Luke 20:21

And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

Luke 20:21 (KJV)

Context

Jesus is teaching in the temple when the scribes and chief priests send spies to question Him. Their aim is not honest inquiry but entrapment: they hope to catch Him in something He says so they can hand Him over to the governor’s authority. Their opening words in this verse are calculated flattery, not genuine respect.

Meaning

The spies address Jesus as “Master” and affirm that He speaks and teaches rightly. They also declare that He does not accept the person of any, meaning He shows no partiality or favoritism. These statements are true of Jesus, yet the speakers do not believe them. Their acknowledgment is hypocritical, designed to make Him speak openly.

They further claim that Jesus teaches the way of God truly. This is an accurate description of His ministry: His instruction is not rooted in human tradition or personal opinion but in the truth of God. Even in their deception, the religious leaders unintentionally testify to Jesus’ integrity and authority.

Biblical connections

This verse sets up the question about paying taxes to Caesar in Luke 20:22-25, where Jesus exposes their hypocrisy with a wise answer. The parallel account in Matthew 22:16-17 shows the same flattering approach by the Pharisees’ disciples with the Herodians, confirming that this was a deliberate strategy.

Application

Luke 20:21 reminds us that words of praise can be spoken without genuine faith. The leaders recognized Jesus’ truthfulness and impartiality, yet their motives remained suspect. True discipleship is not merely acknowledging who Jesus is but sincerely following His teaching and submitting to God’s way.