John Calvin Commentary Luke 20:39

"And certain of the scribes answering said, Teacher, thou hast well said." — Luke 20:39 (ASV)

And some of the scribes answering. Since it is probable that all of them were motivated by evil dispositions toward him, this confession was compelled from some of them—that is, from the Pharisees—by a secret work of divine power. It may be that, although they might have wished for Christ to be shamefully defeated and silenced, when they perceived that his reply had fortified them against the opposing sect,⁶⁹ ambition led them to congratulate him on having achieved a victory.

Perhaps, too, they burned with envy and did not want Christ to be defeated by the Sadducees.⁷⁰ Meanwhile, it was brought about by the wonderful providence of God that even his most deadly enemies agreed with his doctrine.

Their insolence, too, was restrained. This was not only because they saw that Christ was prepared to withstand every kind of attack, but also because they feared being repelled with shame, as had already frequently happened. Furthermore, they were ashamed of allowing him, by their silence, to claim the victory, which would greatly increase his influence over the people.

When Matthew says that all were astonished at his doctrine, we should observe that the doctrine of religion was at that time corrupted by so many wicked or frivolous opinions that it was justly regarded as a miracle that the hope of the resurrection was so skillfully and fittingly proven from the Law.

⁶⁹ “Contra la secte des Sadduciens, leurs adversaires;” — “against the sect of the Sadducees, their adversaries.”;” — “against the sect of the Sadducees, their adversaries.”

⁷⁰ “Que ce fussent les Sadduciens qui emportassant la victoire par dessus Christ;” — “that it should be the Sadducees who carried the victory over Christ.”;” — “that it should be the Sadducees who carried the victory over Christ.”