Luke 20:2 Meaning and Explanation
“And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The leaders demand that Jesus name the authority behind his actions and identify who gave it to him.
What Does Luke 20:2 Mean?
The challenge follows hard on the cleansing of the temple. Jesus has acted as one holding rights over the house of God, and the council that examined every teacher in Israel never commissioned him. Their two-part question is an official interrogation: what authority, and from whom?
It is the right question asked in the wrong spirit. Everything about Jesus does turn on where he comes from — but they ask as prosecutors hoping to indict, not as seekers hoping to find. His authority is from the Father who sent him, a truth they have already shown themselves unwilling to receive. The same question, asked in honesty, becomes the doorway to faith; asked in malice, it becomes its own judgment.
Luke 20:2 in the Original Language
exousia (ἐξουσία), 'authority' -- the rightful power to act, conferred from a higher source.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 20:2
What does Luke 20:2 mean?
The leaders demand that Jesus name the authority behind his actions and identify who gave it to him.