him in Jerusalem at the end of Holy Week than there had been at the beginning. On the other hand, if his questioners hoped that he would compromise himself by his reply, they too were disappointed. He not only avoided the dilemma on the horns of which they wished to impale him, but turned it so as to insist afresh on the central theme of his ministry. (Go to page 407 in Hard Sayings) Atop the Berlin Wall August 20 - Robert Morgan (From this Verse) In 1963, Rüdiger Knechtel, a 21-year-old border guard on the newly built Berlin Wall, was haunted by the coarse joking of his comrades. They were laughing about those killed trying to escape. Rüdiger made a silent vow to never shoot border jumpers, and he quietly convinced other guards to do the same. But when word reached the authorities, Rüdiger was arrested and sentenced to hard labor in a military prison. His wife meanwhile fell in love with another man, and Rüdiger returned home to a shattered life. In time, he discovered Christ as Savior and started working with recovering alcoholics. As a livelihood, Rüdiger began collecting and selling antiques and fine art, eventually amassing a fine collection of his own. Still the Stasi kept him under surveillance, sending informants and spies to entrap him. In the early hours of July 28, 1982, seven men appeared at his door, arrested him, and seized his most valuable paintings. Among numerous charges filed against him, he was accused of not paying a special tax on his paintings. That accusation was true, for Rüdiger had dodged a particular levy on his art works. “You haven’t paid your taxes,” prosecutors taunted, “yet you claim to be a Christian. What kind of Christian is that?” The question hurt Rüdiger because he knew Luke 20:25. He should have rendered to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, even though the regime was corrupt. “It was a terrible feeling,” he recalls. “It became clear to me how far from real faith I had lived.” Rüdiger Knechtel emerged from his second imprisonment determined to live in renewed moral obedience to God—and this made him all the more dangerous to the Stasi. In 1989, he helped lead the movement to defeat Communism in his country; and still today he is at work, caring for the sick and dying. The Alice Tax Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. — 1 Timothy 6:8 Today's Scripture: Mark 12:12-17,41-44 Author Calvin Trillin’s wife, Alice, held a unique view of income tax. She believed that “after a certain level of income, the government would simply take everything.” She thought there should be a limit on how much money people were allowed to keep for themselves. Writing in The New Yorker, Trillin said of his wife, “She believed in the principle of enoughness.” In Mark 12, Jesus avoided a carefully laid trap by telling His questioners to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (v.17). When Jesus watched people making their offerings to the temple treasury, He commended a woman who would have been considered foolish for her extravagance. “This poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood” (vv.43-44). Jesus placed more importance on wholehearted love for God than on wholesale concern over material needs. His tranquil attitude toward money and possessions was based on trusting His Father to supply each day’s needs. “Your Father knows the things you have need of” (Matt. 6:8). He clothes the lilies, feeds the birds; Would He to you, then, pay less heed? Look up to Him with prayerful heart, He will supply your every need. —Renfrow Contentment is not getting what we want but being satisfied with what we have. Luke 20:26 And they were unable to catch Him in a saying in the presence of the people; and being amazed at His answer, they became silent. Luke 20:26KJV And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace. And they were unable to catch Him in a saying in the presence of the people Lk 20:20,39,40; Job 5:12,13; Pr 26:4,5; 2 Ti 3:8,9 and being amazed at His answer Lk 13:17; Mt 22:12,22,34; Ro 3:19; Titus 1:10 Parallel passages - Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17 Luke 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 20:20-26 Guile, Government, and God - Steven Cole Luke 20:19-26 The Diagnosis of the Christ Rejecters - John MacArthur JESUS ADROIT RESPONSE SHUTS THE MOUTHS OF THE HYPOCRITES! And they were unable to catch Him in a saying in the presence of the people - Notice the phrase in the presence of the people - these evil hypocritical religious leaders were attempting to quell the crowd's Messianic fervor that was still resonating through them from His rousing "triumphal entry." They were still holding fast to their cry of "Hosanna" (Save us now!...from Rome!). Without question, many of the Jews were still believing Jesus was the Messiah who would take political control away from Rome. To catch (1949)(epilambano from epi = upon + lambano = take hold of) means to lay hold of, get a good grip on, take possession of, to seize. All NT uses are in the middle voice. The verb is used figuratively here meaning to take or grasp Jesus in His speech, i.e., to lay hold of something said by Jesus which could be used against Him to sway the Jewish crowd against Him. And being amazed (thumazo) at His answer they became silent (sigao) - Their amazement caused them to be "dumbstruck" which means to become so shocked or surprised as to be unable to speak. Matthew adds "And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away." (Mt 22:22) The leaders were dazed and confused in amazement at Jesus' adroit evasion of their subtle (and undoubtedly satanically inspired) trap. Jesus was still in full control of His Father's plan of redemption! I picture these religious leaders scurrying away like a dog with his tail between his legs! They did not have a clue that God's plan for fallen mankind was in full swing and on time. One contemporary British' writer has commented, "The problem with humanity is this: humanity stands at the crossroads, and all of the signposts have fallen down." This aptly portrays the religious leaders of Israel in one sense, that they were at the crossroads of the the event which would soon determine the fate of every soul ever born -- the crucifixion. However, the "signposts" had not fallen down, but had been clearly shown for three years. Their problem was that their spiritual blindness made them unable to see the "signposts." What about you dear reader - all of the signposts point to Jesus as the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Have you seen that He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no one comes to the Father but through Him? Amazed (2296)(thaumazo from thauma [from thaomai = to wonder] = wonder, admiration) means to wonder, marvel, be struck with admiration or astonishment, incredulous surprise. Thaumazo describes the human response when confronted by divine revelation in some form as in Mt 9.33 "After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” Jesus' "father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him." (Lk. 2:33) "And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering (with amazement) at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” (Lk 4:22) This is the same verb describing Pilate's response to Jesus "But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed." (Mk. 15:5) Jesus is AMAZING and may we His followers and intimate friends, never lose that sense of AMAZEMENT in the presence and communion with our Lord! All Luke's uses of thaumazo - Lk. 1:21; Lk. 1:63; Lk. 2:18; Lk. 2:33; Lk. 4:22; Lk. 7:9; Lk. 8:25; Lk. 9:43; Lk. 11:14; Lk. 11:38; Lk. 20:26; Lk. 24:12; Lk. 24:41;Acts 2:7; Acts 3:12; Acts 4:13; Acts 7:31; Acts 13:41 Have you ever asked someone "has the cat got your tongue?" It means to ask a question to someone who is inexplicably silent and it is an apt description these dumbfounded religious leaders who had been foiled once again by the wisdom of Jesus. In the temple Jesus had literally overturned the tables, but now figuratively the tables had been turned on the religious leaders and they did not know what had hit them! Became silent (4601)(sigao from sige = silence) mean to be silent, to "hold one's peace", to keep in silence or keep secret. The idea is to say nothing, keep still, keep silent (eg, Lk 9:36) or to stop speaking (eg, Lk 18:39). Luke's uses of sigao - Lk. 9:36; Lk. 18:39; Lk. 20:26; Acts 12:17; Acts 15:12; Acts 15:13