Luke 20:39
Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
Original Language Analysis
ἀποκριθέντες
answering
G611
ἀποκριθέντες
answering
Strong's:
G611
Word #:
1 of 9
to conclude for oneself, i.e., (by implication) to respond; by hebraism (compare h6030) to begin to speak (where an address is expected)
τῶν
G3588
τῶν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
4 of 9
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Historical Context
Pharisees and Sadducees were theological opponents. Pharisees affirmed resurrection, angels, and spirits; Sadducees denied all three (Acts 23:8). Jesus's resurrection argument from the Pentateuch (which Sadducees accepted as most authoritative) was particularly devastating. The scribes' approval, however, didn't translate into following Jesus—they still participated in His arrest and trial.
Questions for Reflection
- How can we acknowledge theological truth intellectually without submitting to it personally?
- What does the scribes' selective approval teach about the danger of using Jesus for our own agenda while rejecting His lordship?
- When have you agreed with Jesus's teaching in theory but resisted its application to your life?
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Analysis & Commentary
Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said (Ἀποκριθέντες δέ τινες τῶν γραμματέων εἶπαν, Διδάσκαλε, καλῶς εἶπας, Apokrithentes de tines tōn grammateōn eipan, Didaskale, kalōs eipas)—After Jesus silenced the Sadducees' resurrection question (20:27-38), some grammateis (scribes), likely Pharisees who believed in resurrection, commend His answer. Kalōs (well, rightly, nobly) acknowledges theological correctness. This is rare approval from religious experts who mostly opposed Him.
Jesus had just demonstrated from Exodus 3:6 ('I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob') that patriarchs still live, since God is 'not a God of the dead, but of the living' (20:38). This validated Pharisaic theology against Sadducean denial. The scribes' response shows theological honesty—they acknowledge truth even from an opponent. Yet this approval is limited and self-serving: they're pleased Jesus refuted their rivals, not that they've embraced Him as Messiah.