Luke 11:52 Meaning and Explanation
“Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Woe to the lawyers: they have taken away the key of knowledge, not entering themselves and hindering those who would enter.
What Does Luke 11:52 Mean?
The final woe names the gravest sin of the teaching office. Entrusted with the key of knowledge -- the Scriptures that open the door to God -- the lawyers neither entered nor allowed others in, burying the word beneath their own rulings.
The greatest harm a teacher can do is to stand in the doorway. The very Scriptures they guarded testified of the Christ they were resisting (John 5:39-40). For every reader the verse is also a promise in reverse: there is a door, knowledge of God truly opens it, and Jesus -- who said knock, and it shall be opened (Luke 11:9) -- holds the key.
Luke 11:52 in the Original Language
kleis (κλείς), 'key' -- that which opens; the means of entry.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 11:52
What does Luke 11:52 mean?
Woe to the lawyers: they have taken away the key of knowledge, not entering themselves and hindering those who would enter.