Reading for October 12th

 IDENTINGFYING THE MESSIAH OF GOD

In 7.1-9.50: Jesus mission moves beyond speaking to his disciples. His role is publicly tested.

Read Luke 7.1-23. In 7.1-50: Jesus the prophet of God. In verses 1-10: Jesus' encounter with a trusting foreigner has prophetic precedent in Elisha (2 Kings 5.1-14; Lk 4.27). In verses 2-5: The centurion is a "friend of Israel" (see also Acts 10.2). In verses 11-17: The great prophet and God's visitation. In verse 14: Touching the bier would have made Jesus ritually unclean. In verse 15; Like Elijah (see 4.26) Jesus raised the widow's son and gave him to his mother (1 Kings 17.17-24; see also 2 Kings 4.18-37). In verse 16: God has looked favorably on his people is literally "God has visited his people," picking up the promising and fearsome theme of divine "visitation" (1.68; 19.44). In verses 18-23: John's question. In verses 19-20: The one who is to come was announced by John (Isa 29.18; 35.5-6; 61.1). In verse 22 Jesus has done what he announced at Nazareth (4.18). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 11th

 Read Luke 6.39-49. In verses 39-49: Jesus directs these traditional warnings against hypocrisy to his own disciples (6.17, 40), emphasizing the obedience of action (v. 47). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 10th

Read Luke 6.20-38. In 6.20-49: The address on the plain. These verses begin a section (6.20-8.3) that is without parallels in Mark. This section contains many sayings of Jesus that are largely shared with Matthew. Many scholars suggest Matthew and Luke may have drawn from a "Sayings Source," which is commonly called "Q" for the German word "Quelle." No copy of such a source has ever been found apart from the verses shared and close agreements of Matthew and Luke, along with some parallels in the noncanonical Gospel of Thomas. Luke's account does not glorify poverty, but stresses the contrast between the present need of the poor and their future abundance, while the rich who have plenty now will be deprived in the future. In verse 20: Blessed means favored by God, in this case because of God's particular care for the poor (4.18; 7.22-23). The kingdom of God is God's heavenly rule come to earth as announced in the reign of the messiah, Jesus (see 4.18; 7.22; 17.20-21). In verse 24: Prophetic announcements of woe indicate divine judgment (10.13; 11.42-52; 17.1; 21.23; 22.22). In verse 26: False prophets are popular for telling people what they want t hear (Isa 30.10). In verses 27-31: This section ends with the "golden rule," but now radically applied to enemies, abusers, thieves, and beggars. These verses have often been misused to discourage oppressed people from seeking justice. In verses 32-38: The credit that sinners receive fits with usual standards of fair exchange with gentiles and nonbelievers practice. The children of the most high operate with the economy of mercy rather than fairness, relying on the reward system of God's reign. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 9th

 Read Luke 6.12-19. In 6.12-19: Preparing for Jesus' sayings. In verse 12: Jesus often prays at significant points in the story (3.21; 5.16; 6.12; 9.18, 28-29; 11.1; 22.41, 44-45; 23.46). In verses 13-16: The twelve are significant as apostles who are sent as ambassadors of the mission and judges of the twelve tribes of Israel, which is why Judas Iscariot had to be replaced later (22.3-6, 30, 47-53; Acts 1.15-26). In verse 17: Jesus standing to teach from a level place compares with Matthew's description that he "went up the mountain" and "sat down." The gathering crowds from many regions anticipate a momentous event (5.17). In verse 19: The power to heal is again a sign of the presence of God's spirit (4.1, 14; 5.17). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 8th

 Read Luke 5.27--6.11. In 5.27-6.11: Conflicts about authority. In verses 27-32: Tax collectors and sinners were Jews who were not regarded as righteous because they did not observe the law but often collaborated with the Roman order. They were considered ineligible to be disciples at the fellowship table with a teacher, drawing near the law. Mk 2.13-17 and Mt 9.9-13 also emphasize Jesus' dramatic interpretation of who is invited to return to God (repentance). In verses 33-39: Jesus claims the freedom of the messiah, or ruler of the end time. The wedding feast was a symbol of heaven. In verse 35: This verse has encouraged Christians to fast to prepare for the return of Christ when feasting will again replace fasting. In 6.1-5: The royal privileges that David exercised (1 Sam 21.1-6) are claimed by the messiah, Jesus. The bread of the Presence was holy or set apart for God. Jesus again uses the title Son of Man to declare his role and authority concerning God's law (5.24; Dan 7.13). In verses 6-11: The conflict about sabbath law escalates as the other teachers seek an accusation. Jesus' question, is it lawful ... on the sabbath, is a classic question posed by Jewish teachers of the law: What kind of emergencies take precedence over sabbath practice? Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for October 7th

 Read Luke 5.17-26. In 5.17-26: Forgiveness of sins and healing of paralysis. This healing story is the occasion for a dispute with the religious authorities on the interpretation of the law. In verse 17: The Pharisees and teachers of the law were central figures in synagogues in every community, calling Israel to observance of the Torah (law of God given to Moses ). In verses 20-22: Jesus both saw faith of the crowd and perceived the questionings of the scribes and the Pharisees as disbelief in your hearts (see 2.5). Questions were customary method of teaching by prompting an answer from the law, but these questions accuse Jesus of blasphemy (slandering God or God's name). In verse 23: Jesus' question also calls for interpretation which is easier which is the "lighter" or the "heavier" matter according to the law. In verse 24: The Son of Man is the judge on the clouds of heaven at the end of Dan 7.13. Jesus claims that authority for himself on earth. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 6th

 Read Luke 5.12-16. In 5.12-16: The cleansing of leprosy. In verse 12: Leprosy included a complex variety of diseases, but symptoms identified in Lev 13-14 were understood more in terms or ritual impurity than contagion, requiring exclusion from the community. In Nazareth (4.27), Jesus had citied the precedent of the prophet Elisha's healing of  leper (2 kings 5). Comments or Questions..