Luke 20:19The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people--for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.
The setting
Jerusalem Temple courts, Tuesday of Passion Week. Chief priests and scribes have just heard Jesus's parable about wicked tenants — and realized they are the villains...
The emotion here: clinical observation of human nature
The original word
epibállō (ἐπιβάλλω) — to lay hands on, to arrest by force
Why it matters
The temple police could arrest anyone in the temple courts, but feared riot during Passover with 2 million pilgrims present
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 20:19
They wanted to arrest him 'that very hour' — Jesus had pushed them to their breaking point
Common misconceptionPeople think the religious leaders were evil, but Luke shows they were simply politicians — they wanted to act but were constrained by public opinion. They're like modern leaders trapped by polls.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 20:19
Bible Genome reading
Luke 20:19 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 20:19 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. The setting is the Temple. These words are attributed to Luke. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include opposition, fear. Notable phrases: sought to lay hands; feared the people; parable against them.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Luke 20:19 mean to you, today?
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