The Bible Study Companion
Reflections, questions, and observations on God’s Holy Word
October
More than a Bible reading plan, the Bible Study Companion goes beyond a mere reading of the Word. The Bible Study Companion asks difficult questions about the text. It searches for a deeper meaning behind the stories and events in the Bible. In addition, it helps bring clarity to some confusing passages in the Bible. The Bible Study Companion is a series of 365 daily readings that walks you through the Bible in Chronological order. How to use the Bible Study Companion: Read the daily scripture using the translation of your choice. For insight, observations and questions about each day’s passage refer to the study notes in this guide. Make your notes and ask your questions as you study the Bible as well.
Presented by Gregory L. Jones, Pastor West York Church of the Brethren http://www.westyorkcob.org
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October October 1: Matthew 12, Mark 3, Luke 6 Matthew 12 •
Matthew 12:1-8 This is Matthew’s version of the incident we read about in Mark
2:23-28. However, Matthew adds a few different points to the story. In addition to the reference to David, Matthew adds Jesus’ commentary on what the Priests do every Sabbath. According to Sabbath Laws, the priests were breaking the Law on every Sabbath. Jesus asks why they would be exempt while others were not. In principle, a priest should be serving the people and serving God, not serving an extensive list of rules and regulations. However, apparently the Pharisees didn’t see it that way. Once again, this is a clear sign that the religious leaders in Jesus’ time had exalted the Law above the people - as if they found righteousness and blamelessness in the Law. Not so, says Jesus, as He quotes from Hosea 6:6. What God desires most is a heart devoted to Him, not empty ritualistic devotion to a set of rules and regulations. •
Matthew 12:9-14 Doesn’t it seem a bit ironic that a man with a withered hand
was in church that day? Okay, so maybe he was a regular attendee. But considering that the Pharisees were looking for a way to trap Jesus (see Matthew 12:10), it sure seems that this whole thing was a set-up. If that’s true, then Jesus demonstrates an incredible amount of grace to this man. Neglecting His safety, Jesus heals knowing that it would get Him in hot water with the Pharisees. Once again, the Pharisees make with the whole regulation argument. These people just don’t get it. The Sabbath was made so Man might find rest and refreshment, not so that man might have a list of rules and regulations to follow. •
Matthew 12:15-21 It’s strange how often people miss this side of Jesus. The
Messiah’s life would be identified by compassion (neither break a battered reed nor put out a smoldering wick), which is precisely what we see in Jesus. People were more important than rules, regulations, and customs. His primary interest was in the individual standing before Him. Moreover, Jesus would do whatever it took to keep that person 3
from turning away from God. Jesus would not turn a woman away from Love Feast just because she wore no head covering. He would simply be glad she was there. •
Matthew 12:22-24 Apparently there were some Jews who were able to cast out
demons in Jesus’ time. Although it involved extensive pleading and persuading, it apparently worked. It seems that it included a large group of people as well (compare the group of exorcists in Acts 19:13). Noticeably different is the way Jesus accomplished this same feat - with a simple command. “Leave” is all Jesus would often say, and the demon would leave. Sadly, the demons understood who Jesus was better than the Pharisees did. •
Matthew 12:25-29 Jesus points out how silly their statement truly is. Satan would
not work against himself. In defense of His authority, Jesus claims that He is the stronger man. He is the One who has the power to storm the strongholds of Satan as a conqueror. Sadly, if the Spirit of God had guided these Pharisees, they would have recognized this. They would have reacted just like the rest of the crowd (Matthew 12:23). However, by their reaction they indicate just who was controlling them. •
Matthew 12:30-37 Reading this passage in context means that by speaking
against the Spirit, these Pharisees were rejecting and denying the presence of God’s Spirit in what just happened. They denied His convicting power. The divine nature of God was standing before them in flesh and blood. Jesus says He could forgive them for not comprehending this, but He also points out that no righteous person should be able to ignore the manifestation of God’s power and authority in this world, especially over the forces of darkness. However, because they could not or would not, they would find no forgiveness; not from Jesus while He walked the earth and not from Jesus when He stood before them as Judge. Now, some biblical scholars believe that this section only applied to the religious leaders at the time Jesus walked the earth; that this scolding by Jesus does not apply to us today. These scholars feel that Jesus needs to be present in order for this to be reproduced today. Jesus would need to be present and performing miracles such as this one, and then we would have to believe or deny that the Spirit of God was working through Him. Perhaps that is true, but I still believe that you or I can fall into the same trap. If we attest to science or technology that which belongs to the 4
Spirit, it seems we are guilty of the same sin. And frankly, you can tell if someone is a believer (a good tree) when they give God credit for a miracle. And those who point to something else are certainly not believers at all (a bad tree). And will a non-believer find forgiveness on the Day of Judgment? •
Matthew 12:38 Um, didn’t Jesus just do that? Didn’t He just prove to the crowds
that He was indeed the Messiah? Where have these people been the past few months? •
Matthew 12:39-42 It’s interesting how Jesus validates the story of Jonah and the
Great Fish. If we consider Jonah’s story as nothing more than a fable, we must then assume Jesus did not know what He was saying. He compares the sign of Jonah to the same sign He will give in about three years. You have to wonder what was wrong with these people. The people of Nineveh repented when an ordinary man preached, and the Queen of Sheba apparently embraced God when she heard an ordinary man teach. But these men would not believe when God showed up. They wouldn’t believe regardless what He said and did. And the saddest part of all is that these were the religious leaders; the learned men and the biblical scholars. One has to wonder what was keeping them from seeing and hearing and believing. •
Matthew 12:43-45 The essential part of this warning is cleanliness and order. A
person cleans up their life but does not fill their life with anything else. Such were these religious leaders. They followed the Law, but their hearts were empty. In other words, Jesus is warning us to make sure our life is filled with something, not just cleaned up and straightened up. It does me no good to only remove sin from my life; to straighten up my act. I must fill my heart, mind, and soul with faithfulness to Christ. There is no reformation apart from Christ. •
Matthew 12:46-50 Mary, along with Jesus’ half-brothers (born to Mary after
Jesus was born – see John 7:5), must have wanted special favors. We’re not sure. But it seems they were trying to align themselves with Jesus simply through family ties. Not so, says Jesus. One cannot be born into His Kingdom. To be one of His disciples, a person needs to surrender to God’s will. This is a point Paul will make in his letter to the Roman Christians (Romans 9:7-8). 5
Mark 3 •
Mark 3:1-6 In Mark’s version of this story, Jesus is the One who asks the
question. Matthew records that it was the Pharisees (compare Matthew 12:10). I like Mark’s version a little better. It shows a confrontational side to Jesus. “Is this a day to save a life or to destroy it,” He says. That’s a very pointed question. Which is more important, a stain on the carpet or a person’s eternal soul? •
Mark 3:7-12 According to Mark’s gospel, this section coincides with what is
recorded in Matthew 12:15. Jesus has earned Himself a large crowd of followers (not believers). They are mesmerized by the Man. His signs and wonders have thrilled them. His popularity is soaring (probably why His brothers wanted to be part of the “in” crowd). But that will soon fall away. Also, notice here that the demons knew who Jesus was and is. I wonder why some of the people did not. •
Mark 3:13-19 From the large crowd of followers, Jesus appoints twelve as
Apostles. These are the men He will send out with authority. They were commissioned to do Christ’s work in His name. This commissioning made them different than the disciples. A disciple is one who is taught. An apostle is one who is sent with authority. In this instance, they are sent in Christ’s authority. •
Mark 3:20-21 This was Jesus’ family, not His circle of friends. They came to
take Him away. Did they think that He was out of His mind, or were they merely trying to care for His health? It’s difficult to say. •
Mark 3:22-30 The accusation made here by the religious leaders was that Jesus
was working with Satan. Of course, that is nonsense. These men were grasping at straws; looking for an excuse to deny what was happening. Jesus, of course, rebukes them for their foolishness. He then implies that this blasphemy will not be forgiven them. Why is that? Why would Jesus suggest that someone could commit a sin that could not be forgiven? The situation here is unique. Here was Jesus walking among the people, teaching the people, telling them about life, and confirming that His words were true by performing miracles among them. These religious leaders chose not to believe. They embraced darkness even though they had been exposed to the Light. 6
These men denied the testimony of the Holy Spirit: something that just cannot be forgiven. •
Mark 3:31-35 Jesus’ mother and His brothers try to take control of Him. It 's
hard to determine if they thought He was crazy or only needed His rest. But for whatever the reason, Jesus uses this as an example of spiritual kinship. Anyone (not just those in the room that day) who does the will of God is part of His family. Luke 6 •
Luke 6:1-5 This section repeats what was discussed in Matthew 12:1-8 and
Mark 2:23-28. •
Luke 6:6-11 Luke points out that it was the right hand that was withered, an
observation missing from Matthew and Mark. Like Mark, Luke here indicates that it was Jesus who asked the question, not the Pharisees (see Matthew 12:10). The fact that Luke mentions it was the right hand gives me the impression that he either interviewed the man who was healed or spoke with someone who knew him. •
Luke 6:12-16 The list of the Apostles is given here. In Matthew and Mark’s
listing, as well as here in Luke, the list begins with Peter and ends with Judas Iscariot. When comparing this list with the names that are given in John 1:45, Bartholomew must be Nathaniel, and Thaddaeus (see Mark 3:18) must be Judas, son of James •
Luke 6:17-19 To fully understand how these events unfolded, we need to
compare Luke’s account with Matthew’s. Jesus went up the Mountain to pray all night. In the morning, He called twelve to be His Apostles, went down the mountain to meet with the people, and then He went back up the mountain to teach. Matthew omits some of the details, and so does Luke. But combined, we get a fuller view of things. The message to the people is similar (as compared to Matthew). It begins with the Beatitudes and concludes with the same parables. However, you’ll notice that Luke omits many of the clarifications Jesus makes about Jewish Law. And considering his Gentile audience, this would make sense. •
Luke 6:20-23 In contrast to the wisdom of the world, Jesus says that
blessedness is not found in the material pleasures and desires one might possess. 7
Blessedness is found in an emotional and spiritual connection with God. This echoes the teachings found in the Old Testament (Compare Psalms 32:1-2; 34:8; 40:4; 84:12; 112:1). Consider the absurdity in what Jesus claims - Blessed are you who are poor, blessed are you who hunger now, blessed are you who weep now and blessed are you when men hate you. Conventional wisdom would scoff at those claims. However, Jesus reminds us that our blessedness is not found in the situation, but in the presence of God within the situation. Tomorrow, during our reading from Matthew 5, we will take a closer look at each promised blessing. •
Luke 6:24-26 Those disciples who had given up everything to follow Jesus were
contrasted with those who refused to abandon anything in order to follow Jesus, including social standing, wealth, and peace of mind. Those who seek to find blessedness in the things of this life and the things in this world will find emptiness and vanity. These people are only chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:2). •
Luke 6:27-35 Jesus calls His listeners to demonstrate the unique characteristics
of God in the way they interact with one another. He says: 1.
Love your enemies.
2.
Do good to those who hate you.
3.
Bless those who curse you.
4.
Pray for those who mistreat you.
5.
Do not retaliate.
6.
Give freely.
7.
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
This is not a list of ways a Christian is to respond to others; this is a list of attitudes and behaviors a Christian is to demonstrate toward others. As a Christian, we are not called to react toward others in a Christ-like manner; we are called to act Christ-like toward others regardless of the way they react to us. A Christian is called to be proactive in their love toward others, not reactive in the way they are treated. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” not “Do to others as they have done to you.” When 8
a Christian demonstrates this characteristic, they are expressing the very heart of God (Luke 6:35). •
Luke 6:36-38 This is a powerful lesson from Jesus. He reminds us that our
actions and attitudes toward others will often be reflected back toward us. 1. Mercy will lead to mercy 2. Judgment will lead to judgment 3. Condemnation will lead to condemnation 4. Pardon will lead to pardon 5. Giving will lead to giving You will always harvest what you plant (Galatians 6:7). •
Luke 6:39-42 So often people use this illustration as an example of Christ’s
teaching about judgment. They claim that Jesus taught us to not pass judgment about the speck in someone’s eye because we have a log in our own. But that’s not what He is trying to teach. Jesus does not teach that it is wrong to see sin in another person’s life. What He is teaching here is that in order to help someone deal with their sin, I will need first to address mine. In fact, when I deal with my sin, I am called to help someone deal with their own. When I see in someone else a sin that used to be present in me, I am better equipped to help lead them away from that sin. So when people quote this parable to you as Jesus’ example of not passing judgment, you can just point out to them that you are following Christ’s teaching found in Luke 6:42. “I’ve dealt with the log in my eye, and I only want to help you deal with the speck in yours.” •
Luke 6:43-45 According to Jesus, the words we speak will judge us (what you
say flows from your heart). Paul builds upon this (Ephesians 4:29), and so does James (James 3:10). You can be sure that the person who criticizes and slanders others in front of you will not hesitate to criticize you in front of others. That’s because there is divisiveness, criticism, and slander in their heart. Be wary of those who pull you aside to share a slanderous observation about another person. They are spreading poison, and if you are not careful, it may one day affect you. 9
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Luke 6:46-49 Notice that a storm raged against both individuals. Jesus didn’t
promise that to heed His words would spare a person from trials and hardships. But He did promise that hearing and listening to His words would become the foundation a person needs to endure; to remain steadfast and immovable no matter what might come our way. And don’t we see this to be true? There is a marked difference between the funeral of a person who had a Christian family and the individual who had a godless family. The difference is like night and day.
October 2: Matthew 5-7 Matthew 5 •
Matthew 5:3 Make no mistake; Jesus began with this statement so that
everyone who was listening would come to the same realization as Isaiah; “ Woe is me,
I am ruined” (Isaiah 6:5). There are some Bible translations that use the word “Happy” instead of the word “blessed”. But when you consider the desired effect (what Jesus wants us realize), there is nothing “Happy” about it. A more accurate translation of verse three is, “The Blessed are those who know they are poor in spirit.” According to Jesus, we will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven unless we recognize that we are poor in spirit; that there is nothing good about ourselves when compared to the righteousness of Jesus. It is those who know they are poor in spirit who will find heaven waiting for them. “They ask God to do for them what they can’t do without Him,” says Max Lucado. How true. Only when we understand our helplessness will we turn to the Lord for help. •
Mathew 5:4 Keep in mind that these are attitudes of our heart, not something we
do. I am not blessed by observing a set of mourning rituals. Basically, what Jesus was saying is “The Blessed are those who have heard God speak about their sin, who have listened to God, and who honestly feel sorry for what they have been doing or the way they have been living. It is those people who will be comforted by God” (My paraphrase). Since this is true, then for a Church to demonstrate love, it will be a church where the Holy Spirit is allowed to speak to someone about his or her sin. I 10
believe there is something else in these words that are just important. Notice that Jesus says it is the attitude of mourning that brings the comfort, not the absence of sin. He doesn’t say “The Blessed are those who have nothing to mourn about.” It is not those who stop sinning who will find comfort; it is those who continue to sin even though they try so hard not to. The person who wakes up each morning wanting to live a life that is pleasing to God and who yet sometimes stumbles and falls is the person who will be comforted. Our Lord embraces the individual who comes to Him with godly sorrow; He gently picks them up and sets them back on their feet once again. •
Matthew 5:5 Many of us confuse the character trait of humility, or “meekness” as
some Bibles call it, with the trait of “weakness”. But according to one Bible dictionary, meekness (or humility) in reality is strength and courage under control, coupled with kindness. “Bridled Passion,” as one commentary puts it. We put a bridle on a horse's head to guide and restrain them. In effect, Jesus is saying, “The Blessed are those who are willing to submit themselves to God and His Word, which, in turn, affects the way they respond to others. These are the ones who will inherit the earth”. The reality is that it takes more strength for people to restrain themselves than it does to follow their passion. King Solomon says, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and
he who rules his spirit than he who captures a city .” (Proverbs 16:32). The reality is that there is more godly strength demonstrated in the person who rules his spirit than in the individual who becomes infuriated and is always in conflict with others. The “Meek” are the ones who truly demonstrate that God is Lord of their lives. The “Meek” are the ones who truly demonstrate to a watching world the reality of God’s ability to change lives. The “Meek” are the ones whose “Bridled Passion” will point heavenward. •
Matthew 5:6 The original language in this scripture indicates that this is a deep
longing; like when a person realizes they are facing famine and cannot possibly feed themselves. In other words, “Blessed are you when your all-consuming desire is to be accepted as holy and blameless by your God but to realize that there is nothing YOU can do to make that happen.” Jesus speaks of a person being blessed because their greatest desire was to find favor in the eyes of God. But for far too long we’ve been told that righteousness is ACTING in accord with God’s laws; that we are righteous by what 11
we do. But righteousness is not an act or a show. Jesus didn’t say, “Blessed are those who act righteously”, but “Blessed are those who HUNGER and THIRST for righteousness.” There’s a big difference here. It is the attitude of your heart that Jesus sees, and when He sees that you long to be right with God and that you know this righteousness depends upon Him, Christ will satisfy your longing. •
Matthew 5:7 The meaning of the word “Mercy” is more than just pity or feeling
sorry for what another person is going through. Christ used a word that means to get inside the other person. The merciful person is the one who can see things through the eyes of someone else. And since it is through Christ that we can have mercy, we become a person who can look at someone through the eyes of Jesus. Now most of us probably feel that we are quite merciful. We feel sorry when people suffer. We are sympathetic to those who are in pain. But being merciful goes far deeper than that. To demonstrate mercy, using Christ’s definition, is to understand why someone acts a certain way. We are to clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy toward one another (compare Colossians 3:12-13). Additionally, Jesus doesn’t only say that a merciful person is a blessing to others. He also points out that a merciful person will receive mercy. Something transformative happens when we begin to see others with merciful eyes. If we do this often enough, I believe we even begin to see ourselves with merciful eyes. We begin to realize just how precious we are to the Father. I know of a man who shows no mercy toward others, and it is this same man who continually dwells on his sin; “Chief among Sinners” he often describes himself. He doesn’t know mercy from God because he shows no mercy toward others. •
Matthew 5:8 Why do you think Jesus included “pure heart” among the attitudes
that are to be demonstrated to others? It’s because our conduct either confirms our witness or condemns it.
More than just talking the talk, we need to walk the walk.
Everyone is watching what we do, where we go, or what we say. Granted, it is not right living that saves our soul, but the way we live does give testimony to what is within our heart. And our conduct may either lead someone to Christ or away from Him for all eternity. We say that we are saved. We say that Christ has redeemed us. We tell others to surrender their lives to Him. We talk about obedient living. We shout 12
hallelujah when the name of Jesus is proclaimed. But unless we live a pure life for others to see, our testimony is useless. No one will believe in the transformative power of Jesus if our actions tell them otherwise. As John, the Apostle points out, “ the one
who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked ” (1 John 2:6). •
Matthew 5:9 According to Jesus, the peacemakers are those individuals who
have a calming influence on others; who not only teach the things that make for peace, but also introduce others to the transforming power of God and His Spirit.
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James
points out that if we indeed are to be working for peace as Christ describes, we will be guided by God’s standard of peace. “People who work for peace in a peaceful way
plant a good crop of right-living” (James 3:18). I like that. “Working for Peace in a Peaceful way.” That’s the difference between being a peacemaker and merely a person who promotes the absence of conflict. The person who works for peace is the one who comes between opposing parties and represents Christ; who calls us to have a Christlike attitude when dealing with disagreeable people. A Peacemaker will speak words that heal and unite, rather than hurt and divide. A Peacemaker will help you see others through the eyes of Jesus. The peacemaker is the one who holds on to Christ when others are divided. •
Matthew 5:10 Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever been criticized for
doing the right thing? I know from firsthand experience that this happens out in the world, but I have seen this happen even within the church. Church leaders are often criticized for disciplining members. Church leaders are often criticized for showing grace. Church leaders are criticized for changing things even though those changes improve the health of the church. I think most Christians expect this criticism and persecution to come from the world, but few of us expect it to come from the Church. But it is the Christian who continues to pursue what is right and godly that has the Kingdom of Heaven within their heart. And often what is right and godly is not pleasant and popular. Think of what people say about the individual who calls the church to live
1Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament 13
by faith and not by finances. Most would say that he is not realistic or a good steward. Yet in spite of the ridicule, his heart continues to find trust and faith in God. •
Matthew 5:11-12 I doubt very few individuals feel blessed when people mock
them and persecute them and lie about them and say all sorts of evil things against them, especially when it is from other Christians. Yes, other Christians. Mocking and lying and ridicule do not merely come from the world. This trait has found its way into the Church as well. And doesn’t it seem strange that Jesus says we are supposed to rejoice about this? He is right. In biblical history, those who worked for God were persecuted the most. The people even mocked and lied about Jesus. So when we are slandered, defamed, lied about, and when our ministry is sabotaged, we are experiencing the same thing other servants of God experienced; indicating that what we are doing IS of God. Out of the mouth of the unrighteous come all sorts of lies and slander; and their attacks are not directed at those who are unrighteous, but toward those who are righteous. •
Matthew 5:13-16 Christ’s followers could be compared to salt and light. Those
who are like salt either create a thirst for the Kingdom of Heaven because of their Christ-like attitude or they preserve the world from evil. Whichever interpretation you like, the important part is that the salt maintains its essential character. The Beatitudes become the standard against which we measure the attitude of our heart. •
Matthew 5:17-20 God has always granted righteousness to the person who
demonstrates faith. It has never been given to anyone who obeyed a list of rules and regulations. But the Pharisees were teaching this. They were teaching that righteousness came through obedience to the Law. Not so, says Jesus. Turning to the crown, Jesus says that even the righteousness demonstrated by the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees was not sufficient. Jesus wasn’t teaching a new way to attain righteousness. He wasn’t trying to change the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament). He came in fulfillment of what they said. In the Old Testament, a person was counted righteous by their faith in God’s promises. He promised that guilt would be removed by following a prescribed sacrificial system. But one day, guilt would be eliminated through His Suffering Servant. In New Testament times, believers are 14
counted righteous again because of their faith in God’s promises. He promised that guilt would be removed from the belief in the Man God sent to save. Salvation is given because of our faith. It always has been, and it always will be. And it will always happen because of our faith in God’s promises. •
Matthew 5:21-47 To demonstrate the futility of judging themselves righteous
according to their standards, Jesus raises the bar on what righteousness looks like according to God. “You have heard it said,” says Jesus – an indication that He is about to raise the bar. There were those who felt they were righteous, but they measured this according the wrong standards. In God’s standard of righteousness, the attitude of a person’s heart is enough to condemn them. For example, I may not pull the trigger, but if I did in my heart, then I am guilty (Matthew 5:21-26). I may not physically sleep with another woman, but if I give in to lust, I am guilty of adultery (Matthew 5:27-30). Jesus questions man’s interpretation of divorce, where it is treated as something casual and acceptable. But Jesus says that divorce is a sin (Matthew 5:31-32), regardless of what any man (even Moses) may have permitted (see Matthew 19:8). Jesus corrects their understanding about vows (Matthew 5:33-37), about revenge (Matthew 5:38-42), and about the real measure of Love (Matthew 5:43-47). So if a person (especially a Pharisee) wants to think that they have earned God’s favor by being such a wonderful, righteous person, they better be measuring themselves against God’s standard, not their own. •
Matthew 5:48 Jesus concludes by saying we are to be perfect, which is
something humanly impossible. No one is perfect. No one is sinless, especially when Jesus raises the bar so high. No one could ever be sinless according to that standard. Which is precisely the point Jesus was trying to make. Jesus wasn’t trying to convince us to strive for this level of sinlessness but to point out our hopelessness. Jesus isn’t trying to teach us to never lust (although we should not) or never get angry (again, something we should try to avoid), but to point out the apparent impossibility of any human ever obtaining this level of righteousness. Thankfully, our righteousness does not rest upon our sinlessness; it rests on the grace of God. Matthew 6 15
•
Matthew 6:1-4 Continuing to emphasize a person’s heart, Jesus speaks of an
individual's motivation for doing good toward others. Certain members of the Jewish Religious Community (some being Pharisees) demonstrated their righteousness by drawing attention to their acts of kindness and service (compare Matthew 23:5). But Jesus warns them to draw attention to God, not themselves. I kind of struggle with this from time to time. There are times I feel guilty for telling others what my church has been doing for the kingdom. I don’t want to seem like the people Jesus was talking about in this section. Yet I am also aware that the world desperately needs to know that there are Christians and congregations who are indeed laboring for the Kingdom. Often the line between encouraging and boasting is difficult to see. Why do I feel it necessary to tell others about the great work being accomplished in my church? Do I share it so that others will be impressed with my leadership or do I share it so others might be encouraged? I guess my only advice is that it’s probably safer to err on the side of quiet servitude rather than crossing the line and not knowing it. “Be careful,” Jesus warns. “Watch out!” The praise of men can become quite addicting. •
Matthew 6:5-8 This passage really makes praying in public difficult. If you’ve
ever stood before an assembly of people and prayed, it’s really difficult not to be on some type of performance basis. But I think as long as we pray in public in the same way we pray in private, then things will be okay. That’s the difference I see. In private, do I really say things like “Oh Father, I humbly bow before You this day, giving you all praise and honor and glory forever and ever amen”. Or do I simply say “Father, thank you for your love and care today. I can’t believe all that You have done for me and given me. Please know how much I love You”. If you are asked to pray in public, pray as you do in private. The prayer is given to God, not to men. And we are asking God to hear our prayers, not for men to applaud our prayers. •
Matthew 6:9-13 What is commonly called The Lord’s Prayer should more
accurately be called The Disciples Prayer. It is a model of prayer the Lord gave to the disciples. Please note that Jesus didn’t say to pray these words, but to pray this way. A disciple of Jesus should pray 1) acknowledging God as Father, 2) displaying reverence and respect toward God, 3) recognizing that God’s Kingdom is not just in Heaven, but 16
also here on earth, 4) permitting God to accomplish His will (and that means either through us or in spite of us), 5) asking God to provide our physical need for today, 6) asking God to provide the Spiritual needs we have today (in this example, forgiveness), and 7) to recognize our spiritual weakness (admit that the Devil’s temptations are often times too difficult to resist). Again, this style of prayer needs to be framed in the context of what Jesus was actually teaching. He was scolding those who prayed an empty, casual prayer; merely repeating words to impress men. What Jesus taught His disciples was a heart issue, not a word issue. Let’s face it, we all know people who have repeated the Lord’s Prayer, and that’s all it ever was – repeating a bunch of words. I’d rather hear the honest, heartfelt prayer of a child than stand and listen to the church repeat these words with empty hearts entirely disengaged from God. •
Matthew 6:14-15 These verses explain what Jesus said in Matthew 6:12. In
verse 12 it is assumed that the person praying has already shown forgiveness to those who have sinned against them. “Jesus, I’ve forgiven Sally and Bob for what they’ve done to me. Likewise, would You please forgive me for what I’ve done to You”. But, if we refuse to forgive others, does that really mean God will refuse to forgive us? I know that’s the way it appears, but we need to keep several things in mind. First, when we think “forgiveness,” many of us think “Salvation”. But by now I hope we all realize that Salvation is not something we earn by forgiving everyone who has hurt us. That’s not Salvation by grace, that’s Salvation by works. Secondly is the Greek word paraptoma (par·ap·to·mah), commonly translated as Trespass. It speaks of a lapse or fall. In other words, we do not lose our Salvation when we fail to forgive others, but we have slipped or fallen out of fellowship with God when we fall out of fellowship with others. And thirdly, it’s difficult for a person to feel forgiven by God when there is no forgiveness in their heart (compare Ephesians 4:32). This issue being discussed here does not focus on the person praying the sinner’s prayer. This issue being discussed here concerns the person praying the Lord’s Prayer. They are already saved. But God is certainly not pleased with their unforgiving heart. •
Matthew 6:16-18 Some Pharisees also boasted about their righteousness by
publically proclaiming bodily self-denial (fasting). And they wanted everyone to notice 17
that they were fasting. Like the other two examples (giving and praying), fasting for personal recognition demonstrated a heart filled with pride, not humility. And we all know that once pride fills a person’s heart, there is no room left for Jesus. In each of these teachings (giving, praying, and fasting), Jesus is warning His listeners to be very, very careful that they do not start serving God hoping to receive the praise of men, for righteousness is not found in accolades and compliments, but in Christ, and Christ alone. •
Matthew 6:19-24 Wow, this is good stuff. I could spend a week on each section!
Again addressing the crowd but pointing to the Pharisees, Jesus says that if our greatest treasures are the external, temporary things in life (and that includes Man’s praise), then we have indeed misunderstood the teachings of God. When our treasures become our masters, we are in conflict with God. He is not preeminent in our lives. He is not first. The word Money at the end of verse 24 does not only mean the cash in my savings account. Some translations rightly use the word Wealth here or Mammon, as in King James. For some, their wealth is their health. For others, their wealth is their family. For some, wealth is their job or career. Regardless of where we put our greatest hope and trust, Jesus says we cannot serve both God and wealth. One will overrule the other. And for most Christians, life has been a series of “letting go”; letting go of those things that have stood between them and God. Just listen to someone talk for a couple of minutes. You’ll be able to tell what their greatest treasure is; it will be the thing they speak of the most. •
Matthew 6:25-34 The righteous live by faith, not by finances. What does that
say about us when we spend more time worrying about material things than we do about the Kingdom of Heaven? What does it say about our faith when the work of the Kingdom is neglected because of an absence of finances? I suggest that most churches have never lived by faith. Most of the churches I know merely accomplish what they feel is feasible or obtainable. And when a project or a ministry is beyond their ability to fund, the church ends the ministry instead of believing that God can supply their need. Sadly, that church never gets the chance to see God do something miraculous. 18
Matthew 7 •
Matthew 7:1-2 Jesus is still speaking about the Pharisees here. Apparently,
they judged others according their own standard of righteousness. They didn’t smoke or chew or hang out with girls who do. So, in their own estimation, they were righteous. But Jesus is about to teach them something of God’s standard of righteousness. Just when they were about to pat themselves on the back for how much more righteous they were than all those everyday people around them, Jesus raises the bar. So if they want to judge themselves righteous based upon something other than God’s grace, then they had better be ready to be judged based upon something other than God’s grace. •
Matthew 7:3-6 Matthew adds a section here not mentioned in Luke 6:41-42.
Remember how this section actually deals with helping another person (once we’ve dealt with our own sin)? Well, sometimes there are people who simply do not want our help. We must offer advice that would be appreciated and helpful, but some people just will not listen. We come to them with guidance and counsel about the speck in their eye, yet they refuse. Isn’t this what Jesus did for the people of Israel? Yet many rejected Him. Many despised Him, although it didn’t keep Him from offering help. But even though He was rejected, He certainly didn’t dwell on it. He even counseled the Twelve to shake the dust off their feet and move on to those who will listen (Matthew 10:14). Well, I don’t know about you, but I keep dwelling on those who would not listen; wondering if I said the right things or actually showed them how much I care. I think this is one of the hardest things to accept; that some people are so dead-set against God that no amount of pleading or persuading is going to change them. Or perhaps I’m looking to plant the seed, water the plant, AND reap the harvest all in one sitting. Maybe I am not the one to reap the harvest. Maybe I was to be the one to plant the seed. •
Matthew 7:7-11 This is not a formula or a call to wear down God so He gives us
what we want. This is a demonstration of how loving God is toward His children. “Keep 19
on asking,” says Jesus, and God will give you what is good.” So, how does this bit of information fit within the context of what Christ is teaching? Keep in mind that the Pharisees were teaching a form of religion based upon denial; as if God denied His blessing or love or grace unless we straighten up and act right. In contrast, Jesus has been teaching that God loves, gives grace, and is patient to those who love Him. Even our earthly fathers demonstrate the fundamental characteristics of God. Even when their children disobey, the father still provides and loves. •
Matthew 7:12 This section was discussed yesterday in Luke 6:27-35.
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Matthew 7:13-14 Sooner or later you are going to learn that there is a difference
between knowing the path and walking the path (thank you Larry and Andy Wachowski for such a great quote). I have found that knowing the truth is far easier than living according to that truth. It’s a lot easier to understand that I am to love my enemies than it is to love them from my heart. •
Matthew 7:15-23 Still speaking about the Pharisees and the Teachers of the
Law, Jesus compares them to False Prophets and Ravenous Wolves. What does a false prophet promote? They promote a different way of righteousness, which is clearly what the Pharisees taught. They taught that righteousness came through obedience to the Law. But what about the ravenous wolf? Perhaps these too were the Pharisees, or maybe the Jewish Religious Leaders. Maybe even the Levitical Priests! A Ravenous
Wolf preys on the weak, and strengthens themselves at the expense of others. They may appear to be righteous and holy, and they may hold positions of power in religious circles, but they do not present the actual gospel of Jesus and they take from others for their own personal gain. Truthfully, this text should cause every disciple of Jesus to pause. Why do I volunteer in the Church? Why have I accepted this leadership position within the Church? What do I hope to gain by being a Sunday School Teacher or a Deacon? And most importantly, who benefits from all that I do in the name of Jesus? 20
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Matthew 7:24-27 This section was discussed yesterday during the reading of
Luke 6:46-49. •
Matthew 7:28-29 The people were blown away by Jesus’ teachings. He didn’t
merely mention the external behaviors that the Law addresses, but He spoke of the internal meditations of a person’s heart. Jesus spoke of a changed heart that changes behavior, not merely following a Law. And don’t we still see this today? Passing laws in Washington does not alter a person’s heart. Passing a law will not change a person. It merely forces the people to comply with a law. Then we have to make more laws that address what to do when an individual doesn’t obey the law, and we need special people to interpret whether a person actually broke the law intentionally or by accident. However, change an individual's heart and you will find someone willing to obey the law because it is the right thing to do. Likewise, maybe the Christian Community needs to spend more time working to transform hearts and less time trying to change the law. Now, I know the last few sentences shocked some readers. We’ve been told for a long time that the right thing to do is fight for our religious freedoms in this country and return us back to our Christian roots. In contrast, I pointed out that what we need to do is stop playing government and instead fill this land with people transformed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. And if you felt what I said was radical thinking, then you have grasped the emotions people felt when Jesus spoke from the mountain side.
October 3: Luke 7, Matthew 11 Luke 7 •
Luke 7:1-5 Don’t miss the significance of what Luke says here. The Roman
Centurion, who had 100 soldiers under his command, was well-liked by the people in Galilee. Let’s contrast this Gentile soldier with what we just heard Jesus say about the Jewish Religious Leaders. Remember the Tree and its fruit reference in Matthew 7:16? 21
This Soldier’s action testifies what sort of man he really was. However, I believe this went both ways. See, for this Roman Soldier to actually love these Jewish people, they must have acted toward him in loving ways. At least that’s the way I see it. I see a community of God-fearing people treating an outsider with dignity and love, and the outsider responding in like manner. •
Luke 7:6-10 Jesus was blown away by this man’s faith. Not just because he
recognized Jesus as a man of God, but because he recognized Jesus’ authority. That is quite rare, even for people today. Perhaps the Roman soldier had seen some of the miracles of Jesus, or at least had heard of them. Considering that he was a Gentile, seeing or hearing of God performing such miracles would have been a real eye-opener. No other god ever did these kinds of things. So Jesus would have really impressed him. On the other hand, he Jews would have known or at least read about all the things God had done in the past. So maybe familiarity to God’s power anesthetized the Jews; seeing or hearing of a miracle was not shocking. I wonder if our close proximity to the workings of God has numbed us as well. Maybe that’s why a person of the world responds to grace with much more emotion than someone who grew up in church. •
Luke 7:11-17 Nain was about 25 miles from Capernaum. And since Jewish
custom was to bury the dead on the same day, it’s possible Jesus and His crowd of disciples left just as the boy died. I say it’s possible because the text gives us no reason as to why they traveled there. Is it possible that Jesus was sent there for this very purpose; that this was not a chance meeting? The men carrying the casket stopped, not out of respect for Jesus, but out of shock. What Jewish man in his right mind would touch the casket of a dead person? They would have been defiled for seven days (Numbers 19:11). Yet Jesus stretches out His hand and touches out of sympathy and compassion. Just as with the Centurion’s servant, the authority and power of Jesus is demonstrated in compassion and sympathy, not political power or military might. What sword did Jesus need to defeat death? What shield did He carry 22
to protect Himself from uncleanliness? Such was (is) the holiness of Christ. Whoever lays hold of Him is made clean; is made holy (compare Exodus 29:37). •
Luke 7:18-23 Jesus reminds John the Baptist that a person is blessed when they
are not distracted by other things; when they are not ensnared away from God. In prison, perhaps John was feeling alone and insignificant. Perhaps he began to wonder if he had actually made any difference at all. These doubts and worries crowded out faith, and so John was no longer sure. The Good News is that Jesus sends these two disciples back to John able to testify about what they had seen and heard. And their fellowship with John would have given him great comfort. By now, John was in prison because of what he said to Herod. And what John needed was Christian Fellowship, not just a simple answer. •
Luke 7:24-28 John the Baptist was not someone who was out to please the
crowd. He was not looking to get rich by speaking comforting words. He was a prophet, and not just any prophet, but The Prophet promised in Malachi 3:1. He was the one who would prepare the way for the Messiah; the Christ. But regardless of how great a prophet John the Baptist was, the least in the Kingdom of God was greater. Now, Jesus isn’t bad-mouthing John. John’s message of repentance was the same message Jesus preached. But prophets are used to draw people to the Kingdom of God. Prophets point the way. Prophets are essential, but the most important thing is to be part of the Kingdom of God. That’s the highest honor. •
Luke 7:29-30 And of course, everyone who had been baptized by John
understood this. They knew that John was merely pointing them to Jesus; the One who would grant them entrance into God’s Kingdom. It’s no different from what a pastor does. A good pastor only points the lost to Christ, not to himself or even the Church. No person can save another person, and neither is a person saved through church membership. If I share the Good News with someone, I do not save them. Christ is the 23
One who saves. It is His Kingdom they are entering, not a denomination or any religious institution. •
Luke 7:31-35 For those who rejected John’s testimony and Jesus’ witness, they
are like children who are never happy. Nothing ever suits them. In other words, they had created their own idea of what the Messiah would act like, what He would do, and what He would say. Yet when the Messiah actually came, He was nothing like they had imagined. Therefore, they rejected Him. However, the wisdom of those who were baptized by John will one day condemn the folly of these religious leaders. •
Luke 7:36-50 This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. The woman at the
feet of Jesus emptied her life and gave it all to Jesus. Likewise, I have allowed Him to make me into someone new, and I have allowed Him to use my lips, my hands, and my mind so that He is exalted and His message is preached. This is what Jesus desires from everyone; be they a sinful woman or a self-righteous Pharisee. This woman emptied herself at the feet of Jesus, but Simon doesn’t empty a thing. He doesn’t surrender himself in any way. The phrase “But a person who is forgiven little shows
only little love” is not a condemnation toward those who have only sinned a little. It’s a condemnation toward those who feel they have little to be forgiven. The sinful woman was broken before Jesus. Simon was not. Only a life broken and empty can be filled with the things of God. “God sends no one away empty except those who are full of
themselves.” -- Dwight L. Moody Matthew 11 •
Matthew 11:1 This verse is tied together with the events mentioned in chapter
ten. Chronologically, the narrative picks up in verse 2 •
Matthew 11:2-19 This section is almost similar to what we read in Luke 7:18-35.
Matthew adds a reflection about the violent rejection of God’s Kingdom by violent men (Matthew 11:12). The Word of God spoke of this time; where God would enter Time to 24
redeem humanity. However, these violent men wanted a kingdom of their own making, not the Kingdom of God. It almost seems to me that these Jewish religious leaders had made up their mind what the Kingdom of God should look like based on their current situation and based upon their current need. They were not considering the needs of others or what would benefit all of humanity. They rejected the message of John; his radical message that demonstrated a new way to righteousness and a new way to holiness. Maybe they were angry because they were afraid to lose their job! Today, we don’t need a priest to intercede for us. Today we don’t need someone to slaughter the animals for the sacrifice. Christ has accomplished these things. So maybe that was part of their violent rejection of John’s message and Jesus’ teachings. •
Matthew 11:20-24 These three cities situated on the northern border of Galilee
saw some of the most incredible miracles of Jesus. It was here that the prophecy of Isaiah came true (Isaiah 61:1). Yet it seems it didn’t affect these cities in any way. I’m tempted to say that these miracles were wasted; that Jesus did great things, yet no one changed. However, I hesitate to say this is true. People were touched. Individuals had their lives impacted by what Jesus did. Nevertheless, the cities remained the same. In other words, those not directly affected by what Jesus did were not moved or changed in any way, and I just don’t get that. If I were to see my blind neighbor reading a menu at the restaurant, I’d be a little curious. To see the crippled boy playing soccer would cause me to at least pause and reflect on the power of this man named Jesus. So Jesus is quite disappointed in these cities; these towns. He said that the cities would receive judgment, but not the individuals. We should not miss this important distinction. Israel had taken God’s grace and made it a national promise. Kind of like saying God Bless America. However, God does not save nations or kingdoms. He saves people; a point Jesus will make in the next section. •
Matthew 11:25-27 As opposed to cities or towns repenting, here Jesus speaks
of individuals; those who choose to accept Him; those who open their eyes. This is 25
what we see in children. They have not closed their minds to life yet. They are open to hearing and learning. They would look at the miracles of Jesus and say, “Wow!” •
Matthew 11:28-30 In the context here, what would cause an individual to be
weary? To whom was Christ beckoning? Probably those who had grown weary of bearing the weight of the Law. I mean, think about it; could you imagine trying to keep all 613 laws of the Pharisees? They were teaching the people that observing these laws would make someone right with God. Jesus is presenting a different way of righteousness. He is offering a yoke (or burden) anyone could bear. And unlike what the Pharisees were offering, Jesus says that those who place their faith in Him will finally find the assurance they’ve been looking for. In contrast, there was no rest in the way of the Pharisees.
October 4: Luke 8, Mark 4 Luke 8 •
Luke 8:1-3 Luke adds a paramount reference here to the women who were
following Jesus. He even elevates them to a place of importance. They, as well as many others, were supporting Jesus and the disciples with their own personal resources. Like the woman we had just met in Luke 7:36-50, these women had been significantly impacted by Jesus, and they knew in their hearts that He was the real deal. I like the way this reference falls in the Harmony of the Gospels. They place this section soon after Jesus says that His yoke is light and easy to bear (Matthew 11:28-30). Those who had their load lifted by Jesus were now helping carry His earthly burden. They were supporting the ministry. Somehow, I think there is a lesson to be learned here. It seems that those whose unbearable weight has been lifted should turn and lighten the load of others, or at least make sure that the ministry of Jesus can continue.
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It is not for our own benefit that we support the work of the church. We support the church so that those who are still burdened might find them lifted as well. •
Luke 8:4-15 I can’t help but think that Jesus is doing more than simply telling
some clever story here. At first glance, it would seem the desired impact would be for the hearer to search his heart and determine what sort of soil is there. But, as Jesus has challenged, those with ears to hear (those who can perceive spiritual truths) should listen and understand. The problem with this is that only those who are sensitive to spiritual things will consider the condition of their heart whether they are genuinely receptive to the Word of God. It just seems to me that this was probably more a teaching lesson for those who will soon be traveling out and sharing the Good news on their own. And it would not be just the twelve Apostles. Very soon, Jesus will be sending out 70 people (Luke 10:1), and He expected them to speak the Good News of salvation to all. Yes, the 12 apostles were not the only people telling others about Christ. You can be sure that everyone who had been impacted by the ministry of Jesus was telling others about Jesus. From the Woman at the well in John 4 to the 70 disciples, people were telling others about Jesus. I think this is an important lesson for the church today. Somehow we’ve left the responsibility to those trained and educated. But we’ve all been called and we all are expected to tell. So this parable becomes a lesson for every Christian. Some whom we tell will just not believe. Some will turn aside. Some will never mature. But some will grow and flourish. We are not to withhold the telling because we feel the soil isn’t prepared. Our responsibility is to spread the word. •
Luke 8:16-18 Continuing on the parable of the Sower, here Jesus says that the
person who listens and learns about the secrets of God’s Kingdom should not continue to keep them secret. If the Good News has taken root in your heart, tell someone about what you have learned. Use that wisdom and knowledge for the benefit of others. Don’t hide it. Don’t keep it secret and keep it safe. And Jesus says that those who do 27
tell others will learn even more. I’ll amen that statement. You have no idea how much benefit I get out of this study; how much is has deepened my faith. •
Luke 8:19-21 These brothers of Jesus were born to Mary and Joseph after
Jesus was born. They would be half-brothers. Now although the crowd was quite large, we are left to wonder why His family was looking for a way to get close to Jesus. In this account, it doesn’t seem like there was animosity or concern. They didn’t appear to think He was one fry short of a happy meal. And Jesus did not speak poorly about His family either. I know we often read these verses with a harsh tone, but that’s not what is being communicated here. He just took the example of family relationships and compared that to those who hear the Word of God and put it into practice. We enter the family business, so to speak, when we respond to the teachings of Jesus and tell others about God’s Good News. •
Luke 8:22-25 Sudden storms like this occasionally happen on the Sea of Galilee.
The wind whips the water into large waves. We don’t know how many disciples were in the boat. It was probably more than the twelve apostles. But I am sure all of them had been listening to Jesus teach and had seen His many miracles. Perhaps some were even the recipients of a miracle. So, after hearing and witnessing Jesus work among them, this little scare would have been an excellent opportunity to exercise their faith. Unfortunately, they don’t. They go to Jesus and point out how big the storm is. And it’s important that we learn more than the little phrase “Tell the storm how big your God is”. That sounds reassuring and gives us some strength to face what we are dealing with. But even then we are looking to have the storm calmed; to awaken our Savior, who will then deliver us FROM what we are facing. I’ll admit that Jesus can do that. He has done that. But the faith I think He is looking for is the kind that rests on the promises of Jesus; that holds fast to His promises IN the storm. “We’re going to the other side,” Jesus said. End of discussion. And no amount of wind or waves would keep that from happening. The disciples should have drawn strength from how peaceful Jesus was; 28
peaceful enough to sleep. A person of faith would have drawn assurance from that peace. Jesus wasn’t concerned, so why were they? •
Luke 8:26-33 Matthew reports that there were two men (see Matthew 8:28-34)
while Luke only mentions one. There probably were two, but perhaps Luke merely wanted to single out this one. This is a strong example of Jesus’ argument against the Pharisees who claimed He was working with the Devil (see Mark 3:27). Even the demons knew that Jesus was the stronger man and that He had the authority to bind them or imprison them. In Matthew’s account, the demons mention Jesus tormenting them before God’s appointed time (Matthew 8:29). So there was a definite recognition of Jesus’ authority and of His coming judgment against these demons. And they were alarmed that this time of judgment had come already. This event is also an excellent example of what Demon possession really looks like. Time and space do not permit me to talk about this at length, but let me simply say that sometimes the church is too quick to demonize someone. Too quickly, we identify someone as demon possessed when instead we should merely be pointing to their sinful human nature. It’s quite obvious this man was being controlled against his will. Let’s not attribute to Satan what we should be confessing as sin. •
Luke 8:32-33 There are three different names mentioned concerning this story:
Gerasenes (Mentioned here), Gadarenes (Mentioned in Matthew), and Gergesenes (mentioned by historian Origen). Reliable sources use the name Gerasenes, which refers to the Gentile town of Gersa, located on the eastern shore of the sea. Today the town is called Khersa. This is important because of the pigs. If this were a Jewish settlement, we would wonder why there was a herd of pigs. If it were not, then we wouldn’t question why. Regardless, I think it’s funny that the Demons didn’t want to be cast into the abyss (a watery grave), but the pigs end up in the water anyway.
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Luke 8:34-37 I’m not sure the people were upset about the pigs or were worried
about what Jesus might cast out of them. But what stands out here is that people turned Jesus away out of fear: something we still see people doing today. •
Luke 8:38-39 Isn’t it sad that this man wasn’t permitted to travel with Jesus? He
asked a simple thing, really. He requested to go along with the group. But Jesus said no. Jesus said, “I have another plan for you.” I wonder how this man felt. I wonder if he felt Jesus was rejecting him. Did he feel crushed and abandoned? Was he angry that Peter and James and John got to travel around with Jesus while he was left to preach to a small crowd in a small town; to a group of people who sent Jesus away? I think Christians (and churches) need to realize that God has a plan and a purpose for all of us. He has a plan and a goal in mind and uses the right people in the right place at the right time to accomplish that objective. Each Christian is gifted and called to serve the Kingdom in his or her own unique way. The Apostles were called to be leaders (one day). This man was called to be a witness; speaking to others about what Jesus had done in his life. Both are important. Both advance the Kingdom. Likewise, I believe a church needs to keep this in mind as well. God has a goal in mind, and a church would be wise to listen to what God is calling them to do and what He needs them to become in its own community. For example, this man would be able to give a better testimony than the apostles because people from town knew him before Christ healed him. The change in this man would be noticeable. My point is that when Jesus says no to our request He is not saying no to our usefulness. He is merely saying that we can serve the Kingdom best in some other place or in some other way. •
Luke 8:40-48 The woman in this story was bleeding for as long as Jairus’
daughter had been alive. He was an important official in the town; responsible for the care and upkeep of the local synagogue. He would have been an upstanding individual in the community. In contrast, this woman would have been an outcast because of her constant hemorrhaging; she would have been ceremonially unclean. But Jesus draws 30
no distinction. Both demonstrate faith in Jesus. Both knew He could help them. Jairus asks in faith. The woman reaches out in faith. Actually, this woman took a significant step of faith just by being out in the crowd. Anyone who touched her would become unclean. So she took a significant risk in walking among the crowd. Jesus, knowing who touched Him, asked the woman to reveal herself to the crowd - another major step of faith. But here’s something else that just occurred to me. Peter points out that the whole crowd was pressing close, so this woman would have been inadvertently touching many other people that day. It had to have happened! So there were probably a lot of other people who have become ritually unclean that day, maybe even Jairus. On any other day, this woman would have been shunned and cast aside. She had cooties, so to speak, and everyone would have avoided her. Now, maybe I’m reading a bit much into the story, but I see an incredible example of the double standard by which people lived. It seems that the community was quick to identify the sins in others but hesitant to admit there was sin in themselves. They were quick to judge bu slow to show grace. Not too much has changed, wouldn’t you agree? How often have we heard someone exclaim that people need to be held accountable for their sin while they beg God to show grace for theirs? •
Luke 8:49-56 I wonder how irritated Jairus had become because of the delay
this woman had caused. I’m not sure if he was irritated, but I know I would have been, and I would have been constantly looking at my watch, grumbling that I got to Jesus first. See, I expect Jesus to keep a timetable. I expect Him to care for people on a first come, first served basis. Unfortunately, that is a sign of my selfishness and a sign that I lack faith. Also in this story, we see the first sign of an inner group of leaders being formed. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John into the room, but the rest of the disciples are left outside the room. In this entire chapter, we see all things come under Jesus’ authority. He has authority over the wind and the waves. He has authority over the forces of darkness. He even has authority over the Law. Consider that He healed an 31
unclean woman and touched a dead person. By Jewish standards, He would have been unclean and would have had to cut Himself off from the rest of the people for seven days (compare Numbers 19:11-16). But the text doesn’t indicate that this was even an issue. Mark 4 •
Mark 4:1-20 Mark, along with Matthew, points out that this parable was told
while Jesus was on a boat. Luke simply begins with the Parable (Luke 8:4-10). In addition to what I shared earlier in today’s reading, I’d like to talk about the “Harvest” in this story. We know the seed is the word of God. The Sower is anyone who tells people about Jesus. And we know about the 4 different types of soil. But what exactly is the Crop? And what is the significance of the “Fruit” producing 30, 60, or 100 times more than what had been sown? First of all, we need to keep in mind that a Parable is not an Allegory; a story where everything in it represents something else. A Parable is a short story designed to illustrate a moral or religious lesson. So we should not get hung up on the numbers, and perhaps not even try to figure out what the “fruit” is. The religious lesson here is that to bear fruit is to show signs that the Word of God has taken root in our heart; that the message of Jesus has changed us. If a person has been reborn by hearing the message of Jesus, their life will truly show it. They will become more loving, filled with joy, at peace with others, patient when wronged, kind to those who don’t deserve it, will work for that which is good, will be faithful in what they say or promise, gentle with the feelings of others, and demonstrate self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23). •
Mark 4:11-12 I wanted to talk specifically about these two verses because they
can seem a bit troubling at first. Jesus quoted from Isaiah 6:9-10, comparing the people of Israel in His day with the people of Israel in Isaiah’s day. In both instances, everyone was given an opportunity to hear and to be saved. And just like in Isaiah’s time the people had hard hearts and closed minds. Like Isaiah, Jesus said, “This is what keeps 32
them from understanding. They simply are not teachable. If they were, then they would turn from their wickedness and be saved”. Take notice what happens here. The disciples asked for an explanation. But few of the religious leaders even took the time to talk with Jesus. What Nicodemus did was unusual (see John 3:4). •
Mark 4:21-25 To understand what Jesus is saying, both paragraphs need to be
read. Like a lamp, those who respond to the message (the seed which bears fruit), will be seen by all. The change will become evident, BUT, like a lamp, it does need fuel to keep on burning. That’s why it’s important for Christians to continue in prayer and study. The Christian, who stays faithful in these things, continues to grow. The Christian must realize that the race does not end at baptism; that’s the starting line! “The more we hear the Word of God, the better we are able to share it with others. But the moment we think that we know it all, what we think we know will be taken from us. We must take heed what we hear (Mark 4:24) as well as take heed how we hear (Luke 8:18). Our spiritual hearing determines how much we have to give to others”. •
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Mark 4:26-29 Keep in mind that Jesus is preparing His disciples to go out and
preach the Good News. First, He told them that not every person would respond to the Gospel Message. Here He reminds them that they are responsible only for the planting of that seed. God will cause the growth. Growth will take a certain amount of time. And God is the one who will reap the harvest. In a later parable, He will talk about the Master who reaps where he did not sow (Matthew 25:24). •
Mark 4:30-32 Continuing in His training, Jesus reminds the disciples that what
may seem small at first will grow quite large. The work that you and I do in the Lord’s name may appear simple and insignificant. However, we need to remember that the small seed we plant in others may one day change their entire life. No deed done in the name of Jesus is too small or too insignificant. We are called not to judge the size of the deed or the simplicity of the message we shared. We are called to be faithful, and 2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Mk 3:22). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 33
let God do the mysterious work within that person’s heart. However, knowing this truth is not the same as living this truth. I still struggle with doubts that a simple word here or a kind gesture there in the name of the Lord was sufficient. •
Mark 4:35-41 This story repeats what is told in Luke 8:22-25
October 5: Matthew 13, Mark 5 Matthew 13 •
Matthew 13:1-23 This is Matthew’s version of the Parable of the Sower. Like
Mark, Matthew has Jesus sitting in a boat. Jesus used a known truth to communicate an unknown truth. Over the years, I have forgotten what it is like to be unable to discern the Spiritual Truth behind these stories. I know at one point in my life, I too was just as blind and deaf as some in the crowd the day Jesus spoke in Parables. I’d like to talk to someone today who reads these and says, “I don’t get it.” I’d like them to help me remember what it's like to hear this story and think, “so, what’s the point”? •
Matthew 13:24-30 This Parable begins a series where the Kingdom of Heaven is
compared to what we see happening on earth. In this parable, the Kingdom of Heaven is patient and filled with grace. As indicated here, the Landowner stays the hand of the workers lest the wheat is harmed as well. “Wait until the harvest (the Day of Judgment), and then separate the wheat from the tares,” He says. That’s grace. That’s patience. That’s also faith. God has so much faith in real Christians that He believes they will grow to full maturity in spite of counterfeit Christians. It also indicates that true Christians will be easily identified at the harvest. What’s interesting is that the weed Jesus described looks a lot like wheat. When they are young, both plants look very similar. Only after they age can anyone quickly tell the difference. Tares do not turn golden with age. In actual practice, the people who would harvest the wheat would sort through the grains, tossing the Tares (or Darnel) into a burning pot. Darnel (or Tares) 34
kernels are gray while Wheat kernels are golden brown. In the same way, God has said He will wait until Judgment Day to separate the Wheat from the Tares. On that day when everything external is stripped away, that which has been hidden will be revealed. •
Matthew 13:31-32 The Mustard plant can reach 12 to 15 feet in height in one
season. This Parable probably talks about Christianity, in general; that what began so small will grow to be enormous in due time.
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Matthew 13:33 In other places in the Bible yeast is compared to something evil.
But here it is used to illustrate the effect God’s Kingdom would have in the world. Once the yeast begins its work in the dough, nothing can stop the process. So too will it be with the Kingdom of Heaven (or the Kingdom of God). •
Matthew 13:36-43 Jesus does us a great favor by explaining the Parable of the
Wheat and Tares. I appreciate that the disciples asked what you and I wanted to ask. Jesus’ response is straightforward. The explanation seems clear, unless, of course, you are familiar with end time prophecy. Here it sounds as if the wicked are to be taken away instead of the Church raptured away. “They will gather out of His kingdom all
stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness” (Matthew 13:41). To understand 35
this, we need to keep in mind that Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of Heaven (or the Kingdom of God – both terms mean the same thing). And although Jesus came to usher in the Kingdom of Heaven, that Kingdom will not end one day in the future. His is a Kingdom without end (see Daniel 2:44). As all of humanity stands before the Throne on Judgment Day, all of humanity will be in God’s Kingdom (remember, this will be after the harvest). And standing there will be many people who called out to Him “Lord, Lord” (remember Matthew 7:21) but were nothing more than counterfeit Christians. I sometimes wonder if these people think they are Christian because they look and act like a Christian. •
Matthew 13:44-46 These two parables may be linked together. I think it’s
important that we keep in mind what Jesus has been saying so far. He’s talked about Himself and the Word. So the Man and the Merchant in these two parables probably represent Jesus. Jesus is the One who found the thing of value and sold all that He had to purchase them (the Hidden Treasure and the Costly Pearl). The Hidden Treasure may represent Israel (compare Psalm 135:4) and the Pearl may represent the Church. Perhaps one could say that the Church grew out of the wounds of Christ. He sold all that He had in order to purchase the Church (Compare Philippians 2:6-8). •
Matthew 13:47-50 In this parable, it’s interesting that the fish are all gathered
together and then separated. Some use this parable as a teaching against the rapture. But remember that we are talking about Judgment Day, and it is possible that the Church will not be present. The Church (authentic Christians) escape Judgment (see John 5:24). The central point of this parable is that no unrighteous person will be permitted to remain in the Kingdom of Heaven. They will be cast aside into the fire. Only then will they be filled with regret and remorse. •
Matthew 13:51-52 I think the disciples lied here. On the other hand, perhaps
they merely understood the surface truths. What they did not know was that the Messiah’s Kingdom would be rejected, would be filled with counterfeits, that it would 36
begin quite small at first, and that in order for the Messiah to rule it would cost Him everything. Notably different is that the Jews felt the Messiah would drive out all the unrighteous when He came. But Jesus says that wicked people will be permitted to remain on the earth for a season, and then will come the Judgment. •
Matthew 13:53-58 In a second visit back home, the people still could not accept
Jesus as the Messiah. Notice that they still saw Him as merely a man (Matthew 13:54). They wondered where this Man could get His powers. But Jesus was not and is not merely a Man; He is God incarnate; God in the flesh. Four of Jesus’ half-brothers are mentioned here, not to be confused with those by the same name who were His disciples. Mark 5 •
Mark 5:1-20 This is Mark’s version of the demon-possessed man from the
Gerasene region. Mark says the demons did not want to be sent to a distant place, not the abyss, as Luke records it (Luke 8:31). Mark also repeats how troubled the townspeople were about the loss of the herd (I wonder who counted), not the healing of the possessed man; a clear indication of their priorities. •
Mark 5:21-43 This repeats the story told in Luke 8:40-56 and Matthew 9:18-26.
October 6: Mark 6, Matthew 10 Mark 6 •
Mark 6:1-6 Jesus and His disciples travel the 20 miles down to Nazareth where
He teaches in the Synagogue. Mark omits what was spoken, but he does not miss the slanderous remarks the hometown folks made against Jesus. In effect they were saying, “Who does He think He is?” They saw Jesus as just an ordinary man. He was just a carpenter. The reference to Jesus being the Son of Mary was a derogatory 37
remark as well. In the Jewish culture a man was described as the son of his father, never the son of a woman, even if she was a widow. Their calculated insults against Him indicate there was suspicion and slanderous speculation surrounding His birth. So for the most part very few people in His hometown came to Jesus in faith. Those that did were healed. The rest walked away scoffing at the absurdity of His claim. •
Mark 6:7 Jesus granted special authority and special abilities to the twelve. One
of them was Judas, the betrayer. Think about that for a moment. The one who would later betray Jesus was empowered by Jesus to do the work of Jesus. He cast out demons. He performed many miracles in His name. He called Jesus Lord, Lord. Yet in the end he betrayed his Master. So when we read about godly people turning their backs on Jesus or rejecting Him altogether, we should not be surprised. We’ve seen it happen here. •
Mark 6:8-13 As the six groups of two traveled from town to town, Jesus told
them to find a place where they were welcomed and stay there. Some Bible scholars speculate that when their ministry began to flourish, the Apostles might have been tempted to focus on their popularity more than the message. They may have been tempted to speak words that made the people like them instead of words of truth. That way the wealthy and affluent would open up their more luxurious homes. Jesus says stay where you have first been welcomed. Jesus also points out that if a town did not welcome them (if the people were not interested in what they had to say), they were to disassociate themselves with the people of that town by shaking the dust off their feet. Devout Jews did this when they would leave a Gentile land. This shaking of dust would indicate to the Jewish towns that they were acting like pagans, rejecting a message from God. •
Mark 6:14-16 It’s interesting that the people thought of John the Baptist when
they heard of Jesus’ miracles. Did John perform such miracles? Was he driving out demons, healing the sick, and helping the blind to see? Actually, John did not do any 38
miracles (see John 10:41). He was, however, an influential man of God. He did not hesitate to speak about God to anyone. So when they hear about what Jesus was saying and doing, they associated it with God as well. Perhaps they thought, “Wow, we heard John the Baptist say the same thing. Maybe it’s John back from the dead?” But when I think about Herod Antipas, I picture him getting nervous; alarmed that it just might be John. John the Baptist pointed out Herod’s sin. Herod (by his wife’s prompting) has him executed. So maybe Herod was haunted by his actions, and hearing that another man of God had come along, perhaps he feared Jesus might point out another of his sins. Did you ever read The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe? “Nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am.” I think that describes Herod quite well. •
Mark 6:17-29 Herodias and Herod remind us of Ahab and Jezebel. Tradition
says that the girl’s name was Salome. What a gruesome thing to bring to the dinner party! Who would want to finish their meal after that? •
Mark 6:30-32 We are not sure how much time passed here. But eventually the
Apostles (the Twelve) returned to Capernaum and told Jesus all that had happened. Exhausted from their busy work, Jesus calls them to a quiet place. Luke says it was in Bethsaida (see Luke 9:10), a city on the eastern side of the Jordan River, on the northeastern side of the Sea of Galilee. This is something many people don’t realize. Doing the work of Jesus is tiring. Caring and serving and loving and giving to people can actually play you out by the end of the day.
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Mark 6:33-36 Jesus and the
Apostles traveled by boat. The crowd of people anticipated where they would land, and traveled there by foot, arriving before Jesus and His Apostles. This isn’t too amazing when you look at a map of the area. Rather than getting upset, Jesus feels compassion. I don’t know what the Apostles were thinking. I get the impression that they wanted Jesus to tell everyone to leave not just so the people could get something to eat, but so the Apostles could eat and rest as well. •
Mark 6:37-44 Did you notice what Jesus did here? He provided both for the
people and for the Apostles. Notice that there was plenty of food for the crowd. Everyone had their fill, and twelve baskets of leftovers were collected. The crown of possibly 10,000 people (see Mark 6:44) had enough to eat all because of Jesus. However, please also notice that Jesus had commanded the Apostles to feed the crowd - a task apparently impossible. They would need more than 7 months of wages to buy enough food to feed the crowd (a denarius was equal to a day’s pay). But their lack of money did not stop Jesus from giving the command. Now, do you think Jesus was surprised to learn that they were broke? Did the apparent lack of money catch Him off guard? Of course not. He knew the group had limited finances, but that didn’t stop Him from giving the command. What stands out here is that Jesus supplied everything they needed to fulfill the command. And by the obedience of these twelve men, there were twelve baskets of leftovers collected. Twelve baskets. Twelve men. Interesting, isn’t it? I’d say that there is a tremendous lesson here for the Church. We have been called to feed the crowds, and quite often, we have no idea how it is going to happen. We are 40
poor. But through our obedience to Christ’s command, we end up being blessed in the end as well. I think we need to stop telling Jesus how big the task is and how poor we are, and instead start doing the work He has commanded us to do. I think we will be just as surprised in the end. •
Mark 6:45 There seems to be some difficulty here with the town of Bethsaida. If
they had sailed in that direction already, why would they need to sail back again? It is possible that the city of Bethsaida spread from one side of the Jordon to the next; a Bethsaida Julias (East of the Jordan) and a western part called Bethsaida of Galilee. During the night, they were blown off course and ended up in Gennesaret, located on the Western Shore. This is a possibility, not a fact. Maybe they had landed the boat east of Bethsaida because of the huge crowd and had to head back toward town. •
Mark 6:46-52 John says that Jesus sent the Apostles away because the crowd
was ready to make Jesus their King (John 6:15). He also points out that they were about 3 or 4 miles offshore. Sometime between 3 and 6 a.m. Jesus noticed them still struggling against the contrary wind. So He walks out on the water to comfort them and bring them assurance. Instead, they were filled with fear. Jesus addresses them in a familiar Old Testament description of God. Jesus literally says, “Take courage, I Am is here.” Matthew records Peter’s journey out of the boat (Matthew 14:28). Although Mark, Matthew, and John include different elements of this story, all three accounts speak of the immediate calm once Jesus climbed into the boat. Mark says in verse 52 that the Apostle’s problem here was that they had not learned anything from the feeding of the 5,000. That’s why they were astonished at the sudden calm. He says their hearts were too hard to comprehend these things. What was the lesson the Apostles needed to learn? What had they missed? Just as God had provided the Manna for Israel while they wandered in the wilderness, Jesus had provided the food for the crowd. The obvious connection here is that Jesus and God are one, and that just as God cared for Israel in the wilderness, Jesus will also care for His own. The Apostles 41
didn’t fully grasp who Jesus was, and they didn’t fully understand the depth of God’s love for them. •
Mark 6:53-56 A long time ago King Solomon asked, “ Consider the work of God,
for who is able to straighten what He has bent?” Solomon, the answer is God Himself. Everything became as it should be while Jesus walked through this bent and twisted world. But, as Mark points out, it was those who came to Jesus or those who were brought to Jesus that were healed. Jesus healed when He was asked. I find that to be significant. Matthew 10 •
Matthew 10:1-4 Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Philip were from Bethsaida by
the Sea of Galilee. All 5 were probably fishermen. Nothing is known about Bartholomew, but he is probably known as Nathaniel (John 1:45). Thomas, the Twin (Didymus) was the one we call “Doubting Thomas.” Matthew continues to call himself the Tax Collector while Mark and Luke only list him as Matthew. James, the son of Alphaeus, is only mentioned in this listing of the apostles. Thaddeus may be the same as Judas, son of James (Acts 1:13). Simon the Zealot was a revolutionary trying to overthrow Roman rule in Palestine. Judas Iscariot later betrayed Jesus. “Iscariot” may mean “from Kerioth” a town in Judea. •
Matthew 10:5-6 Jesus sends the Apostles to the people of Israel, not the
Gentiles or the Samaritans. [Samaritans were individuals who were part Jewish and part Gentile – a process of intermarrying that began with the Assyrian invasion of 722 BC]. Why was the message to be delivered only to Jews? Part of the reason is that Israel was supposed to be the nation that God would use to bless the world (see Genesis 12:3 and Isaiah 60:3). Another possible reason is that Jews were looking for the coming of the Messiah. They would have been better prepared to receive the testimony and witness of the twelve. Gentiles or Samaritans might have attributed the miracles to 42
some pagan god. It would take more than what the Apostles could do at present to convince a Gentile that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. •
Matthew 10:7-15 This section is similar to what we read in Mark 6:7-13.
However, Matthew adds much more detail, as we should expect since he was one of the twelve. This commissioning is not something a person would forget. The Apostles were to walk up to a home and give it their Shalom; “Peace be to this house”. If it were truly a house of peace, the people would listen. If it were not, the people would resist the message (the same message John the Baptist proclaimed, by the way). So the two Apostles were to leave the people of that home respectfully. In other words, the Apostles came to a home and said, “I come bringing good news of peace.” Some people would listen and respond. And in that house the people would know peace. Other homes would reject God’s message of peace through His Son Jesus. So the Apostles were to leave, taking the message to another home. What they were doing was scattering the seed (see Matthew 13:3-9). •
Matthew 10:16 Be wise in avoiding danger but don’t forcibly oppose the enemy.
When the enemy reveals himself, the Apostles were to be calm and peaceful. This becomes a testimony to Christ later on. When standing before the Jewish religious leaders, Peter and John were quite respectful and peaceful. They spoke appropriate words (see Acts 4:19-20). •
Matthew 10:17-20 Did these things really happen to the Apostles? Are these
arrests and beatings mentioned anywhere? We don’t know if anything like this happened during this missionary trip, but it sure did once Jesus ascended to Heaven. So was this a warning for the present time or a warning of what would come in the future? It seems that Jesus is speaking of a future time here because He says their arrest will be an opportunity to speak to Gentiles (Matthew 10:18), even though He had instructed them earlier to avoid them (Matthew 10:5). Jesus also speaks of the Holy Spirit guiding their speech (Matthew 10:20). The Apostles didn’t receive the Spirit until 43
the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). So it appears Jesus was giving them a future warning. •
Matthew 10:21-23 Perhaps this entire section (from verse 16 to 23) is prophetic;
speaking of a future time. The warning here is clear, and it does not just apply to the Apostles. You and I need to be aware that because we labor in Christ’s name, we will be hated by organized religion (Matthew 10:17), government (Matthew 10:18), and even our own family (Matthew 10:21). Verse 23 does not speak about the return of Christ but the Reign of Christ. The Son of Man, as described in Daniel 7:13-14, speaks of Him being seated upon the throne, something that happened after the resurrection. So Christ (the Son of Man) was sitting upon His throne before any of the Apostles could take the Gospel Message to every town in Israel. •
Matthew 10:24-39 A couple of things really stand out here. A true disciple of
Jesus will be persecuted. The world hates Christians because we don’t think or act like the world. The presence of one righteous person in a community sets a standard of holiness the rest of the community cannot tolerate. To retaliate, the people of this world will tell lies, gossip, and spread slanderous rumors about a faithful disciple. And they will do this not because the Christian is a bad person, but because the Christian’s holiness and righteousness make everyone else look bad. This is why a true disciple needs to fear God (respect God), not the things people can say or do. To kill a Christian is to simply send them home (thank you, Karen Hancock, for the superb illustration3). •
Matthew 10:40-42 In light of being rejected by the people of the earth, Jesus
says the faithful will be accepted and rewarded in Heaven. I do not see an earthly reward being promised in this section. I see Jesus speaking of what will take place after the Day of Judgment. And according to Warren Wiersbe, “As our Advocate, He forgives and restores us when we do sin (1 John 2:1–2). The merits of His heavenly intercessory 3 An idea presented in the book Arena by Karen Hancock
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work do not depend on our faithfulness, for He is faithful even if we are not (2 Timothy 2:12–13). But the benefits of His heavenly ministry are for those who are faithful to Him. When Christ confesses us before the Father, He is securing for us the benefits of His sacrificial work on the cross. When He denies us before the Father, He is unable to share these graces with us. The fault is ours, not His. But something else is involved. One day we shall stand before His judgment seat where the rewards will be distributed (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10). If we have denied Him, we will lose rewards and the joy of hearing His “Well done.” To be sure, anyone who denies Him on earth may be forgiven. Peter denied the Lord three times, was forgiven, and was restored.”
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October 7: Luke 9, Matthew 14, John 6 Luke 9 •
Luke 9:1-6 This section repeats what is recorded in Matthew 10:5-15.
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Luke 9:7-9 This repeats what is recorded in Mark 6:14-29. Mark obviously gives
a much more detailed account. •
Luke 9:10-17 The Feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle of Jesus that is
recorded in all four Gospels (see Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44 and John 6:1-14). I do want to point out here that, logistically, the Apostles went to the people and had them sit in groups before there was an abundance of food. While instructing the crowd, I imagine the people started wondering why. Luke points out that once the people were seated, the Apostles came to Him for the food (Luke 9:16). There is an important faith lesson being demonstrated here. The Apostles didn’t wait for all the food to be provided before they went to work. Jesus gave instruction, and AS they began to work, the food was supplied. Is this not a valuable lesson for the Church today? How often do we wait for everything to be provided before we start working! 4 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Mt 10:24). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 45
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Luke 9:18-21 This event takes place sometime after the feeding of the 5,000 and
after Peter walks on the water (see Matthew 14:28). Mark says that they were on their way up to Caesarea Philippi (Mark 8:27). It seems the recent events had really opened the eyes of the disciples. Peter answers for the group by calling Jesus the Christ; the Messiah (both titles mean the same thing. Christ is Greek. Messiah is Hebrew). Up until this point, people were questioning who Jesus was. Some did speculate that He MIGHT be the Messiah, but they were not sure. Notice that Jesus didn’t correct Peter, and by His silence on this claim, He testifies that He is indeed the promised Messiah; the Anointed One. •
Luke 9:22 Jesus points out that contrary to what people might think or were
thinking about the Messiah, the truth is that this journey will lead to death. Popular opinion was that the Messiah would not die; that He would establish His Kingdom on earth. And that is true, but part of the Messiah’s mission is redemption. And to purchase back that which was lost, a sacrifice would need to be made. Sadly, many people missed this part of the Messiah’s mission. For those who wanted the Messiah to come as conqueror, they failed to realize that by conquering first, wheat would be accidentally uprooted from the ground while pulling out the tares (compare Matthew 13:28-29). But at the very end of this statement about death, Jesus speaks of the resurrection. The Apostles remembered these words later on (Luke 24:8), but at the time I think they were trying to get their minds wrapped around the whole death issue. •
Luke 9:23-27 According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary, “ When the
Roman Empire crucified a criminal or captive, the victim was often forced to carry his cross part of the way to the crucifixion site. Carrying his cross through the heart of the city was supposed to be a tacit admission that the Roman Empire was correct in the sentence of death imposed on him, an admission that Rome was right and he was wrong. So when Jesus enjoined His followers to carry their crosses and follow Him, He was referring to a public display before others that Jesus was right and that the 46
disciples were following Him even to their deaths. This is exactly what the religious leaders refused to do.” 5 If you’ll recall, the Apostles were recently traveling through the region, calling people to repentance. The four fishermen had just left a huge harvest of fish to follow Jesus. Matthew abandoned his tax-collecting business to follow Jesus. Perhaps the people were laughing and scoffing at the Apostles for giving up so much to follow Jesus. But Jesus assures them that they are the ones who have truly found life. Some will not die before they see the Kingdom of God revealed – a testimony of what three of the Apostles were about to witness. •
Luke 9:28 Some say that the Transfiguration took place on Mt. Hermon near
Caesarea Philippi (compare Mark 8:27). Some say it was on Mt. Tabor. When we get to Mark 9:2 you’ll notice that he says it was six days later. Mark probably means 6 days between the time they were alone and the time they came to the mountain. Luke probably includes the days after Jesus made the statement about seeing the Kingdom of God. •
Luke 9:29-36 It seems that Peter thought the Kingdom had arrived when he
woke up. This is why he wanted to build three shelters. The Feast of Booths had long been associated with the coming of God’s Kingdom (compare Zechariah 14:16-21). Okay, question number 1. Was it really Moses and Elijah, or were they angels? Well, let’s think about this for a minute. Wasn’t Elijah caught up in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11)? So it is possible Elijah had not died but was “raptured”. Deuteronomy 34:5-6 says that Moses died, but that the Lord buried him. No one knows where. In other words, they could not find the dead body. So again, it is possible that Moses was “raptured” as well. Jude 9 says that the angel Michael and the Devil were disputing over the body of Moses, presumably about who would take possession of the corpse. I say it’s possible, I’m not saying it is fact. But it appears that Peter, James, and John did not think they 5 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Lk 14:25–27). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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were ghosts. Their reaction indicates that they saw men, not disembodied spirits. I suspect it really was these two men. To bring them there would not be difficult for the Creator.
And these two men, representing the Law and the Prophets, affirmed the
redemptive mission of Jesus. Question number 2. How did Peter, James, and John know who these men were? Did Jesus make introductions, or were they not necessary? I suspect they were only told who was there with Jesus. I doubt Moses and Elijah were wearing name badges. So why did the three Apostles keep this event a secret? Maybe Jesus told them to. I suspect that their lives were so profoundly impacted that they simply couldn’t bring themselves to talk about it, even with each other. They needed time to process what had just happened. •
Luke 9:37-43 The next morning Jesus and the three other Apostles come back
down the mountain. Apparently the nine other disciples were trying to help drive out a demon. It’s interesting that they couldn’t because earlier they could. Jesus had given them the authority to do such things (Mark 6:7). What changed? Was this a different type of demon; one harder to command? On the other hand, had the Apostles simply lost their power? Again, I can only speculate here, but it seems they lost their confidence. It appears they felt powerless because Jesus wasn’t there. I can almost picture them hesitating, losing confidence, and suggesting they wait until Jesus got there. Again, that is pure speculation, but it would explain Jesus’ frustration. And I wonder if His frustration was directed at the disciples or at the rest of the crowd? Later, we will see even more leadership from Peter, James, and John. So I wonder if their absence had an effect on the other nine Apostles. •
Luke 9:43-45 As if to warn them to shape up and get to work, Jesus says that
He will not always be with them. At some point in the future, these twelve men will have to carry on the work of the Kingdom without Him. But even though He said this, they still didn’t get it.
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Luke 9:46-48 Does anyone else find it interesting that this topic came up now?
The three had witnessed the transfiguration, but the other nine did not. And the other nine didn’t seem to be able to drive out a demon. But if Peter or James or John had been there, things would have been different. Uh oh, time for a lesson! I see this happening among young Christians (not young in age but young in maturity). The moment they have a deeply moving spiritual experience there is a tendency to develop a spiritual smugness; the thought that they are the only ones truly enlightened and truly spiritual. But to be truly spiritual is to be truly humbled; to stand at the feet of Christ, not next to Him. When called by Christ, many young Christians feel superior to others but fail to kneel in humility before the Savior. •
Luke 9:49-50 John provides the perfect example of what I’m trying to say. “We
are the Twelve! And I am one who has been to the mountaintop”, he seems to say. “Who does this man think he is, driving out demons? That’s our work”. You can almost hear John mumbling something about how he could have done a better job. The Twelve were not the only ones God would or could work through. Humility John, Humility. •
Luke 9:51-56 This section begins a significant change in Luke’s Gospel.
Previously we were reading about the ways Jesus authenticated His ministry. This section describes how His ministry was rejected. However, even though rejected, Jesus continued to teach the Twelve, and boy did they need the lessons. James and John were called the Sons of Thunder. I think we now know why. Early manuscripts do not include the words “[and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”]. Wait, wasn’t it James and John who were on the mountain with Jesus? Come on guys, learn some humility will ya? •
Luke 9:57-62 People were rejecting Jesus. But after reading His remarks to
those who wanted to follow Him, it’s no surprise. His words seem harsh - even 49
demanding at times. “Stop making excuses and follow Me,” He appears to say. And truly that’s what they were – excuses. To follow Jesus is to give up what we deem necessary. To follow Jesus is to do so when the opportunity presents itself, not when it is convenient (the man’s father was probably not dead, but merely old. He would follow Jesus after he had the time). To follow Jesus is to make Him the most important thing in your life. We should not be looking for family approval before we follow Jesus. And it is not something we should reconsider later in our life. Anyone hear excuses like this today? Matthew 14 •
Mathew 14:1-12 This repeats the story of John the Baptist’s death discussed yesterday in Mark 6:14-29. There is only a slight difference in the stories. Mark and Luke mention that the people speculated about who Jesus was.
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Matthew 14:13-21 This is Matthew’s version of the Feeding of the 5000. It is very similar to Mark’s account and Luke’s as well. John says that this event took place just prior to the Passover (John 6:4).
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Matthew 14:22-27 The wind was adverse or contrary, as some translations put it. I know that we like to attribute negative situations in life to Satan. We say that Satan is contrary to the work of the church. That is true. Satan works against what God is working with, or through. However, I’m just not sure Satan can manipulate nature. People often say that he can; that Satan was in the storm working against the disciples, but there is a big difference between Jesus’s authority over nature and Satan’s. Satan can work only with what authority he’s been given, but he has no power to work contrary to God. Satan is not God’s opposite. He is not simply an evil version of God. Nor is Satan the opposite of Jesus. He is not Christ’s antithesis. He is an angel (a bad one, yes, but still an angel). And as an angel he has no authority except what God has granted him. Consider what happens to Job. Satan was
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permitted to do only so much and nothing more (see Job 2:6). So in the case of this storm raging against the disciples, either God granted Satan permission to test these men or it was simply nature at work. I just think we need to be careful before we start demonizing nature. •
Matthew 14:28-33 Matthew adds the account of Peter walking on the water. This becomes a powerful illustration of what Jesus will say later on, “ With people this is
impossible, but with God all things are possible .” 6 (Matthew 19:26). What Man cannot possibly do on his own, God can accomplish when working through and with Man. It was not the size of Peter’s faith Jesus addressed, but the amount; the degree to which he had placed his faith in Jesus. Truthfully, walking on water was just as impossible as feeding 10 to 15 thousand people with three loaves of bread and two small fish. Yet in both cases, the task was accomplished not by the power and might of men, but by Jesus working through those men. In the feeding of the 5,000, the apostles had to come to Jesus for more food. They were only given a basket full at a time, and when that ran out, they returned to Jesus for more. It was the same with Peter. As long as he fixed his eyes on Jesus, he was accomplishing what no mere man could. But when he fixed his gaze upon the wind and the waves, he began to sink. Again, the lesson for Christians today is evident. We must keep our eyes focused on Jesus, not the size of the task. But we also need to bear in mind that we dare not step out of the boat on our own. Peter asked first, and only climbed out when Jesus said, “come.” Too often, a Church will undertake an enormous ministry and then expect Jesus to show up and help them. A Church should be clear that the Lord has first called them out of the boat. John 6 •
John 6:1 The period between chapters 5 and 6 is about 6 months. Herod had John the Baptist killed, and the Apostles preached throughout Galilee.
6 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Mt 19:26). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 51
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John 6:2-15 John mentions a few significant things in the feeding of the 5,000 not referred to in the other accounts. John says that Jesus asked Philip where they could find bread for all the people. Philip, being from Bethsaida (see John 1:44) would know the area well. But even if enough bread were available, they still would not have the money to buy it. That’s an accurate assessment. However, Andrew points out that a boy had five barley loaves and two fish. Now I want you to think about what Andrew did. The need was obviously quite great; greater than the simple meal of this child. I like Andrew’s optimism. At least that’s what I see here. Apparently, he started asking who had some food to share, and he didn’t turn away the offering this boy was willing to make. I like that Andrew didn’t chide the boy, something that Christians have a tendency to do. Every now and then, I’ll hear someone say that the offering doesn’t match the need. I know that those who speak this way about an offering are trying to motivate people to give, but how does that affect those who do give; those who give above their capacity? I seriously doubt this boy “tithed” his lunch. I believe this boy was willing to give it all. And instead of Andrew saying “That’s it,” he graciously accepted what was given and brought it to Jesus. I don’t know how you feel, but sometimes I think the Church needs to stop complaining about the size of an offering and instead graciously take what is given and present it to Jesus. I know that the Apostles could have fed maybe four or five people. But Christ was able to feed 5 to 10 thousand from that simple offering. When will the Church learn that the ministry of Jesus is not dependent upon the size and significance of our offering?
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John 6:16-21 John’s account it similar to both Matthew and Mark (compare Matthew 14:22 and Mark 6:45), except the statement John makes at the very end. According to John, the boat and all passengers immediately arrived safely on the other shore (John 6:21). That would have been a very significant miracle, to say the least. I wonder why the other accounts don’t mention it? Matthew focused more on Peter’s journey out of the boat, yet John did not. It is quite probable that each Apostle was
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moved by different elements in this incident and made sure to mention that in their story. Regardless, I will not try to diminish this miracle like some, claiming that they were distracted by Jesus walking on the water and didn’t realize how close to the land they really were. John was a fisherman by trade. He knew what it was like to be out on the water. He made sure to mention just how far off shore they were when Jesus appeared. So I’m pretty sure he was keeping track of where they were the whole time. Even though we can’t conceive how it happened, let the miracle stand. If Jesus could walk on the water (not a sand bar or along the beach), I’m pretty sure He could get the boat shore in no time at all. •
John 6:22-25 The crowd that had been fed were great detectives. They knew the Apostles had headed for the seashore. They knew Jesus had gone up the mountain to pray but had not seen Him come down. So they head to Capernaum. They were surprised to find Him there. Now, if they can reason these things, why can’t they reason Spiritual things? This question was not asked, but it is answered by Jesus as He teaches them in the Synagogue.
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John 6:26-66 This extended theological discussion explains why some in the crowd just didn’t get what Jesus was teaching. They loved what He was doing, but couldn’t make heads or tails out of what Jesus was saying. They desired that God give them their daily bread but didn’t realize that no matter how much they were provided in this life, they would still end up dying. Many of the disciples had their eyes fixed on the things of earth, not the things of Heaven. What mattered most was the spiritual condition of their heart, not how full their tummy was. And Jesus was trying to teach them that He had come so that they would have everlasting life. He had come to offer His life as a ransom for many. Jesus makes it quite clear in this section that those who make Jesus part of their life (eat of me) will have eternal life, and Jesus will raise them up on the Last Day (John 6:40). But even though this teaching was clear, many in the crowd grumbled and mumbled. They didn’t understand this. According to
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Jesus, they didn’t understand this truth because they had never truly understood what had been written about the Messiah long ago. Jesus says that both Isaiah and Jeremiah had spoken about this (Isaiah 54:13 and Jeremiah 31:34), and if they had been paying attention in Sunday School, they would recognize Jesus as the Messiah; they would be drawn to Him. Jesus refused to let them make Him their political king (John 6:15). He demanded their faith. He spoke of His atonement for sin. He said that they could do nothing on their own to earn salvation. But after hearing these things, many walk away. John 6:66 says that many of the disciples quit following Jesus because He asked them to believe; to have faith. Sadly, I see this happening even today. Many people love being part of a church because of what that church does for them. Nevertheless, the moment that church asks them to do or serve or have faith, they walk away; looking for another congregation that gives and never asks. •
John 6:67-71 Although many disciples walked away, the Twelve Apostles stayed. Peter spoke up and said that Jesus alone has the words that lead to eternal life. Oddly, this fisherman from Galilee seemed to have a more clear understanding of what the prophets said than those whose trade was studying and teaching Scripture. Jesus chose them to be His Apostles (not chose them to be saved), and yet one of them was Satan. This seems to be a clear indication that long before the group arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus knew what was in Judas’ heart. I wonder if Judas knew what was there. Did he scheme and connive and lie even then? Or was he simply one of those who faked the faith.
October 8: Mark 7, Matthew 15 Mark 7
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Mark 7:1-13 Mark points out to his Gentile readers why the Pharisees and religious leaders were all bent out of shape. They were upset because the Disciples of Jesus didn’t follow certain rituals. What the Pharisees and the Teachers were talking about was not the Law handed down to Moses, but oral traditions and customs that just developed over time. In areas where the Laws of Moses were vague, people wanted precise answers. So over time Scribes and Teachers of the Law started interpreting the Law. This was all passed along orally until sometime during the Third Century when a Jewish Rabbi named Judah ha-Nasi wrote these oral customs down into what was called the Mishnah. Eventually this oral tradition, combined with a few others, becomes what is known as the Jewish Talmud. The Talmud addresses important things like “How high should the entrance be in a home (this is a real question, mind you). The answer is found by taking God’s instructions to Noah and applying it to everyday life. They ask whether a man is supposed to close a door, again taking what God did for Noah and making an application for daily life. It’s craziness if you ask me. But this was the Oral Tradition that had Jesus so upset in this section. You can read a digital copy of the Talmud HERE. See if you don’t find it strange. (http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Talmud/talmudtoc.html)
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Mark 7:14-19 If this is true then why do you suppose God gave strict dietary instruction to the Jews as they lived in the wilderness?
We need to understand that
Jesus was speaking from a moral perspective, not a medical viewpoint. So a Jew who ate “unclean” food was defiled not by the food but by disobeying God’s command. A person is contaminated by what he thinks in his heart, not by what goes into his mouth. These Pharisees felt that their heart condition did not matter. What mattered was obedience to the Law (both the Mosaic Law and the Oral Tradition). Not only did the Pharisees have trouble grasping this idea, but also so did the early Christians (Acts 10:15).
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Mark 7:20-23 Honestly, these sins are an indication of a far deeper problem. This is something many preachers and teachers miss. Too often, these sins are used as evidence that a person is a sinner. But am I not still a sinner even if I avoid every one of these sins? It is the heart that needs to be changed, not a list of sins that need to be forgiven. If the Church focuses on merely getting sins forgiven, we are doing the exact same thing the Pharisees were doing; only cleaning up a person on the outside, but never changing that person’s heart. If I only address the symptoms, I am not curing the disease. And in this case, it is a heart filled with sin.
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Mark 7:24-29 I don’t believe there was harshness in Jesus’ tone here, just frankness. The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, “Jesus was telling the woman that His first
priority in being there was to instruct His disciples. It is not appropriate to interrupt a family meal to give the dogs food from the table. So it was not appropriate for Him to interrupt His ministry to His disciples to give His services to her, a Gentile. But Jesus’ reluctance to help stimulated her faith.” 7 The reason I say that Jesus wasn’t harsh is because of her response. Sensing no hostility, she makes a very astute point. She says that she is only asking for a crumb. She doesn’t want the whole meal. In other words, sure, Jesus can continue to teach and instruct the disciples. She wasn’t asking Jesus to disregard them for the rest of the semester. She was looking only for a moment of His time; a small morsel of grace. Truthfully, this is probably a story designed to show Jesus’ compassion and to contrast the thirst seen in this woman with the aloofness of the unbelieving Pharisees. I don’t see this as a lesson on persistent prayer. •
Mark 7:31-37 Jesus uses a type of sign language with this man so he would know what He was about to do. This man’s faith would have been strengthened by Jesus’ gestures to the ear and the tongue. Also, the Aramaic word Jesus spoke here would
7 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Mk 7:27). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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have been easily understood by reading lips. What I would like to know is why the people wanted him healed. Matthew 15 •
Matthew 15:1-9 This section is very similar to what is recorded in Mark 7:1-13.
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Matthew 15:10-14 Matthew adds that the disciples knew the Pharisees were quite offended by what Jesus had just said. Jesus had just said that their worship of Him (not God) was in vain because they had based their entire way of faith upon obedience to external laws. If they had truly been as wise as they claimed, Jesus’ words should have made them think. Instead, it made them mad. And that is a sign of what? A fool. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who
listens to counsel.” 8 (Proverbs 12:15). •
Matthew 15:15-20 Matthew points out that it was Peter who asked to have the parable explained.
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Matthew 15:21-28 Matthew adds that Jesus ignored the woman at first, who then began to pester the disciples. This helps clarify the situation a bit more. Indeed, she was interrupting the teaching of Jesus. She was knocking and banging on the classroom door while the class was still in session.
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Matthew 15:29-31 Mark indicates that it was during this time that the deaf and mute man was healed (Mark 7:31-37). By the way, Jesus was, at this time, on the far western shore of the Sea of Galilee. He was near the Ten Cities (the Decapolis), inhabited mainly by Greeks. What makes this significant is that it was into these towns the former Demon-possessed man went and proclaimed all that Jesus had done for him (see Mark 5:20). Remember how I said that just because Jesus turned him away from following Him didn’t mean that this man was useless? Here, I believe, we see the fruit of his testimony. The wild man from the tombs becomes a
8 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Pr 12:15). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 57
messenger. And when Jesus does show up (surely not by accident), the people are ready to respond to Him. Because of what this man said, and because of what Jesus did, these Greek people begin to glorify the God of Israel. I’d say this man accomplished a great mission for Jesus, not by traveling with Jesus, but by being obedient to where Jesus sent him. •
Matthew 15:32-39 Jesus spent three days with this crowd of people. This time, well over 4 thousand people attended. But this time the disciples were ready for what Jesus was about to do. This time, there was no objection, only an offering (just like the last time). Please keep in mind that in both instances, Jesus had given a command to feed someone. We cannot go around claiming that an offering is seed money so we can reap a harvest. That implies that we force Jesus into blessing us because of our offering of faith. Notice that in both cases, Jesus initiated the ministry. I think we need to remember that unless Jesus initiates the ministry, it may not succeed. That means we probably should not be pouring money into a ministry where Jesus is not present.
October 9: Mark 8, Matthew 16 Mark 8 •
Mark 8:1-9 This story is similar to what is recorded in Matthew 15:32-39. The chain of events in this section of Mark’s Gospel follows the same progression as Mark 6:33-56; a feeding, a boat ride, and teaching. And yet even though the events are similar, the Apostles do not seem to learn. Are these twelve men not just like you and me? How many times must we experience something before we begin to trust and have faith?
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Mark 8:10 Mark says that they landed near Dalmanutha. But Matthew says it was in the region of Magdala (Matthew 15:39). Dalmanutha was probably a Greek name for a place not far from Magdala and housed one of the watchtowers that bordered the
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western side of the Sea (see map on page 39). These watchtowers were called Migdols (Hebrew name). About a mile from the village of Magdala, there are ruins that just might be one of these Migdols. Kind of looks like a lighthouse, doesn’t it? •
Mark 8:11-12 The Pharisees did not want some incredible miracle that made them go “Wow”. They wanted unmistakable proof that made them go “Oh”. They wanted to test what Jesus was doing and saying to find if He had truly been authorized by God. Funny, that’s what I thought Jesus was doing with all these signs and wonders. And others who saw the same signs attributed them to God. Why not the Pharisees? Isn’t it true that there are some people who will not believe no matter what happens? I’ve seen people completely reject God even though He demonstrated tremendous grace and mercy through a sign or a miracle. And even though I begged them not to let this go to waste, they just turned and walked away from God. Now, if that breaks my heart, can you imagine how it must make God feel?
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Mark 8:12-21 Here, the disciples help us see the point of what Jesus was saying to the Pharisees in the previous section. Not only did the Pharisees miss all that Jesus was trying to teach, but so too did those who traveled with Him. Even after the feeding of the 5,000 and the 4,000, they looked at what they had and panicked, even though Jesus was with them. Picture it, here is Jesus sitting in the boat with these men. And they are worried about what they will eat or what they will drink. Not wondering how they will be fed, but worrying. And it seems the same invisible, pervasive influence that filled the Pharisees had infected the Disciples. Watch out, says Jesus. Be careful that the worries of the world don’t divert your eyes and heart from the Kingdom of God. It can do that, you know. Those with worldly eyes and worldly minds can cause worldly doubt even in the hearts of Christians.
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Mark 8:22-26 This healing is unusual for Jesus. Mind you, Jesus could have healed this man with merely a word from His mouth. In the past, His healings have been instantaneous and complete the first time. So why did the man’s eyesight return after Jesus laid hands on him twice? Certainly Jesus had the power to heal completely, but I believe this time He chose to heal partially just because He was trying to teach a lesson TO THE TWELVE. They didn’t see (understand) entirely at first. Sure, they were not totally blind, but they still needed the work of Jesus to help them understand completely. I suspect Jesus gazed over at the Twelve while He healed this man, asking them to understand (see) just what He had been teaching.
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Mark 8:27-30 This section was discussed in the October 7 reading of Luke 9:18-21. Again, let me stress that all around them people were rejecting Jesus. The religious leaders refused to accept Him as the Messiah, and even many other disciples stopped following Jesus when He started demanding faith (John 6:66). So the group that remained (more than just the Twelve) must have known something. They saw dimly but given time they would begin to see clearly (which makes the previous healing analogous to their present condition). And to prove that they saw dimly at present, Peter (true to his form) will put his foot in his mouth.
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Mark 8:31-33 Even people today struggle with the necessity of Christ’s death. Even Christians today don’t see the actual implications of Peter’s suggestion. Entrance into the Kingdom of God requires that our sin be covered; the penalty for our carnal human nature be paid. Had Jesus done nothing more than establish a band of renegade disciples who would spread His teachings throughout the land, all who followed would still be lost; would still be condemned. Our sin would still stand before us. Our righteousness would still be like a filthy tampon (which is what “filthy rag” implies in Isaiah 64:6). Jesus said that He came to offer His life as a ransom (Mark 10:45). If the Disciples had truly seen clearly (truly understood), they would have realized that the Messiah was to be bruised for their iniquities; that He would be wounded for their
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transgressions (Isaiah 53:5). However, it seems they just didn’t get this, yet. Unwillingly and unknowingly Peter whispers the deceit of Satan in presenting the possibility that the world might be redeemed another way (compare Satan’s temptation in Luke 4:5-7). •
Mark 8:34-38 I don’t want to gain the whole world and lose my soul (thanks, Toby Mac!). Earlier Jesus had said that to be His follower a person must repent and believe. That’s the first step in being a follower of Christ (step one in the healing process mentioned in Mark 8:22-26). But Christ says the next phase for the Disciples is to orient their life away from selfish interests and earthly securities (self-denial), and instead publically demonstrate their submission to Jesus’ authority; to say yes to God’s will and God’s way. Keep in mind here that Jesus isn’t calling His followers to deny their personality or to deny things. I don’t need to become a monk in order to deny myself. I deny myself when I submit all that I am and all that I have to Jesus. I deny myself when I spend more time thinking about doing God’s will and less time on my own personal comfort of convenience. This passage is especially relevant today when “Christians” give Jesus their leftover time; when the work of the Kingdom is secondary (if that) to soccer practice or to work. Isn’t it sad that we are willing to skip Wednesday night youth group because the coach says we will not play if we don’t attend practice? Where is your cross when your habits are more important than your holiness? This is truly taking up your cross (not His); to turn down the promotion at work because it would take away from the time you have been giving to Jesus.
Matthew 16 •
Matthew 16:1-4 This section is similar to what we read in Mark 8:11-12, except that Matthew adds the old sailor phrase “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning”. However, several ancient manuscripts do not include this section. But even though that is true, Luke indicates that Jesus did make a reference to the weather (compare Luke 12:54-56). I think Jesus was amazed that
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these religious leaders could discern the changing seasons but could not perceive the signs that indicated a new Spiritual season was upon them. •
Matthew 16:5-12 This section is similar to what we read in Mark 8:14-21.
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Matthew 16:13-20 This section is similar to Mark 8:27-30, except that Matthew adds Jesus’ response to Peter’s proclamation. Speaking for the whole group, Peter called Jesus the Christ; the Anointed One promised by God (Isaiah 9:6, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Micah 5:2). The Christ is the Greek form of the Hebrew title Messiah. By calling Jesus the Messiah Peter confesses that Jesus is not a mere man, is not simply a great teacher, and nor is He a human empowered by the Holy Spirit. Peter says that Jesus is the Son of the living God; an apparent reference to His deity. In response to this, Jesus says that it took an act of God to reveal this truth to Peter and the group. In other words, the Spirit had opened their eyes to see Jesus for who He really is. It is this Truth upon which the Church will be built. The foundation of the Church is that Jesus is the Christ. Don’t let people confuse you. The Church was not built upon Peter, as some have claimed. Look closely at verse 18. “Simon, from now on you are a stone (Petros), but upon this rock (Petra) I will build MY Church.” In other words, Simon’s confession of faith, small as it was, will become the very foundation of the Church; a foundation made through faith.
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Matthew 16:21-23 This is similar to what we read in Mark 8:31-33.
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Matthew 16:24-26 This is similar to what we read in Mark 8:34-38.
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Matthew 16:27-28 Speaking prophetically, Jesus says that some will not die until they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom. How is that possible? Would they really live that long? Jesus was probably talking about the event that would take place very soon: the Transfiguration mentioned in Matthew 17:1-8.
October 10: Mark 9, Matthew 17 62
Mark 9 •
Mark 9:1-8 Mark’s version of the Transfiguration is very similar to Luke’s account (Luke 9:28-36). Again, the difference in days has to do with how Luke counted days. Being a Gentile, his day began in the morning. In the Jewish culure, one day ended at dusk and another one began. So if an event occurred later than this, is was considered to have happened in the following “day”, even though it was still dark. So when Matthew and Mark indicate the Transfiguration took place after six days, we can presume that it was late in the day when Jesus spoke the words in Mark 9:1. It could have been early in the morning when Jesus was transfigured as well, perhaps explaining why the three apostles were asleep.
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Mark 9:9-10 Here is a clue as to why Jesus told them to keep silent about what they had seen until after He would rise from the dead. The three apostles did not yet fully understand what Jesus was talking about. As Jews, they probably did believe in the future resurrection but couldn’t conceive Jesus doing this any sooner than the final judgment. So to not confuse the others, Jesus says to wait until they are equipped to understand what all of this meant. Then, when they truly understood what had happened, they could tell the others.
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Mark 9:11-13 If the end was really near, the three apostles rightly surmised that Elijah would have returned to proclaim the Messiah’s coming (Malachi 3:1-4). Perhaps the three apostles thought that with the coming of Elijah the Messiah would not have to suffer. However, as Jesus indicates even Elijah, when he did come to prepare the way, suffered at the hands of the wicked people of this world. Mark doesn’t mention it, and even John did not attribute this to himself, but Jesus says that the Ministry of John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecy of Elijah (compare Matthew 11:14).
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Mark 9:14-29 Jesus indicates that there are different types of demons. Some affect us in one way while others affect us in another. Why do you suppose this young man was possessed by the demon? What happened to him when he was younger that
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enabled this demon to seize the boy? Today we would call him epileptic. We would not attribute demon possession to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Maybe we should? On the other hand, maybe not. I don’t know for sure. But Jesus did. He cast out a demon, not cured a disease. I’m not saying all mental diseases are actually demon possessions, but perhaps there are people even today that have been diagnosed incorrectly. Maybe instead of giving them drugs, we need to give them over to Jesus. In the case of the boy, Mark indicates that the demon had tried to destroy him, not just cause him to have epileptic seizures. So there would be one way of telling the difference between demon possession and a disease. Another sign is the way the demon responded to the presence of Jesus. I know many people with mental disorders that love Jesus. But then again I know a lot of persons with mental disorders that despise anything dealing with Jesus, so maybe there is something to all of this. •
Mark 9:30-37 The trouble with the apostles here is that they had asked the wrong question. They were debating about who was the greatest. And I find it interesting that this discussion happened after three of them witnessed the Transfiguration and came down from the mountain to learn that the other nine could not cast out a demon. It seems that there was some boasting taking place here. To answer their question, Jesus pulls a child among them. As Jesus stood with this child, He could have turned to Peter, who had recently witnessed His transfiguration (the same Peter who walked on water), and said, “That’s not what makes you great”. The disciples were asking the wrong question. They should have been concerned about serving the Lord, not asking about positions in the kingdom. Their service needed to be directed toward people, not themselves. Truthfully, their question was just as discriminating as the question a religious lawyer asked Jesus one day (see Luke 10:30-37). In that instance, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan to answer the question “who is my neighbor.” In this case, Jesus pointed to a child to respond to the question “who is
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the greatest.” Both lessons point straight to the heart, asking them the question, “Who is more important in your eyes, a despised Samaritan or yourself? Who is more important, you or this child?” According to Jesus, the greatest in the Kingdom is the person who sees others as more important than themselves (see Philippians 2:3-4). •
Mark 9:38-41 John reveals just how selfish and arrogant he had become. This is a clear indication that recent events had made a few apostles proud of themselves. That’s why there was arguing among the group. John actually felt that this little band of followers was the only ones worthy to work in Jesus name. Maybe he felt that he, Peter, and James were the only people among the group who should be doing this. I’m not sure, but John apparently has developed spiritual smugness; an arrogance that creeps into a person’s heart caused by a mountaintop experience with Jesus. If a believer is not careful, their spiritual encounter with Jesus can cause them to look down upon those of little faith; people who just don’t seem to be quite as spiritual as they are. If a believer is not careful to maintain humility, they will come across as proud, smug, arrogant, pious, and self-righteous; actually seeing others as less valuable in the Kingdom of Heaven (hence the example of the child).
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Mark 9:42-48 Even someone who gives a drink in Jesus name is significant in God’s Kingdom. That’s why Jesus challenges the group to not do anything to cause a little one (literally a humble one) to stumble. He does not only mean a child. He means that anyone who serves the Kingdom of God, no matter how humble their service might be, is someone valuable and relevant. And the apostles had better learn this lesson before it is too late. Do whatever you must to develop humility in your life because without it, a Christian runs the risk of turning someone away from Jesus. And a Christian guilty of driving people away from Jesus will one day be severely punished. A humble Christian encourages others in their service. But the Christian who is prideful and self-righteous discourages others through harsh criticism or arrogant bias.
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Mark 9:49-50 It’s probable that the salting by fire is a reference to what everyone will face one day based upon their relationship with Jesus: for nonbelievers, the fire of final judgment, but for believers the purification of fire that tests a person’s work. It could also mean the refining fire of trials and testing that all believers face in this life.
Matthew 17 •
Matthew 17:1-13 This is Matthew’s version of the Transfiguration. It’s basically the same as recorded by Mark and by Luke except that Matthew adds the comforting words of Jesus, “Get up and don’t be afraid”. I think it is significant that Matthew reports what Jesus said because Matthew was not present on the mountain. At some point, one of the three must have told him what was said. That’s neat.
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Matthew 17:14-18 It’s important to keep in mind who Jesus was talking to when He called the people faithless and corrupt. But we need to remember what was unfolding as Jesus came to the crowd. Reading all three accounts (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), we discover that the boy was indeed in trouble. The father had brought him to the nine other apostles who could not cast out the demon. Embarrassed, they stood arguing with the scribes (Mark 9:14) who were using their failure against them. While all of this was going on, there stood the boy still possessed by the demon; still held captive against his will. Isn’t this exactly what we see happening in the Church today? Congregations argue over worship styles or finances or even their name instead of understanding the needs of the captives around them; those still held captive by death and sin. What will it take for the Church to wake up and start being more concerned about the fate of a soul rather than the size of a savings account?
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Matthew 17:19-20 The three things Jesus mentioned that contributed to their failure (lack of faith, lack of prayer, and lack of discipline) were caused first of all by a lack of focus. Perhaps there was jealousy among the nine because they didn’t go up the mountain. Or perhaps they were too busy arguing with the scribes about different methods of exorcism, and they were more interested in being proven right than in
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helping the boy. But if they had remained focused on the work of Jesus they would have succeeded and perhaps accomplished things even more marvelous for the Kingdom of God. I wonder if the inability of a church to transform a community stems from a lack of focus. If a Church desires to turn a community right side up, that Church must remain firmly focused on what Jesus has called them to do. And though their work may seem small (small as a mustard seed), that Church could move anything that stands in the way of God’s work being accomplished. •
Matthew 17:21 Early manuscripts of the book of Matthew do not contain a verse 21, but these words are recorded by Mark (Mark 9:29).
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Matthew 17:24-27 Jesus was trying to get Peter to understand that He was the rightful King in the land and that Peter and the rest of the apostles were considered sons. And neither of them should be required to pay the Temple Tax (Nehemiah 10:32). But rather than make a fuss about this point, Jesus submits to the authorities, but He does it in a way that demonstrates that His authority overshadows the rule of men. Although Matthew doesn’t mention the outcome of the fishing trip, we can assume Peter found the coin and paid the tax. Evidently, it was to cover the tax for both Peter and Jesus. Perhaps the other apostles had already paid. I wonder who was keeping track of all this. How did they know Jesus had not paid this tax while He was in Jerusalem?
October 11: Matthew 18 Matthew 18 Matthew 18 needs to be read in its entirety, not in sections. The reason Jesus taught this lesson was because as the disciples traveled back to the house where they were staying, they were arguing among themselves about who was the greatest. And to answer them, Jesus taught them three important lessons every Christian needs to learn. 67
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Matthew 18:1-14 Jesus first teaches the need for humility. When they finally tell Jesus what they were arguing about, you can almost picture them waiting breathlessly for Him to answer. But instead of naming names, Jesus pulls a child among them and says “This child should be the greatest in your eyes, not yourself.” In fact, Jesus says their lack of humility has become a stumbling block (I wonder if the nine thought back to their failure with the demon possessed boy). And to demonstrate the importance God places on people, He gives them an example of 99 sheep who were safe and one who was lost. Based upon this example it seems the disciples had lost focus on what their mission truly was. It was not to climb the corporate ladder. It was to serve and strengthen those who were weak and proclaim that the Kingdom of God was at hand. It was to call people to repent of their sins and to accept Jesus as Lord, Messiah, and Savior. An absence of humility will turn a Christian away from this task and turn them instead inward, focusing on their own needs, wants, and desires. Without humility in their heart, a Christian becomes more concerned about things that affect themselves rather than how others might be feeling.
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Matthew 18:15-20 Next Jesus teaches the need for honesty. To love someone is to desire their personal holiness, even when they have offended us. To love someone is to approach them in private when they stumble in their faith. If you are the only person affected by the offense, you can choose to forgive even if the other person does not apologize (compare Matthew 18:21-35). But what if that person will not listen to us? How should we handle this? We take one or two more individuals who can lovingly testify that repentance is necessary. The goal here is not to prove who is right, but to open the eyes of the believer who is sinning. We desire to win our brother, not win an argument. We are instructed to keep the matter privately, not drag other innocent people into the mix. When you tell a third person about the relational problem you are having with someone, you are, in effect, trying to muster support for your side of the argument. You are seeking to validate your own wounds, not restore
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a relationship. In most cases, the person who has hurt us doesn’t even know they have. You’d be surprised what a simple little conversation will reveal. A quiet, loving conversation when people are honest with one another can end years of brokenness. But it will not happen until we are honest with each other. The fire remains fueled as long as we gossip about and slander each other. •
Matthew 18:21-35 Lastly, Jesus teaches the need for forgiveness. Humility, of course, must come first. A humble Christian is willing to be honest. And a humble Christian is ready to forgive. As I said earlier, forgiveness is in reality a choice we make when someone hurts us or offends us. We can choose to forgive even if they never say, “I’m sorry.” In matters of sin, we need to be honest with a brother so they might turn from their sin. If that person seeks forgiveness from the Lord and repents of their sin, we need to forgive them. Just like God, we should no longer hold that offense against them. However, this doesn’t seem to happen very often. Too often, we keep records of sin long after Jesus has forgiven that sin. Sometimes these are records of our own sin, but often times the records we keep are against others who have not lived spectacular Christian lives. To emphasize His point, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a king who was settling his accounts. The point here is that since God the Father has forgiven us of all our sins, we should extend that forgiveness in the same measure toward those who have sinned (are indebted) against us. The person who comes to us asking to be forgiven for the offense they have committed must be forgiven in the same measure that God has forgiven us. And yes, God is extremely concerned about our relationship toward others. How we treat other people is vastly important to God. We are judged not just by our relationship with Jesus but also our relationship with one another.
October 12: John 7-8 69
John 7 •
John 7:1 The time frame for the events at the beginning of John 6 and the beginning of John 7 span about six months – from the Jewish Passover (John 6:4) to the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2). So the events that took place in and around Galilee spanned about six months; the feeding of the 5,000, Peter walking on water, the healing of a deaf man, the feeding of the 4,000, the healing of a blind man, the Transfiguration, the demon-possessed boy, and the argument over who was the greatest.
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John 7:2-9 Note the sarcasm here from Jesus’ half-brothers. “Why are you hiding here in Galilee? If you want to become famous, go to Judea”. Either these brothers were jealous of all those years living in the shadow of Jesus (I can’t imagine Mary keeping Jesus’ identity a secret from the rest of the family), or they wouldn’t believe Jesus because of His lack of military might. Jesus had followers, but He didn’t seem to be training them to fight (as David did with his mighty men). Instead, Jesus was teaching about humility, forgiveness, and love; not the sort of attitudes a warrior needs to make Israel a powerful nation once again. So they taunted Him. They teased Him. They acted just like people of this world, which is why they could fit in with the crowd. Isn’t it odd that even today those who are humble, loving, and forgiving and the ones who get bullied the most? Not much has changed. In response, Jesus announced that He wasn’t going to Jerusalem yet. Verse 8 should probably read “not yet going”. Greek manuscripts omit this word, but in light of verse 10, this is probably what Jesus meant. I’m sure He did not deliberately lie to His brothers.
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John 7:10-13 John points out that no one had the courage to speak favorably about Jesus in public. I doubt Jesus was in Jerusalem on His own. I’m pretty sure the apostles traveled there with Him. If that is true, then John incriminates himself. He too did not speak favorably about Jesus. Even John had remained silent.
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John 7:14-15 We read many times how the crowds were amazed at the teachings of Jesus. Remember how they responded to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:2829)? Jesus taught with real authority. This is what happens to a heart which is prepared for the Word of God. In a heart that is fertile (where the Word can take root), the wisdom and the teaching of Jesus challenges and transforms. This can happen even today. When a preacher opens up the Word and allows God to speak, those words can penetrate and transform as well. That’s why it’s important to make the Word preeminent in all that happens in Church. I need to admit that I, as a preacher, cannot transform lives. Only the Word of God has that power.
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John 7:16-18 Isn’t it interesting how Jesus points to the Father. Since the two were one, and since Jesus is the exact physical representation of God (Colossians 1:15), His words would be God’s words. I believe Jesus spoke this way as a demonstration of His humility and His servant’s heart.
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John 7:19-24 Jesus was referencing the healing performed by the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-18), the last time He was in Jerusalem. He argued that if it were legal to care for one part of the body, even though it might be the Sabbath, then certainly it should be okay to care for the whole body. And Jesus actually makes a good argument (no surprise). Circumcision was established long before God gave the instructions to Moses. Anyone should have been able to see this. But the problem with these religious leaders is that they majored in the minor details of the Law but missed the real intent behind the Laws.
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John 7:25-27 Apparently the people knew of a secret plot to kill Jesus, but they certainly did not know the scriptures. The coming of the Messiah had been announced by Old Testament prophets, and they indicated that He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:4), born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and be born a Child (Isaiah 9:6). Even Daniel gave them the timeframe in which He would appear. So what’s all this about not knowing or suddenly appearing? But isn’t that so typical? Many Christians
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know more about what’s happening in someone’s life than they know the Word of God. •
John 7:28-32 I’m not exactly sure what people expected. What did they expect the Messiah to look like? Did they expect someone supernatural in appearance? I suspect people were confused by the outward appearance of Jesus. He just didn’t seem very convincing. And I’m sure no one expected the Messiah to be one of them. Yet it appears that His teaching and His miraculous signs convinced most of the crowd in Jerusalem that day.
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John 7:32-36 Even though the Pharisees and Religious leaders sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus, He continued to teach. Many who heard His words understood Him, except those who should have. What do you think contributed to their blindness? Jesus will let us know in a few short verses.
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John 7:37-38 The Feast of Tabernacles included a solemn procession from the Temple to the nearby Gihon Spring. A priest would fill a golden pitcher full of water and carry it back to the Temple. Once there, they would pour the water on the altar, symbolizing how God provided water from the rock in the wilderness (Numbers 20:811). The ceremony on the last day was even more elaborate. John indicates that Jesus “Cried out”, which means that Jesus may have made this announcement just as the procession arrived back at the Temple, maybe just as the water was being poured over the altar.
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John 7:39 This is an important text for us to remember. Prior to the ascension of Jesus, the Holy Spirit would come upon a person here or there as needed. The Spirit did not dwell within a person. That happened on the day of Pentecost. Even Jesus announced that the Spirit would dwell with a Believer permanently (Acts 1:8). Prior to that, the Spirit would empower a person as God saw fit, and according to the need. But Christ promised that the Spirit would dwell with the Believer, baptize the Believer, and seal the Believer for salvation.
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John 7:40-44 We see this same reaction to Jesus even today. Some believe He is the Christ, others think He is simply a great man of God, some think He is a myth. Why the difference? I think it is a Holy Spirit issue because John mentioned the Spirit just before this section, and uses the word “Therefore” (verse 40) right after he points out that the Spirit had not yet been given. In other words, since the Spirit had not yet been given, people were left to judge on their own who Jesus really was. If a person had an open mind, it was easy to judge Jesus as the Messiah based upon what He said and did, provided a person had an open mind.
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John 7:45-49 It’s clear that the Temple Officers had an open mind. Unfortunately, the Chief Priests and the Pharisees did not. These men actually ignored the evidence. They chose not to believe. However, the Guards, on the other hand, at least began to wonder if Jesus was really the Christ. No, they were not brainwashed by Jesus. That’s not what Jesus does to a person. He does not come demanding blind faith. He only asks that a person allow Him to open their eyes to the truth. The prophecies about the Messiah giving sight to the blind are not just a reference to those who physically cannot see, but also a reference to those who are spiritually blind. If a person is willing, Jesus will open their eyes to have faith. But, as we see in this section, a person must be willing. Jesus will not force Himself on anyone. In their arrogance, the Pharisees actually thought that not one of them considered Jesus to be the Messiah (John 7:48).
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John 7:50-52 This just goes to show how arrogant some of the Pharisees had become. Either that or they were jealous of Him (compare John 12:19). Nicodemus seems to be open to Jesus, but his peers didn’t seem to know that fact. Why do you suppose the other religious leaders didn’t know that he believed? I think the same man we saw coming to Jesus at night was still trying to keep his faith a secret. It seems he didn’t want others to know. Now, we could scold Nicodemus for keeping his faith in Jesus a secret, but I don’t think John tells us this story to condemn Nicodemus.
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I think he shares this incident to demonstrate just how wicked the Religious Leaders had become. They claimed to know the Law. They claimed to be these great religious men. Yet here they were rejecting the Law and acting like a person of the world by condemning Jesus without a fair trial. The Law stated that a person accused of a crime should get a fair trial (Deuteronomy 1:16-17). Yet here they were ready and willing to forget the Law. Their sin condemns them. They even criticize one of the most respected teachers in the land (John 3:10). Isn’t it sad that those who took pride in their righteousness were in reality full of sin and deceit? Of course, we don’t see this sort of behavior today, do we. We certainly don’t act this way. John 8 •
Although the earliest and most accurate manuscripts of John’s Gospel do not contain John 7:53 through John 8:11, it is probably part of an actual event passed along orally, and added later to the Greek manuscripts. It does demonstrate another example of how the Pharisees had turned away from the Law by not offering this woman or the man caught in Adultery a fair trial.
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John 8:4 It is highly unlikely that they caught her in the act. More than likely it had been a set-up.
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John 8:5 Behold, the great contradiction. Men, who had been ignoring one part of the Law, were ready to use another part to their advantage. Sure, the Law states that this is the punishment for the crime. But where was the fair trial? Where were the witnesses? Where was the man?
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John 8:6 The author (probably not the Apostle John) notes that they were not seeking a judgment against the woman, but judgment against Jesus.
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John 8:7-11 Many will take this passage and twist it to suit their own needs or desires. They will quote this as a reason not to judge the sins in another person’s life. But what they miss is that Jesus reminds everyone He alone is the only One worthy to
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Judge (the only One without sin). And judge He does. He speaks directly to this woman and tells her to stop sinning - to go and sin no more, implying that what she had done was wrong. Please don’t miss this. Jesus never told this woman, or anyone for that matter, that it was okay to sin. That’s not the lesson here. I would also like to point out that there is a difference between being found guilty and being condemned. One can be guilty, but not condemned, especially when someone else is willing to take the punishment we deserve for our guilt – which is exactly what Jesus does for all of us. •
John 8:12-19 This section picks up where John 7:38 left off. It’s apparent from John 8:20 that this refers to the guards who were sent to arrest Him, but were moved by what they heard Jesus say (compare John 7:46).
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John 8:12 Also present during the Feast of Tabernacles were great lamps burning in and around the Temple. Jesus pointed to the water and told the people to quench their thirst by coming to Him. He then points to the light and says that those who come to Him will no longer walk in darkness. This reminds me of what is said in Isaiah 9:2. And I’m sure Jesus wanted the people to make the same connection.
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John 8:13-18 As if to condemn the Pharisees for what they were doing, Jesus quotes to them the very Law they had been ignoring (Deuteronomy 19:15).
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John 8:19-20 I’ll admit that, for a Jew, hearing Jesus call God His Father would have been a difficult concept. The Jews rightly believed that there is only one God. There is none other. And to those who knew the scriptures, they were looking for the Messiah. But they just couldn’t make the connection that the Messiah and God would be One.
Yet many Jews did make the connection. But not this little group of self-
appointed experts. So arrogant was the group that they scoffed at those who did believe; treating them like unenlightened buffoons. If only they had an ounce of humility perhaps they would be willing to reconsider their stubborn opinion; that they 75
just might be wrong, and that God did come to earth in the form of a Man, as one like the Son of Man (as described in Daniel 7:13). •
John 8:21-30 Jesus makes it very clear in this section that if a person does not believe that He is Lord and Savior, they will die in their sins. It seems pretty straightforward, yet there are people today who think Jesus will never condemn anyone to hell, even though Christ makes it quite clear in this section. I can’t see any other way to interpret these verses. The section does close with a sentence of hope. Many who heard Him say these things believed, perhaps even some Pharisees, for they were part of the crowd that day. However . . .
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John 8:31-33 Jesus is now speaking to those who believed in Him. However, their response here is an indication of the depth of their belief. This is an important lesson for us today. An individual can believe that Jesus is real and believe that He is the Messiah, but until they call Jesus their Savior, they are never truly free. To call Jesus Savior means that you confess needing to be saved in the first place; that your life is in peril and you are held captive by sin. Sadly, there are people today who struggle just like these Jewish believers. The Jews felt they were saved just because of their ancestry. That’s like the individual who thinks they will get to heaven because mom and dad took them to church.
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John 8:34-38 Everyone who sins is a slave to sin, which means that everyone is a slave to sin, and the fact Jesus says this is an indication of what these people thought. Sin did not stand between a person and God, but nationality. It would be like saying I am saved because I am an American Republican. We both know that isn’t true, but some people would like to believe this. Some people do believe this.
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John 8:39-41 Oh, these people who had believed that Jesus was the Messiah might have been physical descendants of Abraham, but not spiritual descendants. Abraham listened to God and obeyed God. However, because some of them were ready to kill the very Son of God, Jesus said they were acting like their true spiritual father. This,
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of course, hardly calmed the situation. What Jesus was trying to do was get these people to open their eyes, and for that to happen the truth needed to be told. Boy, there’s a painful lesson for today’s Church. If the truth is not proclaimed, people will not know to turn away from sin and turn to Christ. But, once again, preaching about sin has become taboo - it's offensive and might turn someone away from the church. Well, dare I say this? People don’t need a church. People need a Savior. So maybe it’s time we stop confusing the two and teach people about Jesus. •
John 8:42-47 Jesus asks why they do not understand what He is saying. That’s a good question. Why don’t people understand the words of Jesus? It’s because they cannot hear His word. They have been so profoundly influenced by the Satan that they cannot hear a word Jesus is saying. Now, here’s a challenging question. If these people truly were under the influence of Satan, why didn’t Jesus simply rebuke the devil right then and there so he would have left them alone, and they would have been able to hear and understand what Jesus was trying to say? Well, there is a difference between demon possession and satanic influence. In most cases in Scripture, the devil or Satan is controlling the person against their will. But here we see people merely influenced by Satan. He whispers in their ear. He sows a counterfeit truth in their hearts. But in the end it is the individual who makes a choice to listen to the lies and act upon them according to their will, not against it. What Jesus was trying to do was get these people to stop listening to Satan and instead listen to Him. We need to learn from this. If Satan worked this way with the Jews, he would work the same way with unsuspecting Christians today. He doesn’t possess us, but he does influence us. And unless a believer guards themselves, they too can come under the influence of Satan’s lies. This is what a Christian must guard against: to ignore his imitation gospel and his deceitful lies, to be wary of his tricks and false teachings. Satan will actually fool us into believing that a fellow Christian is the enemy. And the church
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ends up imploding because of strife and turmoil and anger directed toward one another instead toward Satan. •
John 8:48-59 Keep in mind that this was the group who said they believed Jesus to be the Messiah (John 8:31). Yet it is clear that believing Jesus to be the Christ is not sufficient for salvation. Verse 53 testifies that they had not really believed in Jesus for Salvation (Who do You make Yourself out to be?). In other words, “Who do You say that you are”. This question was on everyone’s mind. Everyone had ideas about Jesus, and many had been speculating. “Jesus, just who are you, really?” Have you ever heard people ask this question? I’ve actually heard professing Christians claim that Jesus never said He was the Messiah or never claimed to be God. To answer them, I take these “Believers” to John 8:58. In this verse, Jesus said that He is the great I AM. “I AM the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Jesus has openly and plainly called Himself God in this verse. And you can tell that the people understood precisely what He was saying. That’s why they picked up rocks to stone Him. To them, what He said was blasphemy. Therefore, anyone who denies that Jesus and God are one is blind to the truth, and a person blind to the truth of Jesus cannot be saved.
October 13: Luke 10-11 Luke 10 •
Luke 10:1-9 Jesus sent out 70 disciples (or 72, depending on the translation), not the twelve Apostles. The instructions were similar to what He gave the Apostles (see Luke 9:1-6). There is a sense of urgency here. Jesus was beginning His final trip down to Jerusalem (see Luke 17:11), and these laborers were to prepare the way. Into each town, they were to proclaim that the Kingdom of God was near. The disciples probably entered a town and said, “Very soon the Messiah will be arriving in
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your city, so get ready for the message He will bring.” Regardless of how the people in a town responded, the disciples were to proclaim His arrival. •
Luke 10:10-12 Why would Judgment Day be more tolerable for Sodom than it would be for a city that rejected the Messiah? There is a difference between the person who has never heard the message of Jesus and those who have. Jesus speaks of this in John 3:18. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been
judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 9 And also in John 12:48. “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day .” 10 It seems that there are different degrees of punishment. Cities like Sodom were judged immoral and wicked and received a judgment in this life. We do not know what their judgment will be like in the next life, but we do know that Jesus will judge with justice and fairness (see Isaiah 11:3-4). However, for those that hear the message of Jesus and still reject Him, it seems their judgment in the next life has already been determined. •
Luke 10:13-15 This is why Jesus pronounces a woe upon those cities that heard and saw yet rejected. And this is a terrible pronouncement to come from the Lord. It is not a threat, but a statement of sorrow or regret. In other words, the people in these cities who have rejected Jesus while He was among them will one day regret that decision. And their grief or sorrow will only become evident once it is too late; on Judgment Day. It is the same for people today. Have they heard the message of Salvation? Have they rejected Christ’s offer of redemption? If they have, then they are a person with no hope. They have sealed their fate. They will spend eternity separated from God. Those who have not heard or have not known at least can hope for God’s tender mercy, but not those who have rejected. Their only hope is that they might believe in Jesus and accept His offer of Salvation before they die.
9 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 3:18). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 10 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 12:48). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 79
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Luke 10:16 This verse was given to the 70 before they began their work in the villages.
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Luke 10:17-20 Remember here that these people went out as commanded by Jesus. He gave them the power and the ability. They did not possess it on their own. Based on their response, it seems the 70 understood this. “They obeyed us in Your name.” This is an important lesson. Jesus is the one who heals, who saves, who casts out demons, and who treads on serpents and scorpions. Even the power to overcome Satan resides in Jesus, not people like you or me. However, Jesus can choose to work through people like you and me. We become the instrument through which He works. The lesson Christ teaches here is vastly important for the church today. Instead of finding our greatest satisfaction in what we can accomplish as a Christian or as a church, we need to realize that the greatest thing in life is to become a child of the King. The Church today needs to keep this in mind. Too often, a Church feels successful when attendance or giving or participation in activities is high. But getting someone involved in Church activities does not guarantee they have become a child of the King. The greatest thing a Church can be doing is helping people know Jesus as Lord and as Savior. There is no higher calling.
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Luke 10:21-22 Paul echoes these words in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. For a great man to accomplish great things, the world would assume that those accomplishments came because of his greatness. However, for a mere man to accomplish great things, the world will think he had help, and help he did have. It happened by the power of God.
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Luke 10:23-24 Like the prophets and kings who longed for the day when God’s Messiah would come, many of us today look back to yesterday longing to have walked with these men and women; to see Jesus face-to-face and hear His words first-hand. Those who lived before and those who live after walk by faith, not by sight. However,
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these disciples were offered great honor and privilege. However, Jesus will one day say, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me .” 11 (John 20:29). •
Luke 10:25-29 The expert in religious law rightly quoted from Deuteronomy 6:5. He certainly had head smarts. But he definitely lacked a heart transformation. Luke says that he asked “Who is my neighbor” to justify his actions. In other words, this religious man was probably guilty of disobeying this command in some way. And I think Jesus knew this. I think Jesus knew just how un-neighborly this man truly was. Maybe he was one of the men who refused to help in the following story. Maybe Jesus spoke of an actual event here where this man declined to help someone.
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Luke 10:30-37 The road from Jerusalem to Jericho descends about 3,000 in a short 17 miles. It’s a steep, winding path. Historically, it was a great hiding place for robbers. Truthfully, so well-known was this road that few people traveled it alone. The lesson here is that two men, who should have known the Law, disobeyed the Law out of convenience or preference. They preferred to stay ritually clean rather than help a stranger. Not knowing if the man along the road was dead or alive, both Jews passed by the other side because if they had touched the corpse they would be ritually unclean and unfit for duty at the Temple (compare Numbers 19:11). In other words, they felt their highest calling was to obey the Law. But Jesus was trying to teach them that the other part of the Law (loving others) was just as important; maybe even more important. If they truly loved others as they loved themselves, they would have sacrificed uncleanliness for service. It was better to be unclean for seven days and help a person than to remain clean yet ignore the needs of someone. And as I said earlier, I almost wonder if this expert in the Law had demonstrated the same degree of selfishness as the two Jews in the story. And I’ll ask one more question, not necessarily asked here by Jesus. Which actions were worse; the attack by the robbers, or the selfishness of the two men? I’d say the lack of concern by the two
11 Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Jn 20:29). Carol Stream, IL 81
Jewish men. The robbers were merely wicked men who probably didn’t know any better. But these two Jewish men, who knew what the Law commanded about loving your neighbor, chose to ignore the Law. To me, that’s the worse sin - to know what you should do, but not do it. •
Luke 10:38-42 Martha was not a bad person for trying to be hospitable. That is actually a Spiritual Gift. What Jesus addresses here is that she was worried about the wrong things. There’s a good chance that Jesus, the Twelve Apostles, and many disciples had come to Bethany (See John 11:1). Therefore, she was more concerned about seeing that everyone was cared for rather than taking the time to learn from Jesus. I can just picture Martha rushing through the house muttering to herself, “such a mess, such a mess. What must these people think of me”? But truthfully, all eyes were not on her. They were on Jesus. I get the impression that Martha wanted Mary’s help so the people would praise them for their hospitality. But isn’t that the wrong motivation for serving?
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Luke 11:1-4 This is the Lord’s instruction to His disciples about how to pray. It is similar to what is recorded in Matthew 6:9-13 (see comments on page 16). Matthew’s version is a bit longer. Luke adds two parables about prayer.
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Luke 11:5-10 In the first parable Jesus mentions persistence. However, He contrasts God with an indifferent homeowner. Jesus is painting a contrast here, not trying to teach us to nag God until we get our own way or get what we want. Unlike the neighbor who did not want to be bothered, God, on the other hand, encourages us to keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. Never stop coming to God for all your needs. He does not grow weary. God will never turn us away, unlike the homeowner who became irritated by his persistent friend.
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Luke 11:11-13 In this second parable, Jesus paints a simile between a loving father and a loving God. Both give what is suitable and best for their children, not what is harmful. And the best that the Father can give to those who ask is the Holy Spirit. What’s interesting is that by first giving the Spirit, God prepares the believer to begin asking for what is good and best. The Spirit guides a believer to pray according to God’s will, not against it. The Spirit guides each believer to ask for what they need, not what they want.
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Luke 11:14-23 This encounter with a demon-possessed man is discussed in Matthew 12:22-29 (see comments on page 4).
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Luke 11:24-26 Jesus is speaking here about the person who cleans up their life but does not allow themselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It almost seems to be directed toward the former demon-possessed man. Now that Jesus has healed him, he had better turn to Jesus in faith and be filled with the Kingdom of Heaven. If not, he will find himself in a worse position than before. This is important for all who come to Christ. It is not enough to have our sins forgiven. That is essential, but it is not the only thing necessary. A person needs to go to God asking, seeking, and knocking for the best that He can give them. And the best is His Holy Spirit. It’s important that we keep teaching this. A person can make a choice to follow Jesus (to admit He is what they need in their life), but not receive God’s Spirit. This is what happened to the believers in Ephesus (see Acts 19:1-5). It is one thing to desire Jesus, but something far greater to surrender to Him and make Him Lord of your life. Many will only desire. Few will actually surrender.
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Luke 11:29-32 This section is similar to what is discussed in Matthew 12:39-42 (see comments on page 5).
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Luke 11:33-36 These verses are similar to what is recorded in Mark 4:21-23 (see comments on page 32).
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Luke 11:37-41 I get the impression that Jesus never did anything by chance. So I wonder if He purposefully ignored washing His hands at this meal just to make a point. The Pharisees are referring to an old tradition or custom, not a Law given by God. That being said, there is nothing wrong with washing your hands before you eat, but Jesus saw straight into the hearts of these men. Considering what Jesus says to them, we are given the impression that they felt holy and righteous because of what they did and judged themselves better than those who were common and ordinary. Do we struggle with this same tendency today? Have you ever passed judgment upon an unbeliever, disgusted at their way of life and their unholiness? Would you even consider inviting one of “those” kinds of people over to your house for a meal? Jesus says that we should; that we should extend our hospitality, especially toward unbelievers. In response, Jesus pronounces three woes. “What sorrow awaits you,” Jesus says; speaking of a time in the future when they will regret their attitudes and misplaced faith.
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Luke 11:42 Wait a minute. Did Jesus just say that Justice and the Love of God are more important than Tithing? Yes, He did. But He said this to the Pharisees who felt that righteousness came from Tithing. It would be like the person who calls himself or herself a Christian because they gave a large sum of money to the Building Fund. And on the day they stand before the Lord they will be in for a big shock. They put their faith in the wrong things.
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Luke 11:43-44 The greed, pride, and wickedness of these men was not only defiling them but the entire nation as well. There was nothing wrong with the Pharisee’s desire to be holy and blameless before God, but the way they tried to accomplish righteousness was the problem. This group of men was searching for a sense of selfworth and value in something other than God. Their self-esteem came from how much better they were than everyone else was. They judged themselves righteous against all other people; setting up a system of hierarchy where one member of
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society was deemed more valuable than the next – which explains why they wanted the best seat in the house. And as religious leaders in the Jewish community, they were inadvertently leading others to believe the same lies, causing many to become just as defiled as they were. These Pharisees were like a hidden grave, causing anyone who believes in their method of righteousness to be unholy and unclean (see Numbers 19:16). •
Luke 11:45 The Pharisees were a group of men devoted to keeping the Law and the customs. The Lawyer was a person who understood and interpreted the Law. By his statement, the Lawyer testified that he agreed with what the Pharisees were promoting. And one has to wonder which came first; the practice of seeking righteousness within the Law or the teaching that righteousness could be found by keeping the Law. In response, Jesus says that great sorrow awaits these Lawyers as well.
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Luke 11:46-52 Apparently these Lawyers interpreted the Law in a way that made it next to impossible for anyone to keep, even themselves. For this reason, Jesus says great sorrow awaits them. I suspect this is because the Law they enforced was absent of Grace. I doubt very much these teachers spoke about the mercy and love of God. They spoke only of God’s wrath and judgment against those who failed to uphold the Law, which is probably why Jesus aligned them with those who killed the prophets. God sent prophets in Old Testament days to warn the people because He loved the people. And sadly, most people miss this. In God’s mercy, He warned Israel and Judah - long before judgment came. Through the prophets, He was calling them to turn away from wickedness. However, because of their hard hearts and closed minds, the people killed the prophets. Moreover, Jesus says these Lawyers are just the same. He identified their hard hearts and closed minds with the attitudes found within the people during Old Testament times. And it was that same attitude that killed all the innocent victims, from Abel (the first innocent victim) to Zechariah
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(the last innocent victim mentioned in the Hebrew Bible – see 2 Chronicles 24:20-21). I get the impression that these Lawyers taught the people to be afraid of God; to be careful lest God, in His wrath, strike them down at any moment. Today, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. Today people avoid speaking about God’s wrath and judgment. Today we only hear about His love and acceptance, which leads to an absence of repentance. Teachers that promote only this side of God are just as mistaken as these teachers were in Jesus time. Truth and grace. The Word of God teaches both. And anyone who fails to teach both of these has taken away the key of understanding God. God cannot tolerate wickedness and evil. No sin is permitted in His presence. But to remedy this, God lovingly has provided a way that you and I might be justified and sanctified. To teach wrath alone is to leave a person without hope. To teach grace alone is to leave a person in their sin. We must teach both.
October 14: Luke 12-13, John 9 Luke 12 •
Luke 12:1-3 For those who are hypocrites (teach one way but live another), Jesus says that they will eventually be caught in their lie. Therefore, a disciple of Jesus should teach what they are willing to live – or better, live what they preach. However, even a person who teaches what they are willing to live is better than the hypocrite.
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Luke 12:4-5 The point here is that the apostles should not be afraid of these hypocritical Pharisees and Lawyers. Do not be afraid of human authorities for they can only kill the body. This is a valuable lesson for Christians still today. We should live respectfully in this world, treating everyone with dignity and kindness, even those in authority. But in matters of obedience we are called first to obey our God. He has become the Lord of our lives. Now I know this is a difficult teaching for some. Where do we draw the line when it comes to obeying government officials? According to the
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example Jesus gives here, a Christian today should be respectful and submissive to his government until such a time when that government asks the Christian to choose between God and a man-made institution. If a Christian finds themselves in that situation, Jesus reminds them that . . . •
Luke 12:6-7 they are valued, that . . .
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Luke 12:8-10 they will have the Lord’s full support, including the help of angels. And that . . .
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Luke 12:11-12 the Spirit will be present to guide and direct them; helping the Christian with what to say or do. But in all of this, a Christian must be mindful that the Lord has possibly put them in this place to be a witness; to not only stand up for what they believe, but to lead others to Christ. It’s one thing to protest against an abortion clinic, but something far greater to help someone understand why killing an innocent baby is wrong.
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Luke 12:13-21 The point of this lesson is that this brother was willing to sacrifice his family relationship for a parcel of land and some property. Jesus says that land and property are not the most valuable things a person can possess. A person must never let things become more important than God. And neither should they become more important than relationships. It seems this attitude still plagues us today. People spend a lifetime pursuing things that moth and rust can destroy but will only give God a moment of their time. People today will even sacrifice their family relationships all because of some “things”. Some employers will sacrifice employees all because of the bottom line. Since when did things become more valuable than people?
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Luke 12:22-31 Can you imagine what living this way must be like? Can you imagine how freeing it must be to not worry about the bare necessities of life? Now let me stress that I said Bare Necessities. Jesus was speaking about the things we need to survive. The problem is that many of us have redefined what a bare necessity truly is.
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And the more we accumulate, the more we have to cause us worry. Now I’m not promoting living like a monk. But I am saying that if we make a choice to mortgage our life away far above our means, we will probably suffer from worry. I seriously doubt God is going to finance our exuberant lifestyle. He will, however, provide what is necessary for those who seek Him and His Kingdom first; above all else. This is the kind of peace that I’m talking about - the type of peace wich can be found in placing our highest value in knowing Him and serving Him, not in building new and bigger barns. Do that and you will probably be stressed until the day you die. •
Luke 12:32-34 Did Jesus really mean that we are to sell all our possessions? Well, no, some will say, only those things that we can spare. That’s not true. Jesus did mean to sell it all IF it has become a source of worry, or IF we have allowed possessions to come between God and us. We must not build our self-esteem and self-worth upon the things of this world (not the accumulation of things nor the praise of others, which the Pharisees desired).
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Luke 12:35-40 For the person who seeks possessions and wealth, they are seeking personal comfort and personal security. Like the fool who planned to build more barns (Luke 12:19), these people sit back and relax, enjoying all the comforts and pleasures of life. This is not the image of a servant. They do not care for others and are not concerned about others. This attitude of personal comfort and security should not be found in a disciple of Jesus. A true disciple is ready to serve, ready to work, always watchful for the Lord’s return. A disciple of Jesus cannot be concerned about Kingdom work if their heart and mind are focused on personal comfort and convenience. I know that seems a bit harsh, but can you image Jesus returning to gather His church, only to find that His church had spent her time building cathedrals instead of reaching the lost. Since we do not know the day or the time, shouldn’t the church be laboring for Christ instead of accumulating for itself?
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Luke 12:41 Peter’s question takes us back to verse 22. He wonders about both parables.
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Luke 12:42-48 Jesus doesn’t answer Peter directly. His response was probably directed more toward the religious leaders of the nation. But it also becomes a teaching moment for Peter and the twelve. The religious leaders were supposed to be taking care of the nation of Israel until the day the Messiah appeared. But they had failed. No one was ready for His arrival; a condemnation to those who should have known. I suspect these words resurfaced in Peter’s mind after the day of Pentecost. He seemed to understand that he was responsible for telling others about Christ - not relax and grow fat until the day Jesus came again. So it is with the church today. The same scolding Jesus gives here applies to the Church and to all who believe. Because we know of Christ, of grace, and judgment, we will be held to a higher standard of accountability for our labor in this world. Are we laboring for ourselves, or are we laboring for Christ?
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Luke 12:49-53 What is it that will divide the nation and even families? People will be divided over who Jesus is. This is an unfortunate reaction, but one that is inevitable. Either people will accept Jesus as Savior or they will reject Him. There is no middle ground. Can you image the anguish and heartache Jesus must have felt going into His crucifixion? Not just knowing the physical pain He would endure, but knowing that the weight of eternity rested upon His shoulders. Knowing what eternity has in store, can you image the heartache Jesus endured caused by those who would reject Him as Savior?
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Luke 12:54-59 The point here is that since the Messiah had come (even though the people had missed the obvious signs), it was time to make things right with God. The Day of Judgment was at hand. The next part of the Divine Plan was to summon everyone to court. Now if these people understood the wisdom in being reconciled before they stood before an earthly judge, should they not be even more earnest in
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seeking reconciliation considering that the judge is God? Today is the day of Salvation, says Paul (2 Corinthians 6:2). The accuser is ready (the Satan), but the Redeemer has arrived. And the wise turn to their Redeemer before it is too late. Luke 13 •
Luke 13:1-5 As if to drive home the point, someone announces that death came unexpectedly to a group of Jews from Galilee. According to Warren Wiersbe, The
atrocity mentioned in Luke 13:1 may have taken place when Pilate “appropriated” money from the temple treasury to help finance an aqueduct. A large crowd of angry Jews gathered in protest; so Pilate had soldiers in civilian clothes mingle with the mob. Using concealed weapons, the soldiers killed a number of innocent and unarmed Jews, and this only added to the Jews’ hatred for their governo r.12 Regardless why it happened, the fact that death came suddenly illustrates what Jesus was just saying. A person never knows when they will take their last breath, so today is the day to repent and live. It seems that some in the crowd must have thought that because they acted righteously, they would not face any calamity. Not so, says Jesus. Goodness does not spare a person hardship and suffering. In fact, death is something the righteous and the unrighteous must face one day. The only way to escape the Judge’s punishment (see Luke 11:58) it to seek reconciliation right now. And Jesus is the one who will mediate on our behalf. •
Luke 13:6-9 To illustrate His point, Jesus tells the story of a fruitless fig tree. The landowner is so disappointed that he decides to cut down the tree. There’s no use wasting time and effort on something that is not going to bear fruit. The point here is that judgment will fall upon those who do not repent and upon those who bear no fruit; those who show no evidence of repentance. This is a difficult teaching for some people. Many Christians think that believing is enough. But here it seems that Jesus
12 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Lk 13:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 90
demands more than mere belief. He demands evidence; an outward display of a heart transformation. •
Luke 13:10-11 Reading these verses about this woman makes me think arthritis or osteoporosis, not a “Spirit of Disability” or a “Spirit of Weakness” (some Bible translations say it was caused by an evil spirit). I think it’s important for us to keep in mind that we all are physically disabled in some way, and this is caused by the one who has defiled this world. The prince of darkness holds this world hostage. This world is held captive by sickness, disease, suffering, sadness, and death. And Satan is the one keeping us in chains. So this woman was not suffering from demon possession but was suffering because an evil spirit (or a spirit of disability) has infected this world with this kind of disability.
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Luke 13:12-13 I notice that this woman didn’t ask to be healed. That’s interesting. And it’s also interesting the power and authority Jesus demonstrated here. He freed this woman from the chains holding her hostage. What does that say about who He is? What does that say about His love, compassion, and grace?
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Luke 13:14-17 I like the question Warren Wiersbe asks here. If the people were to bring the sick on one of the other days, would they be able to find healing? Who would heal them? Would the Synagogue official be able to do anything? And if he could, then why was he not helping people? Truthfully, this official treated his animals better than he treated this woman. His lesson here is that any tradition that keeps us from helping others is not from God. And this official was not just held hostage physically bu spiritually as well. He was bound by tradition. Elbert Hubbard once called tradition “a clock that tells us what time it was.” The bottom line is that Jesus came to set us free – spiritually free, physically free, and emotionally free (compare Mathew 11:28-30).
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Luke 13:18-21 Jesus probably spoke these parables just as He was leaving the Synagogue. See comments on Matthew 13:31-33 on page 34.
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Chronologically, the events mentioned in John 9 & 10 fit between Luke 13:21 and Luke 13:22. •
Luke 13:22-30 The question was, “How many will be saved”. Will it be just a few or a whole lot? That seems to be a legitimate question. But instead of giving a simple yes or no answer, Jesus instead speaks about the deception that will keep many from being saved. Some will not strive to make it their top priority. They will not agonize (which is what the Greek word means here) about their sin. Some will wait too long. They actually think they have lots of time to make things right with God. But once they unexpectedly die or the end suddenly comes, their entrance into the Kingdom will be denied. Some live their life with a false sense of security. They actually believe that they will be granted entry into the Kingdom of heaven by socializing with Jesus. But hanging around Church or reading your Bible or staying awake during the sermon does not guarantee entry into the Kingdom; does not mean you are saved. Lastly, some people listening to Jesus teach felt they would be granted entry to God’s Kingdom simply because they were Jews. Can you imagine their shock when Jesus said they would be thrown out, but Gentiles would be allowed in? The Jewish people considered themselves first in every way – better than everyone else, especially a Gentile who was the last and the least. But Jesus turns the tables. I don’t think the church struggles so much with the racial superiority issue, but many within the church are just as deceived. Probably the biggest obstacle in the church today is the idea that acting Christian or hanging around the church equals salvation.
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Luke 13:31 It’s doubtful these Pharisees were being honest here. More than likely they were lying to Jesus just to get Him to leave.
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Luke 13:32-35 Jesus is deeply saddened here. The very people He came to redeem were rejecting Him; telling Him to get out of town. Knowing what awaits them, Jesus is crushed. He is heart-broken. But He becomes resolute. “If that is your final answer, then I must go to Jerusalem and bring all this to a close.” Although He was
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rejected (fulfilling Isaiah 53:3), He was not swayed. He would fulfill His mission. There is some question as to when His words in verse 35 came true. Some suggest it happened on Palm Sunday. Others point to the fact that even then He was still rejected, and suggest these words will be fulfilled when Christ returns to rescue Jerusalem at the beginning of His millennial reign. It seems the latter view is correct considering that Jesus will meet some Pharisees on other occasions before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. John 9 •
John 9:1-3 As discussed earlier (see discussion of Luke 13:10-11 on page 89), disease and suffering in this world are not the result of individual sin (although sometimes the consequences of our sin lead to sickness and suffering), but a demonstration of the fallen state of this world. With the Creator walking among His creation, what was bent was made straight. What was broken was repaired. This was one of the signs of the Messiah. The Messiah would heal the sick; He would open the eyes of those who were blind (Isaiah 42:7). Wherever Christ walked, people were healed. So I seriously doubt God intentionally made this man blind just for Jesus to perform this one specific miracle. He was no different from the woman who bled for 12 years or the lame man beside the Pool of Bethsaida. Their disease and sickness would become an opportunity for the work of God to be displayed, and become a testament to the presence of the Messiah.
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John 9:4-5 Notice the word “we” at the beginning of verse 4. Jesus means that while there is still time the apostles (and all believers) must be about the Father’s work. A day is coming when the labor of the Kingdom will end. Then Judgment comes. On that day, all the pastors, evangelist, and ministers will find themselves out of a job. To whom will we preach in Heaven?
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John 9:6-7 Jesus was sent into the world to redeem humanity. Jesus sent this man to the Pool of Siloam. Siloam means Sent. There was no magic in the mud. Jesus
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gives the man this task to develop his faith. Now, think about what Jesus was asking. He had just left the Temple (John 8:59). Leaving, he saw the man who was blind. Rather than heal him on the spot, Jesus commands the man to travel down the hill from the Temple, all the way to the southeastern corner of the city; through the narrow streets and past the busy marketplace. Down he wanders, searching to find his way. Perhaps he knew the way to the pool, but it still would not have been an easy journey. The longer he traveled, the more difficult it might have become to believe that the trip would actually make any difference at all. Yet the man remains faithful. He walks to the pool, washes his face, and can see. Would you or I have been willing to make such an effort or to be as patient as this man was? I find his example a valuable lesson for me. Sometimes the answer to my prayer involves an act of patient faith on my part. Sometimes I become part of the answer. •
John 9:8-34 This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I love the way this man turns the table of the “blind” Pharisees. First they claim that Jesus was not from God (John 9:16). Later they claim that Jesus was a sinner (John 9:24). Even this man’s parents refused to comment about Jesus, but not this former blind man. I love the way he throws the blindness of the Pharisees right back at them. “You’re the spiritual leaders of Israel and yet you can’t make heads or tails out of Jesus?” The transformation of this man is incredible. He goes from being physically blind to being able to see. However, it is clear that he was not spiritually blind. He recognized the hand of God, but the Pharisees could not. The reason I draw strength and courage from this man is that I think there are times when we need to be just as blunt and tell people just like we see it; that we are amazed at just how blind to the truth they really are. Too often, we dance around the issue out of fear of offending. We become politically correct. Sometimes I think it is appropriate to point out the spiritual blindness in others.
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John 9:35-38 Eventually the formerly blind man meets up with Jesus, finds out that He is the Messiah and believes. Of course, this contrasts with those who claimed to see and could not. I’ve often observed that the blind are not necessarily those born that way. The blind are those who refuse to open their eyes.
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John 9:39-41 The eternal destiny of every human being hinges on Jesus. People will find themselves judged righteous by their acceptance of Jesus as Savior or judged condemned because of their rejection of Jesus. He came to demonstrate just how corrupt and wicked this world is, and he came to offer life to those who choose to believe. Those with eyes to see and ears to hear recognize that Jesus is their only hope. But those who refuse to open their eyes have no hope, especially those who have built their faith upon the effort of men. It is not just the Pharisees who are condemned here. It is every person or religion that teaches and believes righteousness and holiness can be achieved by following prescribed rituals or following a set of rules. But God cannot be reached by any human effort. This is what Christ was trying to teach. Isn’t it odd that an uneducated and untrained blind man could understand this, but the religious leaders could not? And Jesus points out that the fact that they should have known this, but didn’t, becomes the very thing that condemns them.
October 15: John 10, Luke 14 John 10 •
John 10:1-6 In biblical times many different flocks were gathered together within a walled enclosure for protection during the night. A gatekeeper would guard the gate all night long. In the morning, the shepherds would come, walk into the pen through the gate, and call out to his sheep. Remarkably, the sheep recognize the shepherd’s voice and follow him out of the pen. Jesus tells a story here that would have been
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understood by all. It was common practice among the Jewish people. But as He said this to the Pharisees who were present (see John 9:40), they just did not understand. They didn’t make the Spiritual connection. They could not make the connection that Jesus was speaking of Himself. What Jesus was saying is that those who actually recognize the voice of God were following Him, insinuating that since the Pharisees were not following Him, they apparently did not know the voice of God nor were they part of His flock. These religious men were not only blind to the miracles but deaf to God’s voice as well. I should probably point out here that this chastisement was directed toward those who should have recognized the voice of God, but would not. This is not the same as someone who has a difficult time discerning His will. This scripture should not be used in that context. •
John 10:7-10 To help clarify just what He was implying, Jesus gives two examples of how He cares for those who hear His voice. He is the door – He is the only way a person might find security and safety. Everyone else who came before Him only cared for themselves, not for the flock. If these Pharisees actually cared for the people, they would not pitch holy temper tantrums every time someone came along and put a person ahead of custom or tradition. It was from selfishness and vain conceit these Pharisees drilled the formerly blind man and were upset that a rule was broken. Andy Griffith once explained this to Opey. He said, “Suppose there was a lake that had a No Swimming Allowed sign. And suppose a boy comes along and disregards the law and goes swimming anyway. And suppose that boy starts to drown. Now if a man came along and saw the boy drowning, the more important thing to do was to save the boy rather than obey the law”. That’s the point Jesus is trying to make. Out of selfishness and vain conceit, these Pharisees were upset that the Law was broken rather than rejoicing that a life was saved. That’s stealing grace. That’s killing hope. That’s destroying the truth.
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John 10:11-13 Jesus points out that He is willing to sacrifice His own life for the benefit of the sheep (the people of Israel), something the Pharisees were not willing to do. They expected the people to make the sacrifice; not an animal sacrifice upon the altar, but personal sacrifice to rules and laws and customs. For example, the Pharisees placed their customs and traditions ahead of the people, as seen with this man born blind. Jesus, on the other hand, elevates the person above the law. Sometimes I think this is still an issue the church struggles with today. Sure, the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin. I agree with that teaching. But I am not going to drive a person away from God because they practice homosexual behavior. I will gladly do what I can to bring that person to the Lord. I don’t criticize and harangue them about their sin, trying to clean up their life before they come to Christ. I will teach them that God accepts us while still a sinner, redeems us from a life of sin by the blood of Christ, and will then confront our sin from that day forward. To minister in this way is to place the person ahead of the Law, and still uphold the Law. We don’t diminish God’s requirement for holiness, we just put the individual’s salvation ahead of the Law. Now I know many of my evangelical friends will disagree with that statement, but it has been my experience that a person becomes more sensitive to their sin once the Spirit is present in their lives. And the Spirit is given after they accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. It’s just far more efficient to teach holiness to someone filled with the Spirit than it is to someone deaf and blind to God’s truth.
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10:14-18 Unlike the Pharisees, Jesus indicates that His voice will be heard among the Gentile nations (not of this fold). This too condemns the Pharisees, for Jesus says that even a Gentile will be able to discern the voice of God while these religious Jews will not. Harsh words, but true. In due time, the Church will be more Gentile than Jewish. Even today, Gentile Christians outnumber Messianic Jews. Amid this reference to other sheep, Jesus makes an interesting statement that was probably missed by most of the group. Not only will He lay down His life when the time is right,
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but He (Jesus) has the authority to take it up again. Someday I want to spend some time discussing whether God raised Jesus from the dead or if Jesus chose to enter His old body, reanimating it back to life. I mean, it was only the body that had died, not Jesus, right? And since He and God are one, would He not have the authority to make that choice? Anyway, we’ll talk about that another day. •
John 10:19-21 Once again the people are divided about Jesus. Some heard His voice and believed while others thought they heard the raving of a demon-possessed lunatic. This division still happens today.
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John 10:22-23 Today we call this celebration Hanukkah; an eight-day festival celebrating the cleansing of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus in 168 BC.
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John 10:24-27 Jesus says that His works in His Father’s name should be proof enough. But those doing the questioning would not believe what they see nor believe what they hear. Arguing and debating with these people was pointless. It’s the same today. Those who want to debate about Jesus will not believe even if you win the debate. They are not seeking the truth. They are seeking proof that their beliefs are correct. If you ever encounter someone who wants to argue about Christ, don’t waste your time. Don’t cast your pearls before swine. These people are not the same as someone wanting to know more about Jesus.
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John 10:28-30 In Christ’s final confrontation with these unbelieving Jews, He leaves them with an incredible statement of assurance, at least for those who do believe. No one can snatch a believer away from God. For those who see and believe and hear and know, Jesus will grant everlasting life. They become a child of the King; a child of God. Paul’s words of assurance come to mind as Jesus assures those who believe (see Romans 8:38-39). Our eternal security rests in the strength of the Shepherd, not on frail sheep like you or me. Those who call upon Jesus for salvation will be guarded, protected, and secured by Jesus who, by the way, is one with the Father (not one person, but one in purpose or one in nature).
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John 10:31-38 Once again the people become irrational. Notice that in verse 33 they clearly understood what Jesus had just implied. He had claimed to be God. In His defense, Jesus points them to scripture; Psalm 82:6, to be exact. Although this was not considered part of the Mosaic Law, the entire Old Testament was regarded as having God’s stamp of authority (Cannot be altered or broken). Jesus quotes this Psalm questioning whether these Jewish people wanted to say that the Scripture was in error, which they would not (a testimony to the inerrancy of scripture). The point He is making here is that the leaders of Israel, who had been appointed by God to represent Him on earth, should be acting as His representative. Asaph (the author of Psalm 82), in an effort to awaken honor and responsibility in the leaders hearts, calls them “gods”; for through them the justice and righteousness of God might be seen. So, what Jesus is pointing out is that since Asaph called God’s representatives “gods”, was it wrong for Jesus, God’s representative, to call Himself God? Let the proof of His work be His testimony of this truth.
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John 10:39-42 Jesus leaves Jerusalem and travels east of the Jordan River where His ministry first began. John has taken us full circle.
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Luke 14:1-6 Could someone please explain to me why it would be wrong to heal someone on the Sabbath? Why would it be wrong to take a life that was broken and make it whole again just because it was Sunday (Okay, Saturday is the Sabbath for the Jews. I’m just trying to make it relevant)? Exodus 20:8-11 says “ Remember the
Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the 99
Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy ”. 13 The argument came from the interpretation of the word work. What constituted work? As stated earlier, the Jews actually interpreted this in a variety of ways, one of which said that offering medical assistance to a person on the Sabbath was considered work. But Jesus points out that the Jews created no law against helping an animal on the Sabbath. So He only wants to know if an animal is more valuable than a person. Of course, they knew the answer but to give that answer was to admit Jesus was right. •
Luke 14:7-11 The closer a person sat to the host, the greater was their position of honor. I can’t help but wonder where the man with dropsy was seated (dropsy is a condition of excess fluid and swelling possibly caused by a form of cancer, liver problems, or kidney issues). I would think he naturally was seated at the far end of the table. But Jesus had just made him the person of interest in the group. He points to the man and draws attention to the man the rest of the group had probably chosen to ignore. This demonstrates an endearing characteristic of Jesus. It is the humble that catch the eye of our Savior, not the proud.
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Luke 14:12-14 If Jesus were speaking this to today’s church, what would He say? I think He would wonder why the Church so often caters to the saved but ignores the lost. Why do you suppose many churches plan and organize fundraisers, or plan events that will hopefully convince people to attend the church? When is the last time you’ve heard of a church giving back to a community with no strings attached? It concerns me when a church consistently plans for ways to make money off the community, but seldom looks for ways to give back to the community. People were aghast when our youth group once gave away free gas at a local station. Each driver was given $10.00 of gas with no strings attached. I was surprised that some people felt it did not benefit the church in any way; throwing money away, and possibly
13 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Ex 20:8–11). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 100
helping those who did not need any help. However, is this not the heart of what Jesus is saying here? •
Luke 14:15-24 One of the men gathered for this meal assumed that everyone around the table would be present in the Kingdom of God. This man was either a Pharisee or a friend of the Pharisee who hosted this meal. Jesus takes his comment as an opportunity to shed a little light on what it means to be part of the Kingdom of God. The implication here is that Jesus had come as the servant in His story to call the Jews to the banquet. Yet those initially invited gave excuses why they could not come. In their eyes, they were legitimate reasons, but not in the eyes of the One who prepared the feast. The parable of a banquet at a banquet becomes an opportunity for Jesus to reinforce what He had been already saying. Since it was the official stance of the religious leaders to reject Jesus’ message, they would find themselves replaced by the sick (people deemed unworthy by the Pharisees) and by the Gentiles (those supposedly outside of God’s grace). The lesson is that a person enters the Kingdom of God on God’s terms, not on fabricated rules and regulations. A person would be wise not to assume they will get to heaven. The only way to be sure is through Jesus; a point these men would not believe.
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Luke 14:25-27 As Jesus left the banquet, a large number of people followed Him. In response, Jesus points out two critical attitudes that must be found in a true disciple; priorities and sacrifice. A person must make obedience to Jesus their highest priority (not literally hate their family), and understand that the old person must die. The former way of living must end so the public can see evidence that they are indeed a disciple of Jesus.
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Luke 14:28-33 Jesus gives two illustrations to help these followers understand the cost of discipleship. Don’t begin until you count the cost. Wow, this is a teaching of Jesus you don’t hear mentioned very often. To become a Christian involves sacrifice. There are certain things a person will have to surrender; certain things they will have
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to put down, but also certain things they will need to pick up. To give up everything you own means that you are willing to surrender all that you are and all that you own for the service of Jesus. However, many people who agree to become a Christian refuse to become a disciple. Far too many individuals spend their life as a Christian never truly surrendered to Jesus. He receives what time, talent, and tithe they can spare. I will not go so far as to claim these types of Christians are unsaved, but one has to wonder what will become of the individual who never truly calls Jesus Lord. If they lose their saltiness (Luke 14:34-25) what use are they to the Kingdom of God? Do they really think Jesus doesn’t notice that they are trying to hitch a free ride to heaven?
October 16: Luke 15-17 Luke 15 •
Luke 15:1-2 The religious leaders were amazed and distressed that Jesus associated with sinners. Truthfully, these religious men did not understand Jesus nor did they understand God. How often do we read in the Old Testament that God called sinners to repent? Isn’t this exactly what Jesus was doing? But, of course, we don’t act this way today, do we? Christian’s today don’t turn up their noses and shun those living in sin. We understand that the church is a hospital for the sick, not a country club for outstanding individuals.
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Luke 15:3-10 To illustrate this point, Jesus tells two parables; the story of the Lost Sheep and the story of the Lost Coin. And He doesn’t allow any room for doubt here. He is blunt and to the point. God finds great joy over one sinner who repents. A church would be wise to keep this in mind. The most significant labor any church might do in the name of Jesus is to help a sinner find life in Jesus Christ. If a church
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wants to know what God desires from them, it will be that they labor to bring the lost to salvation in Jesus name, not build monuments and shrines and cathedrals in Jesus name. •
Luke 15:11-32 The Parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates the point even further. There is the father who is always watching and waiting for the prodigal to return. There is the younger son who felt he could find personal significance and meaning in a life separated from the father, and the older boy who passed judgment on the younger son because of his sinful way of life. This is the way it is when a sinful person comes to God through Christ. They receive abundant grace and unmerited mercy. The Father longs for the prodigal to come home. And if those in fellowship with the Father truly understood the Father’s heart, they too would be watching, waiting, and working for the lost to return home. Jesus left no doubt that the religious leaders in Jerusalem were to be compared to the older brother in the story. Rather than rejoice that a sinner has been saved, they draw a boundary with legalistic lines between those deserving the Fathers love and those deserving the Father’s wrath. Yet Christ has just demonstrated clearly the heart of God. A church would be wise to keep this parable in mind before it gets too high and mighty about who is saved and who is a sinner.
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Luke 16:1-9 This parable was spoken to the disciples to teach that they should use their wealth for the work of the Kingdom. The parable is an example of Jesus making an excellent point from a bad example. He was not insinuating that the disciples should be dishonest or deceitful. He was reminding them that a person needs to consider who truly owns all they had been given. And at some point in time the Father will ask them to give an account of how they utilized all He had given them. The rich man marveled that even this dishonest manager had the foresight to plan ahead; to ensure a secure future.
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Luke 16:10-13 Following this parable, Jesus points out three things to His disciples. 1
Use the money to win people to the Kingdom in a shrewd (wise) manor. “The
disciples’ wise use of wealth would help lead others to believe the message of the kingdom and bring them to accept that message.” 14 2
If a person is faithful in their use of money, then they can be trusted with greater
things. True Riches seems to imply the Spiritual Riches of God’s Kingdom. 3
One should use their wealth (Mammon), not store it up or be a slave to wealth. No
one can serve both God and money (the word Money in verse 13 is actually the Greek word Mamona – Mammon. It is more accurately translated as Wealth – anything in our life that we treasure or worship). Love for Wealth (Mammon) will actually drive someone away from God, both the individual and the people who associate with the individual. A Christian, who has made something other than God their Mammon, loses an opportunity to be an effective witness to the people of this world. •
Luke 16:14-15 , Of course, the Pharisees completely misunderstood the blessings mentioned in God’s covenant. Like Job’s friends, they apparently assumed that God blessed a person with wealth because they had lived such a righteous life. But what they failed to realize is that many righteous people mentioned in the Old Testament lacked material wealth while many of the unrighteous people had plenty. So according to their standard, these Pharisees claimed they were righteous, even though Jesus had just stated that no one can serve two masters. A person cannot hold on to wealth and hold on to God at the same time.
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Luke 16:16-18 These verses are tied together with the problem of self-justification which plagued the Pharisees. They felt they were righteous according to the standards by which they were willing to measure themselves. And according to their standard, they were righteous. But Jesus makes an interesting point about God’s
14 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Lk 16:8). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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standard of righteousness. Some of these Pharisees took a loose view of divorce. If pressed, they would admit that a man should not commit adultery. But to get around that Law, many of the Pharisees said it was okay for a man to divorce his present wife for no good reason and marry the woman he wanted. In other words, to keep someone from committing adultery, the standards of divorce were lowered or ignored. However, as Jesus pointed out, this was a perfect example of justifying themselves in the eyes of men but not being justified before God. •
Luke 16:19-31 The story of the Rich man and Lazarus demonstrates that being rich does not mean a person is automatically righteous. But on a deeper level, we are left to wonder if this is an actual story Jesus told to make a point or if it was simply an illustration. There are certain elements of truth found in this story. Indeed, those with closed minds and hearts would not believe, even after a man named Lazarus was raised from the dead (John 11:38-44). Nor did some of them believe when Jesus was raised from the dead. But what of Abraham’s bosom, the fire of torment, and the great gulf between them? Were these elements added just to spice up the story, or are these accurate descriptions of something Jesus had seen for Himself? We must be careful that we do not take things out of context. Jesus didn’t preclude this story with “Heaven and Hell are like . . .” But we also need to consider that if this was an accurate description of what awaits us when we die, who else would know this truth better than Jesus. He is not prone to exaggerate or embellish the truth in other areas, so why would He here? I suspect that Jesus used this accurate description of what He had seen to drive home the point. As if He said to the Pharisees, “Let me tell you what I have seen and what I know happens once a person dies”. Erwin Lutzer wrote an interesting book surrounding this passage called One Minute After You Die. It’s a fascinating read that speaks of what endures when we die and what passes away. If what Jesus has said is the truth, then more survives death than many of us fully realize.
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Luke 17 •
Luke 17:1-10 There are three obligations a disciple of Jesus should embrace. As a Christian, we must not lead others into sin (presumably sinning by causing them to reject Jesus as Lord). As a Christian, we are obligated to forgive those who have wronged us once they repent. As a Christian we are obligated to be Christ’s servants; we do as Christ has commanded. This lesson is often repeated in the rest of the New Testament, most notably by the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth. Chapter eight is especially important. There he points out that our knowledge and understanding of Truth should not override our love and compassion toward others, especially those “young in the faith” (1 Corinthians 8:12-13).
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Luke 17:11-17 I find it interesting that this is an actual event, not a story or a parable. It speaks volumes about what many people thought of Jesus. Oh, they liked it when He fed them or healed them, but their hearts were filled with selfish motives. We see this in John 6:66. The minute Jesus starts asking the people to believe and accept Him as Savior, Messiah, and Lord, they walk away. This is why the nine who were healed, never came back. They got what they wanted (and perhaps felt they deserved). The foreigner (a Samaritan), understood who had done this for him. This is why He came back and threw himself at Jesus's feet. He recognized Jesus as God. Whether he recognized Jesus as the Messiah is not mentioned. Some people have asked if the nine who did not return were actually healed. Luke points out that they were healed before they made it to a priest (verse 14), yet he only pronounced healing to the one who returned (verse 19). When I’m asked this question, I always point out verse 17. Jesus says, “Were there not ten who were healed” – a clear indication that they all received healing, but only one received a special blessing. Some Bibles will include a footnote at the end of verse 17, indicating that an alternative translation of this phrase could read, “your faith has delivered you”, or “your faith has saved you”.
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It’s entirely possible Jesus was speaking of the man’s recognition of who He was (a spiritual cleansing), not simply a physical cleansing. •
Luke 17:20-21 It seems logical that these Pharisees would ask this question considering that Jesus had been speaking about the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven throughout much of His ministry. Jesus responds by saying that the Pharisees would not be able to observe the coming of the Kingdom by visible signs. In other words, it will not happen by overthrowing the Roman presence within Israel and declaring the nation independent once again. Jesus says these Pharisees are completely unaware that the Kingdom of God is already among them (or is within their grasp), not that it exists within them. However, the Pharisees were right. At some point in time, the Kingdom of God will be evident. People will be able to see and recognize that God’s promise of restoration has finally been fulfilled. But what they missed was that Jesus came first to establish a Spiritual Kingdom; a Kingdom hidden within the hearts of those who believe. Then one day this Kingdom will be revealed.
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Luke 17:22-25 Even today many people long for Christ to return and establish His external earthly kingdom. The Apostles longed for this day, especially considering the suffering and hardship they faced. Christians have been longing for this day for nearly two thousand years. Jesus says that when the day does come, no one will miss it; it will not be something secret and hidden within the hearts of believers.
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Luke 17:22-35 (or 36, depending on what translation you read) Although no one will miss the coming of His earthly Kingdom, many will be unprepared and unwilling for it to come. Can you believe that? Many will be unwilling! I can understand the unprepared part (the Noah reference), but to cling to this life instead of willingly accepting the life Jesus offers (the reference to Lot’s wife)? That makes no sense to me. By the way, this is not a reference to the Rapture, as some have claimed. This is a lesson on the coming of Christ’s earthly Kingdom. This is a lesson about the future Judgment (the Sodom reference). He will return when people are not looking or do
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not expect Him to reappear. And since the Church has continually been watching and waiting, looking for the signs, the one’s left behind here speak of those who will enjoy the earthly reign of Christ. Those taken away are brought into judgment. Prior to this “Second Coming”, the Church has already been taken away. The Rapture has happened before the millennial reign of Christ. •
Luke 17:37 The disciples ask where will this happen, not when, an indication that they wanted to know where those taken into judgment will go. “Jesus says that when the judgment comes, the scenes of death will be visible and so will the location of the judgment.”15
October 17: John 11, Luke 18 John 11 •
John 11:1-3 By the time John wrote this Gospel account, many people were quite familiar with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He wanted his readers to identify this Mary with the same one mentioned in chapter 12. Mary’s actions in John 12 were apparently well known even by the Christians living near the end of the first century.
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John 11:4-6 Jesus was in a town about 20 miles from Bethany. If the messenger traveled quickly, he could have arrived in one day. When Jesus heard the news, He sent the messenger back with the encouraging proclamation, “This sickness is not to end in death”. So the messenger travels another day to return to Bethany. But we will learn later on that by the time he returned, Lazarus had died. So even if Jesus had immediately left for Bethany with the messenger, it would have been too late. And I
15 Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible. 108
think Jesus knew this. However, we have to wonder why He didn’t simply do a long distance healing as he did for the Nobleman’s Son (see John 4:43-54). But Jesus was waiting for a reason – a crucial reason. This trip to Bethany will eventually end at the cross. This is His final journey to Jerusalem (Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem). Not only did the timing need to be right for His death (He needed to die during the Passover), but He was going to use the death of Lazarus as one last opportunity to bring glory to Himself (John 11:4). It will become a final miracle to testify boldly to those living in darkness that He is the great I AM. •
John 11:7-10 Afraid for His life (and perhaps their own), the Apostles protest the trip, especially since Jesus had said Lazarus would not die (verse 4). But Jesus points out that His time to shed light on this dark world is coming to a close. God was providing one last opportunity for Jesus to shed some light upon the people of this world.
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John 11:11-16 The term “sleep” is often used in the New Testament to describe death, especially when speaking about a believer. But the Apostles didn’t make this connection. That’s why Jesus tells them plainly that the man was dead.
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John 11:17-19 Apparently is was not just believers who came to comfort Mary & Martha. Many Jews came as well. My church will typically provide a small meal for those who wish to fellowship and visit with the family after the graveside ceremony. This would be something similar, just longer. So although Lazarus would have been buried quickly, people would have been coming and going for several days. In Jewish culture expressing sympathy to those in mourning was considered a sacred duty.
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John 11:20-27 Martha does not seem to criticize Jesus. She just stated her faith in Jesus. And it is a good faith. Martha did not doubt that one day they all would rise again. But Jesus had something planned that Martha and Mary could not possibly know: to use this tragedy as one last opportunity to demonstrate that He is the Resurrection and the Life. It is obvious Jesus had been saying this and teaching this because Martha confessed to believing this. But this truth needed to be
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demonstrated, and not just for those in attendance. This truth needed to be recorded so that all who would read it would believe. Jesus was about to do something for one man that He will later do for all who believe. He will stand at the grave, call out our name, and we will rise (compare Paul’s example in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). “I AM,” says Jesus. I AM in charge of the resurrection. I AM in charge of life. •
John 11:28-32 Jesus waits outside of town while Martha runs to get Mary. A crowd of mourners follows her, presumably either to or near the cemetery. Personally, I think Jesus was close to the tomb just waiting for the crowd to come. And I love the irony here: eternal life standing among death, ready to shout death into submission.
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John 11:33-38 Why was Jesus angry? Why was He troubled? Why did He weep? Was He moved by the emotion demonstrated by Mary and the mourners? What broke the Savior’s heart? I do believe He was touched by the sadness being expressed here. And I think this is what moved Him to tears; to see people struggling with their loss. But I suggest that Jesus was angry and troubled at Death itself. How great a blemish death truly is in God’s creation! It has left a foul smell and a nasty taste upon what God had originally described as good. Why wouldn’t Jesus be angry, for He was there when creation began! I imagine Jesus felt even more determined to go to the cross. I can almost picture Jesus saying, “Death, your tyranny ends NOW.”
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John 11:39-44 Why did Jesus wait so long? So there could be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Lazarus was indeed dead. He had not fainted. He did not swoon. Jesus didn’t perform CPR. Lazarus was dead and already decomposing. But with a shout the last four days become undone as if they had never happened. Jesus reverses the damage caused by death and the damage caused by the illness. With just a shout, the man comes out. Some have said it was a good thing Jesus mentioned Lazarus’ name because had He not, many other dead people in that graveyard would have come walking out of their tombs. But the truth is, Jesus had just demonstrated His authority over death. Incidentally, Lazarus lived a long time after this event. Once
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Christ ascended, it is said that Lazarus traveled to Britton and then France to preach Christ. Eventually, he ended up on the island of Cyprus where he became Bishop of that Church. 30 years after being called from the tomb, Lazarus died (again). •
John 11:45 Now I don’t know about you, but this would have been a life-changing event for me. At least I hope it would have been, but I guess I will never know. Being a believer, this would have confirmed my belief. However, if I were a skeptical unbeliever, would it have changed my mind? I’m not sure.
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John 11:46-48 Notice verse 48 specifically. One of the main reasons the Jewish leaders refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah publically was because they feared Roman rule. This is because they wrongly assumed that Jesus, being the Messiah, would establish an earthly rule at this time, placing Palestine in opposition to the Roman government. Naturally, Rome would win. At least that’s what they thought. Isn’t it pathetic that they had no faith in Jesus, neither spiritually or physically? Since Jesus was the Messiah, it would mean He was sent by God. And if sent by God, surely He had the power and the authority to tell Rome to take a hike. But they wouldn’t even believe that! How pathetic. Seems I remember eight spies thinking the same thing (see Numbers 13:31).
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John 11:49-52 What Caiaphas suggested here was that to preserve their way of life, Jesus should be killed. Better for one man to die for the nation than the nation to die for the one man. John points out that there was indeed a splinter of truth behind that statement, even though Caiaphas was acting in rebellion.
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John 11:53-57 Thus brings to a close the public ministry of Jesus. The other three gospel writers will fill in some more details, but the point is, once Lazarus was raised from the dead, Jesus stopped traveling from town to town teaching and calling people to believe. He spends the next several days in a town 14 miles northeast of Jerusalem. But, even though there was a bounty on His head, Jesus would still go to Jerusalem at the appointed time. Knowing what will unfold next, I started to wonder if
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Judas the Betrayer knew of this bounty before they arrived for the Passover. Did he carry one of those wanted posters around in his pocket? Luke 18 •
Luke 18:1-5 Reading this from our cultural perspective does not do this lesson justice. In Jesus’ day, the court was typically a tent placed near a city or a town. The judge sat inside the tent while his court officials stood guard outside. To have your case heard, one of the officials would need to grant you access to the judge. A just judge would make sure every case was heard and would deny access to no one. However, this judge was unjust. To have a case presented, a person would probably have to bribe one of the officials. Even then, the judge would probably make his own rules instead of following the established rules. Anyway, here you have a poor widow. She could not afford the bribe, and, being a widow, had no husband to be her representative (women had no legal standing back then). Yet every day she came to the tent and pestered. She persisted until she was granted an audience before the judge. With that backdrop in mind, Jesus teaches about praying by using this bad example. We are blessed to have a just Judge, who shows neither bias nor prejudice. And we do not stand before Him alone. We have Jesus as our Advocate (1 John 2:1). We come before a Judge as His children. He is seated on a throne of grace. So pray without ceasing. Pray always. Prayer should not be a labor of burden or drudgery, but a breath of fresh air.
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Luke 18:6-8 Jesus makes it clear that He is contrasting God and this wicked judge. If we miss this point, we might get the idea that God can be argued or bribed into answering our prayer. That’s not the point Jesus is trying to make. Warren Wiersbe says, “God is a loving Father, who is attentive to our every cry, generous in His gifts,
concerned about our needs, and ready to answer when we call .”16 I know that it might seem that God is not listening or not concerned with the trials we are facing right now, 16 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Lk 18:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 112
but we must remember two important things. We must be praying according to His will (Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven), and we must realize that part of the answer is preparation. Perhaps what we perceive as silence is instead preparation; God is preparing us for His answer. I learned this lesson the month my mother lay in a coma. I began praying for healing. I prayed for healing 28 days straight. But about th
the 29 day I started to realize that I was motivated to pray for healing because I was not ready to let go of a parent. But during those 28 days I felt my heart and mind being strengthened for the possibility that she just might die. And at the end of that month I had been prepared for the phone call that finally came. The beauty behind this is that instead of God just saying “NO”, He began a work within me that brought me to the place where I could accept this answer, and understand why His “no” to my prayers was the best thing for my mother. It was not silence. It was preparation. •
Luke 18:9-14 If we base our righteousness upon how much better we are than the sinful people of this world, then we are just like this Pharisee. And what’s sad is that many Christians fall into this trap. Proud that they don’t smoke or drink or chew or hang out with people who do, many Christians feel they can stand before God justified. Following this mentality, some people believe they are right with God just because their good behavior is a notch or two above everyone else. But as society’s standard of good behavior declines, so too does the Christian who measures himself against the world; dropping, of course, just a notch or two behind all the wicked people “out there”. I think this is why some Christians are appalled at the behavior by those claiming to be followers of Christ. They might be a little better than the sinners of this world, but they are far from the standard set by Christ. To be a believer is to measure yourself against Jesus and the commands of God, and realize just how far short your righteousness falls beneath His standard of righteousness. And as you stand there humiliated, your only option is to beg for mercy in the name of Jesus. Then, and only then, will a person find grace and mercy. My friend, as a believer we dare not ever
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look at the sinner and exclaim, “at least I’m better than you”. As a believer, we should be saying, “I’m just like you.” •
Luke 18:15-17 As if to drive His point home (the lesson of humility before God), Jesus says a believer should be just like children. “Children come with expectation and
excitement. They come realizing that they are not sufficient in themselves. They depend totally on others. If these same attitudes are not present in adults, they can never enter into the kingdom”.17 •
Luke 18:18-23 Did you notice what Jesus told this man to do? His instruction surrounded five of the commandments that spoke of a person’s relationship toward other people. Do you think this is significant? Most certainly. Although many churches today would love to have this man as a member, it’s important to note that he did not have a heart compassionate toward others. There was something selfserving about this man; a self-oriented attitude that made him the center of his life. Faithful to the culture’s mindset, apparently he assumed that his wealth was God’s affirmation of his life. Instead, Jesus called it a hindrance. Because of his wealth there was no room for anyone else in his life, even Jesus (no room at the inn and no room at the bank either). What hindered this man’s relationship with God was his relationship toward others. He may not have done anything against others, but neither had he done anything FOR others. This was his problem. This wealthy leader had missed the lesson of “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to
you” (Matthew 7:12). Jesus tells him plainly, give it away and follow Me; a task too great for someone who had placed his wealth above all else. •
Luke 18:24-27 Riches often cloud a person’s thinking about what is truly important in life. This is why Jesus tells His disciples that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (belonēs, a sewing needle, not a small door in a city gate), than for a
17 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Lk 18:15–17). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. Of course, not all wealthy people allow their riches to become a hindrance. Take Zacchaeus, for example. But the difference is that Zacchaeus understood this and was motivated to do as Jesus commanded. This rich ruler was not. Zacchaeus allowed God to rework his heart. This rich man did not. •
Luke 18:28-34 What did Peter mean by his remark? Was he looking for some sort of reward? This is an attitude a servant of Christ must be careful to avoid. Why are we following Christ in the first place? Why have we laid down our life, picked up our cross, and followed Jesus? Was it for rewards? Was it for profit? Did we hope to gain something by our sacrifice? Even a person laboring for Jesus must look at life with a servant’s eyes. We serve with humble gratitude, not a hungry desire for fame or fortune. A follower of Christ must be a servant of Christ. And to drive the point home Jesus pulls the twelve aside and says that even He lives a life of obedience. They were to obey the calling of God just as He (Jesus) was obeying the calling of God; the calling of the cross.
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Luke 18:35-43 I like the contrast between this man who was physically blind and the rich man who was spiritually blind. This blind man could see that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, which is why he called Him “Son of David.” The rich man just called Jesus a “good teacher”. This blind man cried out in desperation, much like the Tax Collector, who cried out in the Temple. The blind man demonstrated child-like faith in Jesus, believing that He would hear His prayer and answer his prayer. On the other hand, both the rich ruler and the praying Pharisee looked to their own deeds and their own efforts for salvation. Notice how the rich ruler says he did all these things since he was a child (Luke 18:21), and how the Pharisee pulls out this long list of accomplishments (Luke 18:11-12), almost demanding forgiveness because of what he did. Please do not miss the obvious point in this section. There were those who appeared very close to the Kingdom of God based on external evidence. Yet even though they followed the Laws, they were far from God’s Kingdom; separated by self-
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righteous and selfish attitudes. A believer would be wise to routinely ask himself or herself if there is something that is hindering their relationship with Jesus, or if they might be blind to something in their Spiritual life that is keeping them from actually following Jesus. And when God answers (and He will), the believer should be ready to separate themselves from whatever God might reveal.
October 18: Mark 10, Matthew 19 Mark 10 •
Mark 10:1 Mark gives a very brief summary of the trip down to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. Mark 9 begins with the Transfiguration. Mark 10 had Jesus traveling to Jerusalem for the last time. He skips a great deal of Jesus’ teaching, choosing instead to pick up the story as Jesus neared Jericho (compare Luke 18:1517).
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Mark 10:2-12 These Pharisees no doubt knew what Moses had written in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, but they apparently disagreed on the grounds for divorce. For instance, “The strict view of Rabbi Shammai allowed divorce only if a wife were guilty
of immorality; the lenient view of Rabbi Hillel allowed a husband to divorce his wife for almost any reason (cf. Mishnah Gittin 9. 10).18 It’s possible they asked this question to get Jesus to pick a side, and perhaps cause a division among His followers. But Jesus completely turns the tables and says they didn’t even understand why Moses wrote that instruction in the first place. It was never God’s intention that a man and a woman divorce. The two are to be joined as one. The mistake the Pharisee’s were making, and many today as well, is that divorce is not something to be taken casually or treated simply. It is a grave violation of God’s commands. God never intended for a man and a woman to divorce, which is why the commands about separating are so 18 Grassmick, J. D. (1985). Mark. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (Mk 10:2). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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restrictive. We need to hear these words of Jesus. Divorce is a sin; a transgression against God, not just a wound inflicted upon the heart of our spouse. However, just like any other grave violation of God’s commands, forgiveness can be found. •
Mark 10:13-16 Mark indicated that Jesus was angry with His disciples for trying to keep the children from coming to Jesus; something not mentioned in Matthew or Luke. Mark seems to imply that these were children, not “tweens”. They were boys younger than 12 years old (the age a Jewish boy entered adulthood). Jesus desired the children to draw near and admonished the adults to have the same kind of desire these children had. Now sometimes I read this story and see the need to reach out to Jesus. But other times I read this story and see the need to allow Him to reach out and touch me. Although the culture might say I am no one of significance, the Savior feels I am worthy of a blessing. And it is a blessing I will gladly receive.
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Mark 10:17-31 This section repeats what is recorded in Luke 18:18-30. See comments on pages 112-113. Mark does add that Jesus gave these instructions to this man out of love (Mark 10:21). This is significant. Jesus does not call us to holiness and righteousness out of anger, but out of a loving desire to see us glorified.
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Mark 10:32-34 Mark indicates that there was a great crowd of people traveling to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking ahead of the crowd this time. Leading them to victory. But it was to be a spiritual victory over the forces of darkness and the ruler of this world, not a victory over those who ruled Israel. Mark says apostles were filled with awe while the crowd was filled with fear. I suspect the crowd feared the expected physical battle that would come as Jesus would lead Israel into battle against the Roman forces in the land. No one, it seemed, expected what would actually happen, even though Jesus pulled His disciples aside and told them what to expect.
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Mark 10:35-40 Mark says that James and John asked this question. Matthew indicated that their mother was present (see Matthew 20:20). Their request was politically motivated, of course. Jesus says that they have no idea what they were
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asking (perhaps a reference to the two who would be on His right and His left at Golgotha). The rest of disciples were not very happy. Maybe they were upset that they had not thought of this themselves. On the other hand, maybe they thought James and John’s request was unfair. Regardless of what the ten might have been thinking, the response of Jesus is tremendous. Leaders in the Church are not to lead as the world leads but serve one another. Those called to lead must serve, not lord over the flock. Servant Leadership has become a lost concept among many Christians. It means a leader says, “Do as I do” instead of “Do as I say.” A leader calls people to faith by demonstrating faith. A leader calls people to surrender to God by surrendering to God. A godly leader sees people as sheep to be loved, not lambs to be slaughtered. A leader sees people as an asset, not as a tool (I actually heard someone from Human Resources at a manufacturing plant describe the line workers as tools at management’s disposal). This is an imperative teaching of Jesus; a lesson of servanthood He will soon demonstrate in the Upper Room (John 13). •
Mark 10:46-52 This section is similar to what is discussed in Luke 18:35-43. Mark names the man (Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus) as if his readers would know who he was. I also like the way the people in the crowd encouraged Bartimaeus to “Cheer up” (Mark 10:49); a point missing from both Matthew and Luke. I wonder if the Church today should cheerfully pray for those who are sick; presenting the prayer as Good News because the sick person is about to be brought before the Lord.
Matthew 19 •
Matthew 19:1-9 In this encounter with the Pharisees (already discussed in Mark 10:212, Matthew adds the exception clause (Matthew19:9). Some Bible scholars feel this speaks of infidelity by either partner during the marriage, granting them the freedom to remarry. The Greek word here is porneia: marital unfaithfulness. Some scholars feel the exception clause applied only to the betrothal period; the 12 months between the time a Jewish man and woman were considered married but had not consummated
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the marriage with intercourse. If the woman became pregnant during this period, the man could divorce her and end the marriage contract. Another interpretation is that this speaks of a marriage that was outside of the boundaries given by God in Leviticus 18. So when the husband found out that these two were too closely related or that the wife was not truly of Jewish descent, he could legally divorce her. Probably the most accurate and accepted interpretation surrounds the persistent, relentless unfaithfulness of a spouse, not simply a one-time occurrence. We will discuss divorce and remarriage more in depth when we reach 1 Corinthians 7. The point here is that marriage is to be taken seriously and treated as a lifetime commitment. The breach of marriage vows must be unmistakable and irreconcilable for divorce to be an option. •
Matthew 19:10-12 I can’t believe the disciples said, “Wow, if a person has to stay married to the same spouse, then it would be better never to get married.” What a cold, heartless thing to say. But, it does give us a glimpse of just how cold and heartless the men in that society were toward women. And since that is true, is it any wonder that the Jewish women adored Jesus. Here was a man who valued them, who cared for them, and who treated them with dignity and respect. It’s no wonder the women came to Jesus weeping at His feet. Chances are they had never known such love. So Jesus looks at these men who were following Him and says, “Guys, if you have sexual urges, then you either need to get them under control or they need to be limited to the wife of your youth. Sleeping around or exchanging her for someone younger is against God’s Law. Period”.
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Matthew 19:13-15 This section is discussed on page 112, Luke 18:15-17
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Matthew 19:16-26 This section is similar to Luke 18:18-27, except that Matthew has the man asking which commandment he was to follow (Matthew 19:18). That’s a strange question. Of course, it would be all of them. But perhaps this man felt he only needed to be following the four that addressed his relationship with God. This would explain why Jesus answered with the six commandments that speak of his
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relationship toward others. And strange as this man’s question may seem, don’t we meet people just like this even today? I think many of us have met Christians who seem so reverent toward God yet are cold and indifferent toward others. Actually, James asks this same question. How can the same lips that praise God curse a brother (see James 3:7-10)? John the Apostle implies that the same tongue which curses a brother also curses God (compare 1 John 2:11). •
Matthew 19:27-30 Twelve Thrones? At the time Jesus made this promise to the Apostles, Judas Iscariot was still counted among them. Does this mean he will sit on throne number twelve, or is it to be someone else? It’s important to keep in mind that a person “judges” the world based on their conduct and submission to God, not because they “earned” a place of honor. And since that is true, then Judas cannot be included in this group because his conduct condemns him, not confirms him as an Apostle. God will point to the faithful and say to those who rejected Jesus “You are without excuse. Christ walked among all of you, yet these twelve responded while you rejected”. The Twelve Tribes of Israel cannot claim they did not know or were never informed. It is believed that the twelfth chair belongs to Matthias (see Acts 1:26). In the same way today, committed believers and followers of Jesus testify that God’s message of salvation or judgment is faithful and true. Those who hear and reject are without excuse because the faithful Christian heard and believed.
October 19: Matthew 20, Luke 19 Matthew 20 •
Matthew 20:1-16 This is not a parable about fairness nor is it an illustration that all will receive an equal reward in heaven. Jesus told this parable to illustrate that, in the end, God will make the choice about what a person receives. He is the Landowner and chooses to bless as He sees fit. If He wants to reward someone who served only
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a short time in the same way He rewards someone who served a long time, that is His choice. It’s sort of Jesus’ way of answering Peter’s observation in Matthew 19:27. Jesus seems to say to Peter, “Don’t assume that because you are the first to follow me that your rewards will be greater than those who follow last. God alone will make that decision”. •
Matthew 20:17-19 This account is similar to what is recorded in Luke 18:31-34. Luke adds that the twelve Apostles didn’t understand the significance of what Jesus had just said (Luke 18:34). This is the fourth time Jesus told the group what would happen in Jerusalem (see Matthew 12:40, 16:21, 17:23). I suspect they couldn’t or wouldn’t believe that Jesus would ever be treated this way. And hung up on this bit of news, they missed the Good News; that Jesus would rise from the dead. Only after they saw the empty tomb did they remember His promise (compare John 20:9).
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Matthew 20:20-28 This is Matthew’s record of James & John’s request. See the discussion on Mark 10:35-45 on page 116.
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Matthew 20:29-34 Matthew mentions two blind men. Mark and Luke only mention one. See Luke 18:35-43 (page 113) for comments on this section.
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Luke 19:1-10 I can’t help but wonder if the incident in Luke 18:9-14 was not based on an actual event. Perhaps (and I am really speculating here) Zacchaeus was the Tax Collector who had stood before God in remorse. I say “perhaps” because repentance begins with remorse, and the way Zacchaeus repented indicates that there was remorse in his heart for the way he was living and for what he had done. Zacchaeus’ repentance also illustrates what Jesus taught in His previous encounter with a rich man (Luke 18:18-25). The difference between these two wealthy men was that the first man mentioned all he had done (or not done) while Zacchaeus understood nothing he had done was sufficient. The first would not let Jesus speak to his heart
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while Zacchaeus received Him gladly (rejoicing). The point here is “ The things that
are impossible with people are possible with God ” 19 (Luke 18:27). Maybe there is a lesson here the Church needs to learn. Maybe instead of trying to change a person’s behavior or habits, the Church should help people change their attitude about Jesus. Maybe then, once their heart receives Jesus gladly, the Spirit can do His work to change their behavior. •
Luke 19:11-26 In response to the people supposing that the Kingdom of God would be established shortly, Jesus tells them a parable. Obviously, Jesus was the Nobleman, who would leave and then return. What Jesus was trying to get across to His listeners was that while He was away, each of them had a responsibility to invest what they had been given for the work of the Kingdom. It is assumed that the Master spoke to all ten servants, but only three examples were given. One produced a tenfold profit, another five-fold, and the last never invested the minas at all (about 100 days’ wages). This last unfaithful servant communicated that he never really expected the Master to return. In Matthew’s account of this story (Matthew 25:30), this unfaithful servant is thrown out with the group who didn’t want the Nobleman to be King in the first place: a condemnation directed at the religious leaders of Israel. Here, in Luke’s account, the unfaithful steward did not receive an execution, although his apparent blessing was taken away from him. The lesson is quite clear: Jesus would go away for a time, and when He returned it would be to pass judgment. This is a side of Jesus not mentioned very often today, even within the church.
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Luke 19:27 Yes, this means just what you think it means. When Jesus returns, there will be judgment. But the word Judgment can be taken two ways; either judged faithful or judged unfaithful. And those judged unfaithful will be condemned. But keep in mind who He was talking to here. Jesus was addressing the Jews who had been unfaithful with the command God had given them (compare Isaiah 42:6). Perhaps the
19 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Lk 18:27). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 122
Christian who hides their light under a basket will be held accountable as well, but Jesus was specifically speaking to the faithful Jew at this time. •
Luke 19:28-35 Notice that now Jesus was walking ahead of His disciples, almost as if they were holding back. But Jesus was determined to enter Jerusalem. The time was right. The Passover was beginning. The sacrifice would be made, but this time a sacrifice would be made for all of humanity and for all of humanity’s sins. Luke indicates that as Jesus neared Jerusalem, He stopped. He wanted to make sure that when He entered the city He would be able to present Himself as the Messiah. That’s what the young donkey symbol meant. It was a clear reference to Zechariah 9:9-10. The people in the city would have understood the symbol. So too did the owners of the Colt. That’s why they responded to the statement “the Lord needs it”. Make no mistake. Jesus entered Jerusalem presenting Himself as the Messiah, and the whole crowd understood this.
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Luke 19:36-40 Luke says it was the crowd of disciples who were shouting and praising God for all they had witnessed. Matthew 21:8 merely mentions that the crowd was shouting, and throwing palm branches on the ground. Regardless, the people shouted the words of Psalm 118:26, which the disciples asserted spoke of Jesus. This is why the Pharisee’s wanted the believers to remain silent. They didn’t want them to be quiet. They wanted them to stop calling Jesus the Messiah. Wow. Do we see the same thing happening today or what! The politically correct crowd wants the Church to remain silent about Jesus; after all, He is offensive and divisive. I tell you the truth, the words of Jesus then still apply. If we, the Church, remain silent about Jesus, surely the rocks will cry out “Blessed is the King”.
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Luke 19:41-44 Because Jerusalem rejected Jesus, Jesus was reluctantly turning Jerusalem over to the world. One could almost say that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the forces of Rome happened because the people in the city rejected Jesus. But was this destruction punishment for rejecting Jesus, or did the destruction
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happen because the people rejected the peace that Jesus can give? I suspect that if the people had accepted Jesus as Savior, their outlook and attitudes would have changed, and they would have been less inclined to rise up in force against Rome. It’s interesting to note that although Rome persecuted the Christians and insulted the Jews, it was the Jews who revolted against Rome. The Christians did not participate. •
Luke 19:45-48 Jesus actually cleared the Temple twice. It happened at the beginning of His ministry (John 2:13-22) and here in the end. Why was Jesus so upset? It’s because of the corruption and the impersonal way a person could offer a sacrifice. Someone could travel to the Temple, purchase an animal, and then offer it as a sacrifice without actually making the heartfelt commitment to God. It became impersonal. The people selling the animal would do so at a profit. And, of course, out-of-state money was not acceptable, so a person had to make an exchange. Surprisingly, the exchange rate always favored Jerusalem. Apparently this trade area was set up in an area of the Tempe known as the Court of the Gentiles; a place where non-Jews could gather and pray. So instead of being a witness to the Gentiles, these Jews were being a distraction. No wonder Jesus was so upset. This, of course, makes me wonder what things the Church might be doing today that are distractions. Are there certain practices or behaviors that actually drive people away from God? If Jesus were to show up in your church, what would anger Him? What would He drive out so that the lost might come in?
October 20: Mark 14, Matthew 26, John 12 Mark 14 •
Mark 14:1-9 Do you notice how Mark builds a contrast here between those who were seeking to kill Jesus and those who were worshiping Jesus? Two days before the Passover would put us at Wednesday. Matthew says the leading priests and elders
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were meeting in Caiaphas’ house. Mark says that Jesus and the Twelve were in the home of Simon the (former) Leper. Yet these events seem very similar to what is recorded in John 12:1-8. John says they were in the house with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. And that it was Mary who poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet. Are these different events or the same event as recorded by two separate people? A Major concern surrounds the period. John says it was six days before, placing it the Friday before the Passover began (Friday night). Some Biblical Scholars suggest that chronologically, John’s account is more accurate. Mark was using this event to contrast the attitude of this woman with that of Judas. Others do not link these two events together at all. Instead, they tie together this passage with Matthew 26:1-5 and Luke 22:1-2. There is very strong evidence that John’s account is more accurate as his would have been the last Gospel written. “I remember this event,” he seems to say, “and we were at the home of Lazarus when this happened.” With that being said, the point made by all four Gospel writers remains the same. The treachery of Judas is revealed in this event. •
Mark 14:10-11 Do you think Judas was against Jesus all along or did he turn against the Messiah toward the end? Did Judas become demon possessed or was he merely influenced by the Devil? Either way, it is clear that when Jesus demonstrated little concern for the wealth of this world, Judas’ previously unknown attitudes begin to be revealed. We see a man whose life surrounded earthly treasures and possessions. Sounding all pious and holy, he points out that all that money could have helped the poor. I wonder what he would have done with the 30 pieces of silver had he not committed suicide. Now, we could speculate all we want about Judas; about when he turned his back on Jesus or why he wanted to betray him quietly and in private. Unfortunately, many of these questions will never be answered this side of Heaven. What we do know is that, according to John, Judas was a thief who only cared about himself (John 12:6).
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Mark 14:12-16 Because of the proclamation made by the leading priests and the Pharisees (see John 11:57), Jesus took precautions to celebrate the Passover with the Twelve. Apparently He had made arrangements ahead of time, and the fact that a man (probably a servant) was carrying a water pitcher would be an unusual sight. Women carried these. The men carried wineskins. Tradition holds that this was the home of John Mark (the author of this Gospel) and the owner of the house was his father (compare Acts 12:12). The group was probably still in Bethany at this time (Thursday morning), so Jesus sends Peter and John into town to make the preparations (see Luke 22:8).
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Mark 14:17 Thursday at sundown the Passover began. This evening meal was the traditional Passover meal consisting of roasted lamb, unleavened bread and wine, bitter herbs along with a sauce made of dried fruit moistened with vinegar and wine and combined with spices. No, they did not eat beef and rice soup or beef and sauce mixed with bread, even though that is the typical meal served at Love Feast. We do have the unleavened bread pricked with a five-tine fork representing the five places Jesus was pierced upon the cross (head, two hands, feet, and side). Then again, the Church today is not celebrating the Jewish Passover. The Church today is celebrating its own Passover. By the breaking of His body and by the shedding of His blood, Believers have been promised that death will pass over us in the next life.
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Mark 14:18-26 Jesus says that it was necessary for Him to die to fulfill God’s plan. He came to offer His life as a ransom for many (compare Isaiah 53), and that someone around the table would put this betrayal into motion. Of course, everyone asked if they would be the one. Matthew says that even Judas asked this question (Matthew 26:25). No, Judas was not predestined to betray Jesus. That was his choice. However, God used his crooked heart to fulfill His plan. God doesn’t cause people to be wicked’ people are wicked. It is only through the new covenant Jesus promised here that a person could find freedom from this wickedness (compare
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Jeremiah 31:31). So please don’t get too wrapped up in all the ritual and symbolism here. Jesus was announcing to this group an entirely new way to righteousness. And those willing to participate will find their life changed from the inside out. The old Passover worked when the blood of the lamb was sprinkled on the outside of the house. The new Passover works when the blood of the Lamb is taken into ourselves. Judas just made a decision to not participate in this New Passover. Comparing Mark’s account with John’s, it is possible that Judas left the room before Jesus did the whole breaking of the bread, drinking of the cup illustration (compare John 13:21-30), and Judas skipped out of the sign of the New Covenant. •
Mark 14:27-31 Before we get too critical of Peter, everyone in the group vowed to stay beside Jesus. Yet Jesus said that all of them would scatter (Zechariah 13:7).
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Mark 14:32-42 The cup of suffering that mankind deserved to drink was snatched out of our hand. Christ took this cup of God’s wrath that we deserved and pressed it to His lips. Yet none of the eleven remaining Apostles had a clue. In a few short hours all the wrath they deserved would be measured out and poured out upon Jesus. The forces of darkness were storming the gates, wild with anticipation. The party had started in hell, and soon its frenzy would break against the Son of Man; the Son of God. And yet the Apostles slept? How could this be? They were completely unaware to the Spiritual Battle that would soon take place.
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Mark 14:43-50 Here’s a question: if the religious leaders were afraid to arrest Jesus publically and out in the open because of the way they thought the crowd would react, why didn’t the crowd react violently when they discovered that Jesus had indeed been arrested? Maybe it’s because of the supposed “witnesses” who spoke lies about Jesus. Maybe the crowd began to wonder if what these false witnesses said was true. I don’t know for sure, but it just seems strange to me that on Tuesday, the people were all “Yay Jesus” but by Friday, they’re like “Kill Jesus”. I just don’t get it. John
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says that it was Peter who cut off Malchus’ ear (John 18:10), and Luke says that Jesus healed this servant (Luke 22:51). •
Mark 14:51-52 Most Bible Scholars feel that this young man was actually John Mark, the author of this Gospel. If that is true, then how did he end up in the Garden wearing only a night sheet? Well, when Judas left the Upper Room, the group was still there. He did not know they left for the Mount of Olives after signing a hymn (Mark 14:26). He would have returned to the house looking for Jesus. Mark, who had gone to bed by now, was awakened by the noise, saw the guards, and perhaps heard a servant disclose where Jesus went. Rushing to the Garden in order to warn Jesus, he arrived just in time to see them leading Jesus away. The guards tried to seize him as a potential witness, but he slipped away naked. Perhaps this is what happened.
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Mark 14:53-65 This event took place at 3 a.m. on Friday. John says that there was a preliminary hearing before Annas, the Father-in-Law of the High Priest (John 18:1214). Then they gathered at the home of Caiaphas, the high priest. The Sanhedrin consisted of 71 men, including the current High Priest. These men probably gathered on short notice, so perhaps not all of them were present. But they needed to meet before sunrise because Roman legal trials were held early in the morning. These men had already made up their minds to kill Jesus, but they were having trouble finding witnesses or evidence to be used against Him. And they would certainly need to present these “facts” to the ruling Roman authorities to have Jesus executed. In other words, there was a lot of work to be done before 6 a.m. It was considered a capital offense to destroy a place of worship, and those who testified said that Jesus would be the One to destroy it. So Caiaphas asks Jesus to respond to their accusations. Actually, he repeated this questioning several times. Mark indicates that Jesus finally gave them the evidence they wanted by saying to Caiaphas “The I Am is here” (Mark 14:62). With that, the Sanhedrin began to beat Jesus; conduct quite unbecoming for a Jewish religious leader. But this was blasphemy, which meant they had the right to kill
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Jesus by stoning (Leviticus 24:15-16). The fact that they didn’t proves that they wanted the Roman authorities to kill Jesus so His blood would be on their hands, and the Sanhedrin would not be blamed (which is why later on Pilate will wash his hands of all culpability). All of this took place in a large upper room. And considering the fact that there was no disciple present inside to hear what was happening, even though Peter was out in the courtyard, we can only conclude that this report came from one of the Sanhedrin who was sympathetic toward Jesus (Perhaps Nicodemus). •
Mark 14:66-72 While Jesus was being interrogated inside, Peter was being interrogated out in the courtyard. Peter stood facing the fire, so his face would have been illuminated by the glow. After the initial confrontation and Peter’s first denial, many old manuscripts include the words “and a rooster crowed” at the end of verse 68. Considering that verse 72 says “a rooster crowed a second time,” it is probably accurate to include the reference to its first crow. They people knew Peter was Galilean because of his dialect - just as we can tell if someone is from New York or West Virginia. The Aramaic Peter spoke had a particular accent that was easily identifiable. Oh, and Peter did not use profanity here (Mark 14:71). He put himself under a curse (“May God strike me dead if I am not telling the truth”). At the end of this chapter, we are able to see the difference between Peter and Judas. Peter was confronted by his sin and was broken. But by being broken he could be restored. I love the words of Jesus found in Luke 22:31-32. Knowing the testing that Peter was about to face, Jesus says that He was praying for Peter. I find it comforting that we have an Advocate in heaven that is praying for us; cheering for us to do the right thing.
Matthew 26 •
Matthew 26:1-5 After Jesus spoke His prophecies of what would come, He added one last prediction that would soon be fulfilled; the way He would be killed. Actually, what happened on Calvary was nothing less than premeditated murder, meaning those who were planning His execution were guilty of death, including the High Priest himself!
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They had planned to do all of this after the Passover celebration. That way there wouldn’t be a lot of witnesses and perhaps not many Roman officials around either. But their plans were not God’s plans. A long time before they began to conspire against Jesus, God was working to bring about His plan of redemption. At about the same time the lambs were being slaughtered for the morning sacrifice, the Lamb of God was being nailed to a cross. •
Matthew 26:6-13 Bethany was East of Jerusalem, located on the southern slope of the Mount of Olives. The week before He was crucified, Jesus spent His nights in or near this village. John gives a more detailed account of this event (see John 12:1-8), mentioning names and details not included in Matthew’s account. It is interesting that Mary apparently understood that Jesus would soon die, but the disciples didn’t seem to make the connection. Today, this fact this would not be significant. But considering the status of women in New Testament times, the fact that Matthew, Mark, and John do indicate that a woman knew something that the men did not truly authenticates the sincerity behind these scriptures.
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Matthew 26:14-16 In John’s account, Judas is the only one who objected to wasting the perfume, and Jesus rebukes him specifically. Perhaps this is what turned his heart against Jesus. Judas was offering to do more than merely kiss Jesus. He was offering to testify against Him when they officials held their trial. That is what “Betray” means. By the way, 30 silver coins what the Law required when a slave was accidentally killed (see Exodus 21:32). This is also the amount specified to pay the
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rejected Shepherd of Israel (see Zechariah 11:12). The value of these coins is not known, just that they were made of silver, and that he received 30 of these coins. Regardless, it was probably a significant amount. •
Matthew 26:17-20 In the Jewish calendar a day began at Sundown. This is important to remember because it helps bring clarity to a few details. In Numbers 9:1-4 God th
gave explicit instruction when the Passover meal was to be celebrated – the 14 day of the month of Nisan (March or April according to our calendar). So this event th
happened on the evening of the 14 – Thursday after sundown. But, the official th
Passover Lamb was to be killed toward the end of the 14 (about 3 pm) with the meal th
happening just before sundown on the 14 (Friday late afternoon). Jesus and His th
apostles celebrated the Passover meal early on the 14 , which would explain why Jesus said He was so eager to do this before His suffering began (compare Luke 22:15), and why it would be unusual to see someone have a Passover meal already prepared. Clearly this is a sign that Jesus had been speaking with these people ahead of time and making early preparations. •
Matthew 26:21-25 Notice that the other apostles say “Am I the one, Lord” (verse 22) while Judas says “Rabbi, am I the one” (verse 25). There is an enormous difference between calling Jesus Lord and calling Him Teacher. Also, notice that the only thing that had happened so far was that Judas had agreed to betray Jesus. But at this point he had not yet gone through with the betrayal. It seems that Jesus is warning Judas that it is not too late to reconsider. Yet, in order to fulfill prophecy, one of them had to betray Jesus (compare Psalm 41:9). I don’t want to start debating whether Judas was predestined to betray Jesus or not. We’ll save that discussion for another day. But what I often wonder is how I might betray Jesus in my own life. The truth is, now that I am a committed follower of Christ, I don’t think I betray Him. Remember that betrayal means to testify falsely. So, I might be a poor witness every now and then because of my actions, but I never ever intend to give a false testimony. It would be like the
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difference we see between Peter (who denied 3 times) and Judas (who “merely” betrayed once). Just because they both turned their backs did not mean they both had the same attitude in their heart. Always remember that. It is the attitude behind our actions that the Lord sees and evaluates. •
Matthew 26:26-30 I find it interesting that Judas left the room before this communion took place. Oh, Judas was present for the washing of the feet (compare John 13:117), but as soon as he was confronted by Jesus, he left the room (see John 13:30). But when it came time to give back to Jesus by partaking in the symbolism of His suffering and death, Judas was gone. Has this not been the example we have seen throughout His ministry? So often people came to Jesus wanting what He could give them materialistically. But when these followers were asked to give their lives over to Him, they walked. We see this often today. Many people love coming to church, but don’t want to become too involved. It’s sad that many people in the church are spectators, not participants. They watch Jesus work but fail to surrender to His work. He might be their Savior, but not their Lord. If He were their Lord, they would bend to His will and His leadership and His commands.
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Matthew 26:31-35 Note that Jesus says Peter would deny Him, not betray Him, as Judas would. Big difference. And I think that all Christians have stumbled away from Jesus for a short period of time. It’s natural. In Christ, we find ourselves with a spiritual nature at war with our human nature. The natural man does not struggle with this. As a believer, we are given a new nature to overcome the old. Yet giving that new nature dominance takes time. And I doubt we ever sufficiently subdue that old nature within us. So give Peter a little slack here. He was young in the faith and had not had an opportunity to have his faith actually tested. But Jesus was praying for him through this period; this time of being sifted like wheat (Luke 22:31). That’s encouraging!
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Matthew 26:36-46 Gethsemane was an Olive Grove and, and the name implies, they were near an oil press. It was customary to build these presses close to the trees. It would have been a small clearing among the trees. In this snapshot of Jesus, I keep wondering who knew what Jesus was praying if Peter, James, and John kept falling asleep. And if Jesus came back the second time but did not wake them, how did they know He came back a second time? I suspect Jesus took the opportunity to fill in the gaps the 40 days He spent with the apostles after the resurrection and before the ascension. Aside from that, this is a beautiful glimpse into the human side of Jesus. He, who knew no sin, would be made sin for us – a might difficult cup to drink if you ask me.
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Matthew 26:47-56 Notice that once again Judas called Jesus Rabbi; teacher instead of Master or Lord. Yet Jesus called Judas “friend” (“companion” or “associate”). Also, one has to wonder why such a large crowd came to arrest one Man. Perhaps they were worried that instead of waiting until after the Passover, this event was happening before, and they worried what all the Jewish pilgrims might do if they found them arresting Jesus. One has to laugh at Peter. He was a fisherman, not a warrior. “Don’t quit you day job Peter.” Luke, the physician, indicates that Jesus healed this man’s ear (Luke 22:51), and John names the man as Malchus (John 18:10). This fellow was not a Roman guard but a servant of the High Priest, so it is unlikely he had a sword. Maybe a club. So don’t picture Aragorn from Lord of the Rings but perhaps Samwise Gamgee. Anyway, I often wonder what became of Malchus. Was he transformed by the mercy he received from Jesus? Did this event change his life forever? And did any of the Apostles make a home visit later on just to see how he was dealing with all the stress from this incident? Just wondering, you know?
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Matthew 26:57-67 Does anyone wonder who these two witnesses might have been? I kind of wonder if they had not been with Jesus since the beginning of His ministry because the “accusation” they bring was spoken by Jesus almost three years earlier
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(see John 2:19). It was most unusual for someone to be arrested before there were any charges. Here, we see the “court” looking for a testimony to be used against Him. But in the end, Jesus supplies them with what they needed. Jesus clearly establishes His deity, a fact the Sanhedrin thoroughly understood. They tore their clothes (not a sight I would enjoy witnessing. For the sake of others, some people should stay inside their clothing). Anyway, this was all they needed. And Jesus gave it to them. Oh, they could have fallen at His feet to worship Him. At long last the promised Messiah had come. But these men chose ignorance over faith. I think they were so worried about being out of a job that they were willing to kill the Boss’ Son. I mean, if the Messiah had come, these religious leaders would be demoted to servants. They would lose their status and recognition within the nation, and they certainly didn’t want to lose that. So instead they kill the Landowners Son and try and claim the vineyard themselves (see Matthew 21:37-40)! •
Matthew 26:69-75 The best part of this story is at the very end. Peter felt remorse. I love that. I can identify with that. Actually, repentance can only happen when a person does feel remorse. You will not feel moved to confess that sin if you are not convicted of your sin. Therefore, Peter is my hero. No, I don’t want to be like the Peter who denied his Savior. I want to stand strong and firm in my faith. However, I do want to be like the Peter who responded to conviction when he sinned. I want a heart willing to be bent by the Spirit, not one that is cold and hard. That’s the difference between Peter and Judas. Peter responded to conviction and turned back to Jesus. Judas resisted conviction and hung himself (see Acts 1:18-19)
John 12 •
John 12:1-8 John mentions specific names in this event, something Matthew and Mark omit (see Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9). The perfume Mary poured out was quite
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expensive. It would have been imported from India in a sealed alabaster flask that would have been opened only on a very particular occasion. These flasks (or Jars) were typically tall and slender, and either corked at the top or completely sealed. To use the perfume from a sealed container, a person would snap the neck of the jar and pour out the perfume. John, in his typical style, adds a detail that indicated he was indeed present. He says the whole house was filled with the fragrance. The judgmental attitude of Judas can be seen here. The perfume apparently belonged to Mary. And Mary used this perfume as she desired. She was the one willing to make this offering to Jesus. She was the one choosing to pour out something so expensive in worship. The offering didn’t cost Judas a penny, yet he acted as if he had invested in buying the perfume. As Christians, we must be slow to judge what one person offers or gives up for Jesus. Someone may actually be convicted to sell all their possessions and give them to the poor. And if that’s the way the Spirit is leading them, who are we to judge? Someone may actually be called to leave a profitable career behind and enter into mission work. Their calling is their own business, not ours. Actually, this is a lesson Jesus will soon teach Peter (see John 21:22). •
John 12:9-11 I’m not sure what stories Lazarus was telling, but John says he was really creating a stir among the Jews. It seems that many who had come for the Passover were traveling down to Bethany to meet the man who was called out of the grave.
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John 12:12-19 Isn’t it typical that we look back over events and see God at work, but seldom realize it at the moment. I wonder if John was incriminating himself here (compare John 12:16). They didn’t make the connection between this event and the event mentioned in Zechariah 9:9. In that prophecy, Zechariah was contrasting the coming of the Messiah with the conquering of Alexander the Great (Zechariah 9:1-8). The Messiah will ride on a colt without a crown on His head or a sword in His hand.
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Yet He will conquer, ridding the land of weapons of war (or the presence of warring nations). •
John 12:20-22 These Greeks were probably people who had come to know the God of Israel because they had neighbors and friends who were Jewish. By this period in history, there were Jewish synagogues in much of the Roman Empire. So there is a good chance these people were attracted to the one true God through what they saw and heard from their neighbors. And that is actually a good thing. Not every Jew was a false witness. Not every Jew tarnished the reputation of God. Consider the difference between the twelve Jewish men who followed Jesus as His apostles and the Pharisees who turned their back on Jesus. At least the Twelve were thirsty for something genuine and real.
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John 12:23-26 Isn’t it interesting that Jesus was not shamed in death but that He was glorified? In death, Jesus would accomplish the will of the Father. In death, the work of Jesus will be multiplied. Jesus demonstrated that death is the way to life; His death brings new life, not just for Himself but also for all who will believe. It needs to be the same for the believer. A believer must die as well (must hate his life) in order to save it. To be a follower of Jesus is to allow the old man to die; to recognize that there is nothing we gain by clinging to this temporary existence in the flesh. When we die to the flesh, we put life in its proper perspective. We realize that all that is material and earthly will one day pass away, but the spirit of a Man will endure forever.
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John 12:27-30 Some heard the voice while others heard thunder. I think we all know why there was a difference (compare 1 Corinthians 2:14 or Acts 9:7). I know this would be a good place to discuss how a person can know they are hearing from God or the devil or even their own thoughts, but I will save that for when we study James 3:17.
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John 12:31-33 How was Jesus passing judgment by dying on the cross? Jesus was confirming that this world was filled with sinners in need of a Savior. If there were no
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sin, then Jesus would not have had to die to atone for that sin. How was Satan cast out? By His death, Jesus was defeating sin's power and releasing people from the bondage of death. By His death, Jesus stripped Satan of his power over humanity (the power of sin and death) and provided a way to be released from his captivity. Christ’s death purchased our freedom. Oddly, the Sanhedrin thought they were merely killing a man. Nevertheless, in reality they would become instrumental in the salvation of humanity. I believe Satan was unaware of this. I honestly believe he had no idea what would happen when Jesus died. Satan is merely an angel; he is not omnipotent. I think he thought he was winning a victory. However, I wonder what he must have thought after he brought that Trojan horse (Jesus) into the gates of death. Having the glorified Christ break forth in the land of the dead would have blown that realm off its foundations! •
John 12:34-36 The crowd understood that Jesus was implying that He would die. However, based upon their understanding of Daniel 7:13-14, they felt the Messiah would live forever. Again, they were thinking of only an earthly kingdom. Yet what is earthly is temporary. Only the spiritual is eternal. They were not able to make that distinction. However, Jesus makes one more attempt to help them see the Spiritual truth of what He was saying.
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John 12:37-41 How can a person see and hear all that Jesus did yet not believe? It’s because sin is irrational. It makes no sense. However, God did not harden their hearts or blind their eyes. Sin did that. However, God did not intervene against their will to overcome their hardness and blindness.
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John 12:42-43 Don’t be too quick to condemn these individuals. Granted, they feared men more than they feared God, but once God gets ahold of a person’s heart He relentlessly pursues that person to submit and surrender more and more of their life. These people will openly confess Jesus as Lord in due time. Just be patient and allow the Spirit to do His work within them.
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John 12:44-50 The Apostle Paul echoes these words in Colossians 1:15. To know Jesus is to know God. Here, both the Father and the Son demonstrate the depth of their grace and mercy. God warned of a coming Judgment but sent His Son to provide a way to escape that judgment. Christ echoes those words here. Those who accept Jesus today will be saved today. Those who reject Jesus today may not be judged today, but they will be judged one day. They are storing up wrath for the day of God’s Judgment (Romans 2:5).
October 21: Mark 11, Matthew 21, Luke 20 Mark 11 •
Mark 11:1-10 This section of Mark is similar to what is discussed in Mathew 21:1-11 and Luke 19:29-38. Matthew adds that this was in fulfillment of prophecy, and Luke adds that the cheering began as they descended the Mount of Olives. See the discussion of Luke 19 for more details (Page 121).
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Mark 11:11 Mark has Jesus merely looking around and then leaving for the evening. He says that Jesus cleared the Temple when He returned to the city (Mark 11:15). Matthew and Luke say that Jesus cleared the Temple right after the Triumphal Entry. This would have been the second time He cleared the Temple (compare John 2:1316).
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Mark 11:12-14 Remember that Jesus had come to Jerusalem for the Passover. This would have been about mid-April. In the spring, shortly after the leaves begin to appear, the fig tree produces a small edible bud. These buds eventually drop off the tree and are replaced by the fig (late May and early June). It was common for the peasants to pick this bud and eat it. Seeing that the tree had leaves, but none of the buds, was an indication that this tree would not bear fruit during the fig season. Jesus uses this tree to pronounce judgment against Israel. The nation looked like it should
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be bearing fruit, but there was none to be found. Jesus did not curse this tree in anger, but rather was using it to illustrate a point. However, based upon verse 20-21, it appears Jesus did speak something against the tree. •
Mark 11:15-19 Besides the money changers and the people selling items to be used for the sacrifice, this area also became a short cut to get from one part of the city to the next. People were coming and going, buying and selling, and talking and haggling, instead of worshiping and praying. This was the Court of the Gentiles; the place a foreigner could come and worship God. However, these religious leaders treated it as common - nothing more than an ordinary street. Again, it’s clear they did not regard their duty to those outside of the faith ( house of prayer for all nations – Mark 11:17). Compare the discussion of Luke 19:45-48 on page 122.
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Mark 11:20-21 It’s interesting that the tree was in worse condition than Jesus had previously announced. And considering that this tree was used as a symbol of Israel’s coming judgment, and considering the cleansing of the Temple took place just a day before, it is possible that this becomes an even more graphic example of the condition of Israel. She is not just fruitless; she is withered and dying.
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Mark 11:22-26 Why do you think Jesus said this right after Peter observed the Withered Fig Tree? This reply seems out of context and unrelated to Peter’s statement, unless it is related in a way we often miss. Consider that Jesus was using the fig tree to represent Israel. At this point, it seemed there was no hope for the nation; that all was lost. And yet a month and a half later Peter will preach to the people of Israel and 3,000 will become believers in one day (Acts 2:41). Such a turnaround seemed impossible, yet it happened. In the same way I think believers today need to have that same kind of faith; the kind of faith that says anyone, no matter how far gone, can be turned back to life (to Christ). We have to believe this. If we don’t, then what’s the point in sharing the Gospel at all? Of course, our petitions must be in harmony with God’s will (compare John 14:13-14 and 1 John 5:14-15). We
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can’t just ask any old thing we like, but we can ask that God might be glorified or that God’s name might be praised or that His will be done. But too often people take this statement out of context and want to apply it as some “magic spell” that forces God to bend to our will. This is simply a heresy. We don’t pray to get God to do our will. We pray so that God’s will might be done on earth, perhaps through us – if we have the right kind of attitude. This is why Jesus adds the clause; forgive those to whom you are holding a grudge. Any heart that holds a grudge is outside the will of God, and a heart outside the will of God cannot be used by God to fulfill His will on this earth. A heart guided by the Holy Spirit wants what God wants, prays according to God’s desires, and serves believing that with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). •
Mark 11:27-33 Although this section is similar to what is mentioned in Matthew 21:2327 and Luke 20:1-8, Mark adds an interesting statement at the end of verse 30. Mark records Jesus telling the religious leaders to “Answer Me!” It’s an unusual display of authority not mentioned in the other Gospels. The religious leaders came flexing their power. However, Jesus puts them in their place by flexing some divine power of His own. See the discussion on Luke 20:1-8 for more details about this section.
Matthew 21 •
Matthew 21:1-11 All four Gospels mention the Triumphal Entry, but only Matthew mentions both the donkey and her colt. It’s not known why both were used. Nevertheless, riding the colt not only fulfilled the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9, it also symbolized what kind of King Jesus truly was. He came in peace, riding on a colt, rather as a conqueror riding on a horse. Most of the people in the crowd were probably Jews from the Galilee region coming to the city for the Passover, so they would have been quite familiar with all Jesus had said and done (compare verses 1011).
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Matthew 21:12-18 Matthew adds a small detail missing from the other accounts of Jesus clearing the Temple. He says that the children were even praising God.
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Indignant, the leaders ask Jesus if He heard what the children were saying. Jesus replies by quoting the first half of Psalm 8:2, but He skips the second part of that verse. In that verse, the Psalmist says, “You have taught children and infants to tell of
your strength (or to give you praise).” But what Jesus omitted was the claim that their praise would “silence(ing) your enemies and all who oppose you ”. 20 Somehow, I think Jesus knew these men knew the Psalm, and He allowed them to make the obvious conclusion. The religious leaders who opposed Jesus and who were planning to kill Jesus were silenced here by these children. They (the children) shamed the religious leaders. The children gave praise, whereas the leader scoffed and mocked. •
Matthew 21:18-22 Unlike Marks account (Mark 11:12-25), Matthew indicates that the tree withered up at that moment. Mark says that the disciples heard Jesus say this but didn’t notice it until the next day. Regardless of when it happened, Jesus gives an interesting lesson in this section that many interpret out of context. Like the disciples, we marvel at the miracle yet miss the obvious lesson. Jesus was not holding the fig tree morally responsible for not bearing fruit. It was a lesson directed at Israel. Also, it was a lesson for the disciples. A true disciple of Jesus is not interested in performing miracles so the crowd might marvel. A believer looks to move what seems immovable and find life where there is apparent death. Jesus came to Jerusalem looking for life and found nothing: only an empty shell of religious hypocrisy (just like the tree) and the nation seemed to be immovable and unchangeable. Yet with Faith in God and working according to God’s will, even the great stubborn nation of Israel can be changed or moved, not physically, but spiritually. Consider the great revival at Peter’s first sermon (see Acts 2:41). Too often, people interpret this text as meaning, "an ample supply of faith will enable a believer to impress the crowds". Jesus’ point is that with faith in God, a believer will be able to change the crowd.
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Matthew 21:23-27 This section is similar to Mark 11:27-33 and Luke 20:1-8.
20 Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Ps 8:2). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
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Matthew 21:28-32 After the questioning by these religious leaders, Matthew says Jesus told a parable about two sons. These religious leaders must have been shocked speechless. Jesus was claiming that these religious leaders were like the second son – all talk but no action (or no repentance). On the other hand, the tax collectors and prostitutes, who at first rejected the Father, were like the first son. Those who listened to John’s call to repentance would enter the Kingdom of God before those who ignored his message, and I can’t help but wonder who would be shocked speechless by this message today. The sad truth is that Christianity in North America is slowly becoming pharisaical. There is a strong emphasis on external forms of religion in many Christian circles, but an absence of real repentance. There is no brokenness; no sense of guilt which would cause a person to admit they need a Savior. I see this happening even in my own denomination. So often I see people practicing the outward forms of Christianity, yet when someone comes along echoing the words of John the Baptist (repent and be baptized), they sound the Judgment alarm.
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Matthew 21:33-46 Matthew’s version of this parable is similar to Mark’s and Luke’s, except that Matthew adds an interesting line. Look at Matthew 21:43. Jesus says that the Kingdom of God was about to be given to another nation! I wouldn’t blame God for doing this - although historically, it did not happen. God did not abandon the nation of Israel. In fact, if it were not for the Jews, the message of Salvation would not have been carried out of Palestine. The first followers of Jesus were Jewish. However, as Paul has pointed out in Romans 11:13-24, the unbelieving people (branches) were cut off, making room for people of other nations to share in the promises of God. For more discussion, see the comments on Luke 20:9-19 on page 142.
Luke 20 •
Luke 20:1-8 Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of the Last Week, Jesus would teach in the Temple through the day, then spend the night in Bethany or on the Mount of
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Olives (Luke 21:37). Matthew, Mark, and Luke record many of the His teachings in the Temple. John, on the other hand, mostly records His interactions with the Apostles. In this section of Luke we read that, once again, right in front of the crowd that had gathered in the Temple to hear Him teach, a group of Religious Leaders tried to embarrass and discredit Jesus. “By what authority” probably refers to the cleansing of the Temple and the way He was presenting Faith as the way to righteousness. To this group of religious experts, righteousness came by obedience to the Laws of Moses. This would explain why Jesus referenced John the Baptist. He too was teaching a different way of righteousness - Faith, as demonstrated by baptism and repentance. The religious experts incriminate themselves here by their silence. Not one of them was convinced John the Baptist was working on his own authority. We will often say that these men were not convinced that God was working among them, but neither were they convinced these things were merely the work of men. If they had been convinced beyond doubt either one way or the other, they would have been bold enough to state their beliefs plainly and clearly. These men were not convinced either way. Frankly, I seriously doubt they were convinced about anything at all. •
Luke 20:9-19 To discredit these religious experts even further, Jesus tells this parable. And these religious experts knew Jesus was talking about them (Luke 20:19). Now, before I start talking about the parable, I want you to notice that these religious leaders were able to make the connection here - an indication that they were able to discern the spiritual truth behind the parable. Just as in the previous section, these men incriminate themselves by their refusal to acknowledge what their heart was trying to tell them. The parable itself incriminates many of the religious leaders in Israel. Jesus says to them that He was the Son in the parable, and His death would come because of their selfishness. He also tells them what to expect from God because they rejected His Son (see Luke 20:16) and that others would be allowed to care for the Kingdom of God. These religious leaders were appalled that others would
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possess the Kingdom of God (May it never be – verse 16). Yet in their shock and disbelief, Jesus quotes from Psalm 118:22, indicating that they (the religious leaders) were throwing away the most important thing, ever. Jesus also quotes from Daniel 2:34-25 and Daniel 2:44-45. Jesus is warning these religious leaders that they were only destroying themselves by condemning Him. When they rejected John the Baptist, they sinned against the Father, who sent Him. When they crucified Jesus, they sinned against the Son, and when they rejected the witness of the Apostles they sinned against the Holy Spirit (as seen through the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7:5160). Because these Jewish religious leaders rejected the witness of the Father, the witness of the Son, and the witness of the Holy Spirit, the Gospel went from the Jews to the Samaritans (Acts 8) and then to the Gentiles (Acts 10). •
Luke 20:20-26 Luke says that Jesus saw through their trickery. However, in all honesty He also saw through their hypocrisy. Here you had a group of Jewish religious leaders who wanted Rome to do what they were afraid to do. Yet these very people, who were enjoying all the benefits of the Roman rule, criticized and condemned Rome, and were constantly looking for ways remove Roman influence in their society. In the same way, you and I might be critical of our government and the way it spends money on others, but I’m sure we like it when our government protects us and provides for us. We are quick to criticize, yet also ready to enjoy the benefits. Later on both Paul and Peter will preach about living in the land as a respectable citizen. Moreover, both men wrote this, even though there was not a single Godfearing man in leadership. Warren Wiersbe says, “ Even if we cannot respect the
people in office, we must respect the office. The counsel that Jeremiah gave to the Jewish exiles in Babylon is a good one for God’s “strangers and pilgrims” to follow today (Jeremiah 29:4–7): “Seek the peace of the city!” 21 Of course, this lesson is not talking about a mere tax. It is addressing the fact that on the “Tribute Coin” there was 21 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Lk 20:20). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 144
the face of Tiberius Caesar. Jesus merely pointed out that this coin belonged to this man. Give it back to him. However, imprinted on this coin were the words “ Caesar
Augustus Tiberius, son of the Divine Augustus”, indicating that Augustus was a god and Tiberius was his son. This explains why Jesus adds the words found in this section “Give to God the things which belong to God”. What “thing” bears the image of God? Jesus, of course. We could also make the argument that we do as well. We have been made in His image. •
Luke 20:27-40 The Sadducees did not believe in anything supernatural, including the resurrection of the dead, which is why they were sad, you see. Referring to instructions from God as recorded by Moses (Deuteronomy 25:5-10), they wonder whose wife she would be in the resurrection. They figured they could trick Jesus with this extreme hypothetical situation. However, Jesus informs them that they had no idea what they were talking about. These men were clueless, probably even more clueless than the Pharisees were. In heaven, humanity will be like the angels (not be angels). Humanity will be immortal so marriage will not be necessary. The age to come contrasts sharply with this age. In the age to come, procreation will not be necessary. Jesus also corrects their belief of no resurrection by reminding them what God said to Moses (compare Exodus 3:6). God introduces Himself to Moses by saying I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not I was.
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Luke 20:41-44 Jesus turns one last time to the Pharisees and asks them a crucial question. If the Messiah is to be the son of David (a descendant, not a child by birth), then why does David call the Messiah Lord (compare Psalm 110:1)? The only answer is that the Messiah is both God and man, a fact these learned men must have known. Yet they refused to acknowledge that the Man standing before them could indeed be
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the Messiah. The Sunday before this conversation (Palm Sunday) the people attributed this Psalm to Jesus, but these Pharisees would not. Their hearts were hardened and their eyes were blind. •
Luke 20:45-47 Because these Pharisees were such dangerous men (dangerous to the faith), Jesus turns to His followers and warns them about those who appear to be righteous on the outside. Truthfully, those who embrace an outward form of religion are just as dangerous today. Many a person has been turned away from God because of the hypocrisy of an individual within the church. Whether they are a young hypocrite or an older one, it does not matter; Jesus pronounces the same woe upon them as He did the Pharisees. Woe to those who live one way but confess another. Woe to those whose life is filled with pride; whose heart embraces the ways of the world but whose mouth acknowledges the ways of God.
October 22: Mark 12, Matthew 22 Mark 12 •
Mark 12:1-12 A couple of things stand out in this parable. First, notice the amount of work the owner did to plant the vineyard. He is the one who put in the effort to create the vineyard in the first place. Second, notice the selfishness of the laborers. They treated the vineyard as if it was their own, and felt they could claim it as their own. The Jewish leaders became angry because they realized Jesus was calling them the greedy landowners and calling Himself the Heir to the Estate; the Father’s Son. However, this parable also speaks of a deeper problem that is not just limited to the Scribes and the Pharisee’s who lived during the life of Jesus. It speaks of an attitude found even in our world today. The Kingdom of God does not belong to religious groups, denominations, or even individual Christians. It belongs to God. One day God is going to come and demand the fruit of our labors. What will we have to show
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for all our work? Too often, we Christian’s forget who the Master really is. The Master expects us to be bearing fruit, not building monuments. We are not free to do as we wish when we become a Christian. We have been “hired” to work in the field, not sit on a bench waiting for the Master to return. Honestly, I think Jesus will be just as upset at Christians who refuse to serve as He was with these religious leaders. •
Mark 12:13-17 Mark indicates that part of this group consisted of supporters of Herod. The Pharisees rejected Roman rule while the Herodians (a political party) cooperated with Rome. It’s interesting that these two groups so often opposed to one another, would come together to trap Jesus. One other thought: without spiritualizing things too much, I really like the point Jesus makes about the image on the coin. Holding the coin before the group, He asks, “Whose image do you see”? The people could tell whose coin it was based on the image. So why could they not tell to whom Jesus belonged based upon the “image” stamped on His miracles, teachings, and behavior? I can’t imagine they were too blind to see this, but I can imagine that they were too stubborn to admit this. Here’s a question for ourselves: would the people around us be able to tell to whom we belong based upon the image stamped on our lives?
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Mark 12:18-27 This section is similar to Luke 20:27-40 (see the discussion on page 143). I like the way Mark ends this, with Jesus telling these Sadducees that they have made a grave mistake. For those who feel it’s okay to interpret Scripture in various ways, Jesus seems to indicate that there is and should be only one way.
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Mark 12:28-34 This was a loaded question. Of all the 613 commandments found in the Law, which one was the most important? Jesus replied with what is called the
Shema; the Jewish statement of faith found in Deuteronomy 6:4. However, He also added a line from Leviticus 19:18, speaking about our attitude toward others as well as toward God. Although Matthew records this conversation with a teacher of the Law as well, only Mark indicated the man’s response to what Jesus said. Mark also adds the phrase “all your strength”; seeming to indicate that there is more than loving God 147
with heart, mind, and soul. Maybe He means to put that love into action. Jesus’ observation about this man being “Not far from the Kingdom of God” is an indication that there was openness in this man’s heart to Spiritual things. I agree with the Lord’s assessment, especially considering what this man says in verse 33 - attitude triumphs empty actions. Of course, I can’t help but wonder that if he was close to the Kingdom, what would it take to draw him in entirely. •
Mark 12:35-40 This section is discussed in Luke 20:41-44.
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Mark 12:41-44 Isn’t it interesting that Jesus knew she gave all that she had? In the same way, Jesus knows what we give. Our offerings are not hidden and secret. However, before you think I’m going all legalistic on you, look at this from a positive light. When we give, the Lord knows, and He knows how much we give. Others may not know of your sacrifices, but Jesus does, and your sacrificial giving pleases the Lord.
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Matthew 22:1-10 Matthew’s version of this parable is a little different from what is recorded in Luke 14:15-24. Matthew not only focuses on the rejection of the invited but also the punishment they will receive. When compared to the parable in Matthew 21:33-40, here the son is alive and has a bride. Perhaps this alludes to the resurrected Christ and His Church (compare the analogy in Ephesians 5:25-27). Verse 7 really stands out here - where the king orders the destruction of those who murdered the king’s servants. Was Christ merely telling a parable, or was He pointing ahead to future events? Maybe it was both. He was apparently trying to teach a lesson to the leading priests and Pharisees, warning them that their rejection will not cause the King to cancel the wedding or the banquet. The King will merely extend the invitation to others. However, as we look ahead a few years, we will see that as those first invited (the Jews) continued to reject the King’s invitation, there was punishment. The Jews rejected the Son, and they rejected those sent as messengers as well.
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Stephen is murdered. James is killed. Many of God’s servants are persecuted, not by Rome but by Israel. Consequently, Jerusalem is invaded and destroyed in 70 AD. Yes, perhaps what Jesus said was only a lesson for those listening, but maybe it was a prophetic warning as well. •
Matthew 22:11-14 In verse 10 we read that both good and bad were invited in, which can be problematic until we read that there was a particular stipulation placed upon both good and bad. Apparently, those who had been invited in were given proper clothing to wear. This, of course, alludes to being dressed in robes of righteousness “putting on” the righteousness of the Son. Therefore, even though someone was bad or good, they both needed to be dressed properly in order to take part in this banquet. That’s why this man is singled out. Not just anyone can be part of this wedding feast. Only those who accept the clothes offered them by the King may enter. The lesson for these religious leaders is evident. Entrance into this Great Feast is not dependent upon being good or bad but upon being properly “dressed”. Only those dressed in festival robes will be allowed to enter (compare Isaiah 61:10). The lesson needs to be understood by us today. Not good behavior or bad behavior determines our acceptance or rejection by God. It’s whether we have accepted or rejected God’s offer of grace as found in Christ the Son. He alone has the garments of righteousness. He alone covers us with wedding clothes. The section about being chosen seems to be a clear indication that even those who want to be a part of this banquet will be scrutinized. I’m sure this “dinner guest” desired to be there, but he had not arrived according to God’s standards. Likewise, many individuals want to spend eternity in Heaven, but only those who arrive there according to God’s standards may stay there. There will be an awful lot of good people cast out of heaven, and that’s because it is not goodness that gets us elected. We are elected (or chosen) to stay because we arrived in Heaven following God’s plan of righteousness.
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Matthew 22:15-22 Like Mark and Luke, Matthew mentions that this was designed to trick Jesus. Matthew indicated that the tax in question was the Poll Tax; kind of like our modern-day head tax. You live in a certain area; you are taxed by the leaders who serve that area. However, under Roman rule, Roman citizens were exempt. This is why there was resentment for this tax. You were taxed while your Roman neighbor was not. Notably, this tax was collected by “publicans”, and then given to Rome. Matthew was once one of these tax collectors, which is perhaps why he specifies which tax and which coin. He knew the process well. As mentioned in the discussion on Luke 20:20-26, Jesus asks to see the tribute coin and reminds them that this coin actually belongs to the Caesar. So give it back to him. But, give to God what belongs to God. Give to God that which bears His image. In this case, it was Jesus. They needed to acknowledge that Jesus bore the image of God, so credit His ministry with being of God.
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Matthew 22:23-33 This section of Matthew is similar to Luke 20:27-38.
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Matthew 22:34-40 This section is similar to Luke 10:25-28 (see comments on page 79). Mark, on the other hand, has this man repeat back to Jesus these two commandments (see Mark 12:28-37).
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Matthew 22:41-46 Since no one felt confident to ask Jesus any more questions, He turns the focus back to these religious leaders. He asks them a question. Although this section is similar to Luke 20:41-44, Matthew points out that after this, no one asked Jesus any more questions.
October 23: Matthew 23, Luke 21 Matthew 23 •
Matthew 23:1-12 Jesus was in the Temple debating the religious leaders. This dialog took place just days before the crucifixion. Jesus points out that what these men
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taught was true, but how they lived was not. The people were to follow their words, not the way they lived. That’s hypocritical living, and it plagues the Church even today. The unsaved person of this world knows enough to realize when someone is a hypocrite. They may not know that kindness, courtesy, gentleness, patience, and love are the marks of a true believer, but they know enough to see when someone is acting just like the rest of the world. Some may even reject faith in Christ because of what they see from His followers. This is why the teachings of the Bible need to invade all of our lives, not just our minds. Becoming a Christian should interrupt our lives and become an inconvenience; meaning that all we say or do is guided by the thought that we now represent Jesus and that the people of the world will judge Jesus based upon our actions. Therefore, we can’t just react and act according to our human nature. We must bring all of ourselves into submission, and act according to God’s standard. As hard as this may sound, we are no better than these religious teachers and Pharisees when we drive our cars just like a person of the world. Yes. Even the way we drive should reflect Christ to the rest of the world. It always catches me off guard when I see women in head coverings driving aggressively. They speed along and tailgate others in their car, but then preach about being obedient and submissive when out in public. They teach the truth but do not demonstrate that truth. It’s a sign that the truth they preach has not invaded all of their lives. Of course, this makes me wonder what part of my own life has not been invaded by God’s truth. Oh, and it’s not wrong to use the titles mentioned in verses 8-10 (rabbi, father, teacher). There is nothing wrong in recognizing these positions. Nevertheless, they should not be positions sought to receive honor. They are servant positions. These roles within the Church should be viewed as an opportunity to serve others, not to be served by others. •
Matthew 13:13-33 Jesus now turns to these religious leaders and calls them hypocrites. He scolds them in seven different ways (Many early manuscripts do not
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contain verse 14, but if it is authentic, then the list grows to eight woes). Woe to you, He says, meaning that their actions have not been overlooked by the Father. Because they have rejected Jesus, many others were rejecting Jesus – verse 13. [Their actions demonstrate a genuine lack of concern for the people; they only thought of themselves – verse 14]. They went to great lengths to help someone become Jewish, but were, in reality, helping them become just as blind as they were; people who practiced an outward form of religion – verse 15. They were clearly deceptive because even though they would make a vow, they would create loopholes that would dismiss them from being accountable to that vow – verses 16-22. They majored on the minor things and completely neglected the other important areas of the Law – verses 23-24. They felt good about themselves because of what they did without taking the time to address who they were – verses 25-26. They were actors, putting on an excellent show for everyone, but who were really quite dead – verses 27-28. They claimed they would have never rejected someone sent by God, yet at the time, they were plotting the death of Jesus. Go ahead, says Jesus. Finish what your ancestors started and have me killed just as they killed other men sent by God – verses 29-33. •
Matthew 23:34-36 Just who was Jesus talking about when He said He was sending prophets, wise men and teachers of the religious law? It’s possible this was a reference to those who HAD been sent and HAD been killed. However, it might be a reference to the way these religious leaders will treat the apostles and the disciples of Jesus. They will face judgment because of their continual rejection of the Truth. Just as those in the past had rejected people bearing the Truth (Abel, the first martyr recorded in the Old Testament and Zechariah, the last martyr recorded in the Hebrew Bible – 2 Chronicles 24:21), these hypocritical leaders will reject those who will come bearing the truth.
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Matthew 23:37-39 It’s important that we read these woes, hearing the sadness in Jesus’ voice. Yes, He was angry, but His heart was broken, as seen by what Matthew says here. Yet in spite of His heart being broken, Christ does demonstrate incredible patience. He promises to come again. The apostles did this once at the triumphal entry. Jesus says that Israel will do this when He returns.
Luke 21 •
Luke 21:1-4 Either Monday or perhaps Tuesday of the Last Week, Jesus points out a poor widow’s offering. It seems that this event happened right as Jesus was talking about the selfish attitudes of the Scribes “who devour widow’s houses” (Luke 20:47). What an incredible contrast! Those in power took from others. However, those who give to God indeed have the greater impact in this world. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
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Luke 21:5-6 While still at the Temple, those with Jesus (including His disciples) point to the majesty and the spender of Herod’s Temple. I can’t help but think this is a direct reference to the whole money issue. “Look at what all these offerings were able to build” they seem to say. However, Jesus reminds them that brick and mortar will one day be turned back to dust. This is a valuable lesson for many congregations today. There is nothing wrong with building a facility that can be used as a ministry tool, but erecting a magnificent building is not the goal. A Church must be careful to keep its mind on what matters the most and what will endure. As in the case of the Temple, it will one day be destroyed. So too will all the buildings in which the Church meets. A congregation of believers needs to keep this in mind as it labors for the Master. When He returns, He is not interested in the size and the splendor of our meetinghouses. He is looking for lives touched and people changed in the name of Jesus.
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Luke 21:7-9 Later, after Jesus and the Apostles had left the Temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Jesus to give more detail about the destruction of the
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Temple (see Mark 13:3-4). They wondered when the Temple would be destroyed, what sign would precede His return, and what would be the sign that the end of time has come. These Apostles thought that all three would happen at the same time, but Jesus corrects them and gives an explanation that was different than they had thought. Matthew 24-25 gives a more detailed description of these events, as does Mark 13. This “Olivet Discourse” is Jesus’ prophecy about what is to come. This is not a lesson about the rapture, even though there are elements that do apply to Christians today. So, as we read this, keep in mind that Jesus is specifically speaking about Jews, Jerusalem, and Israel, not necessarily the Church. In answering their questions, Jesus addresses four different topics regarding the future of Israel. •
Luke 21:8-19 In this section we see Jesus describe what the age will be like ; what life will be like as His followers live in this world while God prepares for the end of the world. Both the Church and Israel will face religious deception. Just as Israel was deceived by Satan, so too will the Church. Presently, Israel is being deceived by not believing in Jesus. The Church is often deceived by those who claim to know when Jesus will return, or those who preach another gospel. Both Israel and the unwary believers are being led astray. Of course, this has been happening since the beginning. So, Jesus warns His followers not to expect things to change. God will not begin by establishing some sort of hedge of protection around Israel (nor the Church). In other words, the Kingdom of God will not FIRST be established upon earth. Jesus also points out that there will be worldwide calamities (see Luke 21:9-11) in the world. Keep in mind this is not speaking about the rapture of the Church. Wars, famines, earthquakes, and disease have been with us since the fall. However, Jesus says a time is coming when these things will increase. He tells His followers not to be terrified. These things must happen, and there is nothing anyone can do to prevent them (although we often try). Finally, as Jesus is speaking about what life will be like as God prepares for Christ’s return, Jesus says there will be religious persecution. It
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will happen officially and personally. Of course, there has been religious persecution ever since Cain killed Abel, but Jesus says that it will increase as the end draws near. What’s interesting is that this persecution will be directed at Israel as well, not just toward Christians. Sometimes we fail to realize the persecution Israel is facing today alongside Christian persecution. However, Jesus encourages His followers. He encourages Israel as well. Facing the persecution from the world, both Israel and the Church have an opportunity to become a witness for the Lord. Jesus tells His followers that as they live in this age not to be deceived, not to be afraid, and not to worry. •
Luke 21:20-24 Jesus talks about the destruction of the Temple , something
mentioned only by Luke, although Matthew 24:16-21 and Mark 13:14-17 sound familiar. Matthew and Mark speak of the “Abomination of Desolation” - a reference to an event that will occur at the middle of the Tribulation. That’s when the Anti-Christ will set himself upon the throne as the Messiah, claiming to Israel’s “god”. But here Luke mentions the destruction of Jerusalem by Emperor Titus and the Roman army in 70 AD; an event that would occur just 40 years from when Jesus spoke these words. The reason I say this is because of what is mentioned in Luke 21:24. Jesus says the people of Israel will be scattered until the time of the Gentiles comes to an end. In Matthew 24:22 Jesus says the length of this event will be shortened. Actually, the time of the Gentiles began during the Babylonian captivity in 586 BC and ends when Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation, defeats the armies of the Anti-Christ, and established Himself upon the throne of Israel. A Christian must not apply this section to the rapture. This speaks of Jerusalem’s destruction. The rapture will happen in the “Twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52). There will be no time to flee to the mountains or return home. •
Luke 21:25-28 Lastly, Jesus mentions what signs will accompany His
return. Remember, these signs point to His second coming, not the rapture of the 155
Church. These events will take place during the second half of the Tribulation. These “signs” are to strengthen those living in the Tribulation period - to give them hope. Matthew 24:30 says “the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the
heavens”22 but not what that sign will be. This “sign” will bring fear to the people of the world but hope to the people of God. It will be sudden, glorious, and with great power. Today, the Church should be watching for the Savior, not the signs. We are not living in the Tribulation period, so the Church needs to be pointing the lost to Christ, not pointing out the signs. Although, we often do this, don’t we? We are hung up on the signs because we grow impatient; longing for the day Christ calls His Church home. Why does the Lord tarry? Why does it seem He is taking an awfully long time to return? It’s not because He is upset with the Church but because He is giving the Church time to reach the lost in this world (compare 2 Peter 3). What has become a trial for the Church is actually an opportunity for the lost. •
Luke 21:29-31 Some people feel that this parable was fulfilled when the State of
Israel was reestablished by the United Nations on May 15, 1948. This is the “sign” that the Lord would soon return. It is significant, but can we really know that it is “The Sign”? It’s hard to know for certain. However, the point here is that Christ’s followers should know and understand what is going on and that God keeps His promises. •
Luke 21:32-36 One of the things God has promised is that He will not completely
abandon Israel. She has been promised a King. The fact that Israel rejected Jesus in His first advent does not mean God rescinded His promise. The word here that many have interpreted as “generation” can also be translated as “race”, and it seems clear that this is what Jesus intended to say. The Jewish people will not pass away. Jesus is assuring His Jewish Disciples that no matter what might happen, God will not abandon the Jewish people. The nation would be protected by God. This is God’s promise (see Zechariah 10:6). However, Jesus does make an interesting statement in 22 Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Mt 24:30). Carol Stream, IL 156
verse 36. He mentions that a person is to pray for the strength to escape all these things. Whom was He calling to prayer? He was speaking about Israel. He was talking about the Jews. Yet this “generation” will not pass away until all these things take place (verse 32). Is there a way a Jew could escape all of these things? It may refer to those who remain steadfast through the Tribulation, not losing sight or faith. Then when Christ returns, they will “see” Him come in power and glory, and stand before Him as someone saved. On the other hand, perhaps this hints at accepting Him as Lord today before all these troubles begin. •
Luke 21:37-38 Many people came to hear Him teach the few days before the
crucifixion. I still can’t help but wonder where all these people were during the trial. Why didn’t they cry out His name when Pilate gave them the choice between Jesus and Barabbas?
October 24: Mark 13, Matthew 24 Mark 13 •
Mark 13:1-2 According to the Jewish historian Josephus, this Temple (which wasn’t entirely finished until 64 AD) occupied 1/6 of Jerusalem. It was made out of massive polished white stones and decorated lavishly with gold. This Temple was known as Herod’s Temple, built by the Herodian dynasty to be a monument to the family more than something to honor God. Impressed, one of the disciples comments on its splendor. It’s not clear if Jesus responded with contempt or sadness. However, since Jesus knew what would come, He did speak the truth. And indeed, when Rome destroyed the Temple in 70 AD not one stone remained atop another. However, was Jesus saddened by this or was He disgusted with what the Temple had become. This may have been the sequel to what He did just three days earlier (the clearing of the Temple on Palm Sunday – see Mark 11:15-17). I suspect it was with sad resignation
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Jesus spoke these words; resigned to the fact that the heart of the people remained hardened and grieved at what would happen in the not too distant future. Reminds me of Jeremiah’s lament when he learned of Jerusalem’s fate (Jeremiah 8:18). I’ve often wondered if the Lord weeps for those who have rejected Him even today. He desires to be with us and He longs for us to become the person He has envisioned. Yet we turn our back and reject all that the Lord has to offer. If a person only knew the life the Lord had planned for them, would they still turn their back on Him? “It would
seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are halfhearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased” (C.S. Lewis). •
Mark 13:3-4 These four Apostles (mentioned here by name only by Mark) only had the Old Testament as a reference. They had no perspective concerning the long interval between the destruction of the Temple and the other end-time events told by the prophets. After the destruction of the Temple, the end-time events would unfold quickly, climaxed by the coming of the Son of Man. In other words, these apostles felt the end was near and were trying to be prepared. That’s actually commendable of them. Who wouldn’t want this kind of information?
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Mark 13:5-13 As mentioned in the discussion in Luke 21:7-9, this is not a warning about the rapture. The particular question asked by the disciples concerned Israel, the Temple, and the Apostles. Jesus is not talking about the Church in this section; however, His answer does deal with the birth of the Church. So, although His prophecy does have an immediate application, it also has a future application as well. In other words, not only will these disciples face persecution, but also will believers down through the ages until the Lord returns. Before Jesus tells them “when,” He answers their questions about the “signs”. First, He warns them that many will attempt
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to lead the Church astray. Just as there is a real Gospel, there is also a counterfeit Gospel; one that is similar, but not quite authentic (think Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc.). Jesus also warns us to not look at disasters and wars as a sign of impending doom. Sadly, we do this all the time. When there is a terrible natural disaster, someone will invariably talk about the end being near. Not so, says Jesus. These things have been happening for ages. Each generation will have its wars and disasters. These are signs of a fallen world, not signs of the coming judgment. Jesus says that is yet to come. By telling this to the Apostles, Jesus is warning them that the end is not near. Even the destruction of the Temple is not a sign that the end is near. It is only the beginning of the end, so they need to be prepared to endure a long period of persecution and hardship. In other words, the Church should not be looking at the signs waiting for the Lord’s return, but strengthening its self for the trials ahead. “Be on your guard” says Jesus, not “be watching and waiting.” •
Mark 13:14-23 Jesus tells His disciples that a particular event surrounding the Temple will be a sign that “these things” were about to be fulfilled. The first reference in the Bible to an “abomination of desolation” is mentioned in Daniel 11:31. Historically, Daniel’s use of this reference was fulfilled in 167 BC when Antiochus Epiphanes erected an altar to the pagan Greek god Zeus over the altar of burnt offering and sacrificed a pig on it. However, Mark wants us to look forward to an event that has not yet happened. Notice that Jesus warns His listeners to heed the warning, and Mark adds in parenthesis that his readers should heed the warning as well. As with most prophecies in the Bible, there is a present and a future application, one Jesus makes in this section. There is an immediate warning to His listeners and a future warning to His readers. We often attribute the immediate warning to the Temple’s destruction in 70 AD by the Roman army. However, to find a Roman army suddenly destroying your city does not seem like a warning but the punishment. A warning happens before the
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event. If that is true, then I suspect the warning had come a few years before Rome destroyed the city. Interestingly, Jewish historian Josephus writes that Jewish zealots also profaned the Temple in 67-68 AD. They used the Temple as a hideout to stage their rebellious attacks against Rome. It was their stronghold (see Josephus’ Jewish Wars 4:7-10). These Zealots cast lots to call a new High Priest to overthrow the old one. They put forth Phanni, a man “not only unworthy of the high priesthood, but that
did not well know what the high priesthood was ”.23 Maybe this event would be the “sign” that warned the listeners. When you see this happening, destruction is not far behind. This is when you should leave the town and run to the hills. Eusebius says that Jewish Christians did indeed heed this warning, and they fled to Pella (Ecclesiastical History 4. 5:3). However, both of these events foreshadow the final event Jesus speaks about in this section; the readers Mark mentions here. Jesus says that the Abomination will be standing in the Temple, and he uses the masculine form of standing. So in the future, it will not be a something standing in the Temple but a someone. The abomination will be a man. This, of course, is the Antichrist of end times. Just before Jesus returns (His Second Coming), the nations of the world will turn against Israel. This Antichrist will present himself to Israel as her savior, and she will accept his protection. He will oversee the rebuilding of the Temple and reinstitute Temple worship. But three and a half years into this agreement, the Antichrist will turn against Israel, stop all Temple worship, desecrate the Temple, and proclaim himself to be God (compare 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and Revelation 11:2). However, notice even here the warning is for Israel, not the Church. We dare not interpret this text as a reference to the rapture. The point Jesus is making here answers the apostle’s question of when the Temple will be destroyed. Jesus says the fulfillment of this (and the future) prophesy will not be in wars or famines or earthquakes but in an attempt to undo the Kingdom of God. The Bible Knowledge
23 Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: Complete and unabridged. Peabody: Hendrickson. 160
Commentary points out that these events surrounding Jerusalem are “theologically (not chronologically) attached to the end-time events”. •
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Mark 13:20 This verse stands out because Jesus speaks of God already doing something. The NASB says, “Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life
would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days”. 25 Notice the emphasis here on what God has already done. It is a clear reference to God’s sovereign authority where He alone decided to bring an end to this time of tribulation. If He had not predetermined to do this, no one would escape death. In a small way, we see this prophecy fulfilled in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. However, on a grander scale, this will be seen in the end-times judgment. Even in His end-time wrath, God will remember His mercy (Habakkuk 3:2), more accurately, has remembered His mercy and chosen to act accordingly. •
Mark 13:24-27 Jesus is clearly looking ahead to His second coming here. Once again, do not be tempted to attach this to the rapture. This speaks of Christ’s coming to end the Tribulation, which Israel will be facing during the end times. When Israel is living in its darkest hour, they are to look to the sky. The heavens will tremble at the presence of its Maker. The Old Testament prophets spoke of this day (Isaiah 13:10, Joel 3:15). Then the Messiah will return as Israel’s deliverer. However, this time Israel will see their Messiah and believe (Zechariah 12:9-14). Verse 27 seems to indicate that there will be Jews still scattered around the world when Christ returns, rather than being gathered together before Christ returns.
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Mark 13:28-31 Jesus finishes this discussion with the Apostles by telling them two parables. The Lesson of the Fig Tree speaks to the nation of Israel. This “generation” speaks to the “race, stock, or family” of Israel. And the chosen nation (His elect)
24 Grassmick, J. D. (1985). Mark. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (Mk 13:14–23). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
25 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Mk 13:20). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 161
would be preserved until the very end. As the nation of Israel endures the time of tribulation, they can find hope that it is nearing its end when they see these signs. •
Mark 13:34-37 This parable (the parable of the housekeeper) speaks to all believers, whether they are Jew or Gentile. It is a warning that we all should be diligent, laboring for the Kingdom rather than fixating on signs and prophesy. Again, the Bible Knowledge Commentary says, "In the pretribulational view of the future, the coming of
the Lord for His own (the Rapture) will occur before the 70th week of Daniel. The Rapture is not conditioned by any preliminary events. It is therefore an imminent event for each generation”.26 “Take heed, watch and pray,” says Jesus in verse 33. The call to watch is to be alert and awake, anticipating that the Master will return at any moment. He never said when He was coming home. So, the faithful servant is one who labors for the Kingdom rather than speculating and debating things not even the angels know. By the way, the English name “Gregory” comes from this Greek word translated “watch” (grēgoreite). I wonder why I find that interesting? Matthew 24 •
Matthew 24:1-3 Please keep in mind that verses 4-44 are addressed to the Jewish people, not the church. The Church was still a mystery at this time. It had not yet been revealed (compare Ephesians 3:1-12). So we dare not read it as a description of the Rapture. Rather, Jesus speaks of the events surrounding His Second Advent (second coming). Matthew does not record the answer to when this happens, but it is mentioned in Luke 21:20-24. Jesus describes the signs of His return in verses 29-44 and describes the signs of the end of the age in verses 4-8. However, as we look into this whole discourse, keep in mind that it began all because a widow placed two small coins in the collection box (see Luke 21:1-3). Jesus marveled at her offering while some of the disciples marveled at the Temple. This difference in priorities is what
26 Grassmick, J. D. (1985). Mark. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (Mk 13:32). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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caused Jesus to remind those disciples what is eternal and what is temporary. I often wonder if this Olivet Discourse is something the Church needs to remember today. I think the Church, in general, has forgotten what is eternal and what is temporary. Buildings and bank accounts are temporary. A person’s soul is immortal, and the Church had better be focusing on the eternal and working to reach the lost because we do not know when the Master will return. We do not know when the Lord will call the Church home. If a Church were to stand before the Lord tomorrow, about what would she boast? It would be sad if the only thing a Church was able to boast about were its massive savings account or its splendid buildings. The Lord is looking for a Church to be His witnesses in this world and to lead the lost to Christ, not save up money for a rainy day. •
Matthew 24:4-14 Some biblical scholars believe this section talks about the first half of the Tribulation; that seven year period mentioned in Daniel 9:24-27. Jesus mentions several significant events that will take place during this time. There will be religious deception, wars, famines, death, martyrs, worldwide chaos, and worldwide preaching. Some biblical scholars feel these events will happen in the second half of the Tribulation period; that time when the Antichrist reveals his real intentions (three and a half years into that seven-year period). And there are some who feel verses 4-8 describe the present Church age and the events in these verses speak about the general condition of life leading up to the Tribulation period (which Jesus mentions in verses 9-14). To understand this, we need to remember to whom Jesus is talking. He is not addressing the Church, even though the descriptions here are similar to the six seals mentioned in Revelation 6:1-14. These signs point to His imminent return. And His return comes at the end of the Tribulation period. It seems clear to me that Jesus is speaking about the entire Tribulation period. He concludes this description of events by saying “and then the end will come” (verse 14). In other words, the end comes after these events.
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Matthew 24:14 I want to clarify this verse specifically. The gospel of the Kingdom mentioned here is one different from the gospel of Christ that is preached today. Today the Church teaches salvation through Christ. As the Tribulation period worsens for Israel, faithful Jews (perhaps the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7:1-8), will proclaim the coming Kingdom - announcing that the Messiah will soon arrive to deliver Israel from their terrible time of persecution. This is much different than the message of Salvation. We preach Christ today so that people might be spared the Tribulation. These people will teach that the coming Messiah will deliver them from the Tribulation. The Church will not be present at this point. She will have been taken away; withdrawn from the world so the man of lawlessness can rise to power (see 2 Thessalonians 2:1-9).
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Matthew 24:15-25 Having given a brief overview of the entire Tribulation period, Jesus then mentions the one great sign that will signify the middle of the Tribulation; the point where things are about to get ugly. Having reinstituted Temple worship at some time during the first half of the Tribulation, the Antichrist will put an end to all religious practices, place an image of himself in the Temple, and demand that he be worshiped as God (2 Thessalonians 2:4 & Revelation 13:14-15). Now although some may want to claim the prophecy of Daniel (Daniel 9:27) was fulfilled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes on December 16, 167 BC, Jesus seems to hint that another event is forthcoming. Yes, Antiochus placed an object in the Temple and demanded that people worship it. Yes, he put an end to the Sacrifice. However, Daniel seems to hint at a future event. So does Jesus. It's important that we look for all the signs mentioned here, not just one or two. Anyway, Jesus is speaking about the events leading up to His return, and we all know Jesus did not “return” in 164 BC (3 years after the abomination of Antiochus). Jesus says when Jews see this happening apparently again, things are about to get worse. Those living in Judea are to run for the hills as fast as they can. It’s interesting that Jesus says many will claim to be the
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Messiah and that many will be deceived (verses 23 and 24). At first, it seems odd that no one would be around to help identify Jesus. That’s because there will not be anyone present who knows Jesus. All those who knew Jesus as Messiah and Lord prior to the Tribulation will have been withdrawn from the earth - taken away (raptured) so the Antichrist could rise to power. So there will be a lot of misinformed people present during this time. •
Matthew 24:26-28 The point here is that the second coming of Christ will not be like His birth. When Christ comes again, the whole world will know, and Jesus seems to indicate that it will be sudden – like a flash of lightning. I have read some biblical scholars who feel the sudden appearance of Jesus will occur at the end of Armageddon; that great battle between the armies of the earth and the armies of God on the mount of Megiddo (compare Revelation 19:17-21). If this is true then can you imagine the arrogance and pride of humanity at that time - waging war with the Almighty! Maybe the people will be so deceived that they will think they are squashing an alien invasion from another planet. Humanity will go to war against God; declaring its independence day. Based on the Revelation 19 comparison, it seems quite clear that the rider on the white horse is indeed Jesus. In addition, I don’t image the Battle of Armageddon lasting all that long. With just a word from His mouth, the armies of this earth will be defeated.
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Matthew 24:29 Is this literal of figurative? Most see this as a literal event. Something is so terrible that it causes the people of the earth to tremble. Remember, the second coming of Christ reveals the judgment of God. Christ will reveal the Father’s wrath (Revelation 19:15).
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Matthew 24:30-31 This particular sign is not mentioned. Maybe it will be similar to God filling the Tabernacle or the Temple with His glory (Exodus 40:34 and 1 Kings 8:11). Some have suggested this sign will be the New Jerusalem descending out of the heaven and resting in the sky above the old Jerusalem. Regardless of what the
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sign might be, everyone still alive will notice it ( all the peoples of the earth). And once this happens, those who believed in Jesus during this seven year period and who ran away from Jerusalem will be called back to the city. •
Matthew 24:32-35 This generation of Jews living during this time of Tribulation will not pass away. In other words, the Jewish people will continue as a people (or race) until all these events occur. These words do not apply to those listening to Jesus the time He spoke these words. He had already indicated the Kingdom had been taken away from them and given to another (Matthew 21:23). It's clear Jesus was referring to a future day and a future generation of Jews. And here the promise of Zechariah 12:10 seems to be emphasized by Jesus. These actually should be words of encouragement to a Jew alive today. Even to Israel. Although it seems the world is against the Jewish people and their nation, no army or nation will ever wipe Israel off the face of the earth. This, God has promised, and His word endures forever.
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Matthew 24:36 Many people find this verse quite troublesome. Since Jesus is divine, and since He is God, how is it possible that He doesn’t know the day or the hour? To understand this, we need to understand that Jesus humbled Himself when He came to earth (Philippians 2:7). He gave up some of His divine privileges, and at this point, Jesus just did not know. However, when He returned to glory, these privileges were restored to Him. This is not stretching things too far to make a point. Jesus gave up His omnipresence when He took our form. He couldn’t be everywhere at the same time. He stepped into time, so physically He sacrificed His eternal nature (until He rose from the dead, that is). So it’s not too difficult to image that while He walked among us, He sacrificed His omniscience for a while (to know everything there is to know). This kind of sheds new light on just how much Jesus sacrificed so he could be our sacrifice.
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Matthew 24:37-41 Remember who Jesus is talking about in this section. This is not a reference to the Rapture. The Bible Knowledge Commentary states, “ Clearly the
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church, the body of Christ, cannot be in view in these statements. The Lord was not describing the Rapture, for the removal of the church will not be a judgment on the church. If this were the Rapture, as some commentators affirm, the Rapture would have to be posttribulational [after the Tribulation], for this event occurs immediately before the Lord’s return in glory. But that would conflict with a number of Scriptures (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and Revelation 3:10). The Lord’s warning emphasized the need to be prepared, for judgment will come at a time when people will least expect it .” 27
Those taken away will be the wicked. Those left behind will be the righteous.
Jesus says “As in the days of Noah”, and the ones “taken away” in Noah’s day were the wicked. They were judged guilty. The guilty were unprepared. They lived as if the judgment would never come. But when it did, they were caught off guard. Just as God spared the righteous with an Ark, He will spare the righteous with a Savior. And those “left behind” will be the people who came to believe in Jesus during the Tribulation and during Armageddon. They will be alive on earth during the 1000-year reign of Christ. •
Matthew 24:42-44 “Keep alert,” says Jesus. Gregoriete – A call to “Be alert” or “Watchful”. The message is for those alive during the Tribulation. Jesus had spoken in generalities, not specifics. There will be signs that indicate these events are about to begin, but He did not give them an accurate time. In the NASB, verse 44 ends with Jesus saying He will come “at an hour when you do not think He will.” Other translations say Jesus will come at an hour you do not expect. May I just take a moment to run down a rabbit trail? Is it possible that Jesus will come when things are going well? We expect a thief when it is dark, but not during the day. So then, is this an encouragement to the oppressed or a warning to the ungodly? With the antichrist oppressing them and the nations threatening war against them, I can hardly picture Israel not praying for a Savior or not looking for their Savior. Jesus has just given
27 Barbieri, L. A., & Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (Mt 24:36–41). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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them an outline in this chapter. So I’m wondering if this warning about coming when He is not expected is directed to the ungodly on earth during this time. I don’t know for sure. Or maybe I’m making too big of a deal over a few simple words. Anyway, I was just wondering. Perhaps His statement here speaks to all people. Perhaps He is speaking to the Church, to the Jews, and to the ungodly in this world. •
Matthew 24:45-51 We read this as a warning to the Jews who will be alive during the Tribulation. However, can we read this as a lesson to Christians today? Surely the Jews had already been scolded for not being faithful to their responsibility (Matthew 21:43). Sometimes it seems like the Church is just as irresponsible as well. Sometimes it feels like the Church does not take the Great Commission seriously (Matthew 28:19-20). It seems that Jesus is transitioning here and including another audience in His lesson. Yes, it does seem that Jesus also has the Church in view here. And what really makes this passage difficult is that Jesus was talking to servants; those who apparently agreed to labor for the Lord. This truly is a difficult text to swallow. Jesus seems to be saying that there will be people who are involved with the Church, who apparently are not really part of the Church. Jesus would never cast aside a person who has genuinely confessed Him as Lord. But He seems to imply that there will be those whose commitment to the Lord is not genuine. They never actually took Christianity seriously. Here, Jesus groups them with the hypocrites, and says they will one day regret their carefree attitude (weeping and gnashing of teeth). So yes, I think this text can apply to the ungodly Jews living during the Tribulation, but I also believe it can apply to those who are Christian by name but not by nature. Jesus will speak more about this in the next chapter.
October 25: Matthew 25, Luke 22-23 Matthew 25 168
In this conversation called the Olivet Discourse, Jesus’ speech can be summarized as first speaking to the Jews (Matthew 24:4-44), then the Church (Matthew 24:45-25:30) and then the Gentile nations (Matthew 25:31-46). He spoke to the Jews giving them signs of His return. He spoke to the Church explaining why He is delaying His return. And He spoke to the Gentile nations describing His judgment when He does return. •
Matthew 25:1-13 Jesus continues to speak about His return (the word then in verse 1). Jewish weddings in that day consisted of two events. First, the groom would leave his house, follow a path illuminated by bridesmaids who were holding lamps, and then come to the place where his bride was waiting. Then the groom would take her and return to his own home, followed by the bridesmaids and other attendants, where a great wedding feast was held. In this parable Jesus compares this period in time (the point where He returns to reign as Lord) to the second part of the wedding; the point where bride and groom are traveling home for the great feast. Some biblical commentators have noted that since the Groom (Jesus) already has His Bride (the Church), then it is not Christians who are the subject of this parable, but someone else. Since Jesus is speaking about people who know the Bridegroom is coming, it seems Jesus is referring to Jews. At first glance, it may appear wrong that some Jews might be invited to join the Great Banquet. We’ve often been taught that only the Church will be seated around that Banquet Table. But we cannot overlook the promise God made to the Jews. There will be Jews in Heaven. Paul speaks about this in his letter to Romans. In Romans 11:17 Paul says that some of the branches were broken off, not all.
Paul says, “Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts,
but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved” 28 (Romans 11:25b-26a). When Christ returns, Israel will be given a second chance to believe, and many will. Some will not. In this particular parable of Jesus, He indicates that those who have been prepared will be welcomed at the 28 Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Ro 11:25–26). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
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banquet, while those who have not been prepared will be excluded. Christ’s whole point here is that during the Tribulation, Israel should know that the Lord will soon come. But sadly, even then some will not make the preparations for His return. Some will be caught off guard. Just because they are Jewish (a bridesmaid) does not mean they will be allowed into the banquet. Only those whose hearts are prepared (or dressed, as Jesus describes in Matthew 22:11), will be permitted to enter. Just as you and I are not saved because our parents are saved, a Jew does not receive God’s promises simply because they are Jewish, even when Christ returns. •
Matthew 25:14-30 Again the comparison is that of a Master returning after a long journey. He had been gone for a long time. He entrusted three servants with His wealth. Two of the servants recognized that this was indeed the Master’s money, so they became good stewards of that money. The third servant did not want to take the money to a bank nor invest it. This third servant did not want anyone to know that he had been given a bag of money. He hid it in the ground, not because he was ashamed, but because he selfishly wanted it for himself. This demonstrated little respect for the Master. Notice the different attitudes between these three servants. Two of them seemed to love their Master. They seemed excited to serve Him and looked forward to His return. But, did you notice what the third servant said? “ Master,
I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate” 29 (Matthew 25:24). Do not his attitude and his relationship with the Master seem to be different from the other two? Although he was a servant, he surely didn’t seem to know the Master very well. Now, I know these verses are often used to encourage Christians to be using their gifts and talents for the Lord, but Jesus seems to be pointing toward a healthy, respectful, relationship, more than giving an account of what we have done in His name. The first two servants did not focus so much on the amount they had been given, but an excitement and enthusiasm to labor 29 Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Mt 25:24). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
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for the Master while He was gone. This attitude is absent in the third servant. In this parable, Jesus is still speaking to the Jews who will be present when He returns. And of course, He will ask what they have been doing while He was away. Some continued to serve the Lord with enthusiasm. They faithfully served the Master while He was away. These servants strengthened his Kingdom. However, there will also be those who didn’t care and who didn’t serve. They did nothing to strengthen the Master’s Kingdom, and perhaps even hurt the Kingdom because of their attitude. I think we’ve all met church people who do more harm than good; people who drive others away from God rather than draw them near. It seems there will be Jews present during the Tribulation who will do the same. •
Matthew 25:31-46 When Christ returns he will judge the nation of Israel (as seen in these last two parables), but He will also judge the Gentiles as well. After the battle of Armageddon and after Christ begins His 1000-year rule in Jerusalem, there will be even further separations. Please keep in mind that the Church is not present during this time. There will be Jews, but there will also be Gentiles; non-Jews who did not perish during the Great Battle. It’s important to keep this in mind in light of what Jesus says here. Jesus speaks of judging these people not based upon their faith, but based upon the testimony of their works. When these Gentile people are separated, Jesus will inform the sheep that they may enter His Kingdom because of what they had done for Him. “But when did we ever care for You,” they will ask. Jesus says that they cared for Him when they cared for one of His brothers, even the least of these. Too often, we attribute this to a lesson for the Church, but the Church is not the focus here. This is a judgment of the Gentile people near the beginning of the 1000-year reign of Christ. Although these Gentile people were not part of the Church that was taken away (raptured), at some point after that event they began to believe (perhaps because of the two faithful stewards as seen in the earlier parable). However, for whatever the reason, their eyes and heart were opened, and they accepted Jesus as
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Lord. Even though it was too late for them to be part of the Rapture, the Lord will not exclude them from His Kingdom. Therefore, when He does return, He points to their actions and says, “By your deeds and actions directed toward My brothers, I now judge you as sheep. And you are now part of My Kingdom”. Who are Christ’s brothers? The nation of Israel, of course. During the Tribulation, Israel will face its harshest persecution ever. So a Gentile who reaches out to assist the Jews (the physical brothers of Jesus) will demonstrate by their actions that they believe. The description Jesus gives here is not the same as the End-time Judgment mentioned in Revelation 20:13-15. This is Jesus extending mercy and grace to those Gentiles who have come to believe Jesus is Lord after the rapture. And it is here their future with Him is guaranteed. The goats, on the other hand, will be cast away; removed from the earth, no longer able to spread their corruption. And Jesus seems to indicate that they will be withdrawn from the earth at that moment. Their judgment has been pronounced, and they are held in a place awaiting sentencing. Luke 22 •
Luke 22:1-2 These verses are similar to what is recorded in Matthew 26:1-5. See the comments on page 128.
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Luke 22:3-6 Luke omits the incident at Bethany where Mary poured out a whole jar of expensive perfume while anointing Jesus. But, like Matthew and Mark, Luke points out that Satan was at work persuading Judas to do this wicked thing. Yet, this wicked thing fulfilled God’s will. I have debated with many individuals about whether God purposefully caused Judas to betray Jesus. But this is not consistent with the character of God. If the character of God is constant over time, then to say He caused evil is inconsistent with His character. So what happened? It’s obvious from John that Judas never truly had a heart submitted and surrendered to Jesus (compare John 12:6). So his natural attitude was already turned against Jesus. Because of this, he was susceptible to the influence of Satan. However, out of Judas’ disobedience and
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his satanic influence, God brought about His will. I know, I know. I’ve heard the arguments before. If God desired it, He could have denied Satan access to Judas. He could have intervened and kept the whole thing from happening. I believe God had given Judas every opportunity to see the truth, to know the truth, and to embrace the truth. Yet even though he was present to witness all these things, his heart still turned away from Jesus. We know that God cannot and will not force someone to surrender to Him against their will, so God did not harden Judas’ heart. Judas did that. God merely used this hard-hearted man to accomplish His will. •
Luke 22:7-13 Compare this section with the notes from Matthew 26:17-20 found on page 129.
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Luke 22:14-23 Luke seems to indicate that Judas was present at the meal and during the communion. In John’s gospel, it states that Judas left the moment he was confronted (John 13:30), which Matthew suggests happened after the meal but before the first Communion. I suppose this really does not matter. What matters is that Judas refused to repent even after being confronted. Apart from that, there is beautiful symbolism taking place here. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was being prepared for the day of sacrifice. On Sunday through Thursday, Jesus, the Lamb of God, was being examined by the people. They were searching for any blemish or imperfection that would disqualify Him for the sacrifice. On the day of sacrifice, the Lamb was slain, but no bones were broken. And, like the real lamb, Jesus was to be “eaten” (the bread) and His blood was to be sprinkled on the doorpost (the cup); only this time on the doorpost of our heart. How amazing is our God? He begins a covenant with a people through a sacrifice and through blood. And He creates a new covenant through a sacrifice and through blood.
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Luke 22:24-30 If there is one single thing that separates the Church from the rest of the world it would be servanthood. The Church exists to honor Jesus, but the Church also exists to serve others. We have been called to view others through the eyes of
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Jesus. We have been called to do nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit, but to consider others as better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4). Everywhere else the we see politics; people who are self-focused and self-serving. We see people who serve others, not because it is the right thing to, do but because of how they benefit from the time or the relationship. However, these attitudes should not be found among followers of Christ. The Church must have the same attitude which was found in Jesus. As Christians, we empty ourselves and make sacrifices for the people of this world, especially for those who do not deserve it. This one trait is what judges the false religions in this world. Christians serve freely out of love, not to earn anything from God. Those who worship false gods or corrupt religions serve selfishly. They care for others to gain a reward. They serve, not because it is the right thing to do, but because it is necessary to obtain eternal life. However, the Christian already has eternal life, so their service and care for others is free and unrestrained. We get no other reward than to hear “well done”. •
Luke 22:31-34 As in the book of Job we see Satan standing before God demanding to shame those whom God loves. And as in the case of Job, God granted permission. So, what does this say about Simon and the 10 other disciples who were present (remember that Judas had left to tell the Sanhedrin where Jesus was staying)? All eleven would be tested, not just Peter, yet God had enough faith in these men to allow them this time of testing. They would come out on the other side stronger and with more faith than they did before the trial. Also, isn’t it interesting that Jesus called him Simon here instead of Peter? Simon means “stone”. Peter means “rock”. But apart from this, isn’t it marvelous that Jesus had been already praying for them? Knowing the trial He was about to face, Jesus was still thinking of the trial the eleven were about to face. And He prayed for them. Amazing! Granted, Jesus has never spoken this promise directly to me, but it is encouraging to know that as I am facing periods of
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testing in my own life, the Lord just might be saying a special prayer for me even before the trial begins. I believe He does the same for you as well. •
Luke 22:35-38 This can be a rather difficult text to understand. Why did Jesus tell these men to get some swords when a little while later He will rebuke them for using those swords (see Matthew 26:52)? Some feel that when Jesus said, “That is enough” (verse 38) He was saying, “That’s enough of that kind of talk.” It was a rebuke. However, in verse 36 He said to sell a cloak to buy one. The answer is found when we view this text in conjunction with the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 53:12). You see, two swords would be enough to classify these men as rebels or criminals.
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Luke 22:39-46 Luke’s account is abbreviated when compared to Matthew 26:36-46 or Mark 14:26-42. But Luke does add that Jesus began to sweat so much that it fell to the ground like drops of blood. No, He didn’t sweat blood. Verses 43 and 44 are not included in many ancient manuscripts.
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Luke 22:47-53 It seems pretty clear that Jesus did not intend for these swords to be used but to be a symbol. See the commentary on Matthew 26:47-56 for further study (page 131).
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Luke 22:54-65 Both Matthew and Mark bounce back and forth between what Peter was doing in the courtyard and what Jesus was experiencing inside. Luke first focuses on Peter, then Jesus. All three accounts are similar except Luke adds that the moment the rooster crowed, Jesus looked right at Peter (Luke 22:61). Apparently by this time (according to Luke) Jesus was outside being mocked and beaten when the rooster crowed.
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Luke 22:66-71 Luke omits the search for false witnesses and gets straight to the point. The Sanhedrin wants to know if Jesus is the Son of God. “Yes I am,” he clearly replies. Those words literally are “You say that I am”. So the council was ready to have Jesus executed, only at the time they were not allowed to go around killing
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people. Only Rome could sentence someone to death. So they were prepared early Friday morning to go see the local Roman official and plead for the death penalty. No wonder Pilate was so confused. Jesus had committed no crime against the state, only an offense against a religion (well, a “supposed” crime).
Luke 23 •
Luke 23:1-2 The council lied about Jesus here. He had actually said to pay taxes to Caesar (see Luke 20:25). Knowing this, you kind of wonder why Jesus didn’t speak up and defend Himself. Yet this is precisely what had been prophesied (Isaiah 53:7).
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Luke 23:3-7 Pilate was the governor of Judea. His initial reaction here indicates that he really didn’t want to be bothered by all of this. To find no guilt after asking only one question shows Pilate’s impatience with the Sanhedrin. Look how quickly he passes the responsibility off to another ruler.
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Luke 23:8-12 Herod was only curious about the Man, at best. Considering the way he permitted Jesus to be treated indicates he had no regard for Him. Considering the similarities in the way Jesus was mocked, it appears Herod and his guards had heard about how Pilate had treated Him. And considering that the two became friends that day is an indication that they both viewed Jesus as merely a nuisance, not as a Man of God or even a respected Rabbi. My guess is that Pilate didn’t want to pass judgment against Jesus until he had someone to back him up, which is exactly what Herod does here.
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Luke 23:13-16 Pilate has been described as inflexible, merciless, and obstinate (stubborn and difficult to control). We see this here. He stated that there was no reason for Jesus to be put to death. He even had the second opinion of Herod. Yet knowing this, he caved into the people’s demands and executed an innocent man. In light of this, we must not merely condemn Judas for betraying Jesus. Both Pilate and
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Herod showed no backbone. Had they been leaders of noble character, they would have refused the execution. So not only did the right man needs to be part of the twelve, but the right men needed to be in leadership. The right government needed to be in place as well – one who executed criminals by crucifixion (Zechariah 12:10, and compare John 19:37). To punish Jesus (verse 16) was to have Him flogged. The Holman Bible Dictionary says “Scourge or Flogging was a severe form of corporal
punishment involving whipping and beating, usually was done with the victim tied to a post or bench and administered by a servant of the synagogue (if for religious reasons) or by a slave or soldier. John 19:1 uses this word for the beating given Jesus before His crucifixion. Matthew and Mark use a word meaning “flog” (a lesser punishment), while Luke says that Pilate offered to have Jesus “whipped” (23:16 HCSB), which was a still lighter punishment. The number of blows was set in Deut. 25:3 at 40 but later reduced to 39. There were to be 13 strokes on the chest and 26 on the back. Often the victim died from the beating ”.30 •
Luke 23:17 Early manuscripts of the Luke’s Gospel do not contain this verse, although it is mentioned in Matthew 27:15, Mark 15:6 and John 18:39. Perhaps a scribe added this line at a later time.
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Luke 23:18-25 I’ve often thought it interesting that the death of Jesus purchases the life of Barabbas, at least temporarily. Although no history book mentions Barabbas, we can hope that his freedom purchased by the death of Jesus would not go unnoticed or forgotten. Incidentally, the name Barabbas means Son of the Father, or as some have suggested son of (Bar) Father (Abba). It is suggested that his father was perhaps a rabbi from Galilee, considering that his name is Aramaic. Barabbas was more than a common thief. A thief would not deserve crucifixion. He was probably part of the Zealot crowd - a group of men who continued to undermine
30 Scourge. (2003). In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. 2003 (C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen & T. C. Butler, Ed.) (1452). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
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Roman rule in Judea. If this is true, then the other two men crucified with Jesus were also not mere thieves (see Luke 23:32). They may have been part of the same group of bandits that had been caught committing a crime. In the process of this uprising, someone must have died. Probably a Roman citizen. •
Luke 23:26-32 Cyrene was a large city in northern Africa (today it is called Tripoli in upper Libya). When Alexander the Great conquered North Africa, he deported a large number of Jews to this area and to Alexandria as well. Over time, the Jewish population grew, and became influential in the region. Apparently they gained their freedom (compare Acts 6:9). They even had their own synagogue in Jerusalem. Considering that it was the Passover, it would not be unusual for a Jew from Cyrene to make the journey. There were even Jews from Cyrene in Jerusalem for the Pentecost Festival. The command to help carry the cross may have influenced Simon. Perhaps he, and the Jews from that city which witnessed the Pentecost sermon, took the message of Jesus back to Cyrene. I say this because in Acts 11:20 we are told that believers from Cyrene and Cyprus were instrumental in founding the church in Antioch, and we are introduced to Lucius of Cyrene in Acts 13:1.
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Luke 23:33-38 Crucifixion was a painful way to die. Although we are not entirely sure, the nails probably did not pierce the palm of the hand, but rather just above the wrist where the two bones in the forearm come together. Nailed there, the bone would bear the weight of the body as it hung on the cross. In the palm, the weight of the body would have cause the hand to be torn from the nail. Hanging there, with the body leaning forward, it would have been quite difficult to breathe. A person would have to push up with their legs to take the pressure off the shoulders in order to take a breath, sending excruciating pain through the nail in the feet. Because they were flogged, some muscles in the back or the shoulders may have been torn, making even a breath quite painful. So either Jesus asked the Father to forgive them before He was nailed or as he was being nailed to the cross while it was still lying on the ground. If,
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however, He uttered these words while hanging on the cross, you can imagine the pain He had to endure just to say these words. One last thing really stands out to me, and that is what Jesus did not say. Considering that He calmed a storm with simply a command from His mouth and that He called Lazarus out of the tomb, Jesus could have merely spoken Himself down from the cross. He could have spoken instant healing as He was being flogged! He could have uttered a curse to those who crucified Him. He could have pronounced death to them. But He didn’t. Instead, He remained silent. Instead, He spoke forgiveness and grace. And it is what Jesus didn’t say that testifies what the heart of God is truly like. It is what Jesus did not say that pricks my heart. If Jesus would not speak a curse upon those who were wounding Him physically, then I can believe that He will not speak a curse to me when I wound Him Spiritually - when I sin. It was this thought that changed my life. I expected punishment for the life I had been living. Instead, I received forgiveness and grace. •
Luke 23:39-43 Apocryphal books need to be treated as such. The early church did not view them as authentic, nor were they used in teachings throughout the church. But still these writings surfaced. One such “book” was supposedly written by Joseph of Arimathea (read a copy at http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0813.htm). The only reason I say this is because the Greek Orthodox tradition and the Catholic tradition have given these two criminals names. I’ll admit that it is interesting, but it cannot be taken as fact. However, with that being said, the book of Joseph is quite interesting, to say the least. Joseph names these men as Gestas (on the left) and Demas (on the right). Gestas was a murderous butcher. Demas was from Galilee and had a bad habit of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. He was accused of robbing from the Temple treasury. This, of course, is based upon a book the early church deemed inaccurate and untrue. What is true, however, is that Joseph of Arimathea traveled to Glastonbury, England when the Church was chased out of Jerusalem. Historian Hippolytus says that Joseph became pastor of a church in England. What I find to be
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absolutely fascinating is that if the accounts of Joseph ARE true (I’m not saying that they are), then can you imagine him telling people stories about a man in Jerusalem who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. For more information about this, visit http://www.ccel.org/. It is a site devoted to classic Christian literature. The subject and the readings are fascinating. One last statement in this section: considering the effort it took to speak while on the cross, the insults the one criminal hurled at Jesus are an indication of his heart. And the defense the other criminal gives is an indication of his heart. By this testimony, we can see why thief number two would be with Jesus in paradise. •
Luke 23:44-49 Luke points out five things that happened during the final three hours of the crucifixion.
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The sky grew dark from noon (the sixth hour) until 3 pm (the ninth
hour). By the way, a Solar Eclipse occurs during a new moon, not a full moon. And Passover is a full moon celebration. So don’t start thinking that this was simply a natural occurrence.
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Luke also noted that the curtain in the Temple was torn in two,
presumably at the end of this three-hour period. Matthew indicates that it was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). This curtain was made of fabric 4 inches thick and 60 feet high. Jewish historian Josephus says that two horses could not pull it apart (but I wonder who tested this theory). This, of course, symbolically ends the necessity for the whole sacrificial system. The blood of Jesus atones for all sin, meaning that all who have been washed by the blood of the Lamb have free access to God.
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Luke says that Jesus gave up His spirit. He willed that He should die. It is
apparent that this happened right at 3 pm at the same time the lamb for the afternoon sacrifice was being slaughtered.
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He says that a Roman Centurion watched how
Jesus died, and then confessed that He was righteous (or innocent). I am struck by this statement. How many men had this soldier seen die? I suspect he had grown cold and calloused by the number of deaths he had witnessed during crucifixions. Something about the way Jesus died caught this man’s attention. 180
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Finally, Luke says
the people who had gathered to watch this event returned home beating their breast; a sign of mourning, but also a sign of regret and sadness. After the deed was finished, only then did they regret what had happened. •
Luke 23:50-56 All four gospel writers speak about Jesus’ burial because it is necessary for everyone to understand that Jesus was indeed dead. Those who claim Jesus had just passed out on the cross forget that Rome was pretty good at executing people this way. They knew when a person was dead. I doubt very much they would have made a mistake here. Joseph, apparently a wealthy, respectable member of the Jewish High Council, took a risk (see Mark 15:43) to ask for the body of Jesus. Luke points out that the women who had been following Jesus for some time watched where Joseph laid the body of Jesus. He says this so that people would not claim that they came to the wrong tomb. Luke does not add the details of the stone and the seal, which we read in Matthew’s, account (Matthew 27:60-66). The main point in all of this is that Jesus was crucified (lifted up) and that He died. Everyone gathered at the cross that day knew He was dead. They would testify that He was dead. Yet three days later (according to the Jewish calendar), He would be walking among them. Those who saw Him die would also see Him alive once again. This is what Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 15:6. Some of those who had actually witnessed these events were still alive when Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthian Church. He is telling the readers that if they do not believe his testimony, then there are a lot of other people they can speak to; people who saw Jesus die, but who saw Him alive once again.
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John 13 •
John 13:1-11 Why do you suppose John is the only Apostle to include this story? The other Gospel writers make mention of the Last Supper, but why was John the only one to mention that Jesus washed their feet? We could pick this passage apart verb by verb and tense by tense, but I think we would miss the central point. It’s clear from the other Gospel accounts (Matthew 26:22, Mark 14:19, Luke 22:24) that there was tension in the room. Luke says they were arguing about who was the greatest. Matthew and Mark say they were distressed about betraying Jesus – more concerned if they would be the one to betray Him than whom. Now although John does not mention these things, the attitude in the room comes into play for what Jesus does here. Jesus gets up, walks around the room, and washes their feet. When He sits down, He looks at these apostles and basically says, “I know you guys think you’re pretty special, but I got news for you. You’re not that great. As a matter of fact, one of you is going to betray me”. In the politics being played out that night, Jesus reminds them that they are far too human. They are filled with weaknesses. They are not perfect, and they will make mistakes from time to time. And yet, and yet, He still washes their feet. Think about for a moment. Do you think His actions leveled the playing field here; putting people in their place and helping them get things back into perspective? It’s as if the disciples had forgotten that the Messiah was in their midst. However, once the Messiah begins washing their feet THEN they remember that He is there. It’s as if Peter suddenly came to his senses and said, “ Never shall You wash
my feet”! Well, Peter, if the Messiah is that important, and if you recognize who He is, then why were you acting the way you were? I cannot believe the attitude of the apostles - jockeying and fighting for power while Jesus was seated in the room. Yet don’t we do the same still today? Don’t we often forget who is in the room? As politics and power are tossed around the room at your next Church Board meeting, perhaps everyone needs to be reminded who else is in the room. As board members 182
and deacons argue over trivial matters, maybe they need to refocus on what really matters or Who really matters. •
John 13:12-17 In my opinion, this is why I think the practice of feet washing is so important. We forget the value of the person in the room with us, and we forget who IS in the room with us. This becomes a lesson many of the apostles will not soon forget, especially John. John will later write, “ The one who says he is in the Light and
yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now ” 31 (1 John 2:9). John the Apostle was especially concerned about the way we Christians treat one another. He felt this way, I believe, because the lesson on greatness truly affected him. Remember that it was John and James who desired positions of authority in Jesus’ Kingdom (Mark 10:37), and this lust for power and position is what lead to this whole debate about who was the greatest. This is why I feel the exercise in servanthood is so essential still today. We need to practice looking up to those in our midst, especially because of the One who is in our midst. •
John 13:18-30 Quoting Psalm 41:9, Jesus compares His troubled heart with that of King David when his companion Ahithophel turned against him (2 Samuel 16:2017:3). Moreover, like Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23), Judas will hang himself as well. However, what I would like to know is just how long Judas had been a betrayer. When did he start working for the Devil? Was it only that moment when Satan entered into him (John 13:27)? It’s quite difficult to say what was going on inside Judas’ mind. We simply do not know what he was thinking. What we do know is that he was probably from a village near Hebron (“Iscariot” literally means “a man of Kerioth”, probably Kerioth-Hezron, about 10 miles south of Bethlehem). John indicates here that he was the treasurer (John 13:29), although he often stole from the money purse for himself (John 12:6). However, if John knew this, why was he caught off guard when Jesus clearly indicated that Judas was the betrayer? Right after Judas criticized
31 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (1 Jn 2:9). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 183
Mary for anointing Jesus with expensive perfume (John 12:3-5), he goes to the chief priests and agrees to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16). Yet it is apparent that none of the other apostles were aware of this during the Last Supper. Luke 22:3 indicates that Satan entered into Judas when he first went to the priests, which was a week before the event here in John 13. Yet not one of the other apostles seemed to recognize a change in his behavior. This, I think, is probably the most alarming part of this story. Here was a man bent on doing the work of Satan who seemed to fit right in. No one was the wiser. No one appeared to notice. This is why the Church must be wise as snakes and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). This is why John cautions us to, “not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if
the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world ” (1 John 4:1).32 •
John 13:31-35 Once Judas left the room the atmosphere changes dramatically. Instead of being troubled and speaking of death and betrayal, Jesus returns to teaching. He talks about a NEW commandment; a commandment to Love. But how can “Love” be something new? How would their love for one another become a testimony to the word that they are Christ’s followers? Under the old covenant, people knew someone was Jewish when they observed the Law. Granted, there was to be benevolence, charity, and genuine concern for one another within the Jewish culture, but the greatest testimony of a person’s faith in God was through participation in Jewish customs and practices. Jesus says that in the new covenant the most significant proof of an individual's faith in Him was through their love for one another. This lesson is echoed by the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthian Church. In that church, there was little love and concern for one another. Even this great “Love Feast” had become an example of selfishness and pride; where people would actually arrive early and eat all the food, leaving nothing for those who came later (1
32 Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (1 Jn 4:1). Carol Stream, IL: 184
Corinthians 11:17-22). Where is your love, asked Paul. If you’re that hungry, eat at home. Think about those who are less fortunate. And as a reprimand to this church, Paul writes 1 Corinthians 13; a rebuke to this church for failing to live according to the New Covenant; the New Command. And here we see the greatest truth of Christianity; we can do all kinds of amazing things for others. We can serve and give and perform charity, but if there is no love behind it – if we do these things for our own benefit – our witness is empty and pointless. The people of this world are not stupid. They are not blind. They know when our charity is motivated by selfishness. We have not convinced the World that we are followers of Christ. We have merely convinced the world that we feel good about ourselves when we do things for others. •
John 13:36-38 I know I would be just like Peter. I would be insisting that there is no way I would deny or betray Jesus. But I have done it in the past. I think many of us have. Many of us have been presented with opportunities to speak for Jesus, and with significantly fewer consequences than what Peter faced. Yet have we not remained silent? However, the good news is that even though we might fail to be a witness from time to time, Jesus does not give up on us. Just as he promised to pray for Peter (Luke 22:31-32), I believe our Lord is praying for us. In addition, just as Peter failed to be a faithful witness (and remember, this includes our ability to love one another) we are not a failure forever as well. Like Peter, we only failed for a moment. Please do not stop striving to be a witness just because you messed up a few times in the past.
John 14 •
John 14:1-3 Apparently Jesus noticed the apostles were a little disturbed by what He was saying. That’s why He tells them not to be troubled. Maybe they were troubled by the separation. Maybe they were troubled because Jesus said they would fail. But for whatever the reason, He gives them the assurance that this time of separation will not be permanent. Jesus says to them than His Father’s house has many dwelling
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places, not “many mansions” as this often is interpreted. The Greek word mone means “rooms” or “dwelling places”. And although Jesus does not mention what these dwelling places are like, He does imply that it is a place where they all will be together once again. That seems to be the main point here; that in His Father’s house there will be community. This is far different from the concept of mansions. “Many mansions” implies many separate places to dwell; as if Heaven looks like suburbia. That idea makes me think of individualism and isolation, not community. But when I think of a place filled with many rooms, I think of a family living under the same roof; a family sharing all things, of being together, and of being one. I believe that this is a more accurate description of Heaven than the many mansion ideas portrayed in some Christian songs. •
John 14:4-6 Jesus finished this promise of fellowship by insisting His followers knew the way. “And you know the way where I am going,” He said. Not that they knew where He was going, but that they knew the WAY. I think all of us understand what Jesus was talking about here. He was talking about the way to the Father’s house. He was talking about the way to heaven. And by indicating that there is a certain way to get there, Jesus implies that there is a way which will not lead you to the Father. If there is one way to be with the Father in heaven, then there must be other ways that do not lead someone to the Father. This is probably why Thomas asked his question. And he asked for all of us. It’s the biggest, most important question in the hearts of all humanity. “What do I have to do to get to heaven”? In this particular case, the question would be, “What do I need to do to have one of those dwelling places You were talking about Jesus”? To answer Thomas’ question, Jesus replies that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In other words, Jesus insists that there is only one way to get where He is going. Only through Him will someone find himself or herself in heaven. Only through Him will a person be granted a dwelling place in the Father’s house. There is no other way. Of course, this is not popular theology. In our world
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today, the popular belief is that all ways lead to heaven. A person need only long to be in heaven in order to get there when they die. People need only think good thoughts or perform good deeds in this life in order to find themselves with God in the next life. Also, the world insists that since there are elements of truth in all religions, all religions must, therefore, be true. But, once again, Jesus indicates that He is the only truth. The central point through all of what Jesus says here is that He stands at the gate. He guards the entrance to His Father’s house. No one gets in unless they go through Jesus. And that means everyone who has lived, is alive, and who will live must go through Jesus to find fellowship with the Father. If you want God, you must take Jesus first. There is no other way. He has not given us that option. •
John 14:7-11 Jesus was (is) a really nice guy. Most of the people who met Him while He walked this earth thought He was an okay guy. Oh sure, occasionally He would say something rather bold. And at times He was quite blunt. But for the most part, He seemed quite sane. Then He goes and says something like this. Like Thomas, Philip asked a question that any one of us would ask; we would like to see God. And Jesus says, “Since you have seen Me, you have seen God.” This is one of the most staggering claims that Jesus made. He might as well said, “I AM God.” He tells Philip that if he does not believe this, then at least believe because of what he has seen. What Jesus said and what He did should be the most compelling evidence that He was and is God in the flesh. He acted just as we imagine God should. Think about this: if God is real, then we would expect Him to do something about all the evil in this world. We expect God to feed the hungry, care for the oppressed, stop natural disasters, love the unlovable, heal the sick, and generally fix what is wrong with this world. But is this not what we have seen Jesus do throughout the book of John? Is this not what Matthew, Mark, and Luke report as well? While He walked the earth, Jesus did exactly what we would expect God to do. Yet while He was here, many turned their back on Him. Their rejection had nothing to do with Jesus, but rather
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speaks more of their misconceptions of God’s plan and His will. In fact, Jesus was not crucified for any crime. The Sanhedrin had Him crucified for claiming to be God. So I’m a little surprised that Philip had not made this connection by now. •
14:12-15 Keep in mind that Jesus is talking about being a witness to the Truth; being a witness to the Life. It’s important we keep this in mind for what Jesus says here. “The Works” He mentions will not be more sensational, but their effect will be even greater than what Jesus, as one person, could accomplish. Marvel not that Jesus was able to calm a storm. Instead, marvel that God would choose to glorify His name through ordinary people like Peter and John and you and me. So these verses are not a magic formula for getting what we want. Instead, they are a call to allow God to work through us; to ask what Jesus would ask, and to pray according to His will (compare 1 John 5:14-15). One final note on these verses: they must be read in light of what Jesus was saying (Works glorify the Father), and in light of what He will say next. When a believer comes to the Lord in prayer, they come as a servant who desires to honor the Father, and they come as a servant guided by the Spirit. My personal feeling is that when I come to the Father asking in Jesus name, I come asking God to allow me to be part of something that brings Him glory. In other words, I see where Jesus is working, the Holy Spirit nudges me to get involved, and so I ask the Father if He might use me in some way that testifies to His glory. That’s a whole lot different than coming to God and telling Him to bless the efforts of your own hands or to bless some great idea you had. But, unfortunately, that’s how some people interpret this text.
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John 14:16-17 Jesus promises the Spirit, who will be a comforter, advocate, and intercessor. The Spirit will guide the Church into Truth. And as I mentioned in the last section, the Spirit will direct a believer into following God’s will. The Holy Spirit will become what Jesus was to the Apostles at this moment; One who will lead and guide the apostles into the Father’s will. In the same way, the Spirit leads and guides each
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of us into the Father’s will. The Spirit takes what He hears from the Father and passes it along to us (John 16:13-14). It’s notable that Jesus says of the Spirit that He abides with the Apostles now and will eventually be in them. Before the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was present on the earth. But He came to empower a person for a task, and then would depart. We see this throughout the Old Testament. But after Pentecost the Spirit came to indwell each believer. He has taken up residence in each of us. There are various reasons why God the Spirit does this, but the ultimate purpose is to mark us as children of God (Romans 8:16-23; 2 Corinthians 1:22). One last observation here. While the Spirit was among them, the apostles did very little. While the Spirit was in them, the Apostles changed the world. •
John 14:18-20 It’s pretty clear that Jesus was talking about the resurrection here. However, I’m confused why Jesus didn’t appear to the Sanhedrin. Why didn’t He walk back into the Temple Sunday morning and reveal Himself to those who had Him crucified? Don’t you think that would have silenced any skeptic? This is precisely what Judas asks in the next section, which I will address next. But one of the reasons has to do with responsibility and duty. A Christian’s life does not stop at the cross. A Christian’s life actually begins at the cross. Indeed, if Jesus was teaching the Apostles about ministry and not simply about eternal life, then the example of Jesus’ life becomes one we should follow. We should be telling and helping and loving and comforting those still living in darkness – which is exactly what Jesus told the apostles to do; go and tell and teach into the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19-20). We are to do the same. Would it have been easier if Jesus had done this Himself? Probably. But that is not part of His plan. According to His plan, He is in Heaven preparing a place for us and praying for us. We are left with the task of teaching and telling. It’s what the Master has commanded us to be doing. Our job, as the New Testament Church, is to continue the work Jesus began while He was on earth. Just as a side note, I find it interesting how much this world has changed now that Jesus is in
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Heaven. He is next to the Father interceding on our behalf. Those great judgments of God found in the Old Testament seem strangely absent in the New. Well, absent until we see Jesus returning. The point is that we should not minimize the significance of the Spirit within us or the presence of Jesus in Heaven. •
John 14:21-25 Judas (probably the Thaddaeus mentioned in Matthew 10:3), asked the question I just posed in the last section. Why only reveal Yourself to those who believe? Jesus indicates here that His reason focuses on mercy and love. We need to gain a deeper understanding of Christ’s mercy and patience. Remember how Jesus said those who reject Him will be judged on the Day of Judgment and not before (John 12:48)? Jesus did not reveal himself to unbelievers because it would have been a terrible form of Judgment prior to the great Day of Judgment. To see the resurrected Christ and reject Him as Lord would constitute the unpardonable sin (Mark 3:23-30). Those religious leaders in Mark 3 witnessed what Jesus did, heard what Jesus said, and yet refused to acknowledge Him as Lord. They chose darkness even though the light stood among them. It was their refusal to believe the evidence that condemned them. I think this is why Jesus did not reveal Himself to unbelievers. Jesus withholds this revelation to the people of this world to give them an opportunity to believe before it is too late. Sure, some people would become believers if they saw the resurrected Christ. But others would not. Others would continue to reject Him even though He granted them all the evidence they would need. And to dismiss the evidence is to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Oh sure, we could argue against this idea by using the example of Paul’s encounter with Jesus. But perhaps this is why Paul was struck blind. Perhaps, but I’m not sure. However, I am convinced that choosing darkness over light, even though the light shines among us, pretty much determines where we will spend eternity. I mean, can you imagine standing before the Judge claiming you had no idea about salvation or judgment, just to have the Judge look at you and say, “I warned you about this in My Word. I sent My Son to teach you. He
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demonstrated that His words were true by performing all kinds of miracles for you. I poured out My Spirit to help you see and understand. And (in light of our argument here) I even allowed you to see the Son rise from the dead and walk among you. What more could I have done so that you might believe? No, you are without excuse. You have rejected all this evidence and, therefore, stand condemned”. Anyway, that’s how I picture the conversation. •
John 14:26 This verse is addressed to the apostles. The Spirit would help them remember what was said and done and, more importantly, help them understand what was said and done. Just as God poured out His word into the hearts of the Prophets, He aids the apostles in remembering situations and conversations from their time with Jesus. This is one of the reasons the New Testament is faithful and true. It was not the writings of men as best as they could remember. It is the writings of men empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit. This is why the Gospels should be considered the sacred word of God. He played a significant role in piecing together these words in such a way as to portray the eternal truth of God. Of course, the Spirit plays a part in helping you and I understand what we are reading, but we were not promised the ability to remember all things. That promise was for the Apostles ( I Said
to you). •
John 14:27 The world is not able to give someone this kind of peace (shalom). Only Christ can remove the fear of death and the fear of the future (Hebrews 2:14-15). Jesus assures them that they now have peace with God (Romans 5:1) and the peace of God (Philippians 4:7).
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John 14:28 Don’t misunderstand Jesus’ words here about the Father being greater. Jehovah Witnesses like to use this text as evidence Jesus was lesser than God; that Jesus was a created being. What Jesus says here has to do with the current roles each was playing at that moment. Keep in mind that to take on flesh Jesus willingly surrendered part of His glory to walk among us (see Philippians 2:5-7). He
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surrendered a lot of His glory; most of it, I imagine. This was freely surrendered so that He might become one of us. But when He would return to the Father, that glory would be restored. So while Jesus was on earth, he submitted to the Father’s will. Jesus was not less, in essence, simply less in office. •
John 14:29-31 How do we know Satan is the ruler of the world? We know because this world is filled with sin and death, and he is the author of sin and death. In Luke 4:6 Satan claims the kingdoms of this world are in his power. And they truly were. This world is not as it was originally created. It is filled with things that are not good, like disease and suffering and death. But in less than 24 hours Jesus would defeat all that. Satan thought he was crushing Jesus, but it was Jesus who wrestled Satan to the ground, snatching the keys to death and hell from his hand (Revelation 1:18).
John 15 •
John 15:1-2 A branch that does not bear fruit is apparently dead. And the fruit the Father wanted to see from Israel was loving obedience, righteousness, and justice (see Isaiah 5:1-7). The progression here moves from cutting off dead branches to trimming branches to make them healthier. I’ve done this quite often with apple trees. Dead branches are cut away, and healthy branches are trimmed of excess so that the apples that do grow on that branch are larger and juicier. The lesson for the Christian here is that just because people call themselves a Christian does not mean they are really a Christian or a healthy Christian. Even thought someone professes to be a disciple of Jesus they are not necessarily a follower. They might have membership in a church (connected to the trunk of the tree), but they are fruitless. By the way, the branch does not benefit from the fruit. The fruit we bear benefits other people. So when we start talking about the “Fruit of the Spirit” or the “Gifts of the Spirit” we need to remember both are to be a blessing to others. Sadly, many have taken the “Gifts of the Spirit” and turned them inward; turning the emphasis from God or others and toward themselves. Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 12:7.
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John 15:3-4 Jesus continues to talk about abiding in Him, or “remain in Me” as He says here. The imagery is that of a branch which is attached to a trunk. And depending on which trunk the branch is connected to, it either bears the Fruit of the Father or the Fruit of the earth. Humanity has two choices in this life. We are attached to either the Vine of Heaven or the Vine of this earth. Revelation 14:18 describes those who have attached themselves to this world as “grapes from the vine of the earth”. So to remain in Jesus (or abide in Jesus), is to stay faithful to Him, to draw our life from Him, to become the kind of person who glorifies God, who makes Christ real to others, and who grows in holiness (set apart from the world). In contrast, it is assumed that those who do not produce fruit are only drawing life from the trunk, not giving life to others. They are dead, so they are cut off. The sad part about this is that someone could be attending church yet still be dead.
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John 15:5-8 Jesus talks about the fruit produced by those who remain in Him. For those who keep their life grounded in Jesus, there is much fruit. This is the difference between the fruit produced by a true believer and the works of a person attached to the “vine of the earth”. Although the works of the world might be good and actually make a difference in the world, they are not fruitful. They do not have within them the seeds to reproduce. I have watched many ministries die because no one was willing to step up and carry on the ministry. No one else seemed to have the passion for making sure that ministry continued. Often we blame the commitment of younger Christians. We scold them for not being committed to the ministry. But I wonder if the ending of that ministry is caused more by it simply being works rather than fruit. Do you understand what I’m trying to say? When a ministry produces fruit, it reproduces. In other words, the ministry is birthed in the heart of someone else. So I can’t help but wonder that if some ministry within a church dies (clothing giveaway, for example), perhaps it was merely the work of one individual. They had a passion, and it helped many people, but it just did not bear fruit. This doesn’t mean the ministry was bad or
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did not serve a purpose. It means that it did not have within it the Fruit Jesus is looking for. A Church must be very careful not to measure success by the amount of people helped, but by the number of changed persons who are bearing fruit of their own. “Whatever is born of the Spirit of God has the mark of eternity on it, and it will
last.”33 •
John 15:9-11 Just as we are called to remain in Jesus so we bear fruit, so too must we remain in Jesus to love. And how do we remain in His love? By obeying His commandments. Don’t miss the beginning word in verse 10. Jesus says, “If” (in the NASB). If we keep His commandments, we will abide in His love. Step away from those commandments, and we step away from Christ. Oh, His love for us is still there, but we are not as connected to the vine as we should be. We will struggle to bear fruit. We will strive to live an abundant life. We will live as starving people; longing for something, yet never entirely satisfied. This reminds me of King Solomon and his words in Ecclesiastes. He looked for his heart's desire in everything except God, but in the end it was just like chasing the wind. So too is the person AND THE CHRISTIAN who fails to obey the commandments of the Son and the Father. We don’t find salvation in obeying these commands, but we certainly find what we’ve been longing for: the Father’s Love.
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John 15:12-13 Okay, so one of those commandments of Jesus is to love one another. Yeah, but Jesus, some people, and some Christians, are terribly hard to love. They really make this command demanding. Well, keep in mind that Christian love is not based upon a feeling but a choice. We make a choice to love, even those it is hard to love. Love is demonstrated in our actions, even to the point of laying down our lives for one another. So to be a believer who bears fruit we must stay connected to Jesus, follow His commandments, and love as He loved. And all these things spill out of us into those around us. Just as a side note, have you noticed the absence of the
33 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Jn 15:12–17). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 194
charismatic gifts in this discussion? Nowhere does Jesus mention the sensational manifestations of the Spirit as evidence of the fruit. Like the Corinthian Christians, we sometimes elevate these to a higher importance than the quiet, simple gift of bearing fruit by abiding in Christ. The whole idea of bearing fruit is to pass life along to someone else, not showing off the depth of our spirituality. •
John 15:14-16 The phrase “whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give
to you” 34 is tied to the rest of this section. This is not a promise for just anyone. This is not a promise for the withered branch. This is not a promise for the fruitless branch. This is a promise for those who continue to abide in Jesus, who remain connected to Jesus by following His commands, and who love as He loved. And the person who stands in the presence of the King (the King’s courtroom), knows what the King desires, what the King is thinking, and what the King has planned. And so they ask the King still knowing that the He has the final say. •
John 15:17 Jesus repeats this command in order to drive it home. Sure, they must love the Lord, and they must remain in fellowship with Jesus. But they also must love one another. To love one another is to love Jesus. And to love Jesus is to love one another. The two are not separate.
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John 15:18-21 You want to know what jumps out at me here? Sure, the world will hate a Christian because the world hated Jesus. But Jesus didn’t hate the world, and neither should the Christian. For all the marginalizing and criticizing and persecution the world might direct to the Christian, the Christian is to return nothing but love back to the world. This is what separates the believer from everyone else. This is what distinguishes the Christian from the agnostic or the Muslim. The Christian is not to spew forth hate when someone disagrees with them. The Christian, who truly has remained in Jesus, will look at those who hate with love. So the next time someone makes some hateful post on your blog or fills your Facebook post with angry replies,
34 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 15:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 195
don’t respond in kind. Loving is the one thing which separates the true believer from the dead branches. •
John 15:22-25 Who is the “They” in these verses? It is those who hate Jesus, hate Christians, and hate Christianity. But since Christ came, they have no excuse. This section does not just apply to those who lived when Jesus lived. This applies to all people. Remember what Jesus said about the World hating Him and His followers? Remember how Jesus called His followers the “Light of the World” (Matthew 5:14)? By hating the Church and hating Christians, people today hate Jesus. And their rejection of His followers is a rejection of Jesus. They are without excuse. The Church has filled this world with acts of service, with love and mercy, and with a message of hope. Others have seen and heard and have responded. Their continued rejection and hatred testify to their guilt. However, I do want to make two points of clarification. Number one is that we must be careful when it comes to labeling these people. We should be slow to place someone on the hate list. Too often, we are quick to judge someone as hating Jesus or hating Christians when in reality they are only confused or angry or have been hurt. The second point I want to make is how we are to respond to those who hate us or persecute us. We dare not hate in return. And we dare not turn tail and run. In fact, we are called to stand firm in the face of this hatred and return grace. This is why Jesus says . . .
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John 15:26-27 Rather than run off to a monastery and become a monk living in seclusion, we are to testify about Jesus especially when the world hates us. Jesus promised the apostles that they would not be standing alone. The Helper (the Holy Spirit), would testify about Jesus. But how would He testify? Would the Spirit testify all by Himself? Or would He testify through the apostles? I think we all know the answer to this question. He testified about Jesus through the apostles. He testifies about Jesus through the Church; through Christians like you and me. This is why it’s important we don’t forget to come back from our spiritual retreat. Christ is not
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amplified when we withdraw from the world. We may be strengthened by spending time apart from the World. But we just cannot dwell there.
October 27: John 16-18 John 16 •
John 16:1-4 If the world hates the apostles, that’s one thing – although it certainly does not make sense. Christian understands this. I can’t figure why someone living in darkness hates the light. But what Jesus says in this section is even more confounding. Notice that the apostles will be kicked out of the synagogues – the local assembly of Jews. And these Jews, who presumably knew God, would kill those speaking for God. It just doesn’t make sense. I think this is why Jesus warns them ahead of time – to prepare them for the unthinkable and the unimaginable.
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John 16:5-6 There is no way these apostles could comprehend the benefit in Jesus’ departure. They could not conceive how different their lives would become once the Holy Spirit was sent to dwell within them (the Helper). They were focused on what they were losing (Jesus) and not on what they were gaining (Holy Spirit). So Jesus tells them plainly what they and the world will receive once He leaves.
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John 16:7-11 Warren Wiersbe points out, “the Spirit comes to the church and not to
the world. This means that He works in and through the church. The Holy Spirit does not minister in a vacuum. Just as the Son of God had to have a body in order to do His work on earth, so the Spirit of God needs a body to accomplish His ministries; and that body is the church. Our bodies are His tools and temples, and He wants to use us to glorify Christ and to witness to a lost world”.35 I wonder how many Christians realize they are the hands and feet and lips of God to the people still living in darkness. With that being said, how does the Spirit convict the world (the unsaved) of sin considering 35 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Jn 16:5–11). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 197
that the Spirit came to the church? And the same can be said about righteousness and judgment. In what way is the world convicted of these things? How does it happen? It happens through the Church; through Christians. The world thought/thinks it is judging Christians. But it is the Church who is judging the world. The Spirit convicts (or reproves) the sin of the world by using Christians and the Church to bring to light the darkness of the world. Our righteousness and holy living reveal the sin of the World. The world would not know of agape love if it were not for the church. And so our transformed lives become a judgment against the world. Those walking in darkness have no excuse. •
John 16:12-15 The apostles could not bear any more news. They had just learned that Jesus was leaving them. They were told that there was a traitor in their midst. They would be persecuted and kicked out of the synagogues. So Jesus promises that the Spirit will reveal to them more truth at a later time. That Truth can be found throughout the New Testament. Verse 13 is immensely important for you and me today. There is a trend among some liberal Christians to claim the Spirit is speaking something new. This simply is not true. And Jesus says it is not true. The Spirit will not speak anything that contradicts what Jesus has already said. The Spirit will not speak anything that diminishes God, Jesus, and the Word (verse 16); yet, I hear teachings that contradict what the Father has already spoken. And these people claim the revelation came from the Spirit. I tell you the truth: if you want to know what the Spirit is saying to the Church today, pick up your Bible and read it. The Spirit is there to help you understand the words and to convict you where it is necessary. If anyone comes along preaching a truth that contradicts what God has already said, let him be accursed for it is not true (Galatians 1:8).
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John 16:16-22 Jesus is clearly speaking about His resurrection.
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John 16:23-24 Read these verses in context here. Jesus is talking about leaving. Since Jesus will not be with them as they go through this trial, they are to ask the
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Father for what they need to endure all of this. And they are to ask in the name of Jesus. Think back to the storm on the boat (Mark 4:38). They begged Jesus directly to do something about the storm, and He complied. But Jesus will not be with them during this storm, this trial. To whom should they turn? Jesus says, “Ask the Father in My name.” So these verses are not some magical formula for getting what we WANT. Jesus says that a time is coming when the apostles will need to pray to the Father in His name for what they NEED to endure their trials and testing. •
John 16:25-28 Reading this makes we wonder what kind of prayer life the apostle had up until this point. I guess they just came to Jesus and asked Him to intercede on their behalf. I mean, it sure sounds that way. I guess they were used to Jesus praying for them. But the time was almost near when they would need to start praying themselves. This is a lesson on spiritual maturity. The apostles would need to come before God on their own. And they need not fear. God loves them. God knows who they are. He knows they love Jesus. So He will listen to their prayers. This is an important lesson for all Christians. You don’t need some trained minister to pray on your behalf. You can come before God on your own because He knows you. He loves you. And He knows you love Jesus.
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John 16:29-31 “Do you now believe”? It is possible this question was one of affirmation, not one of condemnation. Jesus could have said “Finally, after all this time, you get what I am saying, and you understand who I am.” But I’m not sure this is exactly what Jesus meant. It seems like Jesus says “I’m so glad to hear that you believe what I have said and believe who I am, because in a little while it’s going to look like you don’t”. So even though it might appear the apostles abandoned Jesus to the authorities because they thought He was crazy, they will abandon Him because of fear for their life. I believe that this is an important lesson. Just because we have a moment of weakness where we allow fear to overrule faith, it does not mean we have completely abandoned our faith. And see, these are the moments Jesus was talking
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about earlier; those moments of fear and the temptation to turn tail and run. In those moments when we are tempted to run away from trials or deny Jesus, those are the moments we are to turn to the Father and ask for strength and resolve – in Jesus’ name. Peter said he believed. And I don’t think he ever stopped believing, even while standing in the courtyard denying Jesus. Where he failed was in turning to the Father at that moment and asking for strength in Jesus’ name. •
John 16:32-33 The fact that the followers of Jesus would be scattered is a fulfillment of Zechariah 13:7.
John 17 •
John 17:1-5 Christ asks the Father to give Him glory so that in His dying people might realize He was indeed the Son of God. And this is precisely what happens. Remember the words of the Centurion? When the Roman officer* who stood facing
him* saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God !” 36 (Mark 15:39). This Jesus, whom the World marginalizes and diminishes, is much more than most people fully realize. He is the giver of eternal life, not simply a religious man who showed us how to life a godly life. A religious man, yeah right. And when I hear people say that about Jesus it just about makes me sick. They say things about Jesus that He never said about Himself. He was not just a man. He existed at the beginning with God and as God. “Bring me into the glory we shared before the
world began” 37 (John 17:5). •
John 17:6-8 Jesus is specifically talking about the Apostles here. As Jesus prayed to the Father early in His ministry (Luke 6:12), God revealed to Him who to select as the twelve. The Father, knowing all things, told Jesus to set aside these men (“the ones You gave me”). By now it is only eleven, but the ones who remained had not walked away when so many others had (John 6:66). This is not a text promoting
36 Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Mk 15:39). Carol Stream, IL 37 Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Jn 17:5). Carol Stream, IL 200
predestination to salvation. This is God revealing to Jesus who He should call as an apostle. The “Ones You gave Me from this world” is not every Christian, just the twelve. •
John 17:9-12 Again Jesus is praying directly for the apostles, not everyone who might become a Christian. Read this in context. “Not one was lost,” Jesus said, “except the one headed for destruction” – an apparent reference to Judas Iscariot.
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John 17:13-19 Jesus is still praying for the apostles. But I’ve often wondered if a portion of this prayer applies to all believers as well. Not all believers are called to be apostles (someone commissioned and sent out into the world with the Lord’s authority), but I think all believers need to find ways to become more holy as they live in this world.
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John 17:20-21 Here, you and I have entered into Christ’s prayer. We have believed in Jesus because of the work of the apostles. Jesus prays that all believers be one, united in love, obedience, and commitment. We do not have to be united in the ways we practice our faith, but every church must be united (or one) in who we love (God and our neighbor), what we obey (the Word of Truth), and the work we are committed to do (making other disciples or bearing fruit).
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John 17:22-23 What was the glory the Father gave to Jesus? I think it was much more than performing miracles. I believe it was the two-fold love of God. A deep love for the Father and a deep love for humanity. God was glorified because of the way Jesus loved the Father and because of the way Jesus loved others. So when the Church reproduces that kind of love, the world will see the same glory. They will see God when the Church loves just as Christ has loved.
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John 17:24-26 Jesus gets all excited here knowing that one day the apostles would experience the glories of Heaven. He wanted them to be with Him (verse 24). Since Jesus had once experienced the glories of Heaven – glories that words cannot
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describe – Jesus could barely contain His excitement for this place. I can almost picture Him sitting around the campfire late at night and describing this place to His followers. Better still would be to describe the Father. “I have revealed You to them,” Jesus says, “and I can hardly wait until they get a chance to meet you face to face.” John 18 •
John 18:1 This valley begins north of Jerusalem, passes between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives, and then snakes its way to the dead sea. David was betrayed by his friend Ahithophel while making his way across this ravine as well (2 Samuel 15:23). The events of Luke 22:39-46 take place at this point – the agonized prayer of Jesus and the sleepiness of the Apostles.
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John 18:2-3 Lanterns, torches, and weapons. What were they expecting? A Roman cohort consisted of 600 men. It is likely that not all of these men came to the garden to arrest Jesus, but this many Roman soldiers had been at Judas’ disposal. Take notice just who commissioned this many men. It was the chief priests and the Pharisees who made these arrangements. I can’t help but wonder how the religious leaders could manipulate the Roman military into allocating this many men. By the way, if someone tells you that it was only the Jews who conspired against Jesus, don’t believe them. This little tidbit of background information weighs as heavy evidence against the local Roman authorities. I almost wonder if Pilate’s little hand washing ceremony was more for show than anything else (see Matthew 27:4).
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John 18:4-9 Notice what John says in verse six. Why did they draw back and fall to the ground? For one thing, we don’t know what Judas might have said to the Roman soldiers about Jesus. And any Jew present would have been struck by the “I AM”
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statement. Now, the “I AM” statement could have been Jesus just identifying Himself, or it could have been a deity reference. It’s difficult to tell. However, it is obvious, based upon the weapons, that they expected a fight. What they got was surrender, and that would have been quite shocking. Luke points out that it is here Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss (Luke 22:47). John does not mention this event, and I think it’s because he was focused on other things. All four gospels mention the arrest of Jesus, but only John mentions the crowd falling back. •
John 18:10-11 Only John mentions this slave’s name. Luke, the physician, says the ear was healed (Luke 22:51). The idea of this cup of suffering traces back to what God promised Israel in Isaiah 51:22. Having been punished because of her sin, God tells Israel, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, your God and Defender, says: ‘See, I
have taken the terrible cup from your hands. You will drink no more of my fury.” And part of God’s promise was that His Suffering Servant would be pierced because of Israel’s rebellion. The Lord would lay on Him the sins of us all (Isaiah 53:5-6). In a roundabout way, Jesus is reminding Peter that He is ready to suffer so that Peter might not be killed (or, “not lost” as verse 9 states). Jesus is willing to endure what He must so that His apostle would not need to, just as God had promised Israel. •
John 18:12-14 In the chain of events surrounding the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus, the other Gospel writers indicate that Jesus was taken directly to Caiaphas (compare Matthew 26:57). Here, John says they first went to see Annas. Annas was High Priest from 6-15 AD. Jewish law said a person was high priest for life. But the local Roman governor Valerius Gratus removed him from office because the Romans did not like the idea of concentrating all that power into one person. Five of Annas’ sons served as high priest, followed here by his son-in-law. However, apparently he still held some manipulative power.
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John 18:15-18 Throughout his gospel, John frequently referred to himself anonymously. It’s likely he was the one who knew the High Priest. How he knew
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Caiaphas is unknown, but evidently John held a little sway. And did anyone else find it unusual that a woman was guarding the gate to the house? This picture is a model taken from excavated ruins dating from the first century AD. Jesus was probably taken to a side room while Peter waited in the courtyard. •
John 18:19-21 Interesting. Was it Annas who questioned Jesus or was it Caiaphas? John says the High Priest started questioning Jesus. It was Annas (see verse 24). Caiaphas held the office, but it seems Annas held the title. Annas, however, was not very sharp. His question to Jesus does not show superb intelligence. He asks Jesus to tell a little bit about what He had been teaching. What a silly question! Jesus could have said that He taught nothing but the law and the prophets. And if so, Annas would have no case. Also, even if Jesus did speak the truth about what He taught, Annas had no witnesses to back up any accusations he might bring against Jesus. So Jesus intelligently points out that Annas should be rounding up individuals who can corroborate their stories. And we find that Annas never followed through on this (see Mark 14:56-57).
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John 18:22-24 All of this is taking place inside one of the side rooms or perhaps in a corner of the courtyard. In a side room is more likely. If so, we can assume John was nearby watching the events unfold. It must have been difficult to see the holiness of
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Christ contrasted with the cruelty of Annas. And if John knew Annas, how much more difficult it would have been to witness this behavior. •
John 18:25-27 If John was inside with Jesus giving eyewitness accounts of those events, then how do we learn of Peter’s denial? My guess is that Peter shared these events with the rest of the group once he had been restored by the resurrected Jesus (see John 21:15).
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John 18:28-32 John skips the trial before Caiaphas (see Matthew 26:57-68), and picks up the story once they reach the headquarters of the Roman Governor. Presumably, the Roman guards took Jesus inside. Jews didn’t want to become defiled by going into a Gentile’s residence (seriously, these people were like so messed up in their religious ritual). The Sanhedrin had made up their mind to have Jesus killed (Matthew 26:66), which explains their statement in John 18:31.
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John 18:33-38 By now Jesus had been slapped and punched (see Matthew 26:67). So he may have been bleeding from the lip or something along those lines. Pilate had the accusations before him. Knowing the charges and seeing the Man, Pilate asks some very cruel questions. “So is this how the Jews treat a king? Bet it hurts to have Your people reject you like this”. However, Jesus responds with an overt statement. If His were an earthly kingdom, His followers would have gone to battle to keep Him from being arrested by the Jews. In other words, this was not about a play for power to overthrow the leading Jewish government. Jesus indicates He is there because of a higher purpose (to testify to the Truth). What was that truth, Pilate asked? It was the truth that people loved the darkness and hated the light; that people, by their very nature, were cruel, heartless, and selfish. You can almost see Jesus presenting His beaten body as evidence of this truth. But Pilate just could not understand it or accept it. He walked away rather than continue to explore this sad truth about humanity. However, Pilate did fulfill the Passover requirements here. He investigated the Lamb
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and found it to be pure (innocent). Christ is now ready to become the Passover Lamb of God. •
John 18:39-40 If Pilate had determined that Jesus was not guilty, why didn’t he set Him free? He had no interest in justice. He was, in fact, afraid of the Sanhedrin. They had been trying to have him sent back to Rome for quite some time. They would succeed in 36 AD. So Pilate sends Jesus to King Herod (Luke 23:6-7), who then sends Him back to Pilate. Rather than take leadership responsibility, Pilate figures the crowd would set Jesus free. He had seen the crowds at the Triumphal Entry. But because of the Sanhedrin’s influence (Matthew 27:20), the crowd demands Barabbas to be set free – a man guilty of murder and revolt. Pilate showed poor judgment here.
October 28: Mark 15, Matthew 27 Mark 15 •
Mark 15:1-5 I am surprised by Jesus’ silence. All the accusations were false, yet Jesus said nothing. Some days I wish I could learn that kind of restraint. And isn’t it the truth that when someone falsely accuses you, they will just bring up another issue right after you refute the first one? These people are not looking for understanding or the facts. They are bent on destroying Jesus. And He knew there would be no answer which would silence this group. The only accusation that would have concerned Pilate was the claim to be King of the Jews. From a worldly viewpoint, this would have been an act of treason against the Empire. Jesus would have been seen as a dangerous revolutionary trying to undermine Roman authority. Jesus’ answer to Pilate here is best understood as Him saying, “If that’s what you want to call me.” However, as far as Him saying anything else, only Matthew and Mark mention this silence, just as Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 53:7). In Luke’s account (Luke 22:66-71), Jesus does say
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something in front of the religious leaders, but nothing is said about His silence before Pilate. John’s account of this portion of the trial is the most detailed (John 18:28-40). •
Mark 15:6-15 Since Pilate didn’t stay in Jerusalem very often, he probably knew nothing about Jesus and His ministry. Although Pilate could not find Jesus guilty of any crime deserving death, by asking the crowd what he should do with Jesus, he granted the Jewish people the freedom to pass judgment. And he accepted their decision. So Jesus becomes the rejected leader of the Jewish people. And since Pilate and many Roman soldiers viewed Israel with contempt, Jesus will become the One who suffers at the hands of the Romans. The anger and contempt Rome wanted to vent against the Jewish people is instead poured out upon Jesus. He suffers while the crowd of accusers can go home and sleep in their warm, comfortable beds.
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Mark 15:16-20 A Roman flogging was brutal. The accused was stripped naked and tied to a post where several soldiers would slash at the man with these whips (only men suffered this kind of punishment). Many people died because of this scourging. But Jesus was spared so He could die on the cross (be lifted up – see John 3:14). Here we see the soldier’s hatred and contempt for the Jews poured out upon Jesus. For all the times they wanted to do this to the Jewish people; they now have their chance. If, as Pilate had said, that Jesus is the rejected King of the Jews, and since Pilate had declared Jesus an enemy of the state, they could do with Him as they pleased. Again, let me point out that Jesus was receiving what the Empire wanted to do to Israel. But Roman law prohibited them. Jesus suffered while the crowd of accusers and the religious leaders did not.
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Mark 15:21 Simon may not have been a visitor from Cyrene (located in northern Africa) but a Jew from Cyrene who now lived near Jerusalem and who had come for the Passover celebration. There was a synagogue in the area where the freed slaves could worship (Acts 6:9). Also, the fact that his children are mentioned indicates that the early church would have known them. And it is quite likely that the Rufus mentioned here is the same man Paul praises in Romans 16:13. With that being said, this man was pressed into service; to help Jesus carry His cross. This may have been an X-shaped beam, a cross () shaped beam or a T-shaped beam. Jesus was simply too weak to carry this burden (about 100 pounds). The scourging and the beatings may have torn muscle and ligaments – they were that severe.
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Mark 15:22-24 The picture shows two possible postures for those being crucified. Crucifixion was a painful way to die. The nails probably did not pierce the palm of the hand, but rather just above the wrist where the two bones in the forearm come together. Nailed there, the bone would bear the weight of the body as it hung on the cross. In the palm, the weight of the body would have cause the hand to be torn from the nail. With the body hanging there and leaning forward, it would have been quite difficult to breathe. A person would have to push up with their legs to take the pressure off the shoulders in order to take a breath, sending excruciating pain through the nail in the feet. Because they were flogged, some muscles in the back or the
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shoulders may have been torn, making even a breath quite painful. As Jesus hung there, the four soldiers in charge of the execution divided up His belongings (see Psalm 22:18). According to tradition, the women would give the men being crucified a drink mixed with myrrh. This would have acted as a mild anesthetic, helping deaden some of the pain. Typically, a victim would die slowly over a two or three day period. To hasten his death, his legs were broken so he would suffocate. Being the beginning of the Passover, the soldiers will not let these three men suffer quite so long. •
Mark 15:25 Mark says the crucifixion began at the third hour. In the Jewish understanding that would have been 9 A.M. John, using the Roman system for counting time (from midnight to noon) says the trial began at the sixth hour, which would have been 6 A.M (John 19:14). So from 6 to 9 in the morning, Jesus was mocked by the soldiers, prepared for the crucifixion, and paraded through the streets to Golgotha. While all of this is going on, the Priests were preparing to sacrifice a lamb in the Temple.
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Mark 15:26-28 Earlier manuscripts do not contain verse 28. It may have been added later to make a point. It references Isaiah 53:12. In a book that's hard to authenticate, Joseph of Arimathea indicates that the two thieves were named Gestas (on the left) and Demas (on the right). Gestas was a murderous butcher. Demas was from Galilee, who had a bad habit of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. He was accused of robbing from the Temple treasury.
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Mark 15:29-32 The point here is that Jesus could have come down from the cross. But He didn’t. The nails did not keep Jesus there. Jesus chose to permit this to happen. He allowed Himself to remain on the cross. Don’t forget that. Had God not willed this and had Jesus not surrendered Himself, the crucifixion would never have happened. Think about all the times people tried to seize Him but failed. This time, Jesus permitted it to happen because the time was right. Notice that the chief priests and the scribes made their way out to Golgotha in order to ridicule Jesus. They had
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already won. What was the point behind all of this? Their ridicule and scoffing seem to be more for show than anything else. It served no purpose other than to reinforce their feelings to the Roman authorities. Perhaps they feared Christ’s followers stirring up trouble, and they didn’t want the blame coming back on them. Who knows? It was still a rather low blow from these religious leaders. •
Mark 15:33-36 The words Jesus spoke earlier in His life come to mind here ( people
loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil – John 3:19). Also, the words of Amos 8:9 seem to be fulfilled here (“ In that day,” says the Sovereign
Lord, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth while it is still day ”). This was no ordinary eclipse. A Lunar eclipse (where the moon blocks the sun) happens during a New Moon (with the dark side of the moon facing the earth). Passover occurs during a Full Moon (with the Moon fully reflecting the sun back to the earth). I find it interesting that with the crucifixion of Christ, darkness covered the land. This was the Lord dying to save humanity. Can you imagine what will happen when Christ returns to pass judgment upon humanity? Also, the words Jesus spoke here are best translated as “My God, My God, for what reason did You abandon me ?” He called out “My God, My God” instead of His frequent reference to “Abba Father.” As the sin of the world was placed upon Him, Jesus experienced the spiritual separation any unbeliever faces. However, although He was separated from the Father, Jesus still affirms Him as “My God”. This is a cry of triumph, for although there was the separation, Jesus had not abandoned God. •
Mark 15:37 Jesus’ death was unusual. Jesus gave up His spirit (John 19:30). His passing happened sooner than most, which explains Pilate’s reaction in verse 44. Again, the words of Jesus seem to speak of this. “ No one can take my life from me. I
sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded ” (John 10:18).
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Mark 15:38 It is said that this curtain was 4 inches thick and 60 feet high. It was torn from top to bottom – an answer to Jesus’ question “for what reason”. What used to separate humanity from the Father no longer stood in the way because Christ’s faithfulness upon the cross removed our sin.
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Mark 15:39-41 The women who stood at a distance knew Jesus to be the Son of God. And now an unnamed Roman officer believed this as well. I wonder what became of this man. I wonder if he was assigned to stand guard over the tomb. Probably not, but I can’t help wonder if he learned of the resurrection as well. The fact that these women were named indicates they were well known by the early church. Perhaps James the younger and Joseph became leaders or evangelists in the early church. Salome was the mother of James and John – both apostles in the early church. Tradition holds that she was the younger sister of Jesus’ mother, unnamed by John the Apostle in John 19:25.
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Mark 15:42-47 Jesus died (or gave up His spirit) at 3 pm on Friday, the day the Priests were preparing for the Passover Sabbath – a rather lengthy process. Some suggest that the Passover Lamb was slaughtered at this time. That may be true, but it was also the time of the evening sacrifice (see Exodus 29:39). It is suggested that rd
Jesus died at 3 o’clock in the afternoon on April 3 , 33 AD. Notice that Pilate was shocked that Jesus had already died. Mark does not mention that the soldiers were going to break the legs of these three men in order to speed up the process (John 19:31-32). The Roman government would either let the deceased hang on the cross to be eaten by wild animals or be thrown into an open mass grave. However, Jewish law stated that everyone, even an executed criminal (Deuteronomy 21:23) deserved a proper burial. Joseph, knowing this law, requested the body so Jesus might have a decent burial. Joseph did not agree with the decision to kill Jesus (Luke 21:51), but prior to this he did not have the courage to take a public stand. So around 4 pm he takes possession of Jesus’ body. He and Nicodemus take Jesus down from the cross 212
and bury Him in a grave close by (John 19:39-40). Since Joseph was a wealthy, influential man, he owned a very secure tomb. There was a wedge holding the stone in place. When it was removed, the stone would roll down an incline and seal the door. No, it was not entirely sealed, but it would certainly keep people and larger animals from gaining easy access. That stone easily weighted 4 thousand pounds. Matthew 27 •
Matthew 27:1-2 The decision had already been made. This was simply to make the verdict “official”. It had to be done in daylight. Being under Roman authority, the Sanhedrin did not have the power to execute someone. So they bring the case before the Roman governor.
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Matthew 27:3-5 Matthew paints a different image of Judas than John does. John describes him as a thief who regularly stole from the other apostles (John 12:6). But in this account, I feel sorry for Judas. We see here that he became convicted of his sin but never found forgiveness. That’s kind of sad, in a way. Yes, he was a liar, a deceiver, and a betrayer, but Matthew indicates there his heart was filled with regret. In a way, I almost wish Judas would have stayed alive long enough to see the resurrected Jesus. I wonder then if he might have asked Jesus for forgiveness. His is a sorrowful story: to follow Jesus all those years and never be a true believer. Luke gives us more details about this event in Acts 1:18-19.
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Matthew 27:6-10 So they money wasn’t good enough to keep because it had purchased the execution of Jesus (“blood money”), but it was okay to use this money to hire a traitor? I don’t fully understand the reasoning. Regardless, the priests buy a
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field potters used to harvest the clay, presumably buying it in Judas’ name. Matthew says this fulfilled scripture – pointing us to Jeremiah. But the wording resembles Zechariah 11:12-13, not a passage from Jeremiah. There are, however, a few verses in Jeremiah 19 that are similar to what Matthew said (see Jeremiah 19:1, 4, 6, and 11). •
Matthew 27:11-14 Matthew’s account of the trial before Pilate is rather brief. He does not go into detail like Luke or John. And perhaps this is because Matthew was simply trying to get his readers to see the Kingship of Christ.
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Matthew 27:15-18 Barabbas’ name means “Son of Abba”, or “Son of Father”. He was probably a political insurrectionist who was either caught in a plot to commit murder or had been involved in a murder (see John 18:40 and Mark 15:7). It is the man’s name that stands out to me. It’s almost as if he has no name at all. Certain Greek manuscripts of the Gospels have Pilate calling him Jesus Barabbas, which would explain why Pilate clarified Jesus, the One called the Messiah.
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Matthew 27:19-21 It is here we see Pilate being interrupted by a message from his wife. Perhaps this interlude would explain how the Religious Elders had time to turn the crowd against Jesus.
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Matthew 27:22-26 The group makes a strange statement here. They say, “His blood be on us and our children.” In other words, “We take responsibility for His death”. I wonder how many of these people changed their minds on the Day of Pentecost – when 3,000 came to believe in Jesus (see Acts 2:41). On a side note, this verse is quite controversial even today. Some wonder if the Jews are cursed because of this. Well, that simply cannot be true. Not ALL Jews could have suffered a curse because all of the Apostles were Jewish. Almost every new believer at Pentecost was probably Jewish. Jews today are still finding their way to God through Jesus. If anyone bore the guilt that day, it would have been the unbelieving Religious Elders. HOWEVER, any sin can be forgiven if the person confesses their guilt and turns to Jesus in faith.
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In other words, even someone who shouted these words would have been forgiven their sin if they later came to Christ in faith. And honestly, it’s pretty idiotic to say a Jew born today would assume the guilt of someone who lived 2,000 years ago. That’s not how God operates. The one who sins is the one who is guilty (see Ezekiel 18:20). In 2004, just before the release of the movie “The Passion of the Christ” these words were printed in the subtitles of the film. But many in the Jewish community were concerned this would give rise to hatred for the Jews. So the words were dropped just prior to its release.
HARMONY OF EVENTS AT JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION 1. Jesus arrived at Golgotha (Matt. 27:33; Mark 15:22; Luke 23:33; John 19:17). 2. He refused the offer of wine mixed with myrrh (Matt. 27:34; Mark 15:23). 3. He was nailed to the cross between the two thieves (Matt. 27:35–38; Mark 15:24–28; Luke 23:33–38; John 19:18). 4. He gave His first cry from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). 5. The soldiers took Jesus’ garments, leaving Him naked on the cross (Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:23). 6. The Jews mocked Jesus (Matt. 27:39–43; Mark 15:29–32; Luke 23:35–37). 7. He conversed with the two thieves (Luke 23:39–43). 8. He gave His second cry from the cross, “I tell you the truth; today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). 9. He spoke the third time, “Woman, here is your son” (John 19:26–27). 10. Darkness came from noon to 3 P.M. (Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44). 11. He gave His fourth cry, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46–47; Mark 15:34– 36). 12. His fifth cry was, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28). 13. He drank “wine vinegar” (John 19:29). 14. His sixth cry was, “It is finished” (John 19:30). 15. He drank wine vinegar from a sponge (Matt. 27:48; Mark 15:36). 16. He cried a seventh time, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Luke 23:46). 17. He dismissed His spirit by an act of His own will (Matt. 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30). 18. The temple curtain was torn in two (Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). 19. Roman soldiers admitted, “Surely He was the Son of God” (Matt. 27:54; Mark 15:39). 38
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Matthew 27:27-31 It’s unclear just exactly where this Praetorium was located. It
may have been near Pilate’s residence. It would have been a large area because at least 600 soldiers were there (a regiment). It seems that these soldiers were taking out their frustration on Jesus. In the past, they had wanted to do this to the Jews in 38 Barbieri, L. A., & Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (Mt 27:27–56). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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Israel, but the law would not allow them. However, on this day the rejected King of the Jews was standing before them, and they were free to do what they wanted. It’s a miracle Jesus didn’t die here. •
Matthew 27:32 Simon may have been visiting from Cyrene, a city in Northern
Africa, or he lived near Jerusalem but was originally from Cyrene. Mark mentions his sons as if they would have been known by the early church (Mark 15:21). •
Matthew 27:33-34 Golgotha was a hill that resembled a skull. It was not a
cemetery or a place of execution. This wine mixed with gall (or Myrrh – see Mark 15:23) was supposed to help deaden the pain. •
Matthew 27:35-38 Can you imagine what it must be like to have been one of
these Roman soldiers? How many crucifixions had they performed in their lifetime? It is clear that they had become cold and indifferent to the whole process. Those performing the duty were allowed to take any belongings the people had with them. They would have gambled for the thieves clothes as well. But I still can’t imagine sitting around and watching someone suffer a slow, agonizing death. That's just what these men did – they sat around and kept guard lest someone comes and take these men down. •
Matthew 27:39-44 People can be so cruel and ugly at times. Perhaps the Chief
Priests and the scribes insulted Jesus out of jealousy, but the people walking by were being downright mean. The sad part is that they knew what Jesus had said, and they knew who He said He was (the Son of God). They used His words against Him (maybe they were the local news media). I still can’t shake the whole notion that this abuse was unnecessary. It’s not as if Jesus was hanging on the cross singing a happy tune. He wasn’t feeling rather chipper this afternoon (“Oh, all in all it hasn’t been such a bad day. I’ve only been beaten twice, scourged once, mocked a couple of times, and had some nails driven through my hands and feet”). It’s not as if Jesus needed one more ounce of abuse. The man was suffering – really suffering. He was 216
probably bleeding everywhere. He could barely breathe. It’s like walking into the hospital and bullying the person who is on life support. What does that abuse gain? In Jesus case, the Man was going to die. You got what you wanted, Israel. You wanted the Man dead. Well, here He was dying, yet you hurl insults His way? Humanity can be so ugly sometimes. Matthew indicates that both thieves insulted Jesus. However, apparently after a while, one of the thieves changes his mind. Maybe there was more to the conversation in Luke 23:39-43 than has been recorded, •
Matthew 27:45-50 It is suggested that during this darkness, Jesus took upon
Himself the sin of the world. And in bearing that sin, Jesus would have understood the painful separation you and I feel all the time – the separation from God because of our sin. So He cries out. However, it is a cry of faith. Even though Jesus was feeling this separation, He still exclaimed My God, My God. •
Matthew 27:51-53 Matthew records some very significant events at the moment
Jesus gave up His spirit (Jesus wasn’t killed – He surrendered His life on His own). We’ve already discussed the tearing of the curtain (see discussion on Luke 23:44-49), but Matthew adds an earthquake, the opening of tombs, and dead saints rising from their graves. An earthquake opening graves in and near Jerusalem isn’t too hard to imagine. If this event shook the spiritual world, we can believe that it would shake the physical world as well. About the dead saints rising from their graves, we need to explain some common punctuation differences. Depending on what Bible translation you are using, some have these saints rising from the dead when Jesus died (Friday at 3 pm), then went to Jerusalem after the resurrection of Jesus (Sunday Morning). Apparently, they lingered in the cemetery for a day and a half. However, a reading of the Greek text suggests that these saints rose from the dead when Jesus was resurrected (Sunday morning), and immediately went to Jerusalem. The tombs were broken open, but they did not come out until Sunday. “ The tombs were opened, and
many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the 217
tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many ”39 (NASB). So, did this actually happen? And if it did, why didn’t the other Gospel writers mention this? You would think that someone as meticulous as Luke would have included this detail. We can be sure that the event did indeed happen. But we cannot know why other writers failed to mention it. The resurrection of these saints certainly seems plausible. If Jesus truly came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18), and if Jesus truly holds the keys to death and Hades (Revelation 1:18), we can imagine them rising just as Jesus rose from the dead. This, of course, raises another question. Were these saints reanimated or were they resurrected? Matthew says they were seen by many, but not that they were recognized. J. F. Walvoord suggests that they were resurrected with glorified bodies - the First Fruits of the great harvest that is to come.40 •
Matthew 27:54 This crucifixion was unlike any these men had seen before.
They saw the signs and confessed that Jesus was the Son of God (probably not a confession of salvation, though). •
Matthew 27:55-56 So, where did these women stay after the crucifixion? Where
did the apostles stay? It’s possible they stayed with the same family that provided the upper room for the Passover meal. It’s possible they stayed with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. On the other hand, maybe they stayed with Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus. By this point, these two men made known their belief in Jesus. Joseph provided the tomb, and Nicodemus provided the spices (see John 19:39). •
Matthew 27:57-61 According to Luke, Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin
and did not agree with the council’s decision to crucify Jesus (Luke 23:51). These two men rushed through the burial process. It was probably by now around 4 pm, and the
39 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Mt 27:52–53). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 40 Walvoord, Matthew: Thy Kingdom Come
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Sabbath would start in two hours (at sundown). What a solemn Passover celebration that would have been. •
Matthew 27:62-66 The leading priests and Pharisees remembered what Jesus
had said, but His disciples did not. Strange. The grave is not only sealed off by the 16 guards, but it is sealed shut with a cord and some wax (standard sealing procedures). Either the cord was strung across the stone and attached to the adjoining rock face with the wax or the cord was inserted into the crack around the stone and filled in with the wax. Either way, no one was silently getting into this grave.
October 29: John 19, Mark 16 John 19 •
John 19:1-16 When I read this section, it seems Pilate was petrified. He seems too afraid to make a decision. Maybe the words of his wife and the statements of Jesus were causing Pilate to see the cosmic importance of this event. He hesitated; looking, it seems, for ways to release himself from this responsibility. But see, that’s the whole point. Why should Pilate be so concerned about killing one Jewish man? Why should he care? Why did he care? There was something going on here beneath the surface that made this man think twice about executing Jesus. Did you notice the fear in his heart when he heard that Jesus called Himself the Son of God? I am convinced that Pilate knew something significant was happening here. He tried to release Jesus 3 or th
maybe 4 times (4 time possibly in verse 15). But rather than wield the power his position held, Pilate allows the Jewish mob to sway his decision. In some small way Jesus consoles Pilate by indicating someone else was guilty in all of this (verse 11); probably referring to Caiaphas. Pilate’s story is one that is often repeated in our world. You see, Tiberius was Caesar. He was sick at this time, and quite suspicious of everyone. After the death of his son in 23 AD, Tiberius’ attitude, demeanor, and 219
rule deteriorated to the point that the crowds rejoiced when they learned of his death. Pilate probably knew this. So when faced with a possible riot, and when the mob challenged Pilate’s allegiance, he caved (John 19:12). He was more afraid of those who could kill him rather than the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28). Pilate was more afraid of the people of this world than he was of God. Fear of man was greater than the fear of God – something that still happens today. •
John 19:17-22 More than likely it was a wooden beam that Jesus carried. Lugging around a hundred-pound beam after being scourged and beaten would have been quite exhausting. The place Jesus was crucified would have been along a road leading into the city. Can you imagine walking into town and seeing crucified bodies hanging on a cross? That’s disgusting. It was probably a treeless knoll just on the outskirts of town. Tradition holds that Queen Helena was shown this location when she visited Jerusalem in 326 AD. We know this as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Yes, this is located inside the walls of modern-day Jerusalem, but a Turkish Sultan built those walls in the 16th century. In 126 AD, Emperor Hadrian had built a temple to Aphrodite on this spot, but Helena had it torn down and built the Church adjacent to the site. (see https://www.gci.org/Jesus/golgotha for more information). Excavations have shown that a road leading into the city used to pass by this area.
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John 19:23-24 As part of their payment, the soldiers who participated in the execution could divide the clothing among themselves. It seems John wanted us to know that this robe (or better understood as an undergarment worn next to the skin) was unusual. It was all one piece. Perhaps the significance came in that they soldiers had to roll the dice to see who would win this prize.
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John 19:25-27 Tradition says that indeed, John took Mary into his home and cared for her. Ignatius of Antioch was a student of John the Apostle and wrote a letter to Mary asking her to come and visit with him. She responded by saying she would travel with John and visit with him. See the two letters at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01/Page_126.html
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John 19:28-30 John points us to Psalm 69:12 when Jesus said “I am thirsty.” John also indicates that Jesus released His spirit or gave up His spirit. That’s a rather interesting statement. We usually read in the New Testament that someone had fallen asleep rather than giving up his or her spirit. Jesus says this about Lazarus (John 11:11). So to say Jesus gave up His spirit seems significant. Jesus said this ability was given to Him (John 10:18), so perhaps John was affirming this authority here.
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John 19:31-37 This was not just a Sabbath, but a Passover Sabbath, which made the day quite unique. That’s why the Jews asked Pilate to speed up the death process. In 1968, archeologists found remains of a crucifixion site. The leg bones had been shattered by a single blow. Roman records call this the crurifragium. The person could not push up with their legs in order to take a breath, and so they suffocated quickly. Since Jesus had given up His spirit already, it was determined He was already dead. But to confirm this, they pierced His side. The spear probably pierced His stomach and His heart – explaining the blood and water. John shared this because some Gnostics claimed Jesus was not fully human – He only appeared human. But John says, “Listen guys, I saw this with my own eyes. This is what actually happened”. John also ties this event back to instructions given the nation of
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Israel for the first Passover. In Exodus 12:46 Moses says that the Passover Lamb was not to have any bones broken. John saw this prophecy fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus. He also points to the coming Redeemer mentioned in Zechariah 12:10. That passage points to Christ’s triumphal return to rescue Israel at the end of the Tribulation period, just before the 1,000-year reign of Christ on this earth. John probably did not make this connection when he witnessed the crucifixion, but he did when he sat down to write this Gospel. •
John 19:38-42 Luke says the even though Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, he did not consent to the murder of Jesus (Luke 23:50-51). John says that another influential man, Nicodemus, also helped with the burial of Jesus. Remember what Jesus said to Nicodemus about He being lifted up (John 3:14-15)? I wonder if he understood the connection here. Jewish burial customs did not involve the mummification or embalming of the body (which took out the blood and the organs), but a washing of the body and then covering the body with oils and spices. Being an eyewitness to these events, John gives us some minor details that authenticate his story. He says it was about 100 pounds of oil and spices. That quite a bit, if you ask me. Matthew says this was Joseph’s very own tomb in a garden, not in a cemetery (Matthew 27:60). One final note here about the way John keeps track of time. Earlier in this chapter, John said that it was the sixth hour (the NLT wrongly interprets this as Noon). John’s gospel was written much later in the first century, and by then about everyone was measuring time according to the Roman standard (where the day begins at 12 am). So the sixth hour would be 6 am. – putting it in the same timeframe mentioned in Mark 15:25. That would put the death of Jesus around 3 pm on the Sabbath, which is why the burial of Jesus seems rushed.
Mark 16 •
Mark 16:1-3 These women bought spices to anoint the body of Jesus once again. Apparently the anointing by Joseph and Nicodemus was not sufficient. Anyway, this is
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a clear sign that no one expected Jesus to rise from the dead. They expected to find a corpse. They also expected the tomb to be closed. Maybe they did not know about the Roman soldiers who were to be guarding the tomb (Matthew 27:65-66). •
Mark 16:4-8 The women were alarmed more than shocked. It was a feeling of distress. And Mark makes sure his readers knew the stone was enormous. Matthew talks about an earthquake, the rolling away of the stone, and the fear of the guards all happening before the women arrived (see “had occurred” in Matthew 28:2 in the NASB). So more than likely the place was deserted when these women came. The soldiers went to tell the priests what had happened (Matthew 28:11). The scene would have been quite distressing. There would have been signs of a large camp around the tomb, and the stone would have been cast aside. Unsure what was going on, they enter the tomb only to find an angel sitting inside. Mark and Matthew refer to only one person sitting in the tomb announcing the resurrection of Jesus, Luke and John mention two (Luke 24:3-4 and John 20:12). It is assumed that Mark is merely referencing the spokesperson – the angel who did the speaking. The angel’s commissioning of these women is significant. They were to tell the apostles, including Peter, that Jesus was going to meet them in Galilee. Why was Peter singled out? It’s because this was the Lord’s way of telling him that although he had denied Jesus just days earlier, the Lord had forgiven him. However, the apostles didn’t go to Galilee right away. They did not believe what the women had said. They needed to be convinced of the Lord’s resurrection on their own (John 20:19). So don’t just blame Thomas for doubting. They all did.
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In many reliable early manuscripts, Marks Gospel ends at verse 8, which seems highly unusual. Scholars suggest that Mark’s Gospel was dictated by Peter but written by Mark. Why would the story end here? Many of the early church fathers (leaders of the church once the apostles had died) support the addition of verses 9-20. However, Eusebius (325 AD) and Jerome (407 AD) indicate that these verses were missing in
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the Greek manuscripts they had seen. A document from the 10 century says that a presbyter added these verses (a local church leader) named Aristion (60 to 130 AD) who may have known the Apostle John. Today, most conservative scholars feel these verses were added at a later time. There is a change in the feel of the story - an abrupt change. The name of Jesus isn’t mentioned in verse 9. Mary Magdalene is introduced to the reader as if she had not been mentioned before (see Mark 15:40 and Mark 16:1). Regardless of how we view these verses, they were accepted, for the most part, by the early church. So we can’t just cast them aside. •
Mark 16:9-11 At the tomb, Mary Magdalene had only seen the angel, not the risen Lord. Mark says after that experience, He (name not mentioned) appeared to her. She then went and told the other disciples (who were still in Jerusalem), but they would not believe. This “revealing” to Mary, as well as His “revealing” to the two who were walking to Emmaus (Luke 24:16), indicates that people could not recognize the resurrected Jesus unless He revealed Himself to them. According to Matthew, Jesus must have revealed Himself to two other women as they were leaving the tomb (Matthew 28:9-10).
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Mark 16:12-13 This is a brief summary of the two disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). They too tell the eleven apostles, but they still refused to believe. So these eleven had the witness of Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome. They also had the witness of the two Emmaus disciples. That’s five people telling them that they had met the resurrected Jesus, yet they refused to believe. Sad, isn’t it? Here were the future leaders of the church who were about to go and tell others about what they had seen and heard. They were going to ask people to believe something that only they had seen. The people of the world would be invited to believe in Jesus based upon the apostle’s eyewitness reports. Do you think they needed a rebuke?
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Mark 16:14-18 Jesus does rebuke their unbelief, and then commissions them to go and make disciples. He also mentions the many signs (or “attesting miracles”) that accompany these new believers. These signs would authenticate the message preached by the apostles, not the degree of their personal faith. They would continue to be able to drive out demons (the 70 were previously given this ability – Luke 10:1). They would speak in languages unknown to the speaker (not an incoherent babble). The sign of snakes and poisonous drinks are, in the Greek language, conditional clauses - meaning that if they were forced to do these things, they would not be harmed. Paul’s snakebite in Malta was by accident (Acts 28:3-5). So the New Testament gives no evidence of these two signs ever being fulfilled. Finally, Jesus says they would be able to heal people by laying hands on them. We see this often happening in the life of the early church (Acts 28:8 and 1 Corinthians 12:30 as examples). Again, Jesus says these would be attesting miracles that indicated the truth of their message. They were given to confirm the message, not affirm the faith of a person. Today people seem to have this all twisted. They desire these signs to demonstrate the depth of their faith, but that’s not why they were given.
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Mark 16:19-20 Mark indicates that Jesus ascended into Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God – something Stephen mentioned just before he was stoned (Acts 7:56). But just because Jesus is in heaven doesn’t mean He has stopped working. Mark says that Jesus worked with the apostles while they preached. This makes sense. The Lord actually performed the attesting miracles through them. None of the apostles had these abilities. It was the Lord working with them and through them. He did the healing. He cast out the demons. He gave the ability to speak in an unknown language. It is the same today. Oh, a person might be able to use particular skills and abilities in service to the Lord, but sometimes He gives us what we never had. And sometimes the Lord allows a miracle. But in the end, it is the Lord who gives all these things to us (Romans 12:6-8 or 1 Corinthians 12:1-11).
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A few later manuscripts include a sentence right after verse 8. Some place it in the end. “And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions.
And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation”.
October 30: Matthew 28, Luke 24 Matthew 28 •
Matthew 28:1 These women did not expect to find Jesus alive. They brought the spices they had prepared just prior to the Sabbath (Luke 23:55-56). The other Mary was the mother of James (Mark 16:1). Mark indicates that Salome went as well. The text in Matthew says “after the Sabbath,” which could have been Saturday night, but Matthew suggests it was just prior to dawn. That would have been around 6 am on Sunday. They came to anoint Jesus once again. Joseph and Nicodemus had hurriedly anointed the body of Jesus late Friday afternoon (John 19:40).
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Matthew 28:2-4 The earthquake had happened before the women arrived (“had occurred” – verse 2). The guards may have still been at the grave, or they may have already left to tell the Sanhedrin what happened (Matthew 28:11). If they were still at the grave when the women arrived, they were probably passed out (became like dead men).
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Matthew 28:5-8 With the number of times Jesus had spoken of His resurrection (Matthew 16:21, 17:23 and 20:19) you would think these people would have been expecting it. Sure, Jesus was able to bring people back to life, but He was gone. He was dead. Surely He didn’t expect any of them to call Him out of the grave! What they missed was that Jesus had authority over His life and His death (John 10:18). Ours, as well. The resurrection is just as essential to the Christian as is the crucifixion. We Christians need to wear more than a cross around our neck. We
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should have more than the cross displayed in our church. The empty tomb becomes the symbol of life after death. And just as Jesus promised to Nicodemus (“whoever believes has everlasting life”), the empty tomb fulfills that promise. If we believe, we will have eternal life. The world may kill the body of a Christian, but they will not stay dead. They too will rise again. •
Matthew 28:9-10 Jesus meets with these women as they were heading back to the place where the other disciples were staying (somewhere in Jerusalem – Luke 24:33). Jesus instructs the women to tell the disciples to meet Him in Galilee. But as we learn from Luke and John, the apostles didn’t believe their message. Peter and John run to the tomb. They come back to where they were staying. Later that evening Jesus appears to them (John 20:19). Luke and John seem to indicate that there were several trips to the empty tomb.
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Matthew 28:11-15 This bit of information is quite interesting. Somehow, Matthew learned of this, perhaps from Nicodemus. But the bribe indicates that everyone knew the tomb was empty. I imagine these leading priests went to the grave and inspected it for themselves. They found nothing - no body at all. The guards had not fallen asleep, which is why they were bribed to lie. These guards probably told the Sanhedrin the whole story, at least to up the point where they passed out. And the lie they are given does not make sense. If the disciples had stolen the body while they were asleep, how would they have known it was the disciples? They were sleeping! And why would they admit sleeping on the job? No soldier in his right mind would admit to that. The whole company would have been executed. In addition, if some other group had taken the body they could have produced it after the apostles started talking about the resurrection. It’s nonsense. Yet even today, people still believe this lie. Mark Twain once wrote that a lie can go around the world while truth is still lacing up her boots.
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Matthew 28:16-20 Matthew does not mention Jesus meeting 10 apostles behind the closed door (John 20:19–23). Nor does he mention how Jesus appeared to all 11 apostles 8 days later (John 20:24–29). Matthew takes us to the unnamed mountain in Galilee. That mountain in Galilee is not where Jesus will ascend. He will ascend at the Mount of Olives up in Jerusalem (Acts 1:9) and will descend from heaven on that very spot (Zechariah 14:4). At the mountain in Galilee, Jesus gives a plain and simple command. The apostles were to help others come to know Jesus and be saved. They were to be commissioned (the meaning of baptism) in the name of the Trinity and then trained to become disciples themselves. It’s a wonderful model, actually. People are led to Christ and become believers. They are taught and discipled. Finally, they are commissioned (baptized) to go and make disciples of Jesus as well. In this short little commissioning, Jesus is passing the torch. He will soon be ascending to heaven. The work of the Kingdom now rests upon the shoulders of this rag-tag group of men. It rests upon our shoulders. People like you and me spread the Gospel message throughout the world - imperfect people with weaknesses and doubts. Yet we become the hands and the heart of Jesus. It is our lips that tell, our arms that hold, and our hands that serve the people of this world all so they may come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. We have been commissioned. We need to wake from our slumber and start getting busy making disciples.
Luke 24 •
Luke 24:1-2 I’ve often wondered what the women were planning to do with these spices. They had prepared more spices to anoint the body of Jesus, yet Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea had apparently already done this (compare John 19:38-40). We could speculate that the women did not know that Joseph and Nicodemus had already prepared the body, but considering that the women observed the body of Jesus being placed in the tomb, it seems they should have known this. So we can only guess that they wanted to anoint the body with even more spices. Why did they
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wish to do this? They wished to preserve the body for as long as possible. By their actions, these women indicate that they did not expect to find Jesus alive. No one did - not the women, the disciples, nor the apostles. In fact, these women were wondering among themselves who would roll away the stone (compare Mark 16:3). And since they were asking that question, they expected the Roman guards to be present (the guards assigned by Pilate - see Matthew 27:65-66), and they expected Jesus to be dead. The point of this observation is that no one associated with Jesus expected Him to be alive again. No one began propagating the story or His resurrection. Peter, James, and John didn’t knock on Caiaphas’ door early Sunday morning asking him to come and see the empty tomb. So for those who want to claim that the apostles took the body, they are going to have to deal with what Luke reports here. If they were going to spread a lie, then the apostles would have been announcing the resurrection first thing Sunday morning, not the ones who had a hard time believing. •
Luke 24:3-12 I know it is very easy to get caught up in the differences between the story found here and the versions found in Matthew 28:1-4, Mark 16:2-5 and John 20:1-18. How many women were there? How many angels were there, and were they in the tomb or outside the tomb? It’s easy to look at these details and miss the obvious one. Christ was not in the tomb. I only want to spend a moment talking theology here because we can fill our minds with the theology of the risen Christ but miss filling our hearts with this truth. And our hearts are what need to be impacted and moved. But, theologically, speaking, since Jesus is God (God in the flesh), He had the authority to lay down His life AND the authority to take it back up again (compare John 10:18). If we believe that only our body dies at death, and or soul and spirit endure, then we must believe this about Jesus as well. Jesus didn’t die, only His body died. So Jesus, being fully God, spoke His body alive again; not alive as it was, but alive in glory. The new body into which God the Son dwells is similar to the old,
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but not the same. Okay, now we understand the theology of the resurrection, let me point out the promise that should touch our hearts. Christ’s resurrection becomes the promise of what God will do for us one day. At the resurrection (not the rapture), believers will receive a new glorified body into which our eternal soul and spirit will dwell. In our case, God will need to do this for us since we lack the power and authority to do this for ourselves. The resurrection of Jesus is a sign of what will happen to all believers. We do not die when the body dies. And even though our original body may die, we are promised one that is glorified. •
Luke 24:13-16 Emmaus was about seven miles northwest of Jerusalem. Luke says that God kept the men from recognizing Jesus. Mark says that Jesus appeared to them in a different form (Mark 16:12). Why God did this is unknown. I can’t help but wonder why Jesus appeared first to these two DISCIPLES and not the eleven APOSTLES. In fact, Jesus appears first to the women and then these two disciples before He makes His appearance to the Apostles in the upper room. And the proclamation of His resurrection is not accepted at first by the Apostles, which validates the argument that the Apostles did not open the tomb and move the body. Had they done so, they would have been the ones reporting the empty tomb, not these others.
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Luke 24:17-24 One of these men is named by Luke: Cleopas. In Aramaic his name is spelled Clopas, a name mentioned in John 19:25 (“ But standing by the cross of Jesus
were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene”41). What’s interesting is that if this is true, then based on Matthew 27:56 (“Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and
the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee ”.42), then Clopas (or Cleopas) was the father of James the Less, or Alphaeus (in Matthew 10:3 James is introduced as the son of Alphaeus). He would have been the father of an Apostle, which is kind 41 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 19:25). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 42 Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Mt 27:56). Carol Stream, IL. 230
of interesting if you think about it. Families were following Jesus, not just a collection of individuals. I wonder if any of the children blessed by Jesus were family members of the disciples. Anyway, Jesus meets up with these two men while they were discussing the resurrection, not just the crucifixion. They seem to be trying to make sense of the empty tomb. •
Luke 24:25-27 I suspect Jesus was frustrated here because these men had been given witnesses, yet were having trouble believing. It wasn’t only Thomas who doubted. Each disciple had been given the empty tomb, the testimony of the women, and the word of the angels (that Jesus had risen from the dead just as He said). So why were they “debating” these things? Theirs was a heart issue, not a head issue. Even after pointing out what the Old Testament Scriptures had to say about the Messiah, they still didn’t make the connection. They could have spent days talking about things. What they needed was to have their hearts opened to the possibility that Jesus was indeed alive again (compare Luke 24:31).
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Luke 24:28-34 This is why I say it was a heart issue. Any maybe the doubt that filled their hearts caused them not to recognize Jesus. We see this even today. It is so very difficult to get people to believe in Jesus if they have already made up their mind that He is not real or was simply a religious man. Arguing with them and even using Scripture seldom works. A person needs to be open to the possibility that Jesus is real, is really the Son of God, really died on the cross, and literally rose from the dead. It takes the work of God to open the eyes of someone who doubts. But blessed are those who believe without seeing (John 20:29).
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Luke 24:34-43 The disciples could not fathom that Jesus was indeed alive. Yet we should not be so quick to condemn. Which of us would be so quick to believe the impossible? Sure, we could argue that they had witnessed Lazarus being raised from the dead 10 days earlier, but that was a little different. Jesus accomplished this work while He was alive. This was different. How would Jesus raise Jesus (unless, of
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course, Jesus truly did have all authority in Heaven and on earth)? Yet this is precisely what Jesus had been telling them. He told them plainly that He would be killed but rise again (Luke 18:31-34). I think there is an important lesson for us here, not about the resurrection, but about the rapture. We are not awaiting the resurrection of Jesus, but we are awaiting the rapture of the church and the return of Jesus. He has told us this would happen. We dare not doubt His promise. On another note, I love the way He eats a piece of fish. Ghosts don’t do that. What more proof do they want? What more proof do they need? However, just because they had a hard time believing all of this does not mean they had thrown their faith out the window. On the contrary, they were having their faith stretched and strengthened. Their understanding of just who Jesus is has grown greater and stronger and larger that all the miracles they witnessed and all the teachings they heard. Of course, the Lord still does this today. There are times when we find ourselves in situations where we simply doubt. Oh, we don’t doubt God or we don’t doubt the work of Jesus on the cross, but we doubt the possibility that His promise will come true. •
Luke 24:44-48 Verse 45 in this section needs to be understood within this context. What Jesus did here was conduct a Bible study lesson around all the scriptures that point to the truth He proclaimed (The Christ would suffer, rise from the dead, sins
would be forgiven), not that He gifted them with the ability to understand all Scripture. To open their mind is another way of saying He explained the scripture to them, and they finally got it. Another point really stands out to me, and that is the fact that Jesus says forgiveness is granted to those who repent. Jesus does not say that everyone will go to the Father because of what He did on the cross. I know some actually preach this, but Jesus refutes that thinking. Here He says that forgiveness is found in repentance, not remorse. A person is forgiven when they turn from their sin, not when they feel sorry for their sin. There is a big difference.
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Luke 24:49 This is an especially interesting command. Stay here until the Spirit comes. We know that Jesus ascended 40 days after the resurrection, and 10 days later on Pentecost the Spirit would come. So the disciples were given this command at least 10 days before the Spirit was poured into them. I don’t know about you, but ten days seems like a long time to wait. Yet they did. This speaks well of the disciples. When is the last time you obeyed when the Lord said, “wait here”?
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Luke 24:50-53 This may have been the same spot where Jesus knelt in prayer the night He was arrested. This would have been on the Mount of Olives (see Acts 1:912). According to Zechariah 14:4, Jesus will return to the earth at this spot, only, I don’t think the earth will be too happy to see Him this next time. Jesus left the earth as the Lamb of God. He will return as the Lion of Judah. The Mount of Olives is to be split apart with half moving to the north and the other half moving to the south. And if the prophecy is figurative, that is quite an earthquake!
October 31: John 20-21 John 20 •
John 20:1-10 Do you know how you can tell when someone was an eye witness? Details. They give you details. It was still dark on Sunday morning. Mary Magdalene told us about the stone being rolled away. I outran Peter to the tomb. Linen rappings were lying there, but the head cloth was folded and lying by itself. I didn’t believe until I saw it myself. All of these are details. John is not writing about something he heard (Like Matthew, Mark, and Luke), but from what he saw. Yes, the other women were probably present, but Mary Magdalene told Peter and John. It’s unclear whether Peter saw these things and believed, but John did. Why would a grave robber take off the wrappings? And why fold them and set them neatly aside? These thoughts might have crossed their minds, but it didn’t take long for John to make the connection. So
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stunned were Peter and John that they exit the tomb and go home, apparently not saying anything to Mary Magdalene. •
John 20:11-18 Mary is left standing outside the tomb weeping. The two angels (who appeared as men), tried to console her, but as she turns to leave she meets Jesus. In Matthew’s account (Matthew 28:8-10), it is the whole group of women who meet Jesus. John says that it was only Mary. But regardless of how many women encounter the risen Christ, it is significant that Jesus spoke to a woman first, not Peter or John who had just left the tomb. It’s significant because if these Apostles were trying to start some new religion, or if they were attempting to fabricate a lie, why would all four Gospel writers indicate that the women were the first to see Jesus? Why would John, of all people, give Mary credit and not himself? Again, it is the details which confirm this story is an eyewitness account. Anyway, Mary finally recognizes Jesus and gives Him a big hug. This time, she’s not letting go. But Jesus tells her that He must leave. He is ascending to heaven, so don’t try to keep Him from leaving (this is the meaning behind the words “don’t cling to me”). Mary then tells the disciples that she had seen the Lord and what He had said, but, according to Luke, the apostles didn’t believe her (Luke 24:11). This doesn’t make sense to me, especially since John saw the empty tomb and believed. Perhaps it was not the fact of the resurrection John and the apostles questioned here, but that Jesus chose to reveal Himself to Mary first. That would make much more sense. And it would explain why they didn’t leave for Galilee (Matthew 28:10). They were waiting around to see the resurrected Jesus as well.
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John 20:19-20 This event occurred just as the two disciples returned from Emmaus (Luke 24:33-35). They were talking about their encounter just as Jesus suddenly stood in their midst. That Jesus was able to show them His hands and side raises an interesting question. It appears Jesus still bore the scars of His crucifixion, which seems odd. Did He not have a resurrected body, or was He only brought back to life?
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Jesus must have had a resurrected body because we see Him doing things no mere human could do. Yet, there were those marks. In Revelation 5:6 Jesus appears as a lamb that had been slain; still bearing the marks of the crucifixion. What do we make of this? When I think about resurrected bodies, I think of something new. A different body that is born spiritually out of the ashes (see 1 Corinthians 15:44). If that’s true then why could the apostles still see the scars on Jesus? There are two possibilities. Either Jesus’ body was only partially glorified at this time (waiting to be ultimately glorified when it happens to the Church), or Jesus’ resurrected body will continue to bear the marks of the crucifixion as a sign of honor. I suspect the latter is true. I suspect Jesus bears these marks in honor and glory. What this means for you and me, I simply do not know. I have no idea what our resurrected bodies will look like. I don’t know what marks or scars we might have when we are given an imperishable body to live in (see 2 Corinthians 5:1). And I’m not sure if those martyred for the Lord will bear their marks as well. I guess this is something we will have to find out later. •
John 20:21-23 Jesus says “Shalom” again. Then He breathed the Spirit upon them. According to Matthew and Luke, they were being sent out to preach, teach, and do miraculous signs (Matthew 28:16–20 and Luke 24:47–49). This “breathing” of the Spirit is to be viewed as something different than the giving of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:3). This is seen more as a commissioning service – where these apostles received something beyond what a person receives when they become a believer. It is not more of the Spirit, but an extraordinary gifting of the Spirit for the work Christ was sending them to do. It can be seen as something similar to what Paul talks about when the Spirit gives us gifts for ministry (1 Corinthians 12:11). As a believer, we have already received the Holy Spirit. Yet the Spirit gives us something more. He equips us and gifts us for the task the Lord has given us. In the case of these apostles (and eventually the whole Church), they were being sent forth to proclaim how a person might find forgiveness. If someone accepts the work of Jesus, then
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these apostles (and later, the Church) could announce that their sins had been forgiven. If, on the other hand, a person rejects the work of Christ, the apostles (and later, the Church) could announce that their sins had not been forgiven. •
John 20:24-29 Eight days later Jesus appears once again. He greets them with the word Shalom. Jesus knew of Thomas’ skepticism. He knew of Thomas’ doubts. So He came. Jesus could have left Thomas in is doubts, but He didn’t. That’s a great example of love if you ask me. So Thomas now becomes a believer – a believer in the resurrection, that is. He already believed Jesus was the Messiah, but now He believed in the promises Jesus had made. “Whoever believes in Me will not perish but have everlasting life.” Again, this is a great example of love, but Jesus doesn’t pass up an opportunity to teach. He says, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet
believed.”43 Just who were those who believed yet had not (past tense) seen? I know we want to put a future tense in this statement, and we can do this. Peter grants us permission to talk about those who will believe without seeing (1 Peter 1:8). But apparently there were some who believed in the resurrection without seeing the risen Christ. Who might these people be? Paul mentions this appearance to the eleven, and he mentions that Jesus appeared to over 500 people at once (1 Corinthians 15:6). Some biblical scholars believe the 500 were those gathered at the commissioning service mentioned in Matthew 28:18-20. That may be possible. The early Church was much more than the eleven remaining apostles. But even then that accounts for an awful lot of people who saw and believed. Or does it? How many of those 500 believed in the resurrection of Christ before seeing Him? Did people like Matthias, Nicodemus, Barnabas, Lazarus, Mary, Martha, and Joseph of Arimathea believe before seeing the resurrected body of Jesus? Perhaps they did. Perhaps these were the ones who had believed before seeing.
43 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 20:29). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 236
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John 20:30-31 John confesses that he knew a lot more things were written about Jesus – perhaps referencing the 35 other miracles mentioned in the other three Gospel accounts. But John focused only on 7. John’s Gospel is not a recording of what Jesus did. John wrote His Gospel so that we might come to believe who Jesus is (“so that you might believe”). In John’s gospel, we see the deity of Christ. He was no mere man. And He was not just God. He was God in the flesh. He was fully human and fully divine. This was the lesson John was trying to teach. Without being fully divine, His death on the cross accomplished nothing. A good man was simply killed. Without being fully human, His death on the cross was meaningless. He gave His life as a ransom for what, other gods? John wants his readers to know the eyewitness truth. This is what he has seen and heard. And he tells this story so that others might also believe.
John 21 •
John 21:1-3 The last two weeks of Peter’s life had been agonizing. His Lord is arrested. Peter denies Him three times. Jesus is crucified. He is buried but rises again. Jesus then appears to them and commissions them to continue His work. Jesus even greets the group with words of peace. But in Peter’s heart, there is no peace. Those denials burned deep into his heart. Maybe he spent the week hiding in Jerusalem so he is not arrested, or so he is not put in a position to deny Jesus once again. Yet Jesus appears a second time greeting the group with words of peace. Though all of this happened, Peter’s heart still burned with the reality that he denied Jesus. And Peter knew that Jesus knew (see Luke 22:61). In Peter’s mind, there was a deep strain in his relationship with Jesus. I suspect Peter took that pressure with him as the group of apostles traveled to Galilee. While there, Peter announced he is going fishing. Maybe he needed the money. Maybe he needed the therapy. Maybe he was waiting for Jesus to commission a new leader. I don’t know. But I do know
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there was a deep strain in his relationship with Jesus, and he felt unworthy to be the leader Jesus expected him to be. •
John 21:4-7 John was able to make the connection between this miracle and a similar one that happened way back in the beginning (Luke 5:1-11). Do you remember what Jesus said to Peter back then? Peter told Jesus to go away because he was such a sinful man. Yet Jesus says to Peter from now on he will be a fisher of men. Had anything changed these past three years? No. Peter was still a sinful man. But if it did not disqualify him back then if certainly did not disqualify him now. This is a lesson Peter needed to learn. It is a lesson you and I need to learn as well. Being a sinner does not disqualify us from serving the Lord. We are all sinners. We will always be a sinner (at least in this life). If Jesus waited for the perfect man or the perfect woman to come along, He would be waiting a long time. Instead, He chooses to work through imperfect people like you and me; people who are not perfect (1 Corinthians 1:26). We are Jars of Clay; earthen vessels that hold a great treasure (2 Corinthians 4:7). Peter may have failed, but his failure did not disqualify his calling. And Jesus is about to teach him this important lesson.
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John 21:8-11 A charcoal fire. Do you remember the last time Peter stood around a charcoal fire? Read John 18:18. Peter was warming himself next to a charcoal fire when he denied Jesus. Now here he is standing around a charcoal fire with Jesus staring straight at him. But before Jesus gets blunt with Peter, He introduces the Last Breakfast. By the way, here we see John giving us the insignificant details that actually authenticate his eyewitness account. 100 yards off shore. 153 fish (I wonder who stood there counting). I’m surprised John didn’t say something like “I ate three fish sandwiches but Peter only had two”.
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John 21:12-14 John says this is the third time Jesus appeared to them since the resurrection. So perhaps the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 happened back in Jerusalem. I don’t know if this is when over 500 people saw Jesus at one time (the
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second appearance to Thomas), or if the appearance to the crowd of 500 will come later. We do know that Jesus spent 40 days on earth after the resurrection, and this incident in Galilee may have happened 10 to 12 days after the resurrection. So maybe there were other events. I suspect it is while Jesus is in Galilee that His halfbrother James becomes a believer. I don’t know if James witnessed the crucifixion, but I’m sure he heard all about it. Imagine his shock to see Jesus appearing alive and well (“But, but, they buried you!”). •
John 21:15-17 This section is best understood when we realize the Greek words being exchanged here. Jesus asks Peter “Do you love ( agape) Me”? And Peter replies, “Yes Lord, You know that I love (phileo) you.” So the exchange went something like this: Jesus – “Peter, you said that you loved me more than the other apostles did. You said you would lay down your life for Me. Is that true Peter? Peter – “You know that you’re my friend Jesus. You’ve always known that”. Jesus – “Well then Peter, take care of my lambs. But Peter, are you willing to serve Me and make personal sacrifices in your life? Peter – “I told you Jesus that You were my friend.” Jesus – “Then shepherd My sheep. But Peter, is that all I am to you, nothing more than a friend?” Peter – Peter is grieved because of this last statement - where Jesus wonders if He is nothing more than Peter’s friend. Finally Peter confesses, “You know the answer already Jesus. You know I have only been treating You like a friend.” Jesus – “Tend My sheep, Peter”. Nowhere in this exchange does Jesus indicate that Peter was to be the leader of the apostles. This command to feed His sheep is something each apostle had been
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commanded at the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). This exchange is a wonderful healing experience for Peter. He realizes that his commitment to Jesus is not where it should be. He realizes that he spoke rashly about the depth of his commitment. And he realizes that none of this disqualifies him to serve the Lord. •
John 21:18-19 In a way, Jesus promises Peter another chance at either standing up for Him or denying Him. And Jesus says that the next time Peter is faced with a trial of faith, he will be strong. His commitment will be tested once again, but this time his
agape relationship will shine. Indeed. Peter will be crucified. The early Church Fathers are unanimous in claiming that Peter died in Rome, by crucifixion, during the persecution of Nero in 64 AD. The point here is that following Jesus means serving Jesus. And serving Jesus means sacrifice. Do not be deceived. Serving Jesus is costly. It takes commitment. We place the Lord’s calling ahead of our desires. We become the servant of all. We care for those who don’t care for us. We care for the stubborn lambs and sheep that belong to the Lord. And we make sacrifices that are costly. We no longer do as we wish. We do as the Lord directs. Many a minister has begun serving in places they do not want to be. But that is where the Lord has sent them. Peter would have rather went fishing. But Jesus called him to feed His sheep. •
John 21:20-23 It’s possible John had just arrived around the campfire at this moment. He came walking up after counting the fish. I doubt it though because he records this conversation so accurately. Jesus had just told Peter that his service would be costly. So Peter turns and looks at John and asks, “What about him? What will his service to You cost him?” Boy, now there’s a question we want to ask. It’s the “Fairness” question. “Lord, I have given up so much to be Your servant. How’s come these other pastors have a nicer house, a bigger ministry and are more successful than I am?” “Why don’t I receive the same blessings they have received?” Ever ask that question? Ever play the “Fairness” game? I know I do from time to time. And even today the Lord points me to this text. “You follow me.” If we have agreed to be the
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Lord’s servant, then each of us is contributing in some way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Some contribute one way and others a different way. One way is not “better” than the next, for it is all part of God’s divine plan. As the Lord’s servants, we must focus on our calling, not the calling of others. Ministries and ministers and churches are not in competition with one another but in cooperation with one another as together we all fulfill the Father’s plan. •
John 21:24-25 John himself probably wrote the first part of this conclusion, then someone with him finished the sentence. “We know that his (John’s) testimony is true.” And this closing statement is quite interesting. If we were to read the collected words of Jesus found in these four Gospel accounts, it would only take about three hours. What we have in John and in the other three accounts is but a small sample of all Jesus said and did in the three-plus years He ministered on earth – which doesn’t figure in the other years He lived among us. We’ve been given a small sample. However, what we have received is sufficient for us to know and to believe WITHOUT SEEING. Blessed are we, my friend, for we believe having never met this Man. We believe because of the testimony of men like John, who wrote down for us the words that give us life.
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