Chapter Twenty-Two: The Night They Arrested God (Luke 22:39–71)
At this point in the parable, the scribes and Pharisees felt confident that they had escaped our Lord’s judgment, for He had centered His attention on the publicans and sinners, pictured by the prodigal son. But Jesus continued the story and introduced the elder brother, who is a clear illustration of the scribes and Pharisees. The publicans and sinners were guilty of the obvious sins of the flesh, but the Pharisees and scribes were guilty of sins of the spirit (). Their outward actions may have been blameless, but their inward attitudes were abominable (see ).
We must admit that the elder brother had some virtues that are commendable. He worked hard and always obeyed his father. He never brought disgrace either to the home or to the village, and apparently he had enough friends so that he could have planned an enjoyable party (). He seems like a good solid citizen and, compared to his younger brother, almost a saint.
However, important as obedience and diligence are, they are not the only tests of character. Jesus taught that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love others (), but the elder brother broke both of these divine commandments. He did not love God (represented in the story by the father), and he did not love his brother. The elder brother would not forgive his brother who wasted the family inheritance and disgraced the family name. But neither would he forgive his father who had graciously forgiven the young man those very sins!
When you examine the sins of the elder brother, you can easily understand why he pictures the scribes and Pharisees. To begin with, he was self-righteous. He openly announced the sins of his brother, but he could not see his own sins (see ). The Pharisees defined sin primarily in terms of outward actions, not inward attitudes. They completely missed the message of the Sermon on the Mount and its emphasis on inward attitudes and holiness of heart (Matt. 5–7).
Pride was another one of his failings. Just think, he had served his father all those years and had never disobeyed his will! What a testimony! But his heart was not in his work, and he was always dreaming of throwing a big party at which he and his friends could enjoy themselves. He was only a drudge. Like the Prophet Jonah, the elder brother did God’s will but not from the heart (Jonah 4; ). He was a hard worker and a faithful worker—qualities to be commended—but his work was not a “labor of love” that would please his father.
You cannot help but notice his unconcern for his missing brother. Imagine having to be told that his brother had come home! The father watched for the younger son day after day and finally saw him afar off, but the elder brother did not know his brother was home until one of the servants told him.
Even though he knew it would make his father happy, the elder brother did not want his younger brother to come home. Why should he share his estate with somebody who had wasted his own inheritance? Why should he even share the father’s love with somebody who had brought shame to the family and the village? Reports of the prodigal’s lifestyle only made the elder brother look good, and perhaps this would make the father love his obedient son even more. No doubt about it—the arrival of the younger son was a threat to the older son.
Perhaps the most disturbing thing about the elder son was his fierce anger. He was angry at both his father and his brother and would not go into the house and share in the joyful celebration.
Anger is a normal emotion and it need not be sinful. “Be ye angry, and sin not” (, quoting ). Moses, David, the prophets, and our Lord Jesus displayed holy anger at sin, and so should we today. The Puritan preacher Thomas Fuller said that anger was one of the “sinews of the soul.” Aristotle gave good advice when he wrote: “Anybody can become angry. That is easy. But to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose and in the right way—that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.”
The elder brother was angry with his father because his father had given the younger son the feast that the elder brother had always wanted. “You never gave me so much as a goat,” he said to his father, “but you killed for him the valuable fatted calf!” The elder brother’s dreams were all shattered because the father had forgiven the prodigal.
Of course the elder brother was angry at his younger brother for getting all that attention and receiving the father’s special gifts. As far as the elder brother was concerned, the younger brother deserved none of it. Had he been faithful? No! Had he obeyed the father? No! Then why should he be treated with such kindness and love?
The Pharisees had a religion of good works. By their fasting, studying, praying, and giving, they hoped to earn blessings from God and merit eternal life. They knew little or nothing about the grace of God. However, it was not what they did, but what they did not do, that alienated them from God (see ). When they saw Jesus receiving and forgiving irreligious people, they rebelled against it. Even more, they failed to see that they themselves also needed the Saviour.
The same father who ran to meet the prodigal came out of the house of feasting to plead with the older son. How gracious and condescending our Father is, and how patient He is with our weaknesses! The father explained that he would have been willing to host a feast for the older boy and his friends, but the boy had never asked him. Furthermore, ever since the division of the estate, the elder brother owned everything, and he could use it as he pleased.
The elder brother refused to go in; he stayed outside and pouted. He missed the joy of forgiving his brother and restoring the broken fellowship, the joy of pleasing his father and uniting the family again. How strange that the elder brother could speak peaceably to a servant boy, but he could not speak peaceably to his brother or father!
If we are out of fellowship with God, we cannot be in fellowship with our brothers and sisters and, conversely, if we harbor an unforgiving attitude toward others, we cannot be in communion with God (see ; ). When they show true repentance, we must forgive those who sin, and we should seek to restore them in grace and humility (; ; ).
The father had the last word, so we do not know how the story ended. (See Jonah 4 for a parallel narrative.) We do know that the scribes and Pharisees continued to oppose Jesus and separate themselves from His followers, and that their leaders eventually brought about our Lord’s arrest and death. In spite of the Father’s pleading, they would not come in.
Everybody in this chapter experienced joy except the elder brother. The shepherd, the woman, and their friends all experienced the joy of finding. The younger son experienced the joy of returning and being received by a loving, gracious father. The father experienced the joy of receiving his son back safe and sound. But the elder brother would not forgive his brother, so he had no joy. He could have repented and attended the feast, but he refused; so he stayed outside and suffered.
In my years of preaching and pastoral ministry, I have met elder brothers (and sisters!) who have preferred nursing their anger to enjoying the fellowship of God and God’s people. Because they will not forgive, they have alienated themselves from the church and even from their family; they are sure that everyone else is wrong and they alone are right. They can talk loudly about the sins of others, but they are blind to their own sins.
“I never forgive!” General Oglethorpe said to John Wesley, to which Wesley replied, “Then, sir, I hope you never sin.”
Don’t stand outside! Come in and enjoy the feast!
Luke 16
The Wall Street Journal quoted an anonymous wit who defined money as “an article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider for everything except happiness.” The writer might have added that money is also a provoker of covetousness and competition, a wonderful servant but a terrible master. The love of money is still “a root of all kinds of evil” (, NKJV) and has helped fill our world with corruption and lust ().
When you read our Lord’s sermons and parables, you are struck with the fact that He had a great deal to say about material wealth. He ministered to people who, for the most part, were poor and who thought that acquiring more wealth was the solution to all their problems. Jesus was not blind to the needs of the poor, and by His example and teaching, He encouraged His followers to share what they had with others. The early church was a fellowship of people who willingly shared their possessions with the less fortunate (; ).
In His portrait of the prodigal and the elder brother, Jesus described two opposite philosophies of life. Prior to his repentance, the prodigal wasted his life, but his elder brother only spent his life as a faithful drudge. Both attitudes are wrong, for the Christian approach to life is that we should invest our lives for the good of others and the glory of God. This chapter emphasizes that truth: life is a stewardship, and we must use our God-given opportunities faithfully. One day we must give an account to the Lord of what we have done with all He has given to us, so we had better heed what Jesus says in this chapter about the right and wrong use of wealth.
Neither of the two accounts in this chapter is called a parable either by Jesus or by Luke, so it is likely that our Lord was describing actual happenings. However, whether they are actual events or only parables, the spiritual values are the same.
A foolish steward (vv. ). A steward is someone who manages another’s wealth. He does not own that wealth himself, but he has the privilege of enjoying it and using it for the profit of his master. The most important thing about a steward is that he serve his master faithfully (). When he looks at the riches around him, the steward must remember that they belong to his master, not to him personally, and that they must be used in a way that will please and profit the master.
This particular steward forgot that he was a steward and began to act as if he were the owner. He became a “prodigal steward” who wasted his master’s wealth. His master heard about it and immediately asked for an inventory of his goods and an audit of his books. He also fired his steward.
Before we judge this man too severely, let’s examine our own lives to see how faithful we have been as stewards of what God has given to us. To begin with, we are stewards of the material wealth that we have, whether much or little; and we will one day have to answer to God for the way we have acquired it and used it.
Christian stewardship goes beyond paying God a tithe of our income and then using the remainder as we please. True stewardship means that we thank God for all that we have () and use it as He directs. Giving God 10 percent of our income is a good way to begin our faithful stewardship, but we must remember that God should control what we do with the remaining 90 percent as well.
We are also stewards of our time (). The phrase “redeeming the time” comes from the business world and means “buying up the opportunity.” Time is eternity, minted into precious minutes and handed to us to use either wisely or carelessly. The main lesson of this narrative is that the steward, as dishonest as he was, used his opportunity wisely and prepared for the future. Life ceased to be “enjoyment” and became “investment.”
Christians are stewards of the gifts and abilities God has given them (), and we must use those gifts and abilities to serve others. The thief says, “What’s yours is mine—I’ll take it!” The selfish man says, “What’s mine is mine—I’ll keep it!” But the Christian must say, “What’s mine is a gift from God—I’ll share it!” We are stewards and we must use our abilities to win the lost, encourage the saints, and meet the needs of hurting people.
Finally, God’s people are stewards of the Gospel (). God has committed the treasure of His truth to us (), and we must guard this treasure () and invest it in the lives of others (). The enemy wants to rob the church of this treasure (), and we must be alert and courageous.
Like this steward, we will one day have to give an account of our stewardship (; ). If we have been faithful, the Lord will give us His commendation and reward (; ); but if we have not been faithful, we will lose those blessings, even though we will be saved and enter heaven ().
Vance Havner often said, “God called us to play the game, not keep the score.” If we are faithful stewards, God will reward us generously, and that reward will bring glory to His name.
A wise steward (vv. ). The steward knew he would lose his job. He could not change the past, but he could prepare for the future. How? By making friends of his master’s creditors so that they would take him in when his master threw him out. He gave each of them a generous discount, provided they paid up immediately, and they were only too glad to cooperate. Even his master complimented him on his clever plan ().
Jesus did not commend the steward for robbing his master or for encouraging others to be dishonest. Jesus commended the man for his wise use of opportunity. “The children of this world” are experts at seizing opportunities for making money and friends and getting ahead. God’s people should take heed and be just as wise when it comes to managing the spiritual affairs of life. “The children of this world” are wiser only “in their generation”; they see the things of time, but not the things of eternity. Because the child of God lives “with eternity’s values in view,” he should be able to make far better use of his opportunities.
The application (vv. ). Jesus gave three admonitions, based on the experience of the steward.
First, He admonishes us to use our opportunities wisely (). One of these days, life will end, and we will not be able to earn or use money. Therefore, while we have the opportunity, we must invest our money in “making friends” for the Lord. This means winning people to Christ who will one day welcome us to heaven. Our lives and our resources will one day end, so it behooves us to use them wisely.
It is tragic to see how God’s wealth is being wasted by Christians who live as though Jesus never died and judgment is never coming. The old couplet is certainly true:
The only difference between men and boys
Is that men buy more expensive toys.
The heritage of the past must be used wisely in the present to guarantee spiritual dividends in the future. All of us should want to meet people in heaven who trusted Christ because we helped to pay the bill for Gospel witness around the world, starting at home. Thoreau wrote that a man is wealthy in proportion to the number of things he can afford to do without, and he was right. I once heard the late Jacob Stam pray, “Lord, the only thing we know about sacrifice is how to spell the word.” I wonder if today some of us can even spell the word!
Our Lord’s second admonition is be faithful in the way you use your material wealth (). He makes it clear that you cannot divorce the “spiritual” from the “material.” Notice the contrasts:
The material
The spiritiual
the god “Mammon”
the true God
that which is least
that which is much
false riches
true riches
that which is another’s
that which is yours
Why is our Lord so concerned about the way we use money? Because money is not neutral; it is basically evil (“the mammon of unrighteousness”), and only God can sanctify it and use it for good. It is significant that both Paul and Peter called money “filthy lucre” (, ; , ; ). Apparently by its very nature, money defiles and debases those who love it and let it control their lives. “We cannot safely use mammon,” writes Richard Foster, “until we are absolutely clear that we are dealing, not just with mammon, but with unrighteous mammon” (Money, Sex and Power, Harper & Row, p. 57).
People who are unfaithful in the way they use money are also unfaithful in the way they use the “true riches” of God’s kingdom. We cannot be orthodox in our theology and at the same time heretical in the way we use money. God will not commit His true riches to individuals or ministries that waste money and will not give an honest accounting to the people who have supported them. When it came to money, Paul was very careful that everything was honest “not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” ().
Finally, the Lord admonishes us to be wholly devoted to God and single-minded (; and see ). We cannot love or serve two masters, anymore than we can walk in two directions at one time. If we choose to serve money, then we cannot serve God. If we choose to serve God, then we will not serve money. Jesus is demanding integrity, total devotion to God that puts Him first in everything ().
If God is our Master, then money will be our servant, and we will use our resources in the will of God. But if God is not our Master, then we will become the servants of money, and money is a terrible master! We will start wasting our lives instead of investing them, and we will one day find ourselves “friendless” as we enter the gates of glory.
Henry Fielding wrote, “Make money your god and it will plague you like the devil!” Jesus said, “Make money your servant and use today’s opportunities as investments in tomorrow’s dividends.” Be a wise steward! There are souls to win to the Saviour, and our money can help get the job done.
Jesus had been speaking primarily to His disciples, but the Pharisees had been listening, and their response was anything but spiritual. They sneered at Him! (The Greek word means “to turn up one’s nose.”) In spite of their strict religious practices, they loved money and cultivated values that were godless. They professed to trust God, but they measured life by wealth and possessions, the same as the unbelieving worldly crowd. Far too many professed Christians today are making the same mistake. With their lips, they honor the Lord; but with their wealth, they live like the world.
The Pharisees needed to stop “drifting” with the crowd and start “pressing into the kingdom” as many others were doing. The Pharisees had rejected the ministry of John the Baptist and permitted him to be killed, even though they knew he was God’s prophet. They were also rejecting the ministry of Jesus Christ and would ultimately ask Pilate to have Him crucified. When your life is controlled by the love of money, you open the door to every kind of sin.
The Law and the Prophets were “until John,” for John introduced the Saviour to the nation and announced the arrival of the kingdom. But that did not mean that the Law was discredited or destroyed, for in Jesus Christ, the Law has been fulfilled (). The Pharisees prided themselves in their faithful obedience to the Law of Moses, but they did not receive the Saviour of whom Moses wrote!
Why did Jesus talk about divorce and remarriage when His basic discussion was about covetousness? The scribes and Pharisees were divided on this question, and perhaps they wanted to provoke Jesus into an argument, but He thwarted their plans. (In most marriages and divorces, money is involved, so the topic was not completely foreign to the discussion.) Some of the Jews were very lax in their views of divorce and remarriage, while others were very strict. Jesus had spoken about this subject before, so it was not a new teaching ().
Having silenced the sneering Pharisees, Jesus then gave them a vivid description of what would happen to them if they continued in their covetousness and unbelief. The account focuses on an anonymous rich man and a beggar named Lazarus (“God is my help”), and it warns us against covetousness by presenting several contrasts.
A contrast in life (vv. ). This man was indeed rich if he could afford daily to wear expensive clothes and host splendid feasts. The one word that best describes his lifestyle is “flamboyant.” He was definitely among “the rich and famous,” and other people admired and envied him.
Why is one man wealthy and another man poor? Had the Jewish people obeyed God’s commandments concerning the Sabbatical Year and the Year of Jubilee, there would have been little or no poverty in the land, for the wealth and real estate could not have fallen into the hands of a few wealthy people (see Lev. 25, and note ; ). The Old Testament prophets denounced the rich for amassing great estates and exploiting the widows and the poor (; ; ; ; ; ; ). In Jesus’ day, Palestine was under the rule of Rome, and life was very difficult for the common people.
Lazarus was sick and possibly crippled, because he was “laid” at the rich man’s gate daily (see ). The only attention he got was from the dogs! The rich man could easily have assisted Lazarus, but he ignored him and went on enjoying his recognition and his riches. Life was comfortable for him and he felt secure.
The rich man obviously had no concept of stewardship, or he would have used part of his wealth to help Lazarus. It is a mystery why he even allowed the beggar to camp at his front door. Perhaps he thought that providing a place for the man was ministry enough, and it may be that some of his wealthy guests occasionally gave Lazarus alms. Did any of them ever recall what the Old Testament had to say about the care of the poor, such as ; ; ; or ?
A contrast in death (v. ). “The rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all” (). As John Donne said, death is the “great leveler.” The rich man died in spite of his wealth () and “was buried,” no doubt with an expensive funeral. But when Lazarus died, he was carried to Abraham’s bosom. What a difference! Perhaps the beggar’s body did not even have a decent burial, though the Jews were usually compassionate in such cases. Lazarus certainly did not have the traditional Jewish funeral, with its paid mourners, costly spices, and elaborate tomb. After Lazarus’ body was taken away, the neighbors probably said, “Well, we’re glad he’s not around anymore!”
Death takes place when the spirit leaves the body (). But death is not the end; it is the beginning of a whole new existence in another world. For the Christian, death means to be present with the Lord (; ). For the unbeliever, death means to be away from God’s presence and in torment.
A contrast in eternity (vv. ). The King James Version uses the word hell in , but the Greek word is not “hell” but “hades.” It is the temporary realm of the dead as they await the judgment. The permanent place of punishment for the lost is “hell,” the lake of fire. One day, death will give up the bodies and hades will give up the souls (, where “hell” should be “hades”), and the lost will stand before Christ in judgment ().
From our Lord’s description, we learn that hades had two sections: a paradise portion called “Abraham’s bosom,” and a punishment portion. It is believed by many theologians that our Lord emptied the paradise part of hades when He arose from the dead and returned to the Father (; ). We know that today “paradise” is in heaven, where Jesus reigns in glory (; ). There is no indication in Scripture that souls in heaven can communicate with people in hades or with people on earth.
This narrative refutes so-called “soul sleep,” for both the rich man and Lazarus were conscious, one enjoying comfort and the other suffering torment. It is a solemn thing to ponder one’s eternal destiny and realize the reality of divine punishment.
C.S. Lewis was told about a gravestone inscription that read: “Here lies an atheist—all dressed up and no place to go.” Lewis quietly replied, “I bet he wishes that were so!”
The interesting thing is that, in hades, the rich man began to pray! First, he prayed for himself, that Abraham would have mercy on him and allow Lazarus to bring him some comfort (). Even a drop of cool water would be welcomed. What a change from his sumptuous feasts when slaves ran to do his bidding!
The word torment is used four times in this account, and it speaks of definite pain. This is the same word that is used for the doom feared by the evil spirits () and the judgments God will send on an unrepentant world (; ; ). If hell is the permanent prison of the damned, then hades is the temporary jail, and the suffering in both is very real.
People ask, “How can a loving God even permit such a place as hell to exist, let alone send people there?” But in asking that question, they reveal that they do not understand either the love of God or the wickedness of sin. God’s love is a holy love (“God is light,” ), not a shallow sentiment, and sin is rebellion against a holy and loving God. God does not “send people to hell.” They send themselves there by refusing to heed His call and believe on His Son. The “unbelieving” are named second on the list of the people who go to hell, even before the murderers and the liars (; also see , ).
Abraham gave two reasons why Lazarus could not bring the comfort that was requested: the character of the rich man and the character of the eternal state. The rich man had lived for the “good things” of earth, and had experienced abundant temporal blessings. He had his reward (, , ). He had determined his own destiny by leaving God out of his life, and now neither his character nor his destiny could be changed. Lazarus could not leave his place of comfort and make even a brief visit to the place of torment.
Then the rich man prayed for his brothers (). He did not say, “I’m glad my brothers will also come here. We’ll have a wonderful time together!” Occasionally you hear a lost person say, “Well, I don’t mind if I go to hell. I’ll have a lot of company!” But there is no friendship or “company” in hell! Hell is a place of torment and loneliness. It is not an eternal New Year’s Eve party at which sinners have a good time doing what they used to do on earth.
suggests that Lazarus had testified to the rich man and probably to his brothers, but none of them had taken his witness seriously. But now, Lazarus’ testimony is very important! The brothers knew that Lazarus had died, so if the beggar appeared to them, they would be frightened and would listen to his witness. People in hades have a concern for the lost, but they cannot do anything about it.
Abraham explained that only one thing could prevent the five men from eventually joining their brother: they needed to hear the Word of God and respond to it by faith. Moses and the Prophets tell sinners how to repent and be saved, and the Jews heard them read every Sabbath in the synagogue. Though miracles can attest to the authority of the preacher, they cannot produce either conviction or conversion in the hearts of the lost. Faith that is based solely on miracles is not saving faith (). A man named Lazarus did come back from the dead, and some of the people wanted to kill him! (see ; ) Those who claim that there can be no effective evangelism without “signs and wonders” need to ponder this passage and also .
In the rich man’s lifetime, God had spoken to him in many ways. God had permitted him to have riches, yet he did not repent (). Lazarus had witnessed to the rich man, and so had the Old Testament Scriptures that were familiar to the Jews, but his heart remained unbelieving. The fact that Lazarus died first was a strong witness to the rich man, a reminder that one day he would also die, but even a death at his very doorstep did not melt the man’s heart.
In spite of the fact that he was in torment in hades, the rich man did not change; he was still self-centered. He prayed, but it was for his comfort and the safety of his family. He was not concerned about other lost sinners; his only concern was his five brothers. He argued with God instead of submitting to His will. This indicates that the punishment of lost sinners is not remedial; it does not improve them. Hades and hell are not hospitals for the sick; they are prisons for the condemned.
Dr. Luke does not tell us how the covetous Pharisees responded to this account. They certainly knew Moses and the Prophets, and this meant even greater responsibility—and greater condemnation ().
We must remind ourselves that the rich man was not condemned because he was rich, nor was Lazarus saved because he was poor. Abraham was a very wealthy man, yet he was not in torment in hades. The rich man trusted in his riches and did not trust in the Lord.
“The safest road to hell,” wrote C.S. Lewis, “is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” ()
Jesus asked that question.
What is your answer?
Luke 17
As Jesus made His way to Jerusalem, He continued to teach His disciples and prepare them for what He would suffer there. But He was also preparing them for the time when He would no longer be with them and they would be ministering to others in His place. It was a critical period in their lives.
In this chapter, Luke recorded lessons that Jesus gave His disciples about some of the essentials of the Christian life: forgiveness (), faithfulness (), thankfulness (), and preparedness ().
After Jesus warned the Pharisees about the sin of loving money (), He then turned to His disciples to warn them about possible sins in their lives, for occasions to stumble (“offenses”) are an unfortunate part of life. After all, we are all sinners living in a sinful world. But we must take heed not to cause others to stumble, for it is a serious thing to sin against a fellow believer and tempt him or her to sin (; ; ).
By “these little ones” (), Jesus was referring not only to children but also to young believers who were learning how to follow the Lord (; ). Since is part of a context that begins with , “little ones” would include the publicans and sinners who had come to believe in Jesus Christ. The Pharisees had criticized Jesus, and this might well have caused these new believers to stumble. So serious is this sin that a person would be better off cast alive into the sea, never to be seen again, than to deliberately cause others to stumble and sin.
But suppose you are not the one who does the sinning. Suppose another believer sins against you. Jesus anticipated this question in and instructed us what to do. First, we must have a personal concern for each other and obey His warning, “Take heed to yourselves.” This means that we should lovingly watch over each other and do all we can to keep one another from sinning.
If a brother or sister does sin against us, we should give a private loving rebuke. Our tendency might be to feel hurt down inside, nurse a grudge, and then tell others what happened to us, but this is the wrong approach (see ). “Speaking the truth in love” () is the first step toward solving personal differences.
Our aim is not to embarrass or hurt the offender, but to encourage him or her to repent (). If the offender does repent, then we must forgive (; and see ). In fact, we must be in the habit of forgiving, for others might sin against us seven times a day—or even seventy times seven! () No one is likely to commit that much sin in one day, but this use of hyperbole emphasized the point Jesus was making: do not enumerate the sins of others, for love “keeps no record of wrongs” (). We should always be ready to forgive others, for one day we may want them to forgive us!
We might have expected the disciples to respond with the prayer, “Increase our love!” Certainly love is a key element in forgiveness, but faith is even more important. It takes living faith to obey these instructions and forgive others. Our obedience in forgiving others shows that we are trusting God to take care of the consequences, handle the possible misunderstandings, and work everything out for our good and His glory.
Mature Christians understand that forgiveness is not a cheap exchange of words, the way squabbling children often flippantly say “I’m sorry” to each other. True forgiveness always involves pain; somebody has been hurt and there is a price to pay in healing the wound. Love motivates us to forgive, but faith activates that forgiveness so that God can use it to work blessings in the lives of His people.
Our Lord’s image of the mustard seed conveys the idea of life and growth. The mustard seed is very small, but it has life in it and, therefore, it can grow and produce fruit (). If our faith is a living faith (), it will grow and enable us to obey God’s commands. “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass” (). Forgiveness is a test of both our faith and our love.
Human nature being what it is, there will always be offenses that can easily become opportunities for sin. God’s people must get into the habit of facing these offenses honestly and lovingly, and forgiving others when they repent. The Anglican pastor and poet George Herbert wrote, “He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.”
The introductory word but indicates that Jesus was now going to balance one lesson with another. There was a danger that the Twelve might get so carried away with transplanting trees that they would ignore the everyday responsibilities of life! Faith that does not result in faithfulness will not accomplish God’s work. It is good to have faith to do the difficult () and the impossible (), but it is essential that we have faith to do even the routine tasks our Master has committed to us. Privileges must always be balanced with responsibilities.
The servant in the story was evidently a “jack-of-all-trades,” for he was responsible for farming, shepherding, and cooking. It was not unusual for people with only modest means to hire at least one servant, but Jesus described a situation which in that day was unthinkable: a master ministering to his servant! In fact, He introduced the story with a phrase that means, “Can any of you imagine?” … Their answer had to be, “No, we cannot imagine such a thing!”
Jesus had already discussed His relationship to His servants and had promised to serve them if they were faithful (). He Himself was among them as a servant (), even though He was Master of all. This story emphasizes faithfulness to duty no matter what the demands might be, and the argument is from the lesser to the greater. If a common servant is faithful to obey the orders of his master who does not reward (thank) him, how much more ought Christ’s disciples obey their loving Master, who has promised to reward them graciously!
A faithful servant should not expect any special reward, since he did only what he was told to do. The word translated “unprofitable” means “without need”—that is, “nobody owes us anything.” The servant was indeed profitable; after all, he cared for his master’s fields, flocks, and food. The statement means, “My master does not owe me anything extra.” The fact that Jesus will reward His servants is wholly a matter of God’s grace. We do not deserve anything because we have obeyed Him and served Him.
As His servants, we must beware lest we have the wrong attitude toward our duties. There are two extremes to avoid: merely doing our duty in a slavish way because we have to, or doing our duty because we hope to gain a reward. Christian industrialist R.G. LeTourneau used to say, “If you give because it pays, it won’t pay.” This principle also applies to service. Both extremes are seen in the attitudes of the elder brother () who was miserably obedient, always hoping that his father would let him have a party with his friends.
What then is the proper attitude for Christian service? “Doing the will of God from the heart” (). “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (, NKJV). To the person who is born again, “His commandments are not grievous” (). Serving Him is a delight, not just a duty, and we obey Him because we love Him. “I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart” ().
Between and , the events of John 11 occurred as the Lord Jesus made His way to Jerusalem. At the border of Samaria and Judea, Jesus healed ten lepers at one time, and the fact that the miracle involved a Samaritan made it even more significant (see ). Jesus used this event to teach a lesson about gratitude to God.
The account begins with ten unclean men (), all of whom were lepers (see the comments on Luke 5:12–15). The Jews and Samaritans would not normally live together, but misery loves company and all ten were outcasts. What difference does birth make if you are experiencing a living death? But these men had hope, for Jesus was there, and they cried out for mercy. The word translated “master” is the same one Peter used () and means “chief commander.” They knew that Jesus was totally in command of even disease and death, and they trusted Him to help them.
The account continues by referring to nine ungrateful men (). Jesus commanded the men to go show themselves to the priest, which in itself was an act of faith, for they had not yet been cured. When they turned to obey, they were completely healed, for their obedience was evidence of their faith (see ).
You would have expected all ten men to run to Jesus and thank Him for a new start in life, but only one did so—and he was not even a Jew. How grateful the men should have been for the providence of God that brought Jesus into their area, for the love that caused Him to pay attention to them and their need, and for the grace and power of God that brought about their healing. They should have formed an impromptu men’s chorus and sung Psalm 103 together!
But before we judge them too harshly, what is our own “GQ”—“Gratitude Quotient”? How often do we take our blessings for granted and fail to thank the Lord? “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (, , , ) Too often we are content to enjoy the gift but we forget the Giver. We are quick to pray but slow to praise.
The next time you sing “Now Thank We All Our God,” try to remember that Martin Rinkhart wrote it during the Thirty Years’ War when his pastoral duties were most difficult. He conducted as many as forty funerals a day, including that of his own wife; yet he wrote those beautiful words as a table grace for his family. In spite of war and plague around him and sorrow within him, he was able to give thanks to the Lord from a grateful heart.
Luke’s account closes with one unusual man (). The Samaritan shouted “Glory to God!” and fell at Jesus’ feet to praise Him and give thanks. It would have been logical for him to have followed the other men and gone to the temple, but he first came to the Lord Jesus with his sacrifice of praise (; ). This pleased the Lord more than all the sacrifices the other men offered, even though they were obeying the Law (). Instead of going to the priest, the Samaritan became a priest, and he built his altar at the feet of Jesus (read ).
By coming to Jesus, the man received something greater than physical healing: he was also saved from his sins. Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you” (literal translation), the same words He spoke to the repentant woman who anointed His feet (). The Samaritan’s nine friends were declared clean by the priest, but he was declared saved by the Son of God! While it is wonderful to experience the miracle of physical healing, it is even more wonderful to experience the miracle of eternal salvation.
Every child of God should cultivate the grace of gratitude. It not only opens the heart to further blessings but glorifies and pleases the Father. An unthankful heart is fertile soil for all kinds of sins ().
The Jewish people lived in an excited atmosphere of expectancy, particularly at the Passover season when they commemorated their deliverance from Egypt. They longed for another Moses who would deliver them from their bondage. Some had hoped that John the Baptist would be the deliverer, and then the attention focused on Jesus (). The fact that He was going to Jerusalem excited them all the more (). Perhaps He would establish the promised kingdom!
The Pharisees were the custodians of the Law (), so they had the right to ask Jesus when He thought the kingdom of God would appear. It was customary for Jewish teachers to discuss these subjects publicly, and Jesus gave them a satisfactory answer. However, He reserved His detailed lessons for His disciples.
The word translated “observation” () is used only here in the New Testament and means in classical Greek “to observe the future by signs.” It carries the idea of spying, lying in wait, and even scientific investigation. The point Jesus made was that God’s kingdom would not come with great “outward show” so that people could predict its arrival and plot its progress.
The Pharisees’ question was legitimate, but it was also tragic; for Jesus had been ministering among them for some three years, and these men were still in spiritual darkness. They did not understand who Jesus was or what He was seeking to accomplish. Their views of the kingdom were political, not spiritual; Jewish, not universal. Jesus did not deny that there would be a future earthly kingdom, but He did emphasize the importance of the spiritual kingdom that could be entered only by the new birth ().
The statement “the kingdom of God is within you” has challenged Bible translators and interpreters for centuries, and many explanations have been given. One thing we can be sure of is that He was not telling the unbelieving Pharisees that they had the kingdom of God in their hearts!
The Greek preposition can mean “within,” “among,” or “in the midst of.” Jesus was saying, “Don’t look for the kingdom ‘out there’ unless it is first in your own heart” (see ). At the same time, He may also have been saying, “The fact that I am here in your midst is what is important, for I am the King. How can you enter the kingdom if you reject the King?” (see ) The Pharisees were preoccupied with the great events of the future but were ignoring the opportunities of the present ().
Having answered the Pharisees, Jesus then turned to His disciples to instruct them about the coming of the kingdom. He warned them not to become so obsessed with His return that they ended up doing nothing else but trying to track Him down. This is a good warning to believers who do nothing but study prophecy. Certainly we should look for His return and long to see Him come, but at the same time, we should be busy doing His work when He comes (note ).
To begin with, His coming will affect the whole world, so it is foolish for anyone to follow false prophets who say “He is here!” or “He is there!” Furthermore, His coming will be as sudden as a flash of lightning (, ). While a study of the prophetic Scriptures will help us understand the general characteristics of the time of His coming, we cannot know the day or the hour (; , ). It is futile to investigate signs and try to calculate the day of His coming.
Jesus then used two Old Testament events to illustrate the certainty and the suddenness of His coming: the Flood (Gen. 6–8) and the destruction of Sodom (Gen. 19). In both examples, the people of the world were caught unprepared as they engaged in their everyday activities of eating and drinking, marrying, buying, and selling. Noah witnessed to his generation in the years preceding the Flood (), but his preaching did not convert them. Noah and his wife, his three sons, and their wives—only eight people—were saved from destruction because they entered the ark. Peter saw this as an illustration of the salvation Christians have through faith in Jesus Christ ().
Both Noah and Lot lived in days of religious compromise and moral declension, not unlike our present time. During “the days of Noah,” population growth was significant (), lawlessness was on the increase (), and the earth was given over to violence (, ). In Lot’s day, the unnatural lusts of Sodom and Gomorrah were so abhorrent to God that He completely destroyed the cities. Only Lot, two of his daughters, and his wife (who later was destroyed) were saved from the terrible judgment.
describes what will occur when Jesus Christ returns in judgment to defeat His enemies and establish His kingdom on earth (Rev. 19:11–20:6). Believers in every age of the church can take warning from these verses, but they apply in a special way to Israel at the end of the age (see ). When Jesus comes for His church and takes it to heaven, it will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (). Nobody taking part in the rapture of the church need worry about being on a housetop or in a field and wanting to get something out of the house! However, when the Lord returns to the earth, His coming will first be preceded by a “sign” in heaven (), and some people might try to hurry home to rescue something. “Remember Lot’s wife!”
The verb taken in does not mean “taken to heaven” but “taken away in judgment” (). The person “left” is a believer who enters into the kingdom. Noah and his family were “left” to enjoy a new beginning, while the whole population of the earth was “taken” in the Flood. In spite of their sins, Lot and his daughters were “left” while the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were “taken” when the fire and brimstone destroyed the cities.
The fact that it is night in but day in indicates that the whole world will be involved in the return of Jesus Christ in glory. “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him” ().
Three times the disciples had heard Jesus talk about people being “taken” and “left,” so they asked Him a most logical question: “Where, Lord?” Our Lord’s reply has the sound of a familiar proverb: “Just as the eagles [and vultures, ] gather at a corpse, so the lost will be gathered together for judgment.” The description of the last battle in certainly parallels the image of carrion-eating birds gorging themselves on flesh.
In other words, when the Lord Jesus returns to judge His enemies, there will be a separation of the saved and the lost. Whether it be day or night, whether people are working or sleeping, the separation and judgment will come. Those who are saved will be left to enter the glorious kingdom, while those who are lost will be taken away in judgment.
Even though the primary interpretation of these verses is for Israel in the end times, they do emphasize for the church the importance of being ready when Jesus returns. We must not be like Lot’s wife whose heart was so in Sodom that she looked back in spite of the angels’ warning (, ). There are many professed Christians today whose plans would be interrupted if Jesus returned! (note ) Our Lord’s warning in finds parallels in ; ; and , and is a fundamental principle of the Christian life. The only way to save your life is to lose it for the sake of Christ and the Gospel.
Jesus pictured civilization as a “rotting corpse” that would one day be ripe for judgment. The discerning believer sees evidence of this on every hand and realizes that the “days of Noah” and the “days of Lot” are soon on us. Our Lord can return for His church at any time, so we are not looking for signs; but we do know that “coming events cast their shadows before.” As we see many of these things begin to come to pass (), we know that His return is nearing.
Are we looking for His return, and do we really want to see Him come?
Luke 18
Lord Chesterfield, the English statesman, wrote, “Learning … is only to be acquired by reading men, and studying all the various editions of them.”
He was referring to “the knowledge of the world,” but what he said applies to spiritual knowledge as well. Much can be learned from reading the “book of humanity,” whether in daily life, history, biography, or even fiction.
There are several “editions” of mankind introduced in this chapter, and each one has a spiritual lesson to teach us. Being a compassionate physician, Dr. Luke wrote about widows and politicians, Pharisees and publicans, little children and adults, rich men and beggars. From this colorful cast of characters, I have selected four “editions” for us to “read.” The lessons they teach us are important.
Luke mentions widows more than do all the other Gospel writers combined (; ; ; ; ; ). In that day, widows usually had a difficult time making ends meet, in spite of the care God instructed His people to give them (; ; ; ; , ; ). The early church was serious about the care of Christian widows (; ; ), a good example for us to follow today.
As you study this parable, try to see it in its Eastern setting. The “courtroom” was not a fine building but a tent that was moved from place to place as the judge covered his circuit. The judge, not the law, set the agenda; and he sat regally in the tent, surrounded by his assistants. Anybody could watch the proceedings from the outside, but only those who were approved and accepted could have their cases tried. This usually meant bribing one of the assistants so that he would call the judge’s attention to the case.
The widow had three obstacles to overcome. First, being a woman she, therefore, had little standing before the law. In the Palestinian society of our Lord’s day, women did not go to court. Since she was a widow, she had no husband to stand with her in court. Finally, she was poor and could not pay a bribe even if she wanted to. No wonder poor widows did not always get the protection the law was supposed to afford them!
Now that we understand something of the setting of this parable, we can better understand what Jesus was teaching. Basically, He was encouraging His disciples to pray, and He did this by presenting three contrasts.
Praying contrasted with fainting (v. ). If we don’t pray, we will faint; it’s as simple as that! The word faint describes a believer who loses heart and gets so discouraged that he or she wants to quit. I can recall two occasions when I have fainted physically, and it is the most helpless feeling I have ever experienced. I felt myself “going,” but I couldn’t seem to do a thing about it!
There is a connection between what our Lord said in and His statement in . If society is like a rotting corpse, then the “atmosphere” in which we live is being slowly polluted, and this is bound to affect our spiritual lives. But when we pray, we draw on the “pure air” of heaven, and this keeps us from fainting.
But what does it mean “always to pray” or to “pray without ceasing”? () It certainly doesn’t mean that we should constantly be repeating prayers, because Jesus warned against that kind of praying (). Rather, it means to make prayer as natural to us as our regular breathing. Unless we are sick or smothering, we rarely think about our breathing; we just do it. Likewise with prayer—it should be the natural habit of our lives, the “atmosphere” in which we constantly live.
Prayer is much more than the words of our lips; it is the desires of our hearts, and our hearts are constantly “desiring” before Him, even if we never speak a word. So, to “pray without ceasing” means to have such holy desires in our hearts, in the will of God, that we are constantly in loving communion with the Father, petitioning Him for His blessing.
Take your choice: do you want to pray—or faint?
The widow contrasted with God’s elect (vv. ). Jesus did not say that God’s people are like this woman; in fact, He said just the opposite. Because we are not like her, we should be encouraged in our praying. He argued from the lesser to the greater: “If a poor widow got what she deserved from a selfish judge, how much more will God’s children receive what is right from a loving Heavenly Father!”
Consider the contrasts. To begin with, the woman was a stranger, but we are the children of God, and God cares for His children (). The widow had no access to the judge, but God’s children have an open access into His presence and may come at any time to get the help they need (; ; ; ).
The woman had no friend at court to help get her case on the docket. All she could do was walk around outside the tent and make a nuisance of herself as she shouted at the judge. But when Christian believers pray, they have in heaven a Saviour who is Advocate () and High Priest (), who constantly represents them before the throne of God.
When we pray, we can open the Word and claim the many promises of God, but the widow had no promises that she could claim as she tried to convince the judge to hear her case. We not only have God’s unfailing promises, but we also have the Holy Spirit, who assists us in our praying ().
Perhaps the greatest contrast is that the widow came to a court of law, but God’s children come to a throne of grace (). She pled out of her poverty, but we have all of God’s riches available to us to meet our every need (). The point is clear: if we fail to pray, our condition spiritually will be just like that of the poor widow. That should encourage us to pray!
The judge contrasted with the Father (vv. ). Unless you see that Jesus is pointing out contrasts, you will get the idea that God must be “argued” or “bribed” into answering prayer! God is not like this judge; for 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. The only reason the judge helped the widow was because he was afraid she would “weary” him, which literally means “give me a black eye”—i.e., ruin his reputation. God answers prayer for His glory and for our good, and He is not vexed when we come.
How, then, do we explain delays in answers to prayer, especially when Jesus said that God would “avenge [give them justice] speedily”? () Remember that God’s delays are not the delays of inactivity but of preparation. God is always answering prayer, otherwise could not be in the Bible. God works in all things at all times, causing all things to work together to accomplish His purposes. The moment we send Him a request that is in His will (see ), God begins to work. We may not see it now, but one day the answer will come.
The question in ties in with what Jesus taught in : “Shall He find [that kind of] faith on the earth?” The end times will not be days of great faith. Eight people were saved in Noah’s day, and only four out of Sodom (and one of them perished on the way). Passages like 1 Timothy 4 and 2 Timothy 3 paint a dark picture of the last days.
Throughout His public ministry, Jesus exposed the self-righteousness and unbelief of the Pharisees (see ). He pictured them as debtors too bankrupt to pay what they owed God (), guests fighting for the best seats (), and sons proud of their obedience but unconcerned about the needs of others (). The sad thing is that the Pharisees were completely deluded and thought they were right and Jesus was wrong. This is illustrated in this parable.
The Pharisee was deluded about prayer, for he prayed with himself and told God (and anybody else listening) how good he was. The Pharisees used prayer as a means of getting public recognition and not as a spiritual exercise to glorify God (; 23:14).
He was deluded about himself, for he thought he was accepted by God because of what he did or what he did not do. The Jews were required to fast only once a year, on the Day of Atonement (), but he fasted twice a week. He tithed everything that came into his possession, even the tiny herbs from his garden ().
He was deluded about the publican who was also in the temple praying. The Pharisee thought that the publican was a great sinner, but the publican went home justified by God while the proud Pharisee went home only self-satisfied. To be “justified” means to be declared righteous by God on the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (Rom. 3:19–4:25).
The publican repeatedly smote his breast, for he knew where his greatest problem was, and he called to God for mercy. The publican knew the enormity of his sins, but the Pharisee was blissfully ignorant of his own heart. The Pharisee’s pride condemned him, but the publican’s humble faith saved him (see and ). It is the prodigal son and elder brother over again ().
In contrast to the proud Pharisee are the children who were brought to Jesus (). It was customary for the Jews to bring little children to the rabbis to receive their special blessing, so it is strange that the disciples would stand in the way. Perhaps they thought Jesus was weary and needed rest, or they may have decided that He was not really interested in children. How wrong they were!
However, this was not the first time the disciples had attempted to “get rid of” people. They wanted to send the crowd away hungry, but Jesus fed them (); and they tried to stop the Canaanite woman from asking Jesus to heal her daughter (), but Jesus answered her prayer. The Twelve did not yet have the compassion of their Master, but it would come in due time.
Jesus wants us to be childlike but not childish. An unspoiled child illustrates humility, faith, and dependence. A child has a sense of wonder that makes life exciting. The only way to enter God’s kingdom is to become like a child and be born again (John 3). If the proud Pharisee had become like a child, he too would have gone home justified.
The rich young ruler () may be the only man in the Gospels who came to the feet of Jesus and went away in worse condition than when he came. And yet he had so much in his favor! He was moral and religious, earnest and sincere, and probably would have qualified for membership in the average church. Yet he refused to follow Jesus Christ and instead went his own way in great sorrow.
What was wrong with him? In a word: dishonesty. In spite of the fact that he came to the right Person, asked the right question, and received the right answer, he made the wrong decision. Why? Because he was not honest with God or with himself. Therefore, he would not do what he was commanded to do. He was a superficial young man who said one thing but did another. Consider the areas in which he was dishonest.
His view of Christ (vv. ). The rabbis were called “Master” (Teacher), but it was most unusual for a rabbi to be called “good.” The Jews reserved the word good for God (; ; ; ). This explains why our Lord asked the young man what he meant, for if he really believed that Jesus was “good,” then he had to confess that Jesus was God. By asking this question, our Lord was not denying His deity but affirming it. He was testing the young man to see if he really understood what he had just said.
His subsequent behavior proved that the young ruler did not believe that Jesus Christ was God. If he really thought he was in the presence of Almighty God, why did he argue politely about the Law, brag about his character, and then refuse to obey the Word? Surely he knew that God sees the heart and knows all things!
His view of sin (vv. ). He also had a superficial view of his own sin. No doubt the young man sincerely tried to keep the Law; in fact, this may have been what brought him to the feet of Jesus (). Jesus did not quote the Law to him as a means of salvation, because obedience to the Law does not save us. He held the Law before the young man as a mirror to reveal his sins (; ; ).
But the young man looked into the mirror and would not see the stains and blemishes in his life. When Jesus quoted from the second table of the Law, He did not quote the last commandment, “Thou shalt not covet” (). Jesus knew the young man’s heart, so instead of preaching to him about covetousness, He asked him to do something that a covetous person would not do.
Nobody is saved by giving all his wealth to the poor, but nobody can be saved who will not repent of his sins and turn away from them. This young man was possessed by the love of money and he would not let go.
His view of salvation (vv. ). The young man thought that eternal life came to those who “did something” (), which was a typical Jewish conviction (). But when Jesus gave him something to do, he refused to obey! He wanted salvation on his terms, not God’s, so he turned and went away in great sorrow.
The disciples were shocked when Jesus announced that it was difficult for rich people to be saved. They were Jews and the Jews believed that riches were a mark of God’s blessing. “If rich people can’t be saved,” they reasoned, “what hope is there for the rest of us?” John D. Rockefeller would have agreed with them, for he once said that riches were “a gift from heaven signifying, ‘This is My beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.’ ”
It is not possessing riches that keeps people out of heaven, for Abraham, David, and Solomon were wealthy men. It is being possessed by riches and trusting them that makes salvation difficult for the wealthy. Wealth gives people a false sense of success and security, and when people are satisfied with themselves, they feel no need for God.
Peter’s comment in suggests that he had a rather commercial view of discipleship: “What then will there be for us?” (, NASB) Jesus promised all of them (“you” in is plural) blessings in this life and reward in the life to come, but then He balanced His words with another announcement about His impending suffering and death. How could Peter be thinking about personal gain when his Lord was going to Jerusalem to be crucified?
The rich young ruler is a warning to people who want a Christian faith that does not change their values or upset their lifestyle. Jesus does not command every seeking sinner to sell everything and give to the poor, but He does put His finger of conviction on any area in our lives about which we are dishonest.
Matthew tells us that there were two blind beggars who met Jesus as He left Jericho (), but Luke introduces us to one blind beggar, Bartimaeus, who called out as Jesus approached Jericho. There were two Jerichos, the old ruined city and the new one built by Herod the Great, and they stood about a mile apart. The two men, one of whom was more outspoken, were sitting at the entrance to the new city, so there is no contradiction (note ).
In that day, blindness was a common affliction for which there was no cure, and all a blind person could do was beg. These two men had not been born blind, for their prayer was to “regain” their sight (, NASB, and note , NASB). They persisted in crying out to the Lord, in spite of the obstacles in their way: their inability to see Jesus, the opposition of the crowd, and our Lord’s delay in responding to them. They were not going to let Jesus pass them without first pleading for mercy.
The fact that they addressed Him as “Son of David,” a messianic title, indicates that these two Jewish beggars knew that Jesus could give sight to the blind (; and see ). Jesus responded to their faith and healed them, and what a change took place! They went from darkness to light, from begging to following Jesus, and from crying to praising the Lord. They joined the pilgrim crowd going to Jerusalem and lifted their voices in praising the Lord.
The contrast is obvious between these two beggars and the rich young ruler (). The beggars were poor, yet they became rich, while the young man was rich and became eternally poor. The beggars claimed no special merit and openly admitted their need, while the young man lied about himself and bragged about his character. The young man would not believe, so he went away from Jesus very sad; but the two beggars believed in Jesus and followed Him with songs of praise. “He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away” ().
The “human editions” we have “read” in this chapter encourage us to put our faith in Jesus Christ, no matter what others may say or do. The widow was not discouraged by the indifferent attitude of the judge, nor the publican by the hypocritical attitude of the Pharisee. The parents brought their little ones to Jesus in spite of the selfish attitude of the Apostles, and the blind men came to Jesus even though the crowd told them to keep quiet and stay put. Jesus always responds to faith and rewards those who believe.
But the rich young ruler stands as a warning to all who depend on character to save them from sin. This young man shows us how close a person may come to salvation and yet turn away in unbelief. John Bunyan closed his Pilgrim’s Progress with the warning, “Then I saw that there was a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction.” Heed that warning today!
Luke 19
When Christopher Columbus made his voyage west in 1492, he kept two log books, one of which contained falsified information. He wanted his men to believe that they were closer to land than they really were. Apparently Columbus felt that the morale of the crew was more important than the integrity of the captain.
As Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem, He told His disciples what would happen there, but they could not grasp what their Lord was saying (). Some of the people in the crowd thought He was going to Jerusalem to deliver Israel from Roman bondage and usher in the kingdom of God. Still others followed Him just to see the next miracle He would perform.
In this chapter, Dr. Luke focuses on who Jesus really is as he presents Him in a threefold ministry.
The Saviour Who Seeks the Lost ()
The name Zaccheus means “righteous one,” but this supervisor of tax collectors was not living up to his name. Certainly the Jewish religious community in Jericho would not have considered him righteous, for he not only collected taxes from his own people but also worked for the unclean Gentiles! And publicans were notorious for collecting more taxes than required; the more money they collected, the more income they enjoyed (). Though Zaccheus was a renegade in the eyes of the Jews, he was a precious lost sinner in the eyes of Jesus.
It is interesting to see the changes Zaccheus experienced that day, all because Jesus visited Jericho.
A man became a child (vv. ). In the East, it is unusual for a man to run, especially a wealthy government official; yet Zaccheus ran down the street like a little boy following a parade. And he even climbed a tree! Curiosity is certainly characteristic of most children, and Zaccheus was motivated by curiosity that day.
John Calvin wrote, “Curiosity and simplicity are a sort of preparation for faith.” This is often the case, and it was certainly true of Zaccheus. Why the big crowd? Who is this Jesus of Nazareth they are following? What am I missing?
Jesus said, “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God like a little child shall in no way enter therein” (). Perhaps more than anything else, it is pride that keeps many “successful” people from trusting Jesus Christ.
A seeking man became found (v. ). Zaccheus thought he was seeking Jesus (), but Jesus was seeking him! () By nature, the lost sinner does not seek the Saviour (). When our first parents sinned, they hid from God, but God came and sought them (). When Jesus was ministering on earth, He sought out the lost; and today the Holy Spirit, through the church, is searching for lost sinners.
We do not know how God had worked in the heart of Zaccheus to prepare him for this meeting with Jesus. Was Levi, the former publican (), one of his friends? Had he told Zaccheus about Jesus? Was he praying for Zaccheus? Had Zaccheus become weary of wealth and started yearning for something better? We cannot answer these questions, but we can rejoice that a seeking Saviour will always find a sinner who is looking for a new beginning.
A small man became big (vv. ). It was not Zaccheus’ fault that he was “little of stature” and could not see over the crowd. He did what he could to overcome his handicap by putting aside his dignity and climbing a tree. In a spiritual sense, all of us are “little of stature,” for “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (). No one measures up to God’s high standards; we are all “too little” to enter into heaven.
The tragedy is, many lost sinners think they are “big.” They measure themselves by man’s standards—money, position, authority, popularity—things that are an “abomination in the sight of God” (). They think they have everything when really they have nothing ().
Zaccheus trusted Jesus Christ and became a true “son of Abraham,” meaning, of course, a child of faith (; ). That is as big as you can get!
A poor man became rich (vv. ). The people thought Zaccheus was a wealthy man, but actually he was only a bankrupt sinner who needed to receive God’s gift of eternal life, the most expensive gift in the world. This is the only instance in the four Gospels of Jesus inviting Himself to someone’s home, and it illustrates the words of .
Zaccheus was not saved because he promised to do good works. He was saved because he responded by faith to Christ’s gracious word to him. Having trusted the Saviour, he then gave evidence of his faith by promising to make restitution to those he had wronged. Saving faith is more than pious words and devout feelings. It creates a living union with Christ that results in a changed life ().
Under the Mosaic Law, if a thief voluntarily confessed his crime, he had to restore what he took, add one fifth to it, and bring a trespass offering to the Lord (). If he stole something he could not restore, he had to repay fourfold (); and if he was caught with the goods, he had to repay double (). Zaccheus did not quibble over the terms of the Law; he offered to pay the highest price because his heart had truly been changed.
The child of God is born rich, for he shares “every spiritual blessing” in Jesus Christ (). We have the riches of God’s mercy and grace (; ) as well as the riches of His glory () and wisdom (). These are “unsearchable riches” that can never be fully understood or completely exhausted ().
The host became the guest (v. ). Jesus invited Himself to Zaccheus’ house, and Zaccheus received Him joyfully. Joy is one of the key themes in the Gospel of Luke, and the word is found over twenty times in one form or another. The experience of salvation certainly ought to produce joy in the believer’s heart.
Zaccheus became the guest in his own house, for Jesus was now his Master. He was ready to obey the Lord and do whatever was necessary to establish a genuine testimony before the people. To be sure, the people criticized Jesus for visiting in a publican’s house (), but the Lord paid no attention to their words. The critics also needed to be saved, but there is no evidence that they trusted Jesus.
When a day begins, you never know how it will end. For Zaccheus, that day ended in joyful fellowship with the Son of God, for he was now a changed man with a new life. Jesus is still seeking the lost and yearning to save them. Has He found you?
The Master Who Rewards the Faithful ()
Passover season was always an emotionally charged time for the Jews, because it reminded them of their deliverance from the slavery of Egypt. This annual celebration aggravated the misery of their bondage to Rome and made them yearn all the more for a deliverer. Of course, there were subversive groups like the Zealots who used commando tactics against Rome, and politicians like the Herodians who compromised with Rome, but most of the Jews rejected those approaches. They wanted God to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies and send them their promised King.
Jesus knew that many of the people in the crowd were hoping to see Him establish the kingdom, so He gave this parable to clarify things. Many of the people who listened no doubt connected it with an event in Jewish history that had occurred many years before. When Herod the Great died in 4 B.C., he left Judea to his son Archelaus, who had to go to Rome to have the inheritance approved. Not wanting Archelaus as their ruler, the Jews sent fifty men to argue their case before Augustus Caesar, who did ratify the inheritance without giving Archelaus the title of “king.”
Jesus explained that the kingdom would not come until a future time, but that His servants had better be faithful now to do the job assigned to them. In the parable, you see three different responses to the Master.
Faithful obedience (vv. , ). Each of the servants received an amount of money equal to three months’ wages for a laboring man, so you can figure out its buying power today. Occupy means “do business, put my money to work.” They could give the money to investors and earn interest, or purchase goods and sell them for a profit. The important thing was that they give back to their master more than he had given to them. How they did it was up to them, so long as it was legal and profitable.
We are given a report on only three of the ten servants, and the first two proved to be successful. The first servant brought ten pounds more, the second brought five pounds more, and both were rewarded accordingly. These men did their job faithfully even though they were promised no rewards and had no assurance that their master would even return, let alone secure the kingdom that he sought.
The Parable of the Talents () is similar to the Parable of the Pounds, but their lessons must not be confused. In this parable, each of the ten servants received the same amount but different rewards, while in the Parable of the Talents, the servants received different amounts but the same reward, the approval and joy of the Lord ().
The Parable of the Talents teaches us to be faithful to use our different gifts as God gives us opportunities to serve. Some people have a great deal of ability, so God gives them greater opportunity. The important thing is not how much ability you have but how faithful you are to use what you have for the Lord. The person with the least ability, if he or she is faithful, will receive the same reward as the most gifted church leader.
In the Parable of the Pounds, each servant has the same deposit, which probably represents the message of the Gospel (; ; ). Our gifts and abilities are different, but our job is the same: to share the Word of God so that it multiplies and fills the world (; ). Only 120 believers met together on the Day of Pentecost (), but before that day ended, there were 3,000 more (). And before long, there were 5,000 believers (). In time, the Jewish leaders accused the disciples of “filling Jerusalem” with the message! ()
When it comes to witnessing, all believers start on the same level, so the reward is according to faithfulness and achievement. The faithful servants were rewarded by being made rulers of various cities. The reward for faithful work is always—more work! But what a compliment to be entrusted with the management of so many cities! How we serve the Lord today will help determine our reward and ministry when He comes to establish His kingdom on earth. Faithfulness now is preparation for blessed service then.
Unfaithful disobedience (vv. ). At least one of the ten men did not obey his master and as a result lost even the pound that the master gave him. It is a basic principle of the Christian life that wasted opportunity means loss of reward and possibly loss of the privilege of service. If we do not use the gifts God gives us under His direction, why should we even have them? Somebody else can make better use of the gifts to the glory of God (see and ).
“It is always so,” wrote Charles Haddon Spurgeon; “the gracious and faithful man obtains more grace and more means of usefulness, while the unfaithful man sinks lower and lower and grows worse and worse. We must either make progress or else lose what we have attained. There is no such thing as standing still in religion.”
This servant was unfaithful because his heart was not right toward his master. He saw his master as a hard man who was demanding and unfair. The servant had no love for his master; in fact, he feared him and dreaded to displease him. Rather than lose the pound and incur his master’s anger, he guarded it so that he would at least have something to give the master if he returned and asked for a reckoning.
It is sad when a Christian is motivated by slavish fear instead of loving faith. While there is a proper “fear of the Lord” that should be in every Christian’s heart, that “fear” should be the respect of a loving child and not the dread of a frightened slave. “Nothing twists and deforms the soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God,” wrote Dr. A.W. Tozer. How important it is that we do the will of God from our hearts ().
Outright rebellion (vv. ). The “citizens” or “enemies” are mentioned at the beginning and the ending and are an important part of the story, for most of the people in the crowd that day were in that category. Jesus was near Jerusalem, and in a few days He would hear the mob shout, “We have no king but Caesar!” () In other words, “We will not have this Man to reign over us!”
God was gracious to Israel and gave the nation nearly forty years of grace before judgment fell (). But we must be careful to see in this a warning to all who reject Jesus Christ—Jew or Gentile—for during this time while He is away in heaven, Jesus Christ is calling men everywhere to repent and submit to Him.
The faithful servants obeyed because they trusted their master and wanted to please him. The unfaithful servant disobeyed because he feared his master. But these citizens rebelled because they hated their king (). Jesus quoted and told His disciples, “They hated Me without a cause” ().
We are living today in the period between and when our Master is absent but will return according to His promise. We have been given a task to perform, and we must be faithful until He comes. What will the King say to us when He returns? Will His words mean reward, rebuke, or possibly retribution? “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” ().
The traditional calendar for the events of our Lord’s last week of ministry looks like this:
Sunday—Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Monday—Cleansing the temple
Tuesday—Controversies with the Jewish leaders
Wednesday—Apparently a day of rest
Thursday—Preparation for Passover
Friday—Trial and Crucifixion
Saturday—Jesus rests in the tomb
Sunday—Jesus raised from the dead
Keep in mind that the Jewish day went from sundown to sundown, so that our Thursday evening would be their Friday, the Day of Passover.
Preparation (vv. ). The owners of the donkey and the colt were disciples of the Lord and had everything ready for Him. The plan was executed quietly because the Jewish leaders had let it be known that anyone confessing Christ would be excommunicated (). The fact that the rulers planned to kill Jesus made it even more important that the owners be protected (, , ; ; ).
We think of the donkey as a lowly animal, but to the Jew it was a beast fit for a king (, ). Jesus rode the colt () while the mother walked along with it. The fact that the colt had never been ridden and yet submitted to Jesus indicates our Lord’s sovereignty over His creation. The laying of garments on the animals and on the road and the waving and spreading of branches were all part of a traditional Jewish reception for royalty.
Celebration (vv. ). This is the only time that Jesus permitted a public demonstration on His behalf, and He did so for at least two reasons. First, He was fulfilling prophecy and presenting Himself as Israel’s king (). How much of this the crowd really understood we cannot tell, even though they responded by quoting their praises from a messianic psalm (). No doubt many of the Passover pilgrims thought that Jesus would now get rid of the Roman invaders and establish the glorious kingdom.
The second reason for this demonstration was to force the Jewish religious leaders to act. They had hoped to arrest Him after the Passover (), but God had ordained that His Son be slain on Passover as the “Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world” (; and see ). Every previous attempt to arrest Jesus had failed because “His hour had not yet come” (; ; also see ; ). When they saw this great public celebration, the leaders knew that they had to act, and the willing cooperation of Judas solved their problem for them ().
The theme of the celebration was peace. Dr. Luke opened his Gospel with the angel’s announcement of “peace on earth” (), but now the theme was “peace in heaven.” Because the King was rejected, there could be no peace on earth. Instead, there would be constant bitter conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of evil (). There would be no peace on earth but, thanks to Christ’s work on the cross, there is “peace with God” in heaven (; ). The appeal today is, “Be ye reconciled to God!” ()
Lamentation (vv. ). While the crowd was rejoicing, Jesus was weeping! This is the second occasion on which our Lord wept openly, the first being at the tomb of Lazarus (). There He wept quietly, but here He uttered a loud lamentation like one mourning over the dead. In this, He was like the Prophet Jeremiah who wept bitterly over the destruction of Jerusalem (; see also the Book of Lamentations). Jonah looked on Nineveh and hoped it would be destroyed (Jonah 4), while Jesus looked at Jerusalem and wept because it had destroyed itself.
No matter where Jesus looked, He found cause for weeping. If He looked back, He saw how the nation had wasted its opportunities and been ignorant of their “time of visitation.” If He looked within, He saw spiritual ignorance and blindness in the hearts of the people. They should have known who He was, for God had given them His Word and sent His messengers to prepare the way.
As He looked around, Jesus saw religious activity that accomplished very little. The temple had become a den of thieves, and the religious leaders were out to kill Him. The city was filled with pilgrims celebrating a festival, but the hearts of the people were heavy with sin and life’s burdens.
As Jesus looked ahead, He wept as He saw the terrible judgment that was coming to the nation, the city, and the temple. In A.D. 70, the Romans would come and, after a siege of 143 days, kill 600,000 Jews, take thousands more captive, and then destroy the temple and the city. Why did all of this happen? Because the people did not know that God had visited them! “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (). “We will not have this man to reign over us!” ()
Denunciation (vv. ). Jesus lodged in Bethany that night () and came into the city early the next morning. It was then that He cursed the fig tree () and cleansed the temple for the second time. (See for the record of the first cleansing of the temple.)
The court of the Gentiles was the only place in the temple that was available to the Gentiles. There the Jews could witness to their “pagan” neighbors and tell them about the one true and living God. But instead of being devoted to evangelism, the area was used for a “religious marketplace” where Jews from other lands could exchange money and purchase approved sacrifices. The priests managed this business and made a good profit from it.
Instead of praying for the people, the priests were preying on the people! The temple was not a “house of prayer” (); it was a “den of thieves” (). Campbell Morgan reminds us that a “den of thieves” is a place where thieves run to hide after they have committed their wicked deeds. The religious leaders were using the services of the holy temple to cover up their sins (see ). But before we condemn them too harshly, have we ever gone to church and participated in religious worship just to give people the impression that we were godly?
Jesus remained in the temple and used it as a gathering place for those who needed help. He healed many who were sick and afflicted, and He taught the people the Word of God. The hypocritical religious leaders tried to destroy Him, but His hour had not yet come and they could not touch Him. In the days that followed, they argued with Him and tried to catch Him in His words (Luke 20), but they failed. When His hour came, He would surrender to them and they would crucify Him.
The courageous Son of God had set His face like a flint and come to Jerusalem. During His last week of ministry, He would courageously face His enemies and then bravely go to the cross to die for the sins of the world.
He still summons us to be courageous!
Luke 20
Jesus had already told the Twelve to expect conflict and suffering when they arrived in the Holy City. “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day” (). Jesus knew fully what was coming, and He was not afraid.
In this chapter, you meet the three groups of religious leaders () and witness their conflict with Jesus. They challenged Him because He had cleansed the temple and called them “thieves.” They tried to catch Him in His words so they could trump up some charge against Him and have Him arrested as an enemy of the state.
But there was more to this series of questions than mere guile. The word translated “rejected” in (and also ) means “to reject after investigation.” It was required that the Jews carefully examine the Passover lambs from the tenth day to the fourteenth day to make sure they had no blemishes (). Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God (), was watched and tested by His enemies during that final week; and yet in spite of what they saw and learned, they rejected Him.
However, Jesus was also examining them! For as they questioned Him, He questioned them, and their responses revealed the ignorance, hatred, and unbelief of their hearts.
Our Lord’s questions centered on four different men.
A Question about John the Baptist ()
The cleansing of the temple was a dramatic event that both captured the attention of the people and aroused the anger of the religious establishment. The fact that Jesus daily made the temple His headquarters for ministry only made the members of the Sanhedrin more indignant, so they decided to question Him. “What authority do You have to do these things?” they asked. “And if You do have authority, who gave it to You?”
Authority is important for the success of any social, political, or religious organization; without authority, you have confusion. The chief priests claimed their authority from Moses, for the Law set the tribe of Levi apart to serve in the sanctuary. The scribes were students of the Law and claimed their authority from the rabbis whose interpretations they studied. The elders of Israel were the leaders of the families and clans, chosen usually for their experience and wisdom. All of these men were sure of their authority and were not afraid to confront Jesus.
They wanted to push our Lord into a dilemma so that no matter how He answered, He would be in trouble. If He said that He had no authority, then He was in trouble with the Jews for invading their temple and acting like a prophet. If He said that His authority came from God, then He would be in trouble with the Romans who were always alert to would-be messiahs, especially during Passover season (see ; ).
Note our Lord’s wise approach as He turned things around and put them completely on the defensive. First, He asked a question (); then He gave a parable (); and finally, He quoted a prophecy (). In each of these approaches, He revealed the sins of the nation of Israel.
Their past rejection (vv. ). Jesus took them back to John the Baptist for two reasons. First, John had pointed to Jesus and introduced Him to the nation (), so their rejection of John was actually a rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, it is a spiritual principle that if we disobey truth we already know, God cannot reveal new truth to us (see ). Why answer their question when they had refused to submit to John’s message?
Now it was the religious leaders who were in the dilemma! No matter what answer they gave, they were in trouble, so they decided to “play dumb” and not answer at all. They were deceitful in asking the question and dishonest in the way they avoided answering it. Even if Jesus had given them an answer, their hearts were not prepared to receive it. If they had disobeyed God’s message given by John the Baptist (), they would disobey the message given by God’s Son. That was the theme of the parable Jesus told.
Their present rebellion (vv. ). These men knew the Scriptures and recognized that Jesus was speaking about the “vineyard” of Israel (; ). God the Father blessed the nation abundantly and gave the Jews a land that was rich and pleasant. All He asked was that they obey His statutes and give Him the “spiritual harvest” He deserved.
Instead of being grateful for their blessings and joyfully giving the Lord His due, the nation proceeded to rob God and reject His messengers (see ; ; ). God was patient and sent them one servant after another, but they refused to obey (). Finally, He sent His beloved Son () and they killed Him. In this story, Jesus gave His own death announcement.
Under Jewish law, any man could lay claim to ownerless property. The tenants may have concluded that the owner was dead; otherwise he would have come himself. If they killed the son, then they could claim the vineyard for themselves. This is exactly the way the religious leaders were thinking as they stood there before Jesus! (see )
Their future ruin (vv. ). Jesus fixed a steady gaze on them and quoted . The rulers knew that this was a messianic psalm, and they had heard it shouted by the crowd when Jesus rode into the city (compare with ). By applying this verse to Himself, Jesus was clearly claiming to be the Messiah. The “builders,” of course, were the Jewish religious leaders ().
In the Old Testament, the “stone” is a familiar symbol of God and of the promised Messiah (see ; ; ; , , ; ; ; ). Because the Jews did not believe, they stumbled over Him and were judged. Those who trust Jesus Christ find Him to be the foundation stone and the chief cornerstone of the church (; ).
But Jesus also referred to , , where the Messiah is pictured as a “smiting stone” that crushes all that gets in its way. He was warning the Sanhedrin that they would only destroy themselves if they condemned Him. The same principle applies today, and unbelievers should carefully heed His warning.
When the rulers rejected John the Baptist, they sinned against the Father who sent Him. When they crucified Jesus, they sinned against the Son. Jesus had told them that they could sin against Him and still be forgiven, but when they sinned against the Holy Spirit, there could be no forgiveness (). Why? Because that was the end of God’s witness to the nation. This is the so-called “unpardonable sin,” and it was committed by the Jewish leaders when they finally rejected the witness of the Spirit of God through the Apostles. The evidence of their rejection was the stoning of Stephen (). Then the Gospel went from the Jews to the Samaritans (Acts 8) and then to the Gentiles (Acts 10).
In this parable, Jesus illustrated the insidious nature of sin: the more we sin, the worse it becomes. The tenants started off beating some of the servants and wounding others, but they ended up becoming murderers! The Jewish leaders permitted John the Baptist to be killed, they asked for Jesus to be crucified, and then they themselves stoned Stephen. They sinned against the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and that was the end of God’s witness to them.
It is a serious thing to reject the message of God and the messengers of God (see ; ).
Jesus knew that the men who questioned Him were spies sent by the Pharisees and the Herodians (), but He patiently listened and replied. These two groups were usually fighting each other, but now they had a common enemy, and this brought them together. They wanted to discuss taxes and Roman authority, hoping to provoke Jesus into offending either the Jews (“Pay the poll tax!”) or the Romans (“Don’t pay the poll tax!”). But Jesus lifted the discussion to a much higher level and forced the spies to think about the relationship between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of men.
Governmental authority is instituted by God and must be respected (; , ; Rom. 13; ). Yes, our citizenship is in heaven (), and we are strangers and pilgrims on earth, but that does not mean we should ignore our earthly responsibilities. Human government is essential to a safe and orderly society, for man is a sinner and must be kept under control.
Jesus was not suggesting that we divide our loyalties between God and government. Since “the powers that be are ordained of God” (), we live as good citizens when we obey the authorities for the Lord’s sake. When obedience to God conflicts with obedience to man, then we must put God first (; ), but we must do it in a manner that is honorable and loving. 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 (): “Seek the peace of the city!”
Caesar’s image and name were on the coins, so it was basically his currency. To pay the poll tax meant simply to give Caesar back that which belonged to him. God’s image is stamped on us; therefore, He has the right to command our lives as citizens in His kingdom. We should seek to be such good citizens that God will be glorified and the unsaved will be attracted to the Gospel and want to become Christians (; ).
It is unfortunate that some Christians have the mistaken idea that the more obnoxious they are as citizens, the more they please God and witness for Christ. We must never violate our conscience, but we should seek to be peacemakers and not troublemakers. Daniel is an example to follow (Dan. 1).
Next in line were the Sadducees with a hypothetical question based on the Jewish law of “levirate marriage” (Gen. 38; ). The word levirate comes from the Latin levir, which means “a husband’s brother.” The Sadducees accepted as Scripture only the Five Books of Moses, and they did not believe in angels, spirits, or the resurrection of the dead (). They claimed that Moses did not write about any of these doctrines. The priestly party in Israel was composed of Sadducees, which explains why the priests opposed the Apostles’ preaching of the Resurrection () and why they wanted to kill Lazarus, who was raised from the dead ().
Jesus pointed out that His opponents were wrong and that their question revealed assumptions that limited God’s power and denied God’s Word. Resurrection is not reconstruction; it is the miraculous granting of a new body that has continuity with the old body but not identity. Paul compared our present body to a planted seed and the future resurrection body to the glorious flower and fruit (). Our Lord’s resurrection body was the same as before His death and yet different! His friends recognized Him and even felt Him; He could eat food and yet He could also walk through closed doors, change His appearance, and vanish suddenly.
The future life with God is not a mere continuation of the present life only on “a higher scale.” We will maintain our identities and know each other, but there will be no more death—hence, no need for marriage and procreation. Christians do not become angels. In heaven we will share the image of Jesus Christ and be much higher than the angels (). Angels appear in Scripture as men, but they are spirit beings without sexuality. It is in this regard that we will be like them; there will be no marriage or childbearing in heaven.
Is not God powerful enough to raise the dead and give them new bodies suited to their new environment? If today He can give different bodies to the various things in creation, why can He not give people new bodies at the resurrection? () In their attempt to be “rational,” the Sadducees denied the very power of God!
But Jesus went beyond logic and referred them to the Word of God, particularly what happened to Moses as recorded in Exodus 3. There God identified Himself with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and thus affirmed that these three patriarchs were very much alive. But if they were alive, then they were “out of the body,” for they had died (). There must be a real world of spirit beings or Moses would not have written these words. (By the way, Moses also affirmed the existence of angels: , ; ; .)
But Jesus said that , taught not only the truth of life after death but also the reality of the resurrection. In what way? Not by direct statement but by inference. God is the God of the whole person—spirit, soul, and body ()—because He created the whole person. He does not simply “save our souls” and ignore the rest of our being. Inherent in the very nature of God’s creative act is His concern for the total person. Hence, He will not keep us disembodied spirits forever but will give us glorious bodies to match our heavenly perfection.
Another factor is God’s covenental relationship with the patriarchs. He made promises of earthly blessing to them and their descendants, but He cannot fulfill these promises if His people are going to live forever only as disembodied spirits. Can there be a glorious new heaven and earth but no corporeal glory for the people of God?
Jesus affirmed what the Sadducees denied: the existence of angels, the reality of life after death, and the hope of a future resurrection—and He did it with only one passage from Moses! Of course, He could have referred to other passages that teach a future resurrection, but He met His adversaries on their own ground (see ; ; ; ; ; Ezek. 37; ).
While the Pharisees were still gathered together, Jesus asked them a final question: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” (, NKJV) This is the key question for every generation and each individual, for our salvation and eternal destiny are dependent on what we think about Christ (; ; ).
Of course, they knew the expected reply: “The Son of David.” They based this on such verses as ; ; and . God had ordained that the Messiah should come from the family of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (). The fact that the Jewish people identified Jesus with Nazareth, not Bethlehem, indicates that they had not really looked into the facts connected with His birth ().
Jesus then referred them to Psalm 110, which is quoted in the New Testament more than any other psalm. The Jewish religious leaders in that day identified Psalm 110 as a prophetic psalm and said that David was speaking of the Messiah. But if the Messiah is David’s Lord, how can He be David’s son? Here was an enigma for them to solve!
The only explanation is that Messiah must be both God and man. As eternal God, Messiah is David’s Lord, but as man, He is David’s son (; ; ; ).
On Palm Sunday, the multitudes had acclaimed Jesus as the Son of David, and He had not rebuked them (; ). By applying to Himself, Jesus claimed to be Israel’s promised Messiah, the Son of God.
Then why did the Pharisees not believe in Him? Because their minds were made up, their hearts were hardened, and their eyes were blind (). They did not have the courage to confess the truth, and they persecuted those who did affirm faith in Jesus Christ. Christ’s question silenced His enemies () and ended their public challenges, but they would not admit defeat.
Because of their hypocrisy and dishonesty, the scribes and Pharisees were dangerous to have around, so Jesus warned the people about them (; see Matt. 23). Men see the outside, but God sees the heart (; ).
These religious leaders did not desire personal holiness; they wanted public recognition. Therefore, they wore special garments, expected special titles and greetings, and looked for special seats at public gatherings.
There is a double tragedy here. First of all, their deliberate hypocrisy was only a cover-up that enabled them to fool people and exploit them. Of all rackets, religious rackets are the worst. The religious leaders had turned the temple of God into a den of thieves and religious devotion into playacting. The general public actually thought that their leaders were godly men, when in reality they were defiling and destroying souls ().
The second tragedy is that they rejected their own Messiah and voted to crucify Him. They led the nation into ruin because they would not admit their sins and confess Jesus Christ. Keep in mind that these men were “experts” in the Bible, yet they did not apply its truths to their own lives. Their religion was a matter of external observance, not internal transformation.
At this point, according to Matthew (), Jesus once again uttered a lamentation over the blind unbelief of the nation and their unwillingness to trust in Him.
He had given them many opportunities, but they had wasted them.
Now it was too late.
This same tragedy is reenacted today. This is why the Holy Spirit warns, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (, NKJV).
“How often I wanted to … but you were not willing!” (, NKJV)
Luke 21
Now it was the disciples’ turn to ask the questions!
It all started with the arrival in the temple of a poor widow with an offering for the Lord (). Compared to the gifts of the rich men, her two copper coins seemed insignificant, but Jesus said that she gave more than all the others combined. “The widow’s mite” does not represent the least we can give, but the most, our very all. When we sing, “Take my silver and my gold/ Not a mite will I withhold,” we are telling God that everything we have belongs to Him.
When it comes to our giving, God sees more than the portion; He also sees the proportion. Men see what is given, but God sees what is left, and by that He measures the gift and the condition of our hearts. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” He may have learned that from Jesus () or perhaps from Paul ().
The temple was a beautiful structure, embellished with many costly decorations that a poor widow could never give, and the disciples mentioned this to Jesus. But our Lord was not impressed. He told them that the day would come when the beautiful Jewish temple would be demolished (). He had already announced that the city would be destroyed (), but now He specifically mentioned the destruction of the temple.
Jesus left the temple and went to the Mount of Olives, and there Peter, James, and John asked Him three questions: (1) When would the temple be destroyed? (2) What would be the sign of His coming? (3) What would be the sign of the end of the age? (see ; ) The disciples thought that these three events would occur at the same time, but Jesus explained things differently. Actually, the temple would be destroyed first, and then there would be a long period of time before He would return and establish His kingdom on earth (see ).
Our Lord’s reply comprises what we call “The Olivet Discourse,” the greatest prophetic sermon He ever preached. It is recorded in greater detail in Matthew 24–25 and Mark 13, and you will want to compare the three passages. Since Luke wrote with the Gentile reader in mind, he omitted some of the strong Jewish elements of the sermon while retaining the essential truths that we must consider and apply.
Keep in mind that this was a message given to Jews by a Jew about the future of the Jewish nation. Though there are definite applications to God’s people today, the emphasis is on Jerusalem, the Jews, and the temple. Our Lord was not discussing His coming for the church, for that can occur at any time and no signs need precede it (; ). “For the Jews require a sign” (); the church looks for a Saviour ().
The sermon focuses on a period in God’s program called “the Tribulation” when God will pour out His wrath on the nations of the world. Many Bible students believe that the Tribulation will begin after the Lord comes in the air and takes His church to heaven (1 Thes. 4:13–5:11). It will climax with the return of Jesus Christ to the earth, at which time He will defeat His foes and establish His kingdom (Rev. 19:1–20:6).
It is helpful to see the development of the sermon as a whole, so here is a suggested outhne:
The first half of the Tribulation
The middle of the Tribulation
The last half of the Tribulation
Closing admonitions
Jesus answered the disciples’ questions by discussing four topics relating to the future of the nation of Israel.
The characteristics Jesus stated can be seen in every age of the church, for from the beginning there have been counterfeit messiahs, national and international upheavals, and religious persecution. But these things will increase and intensify as the time of Jesus’ coming draws near. Thomas Campbell, British poet and educator, said that “coming events cast their shadows before” and he was right.
There will be religious delusion (), and even God’s people will be in danger of being deceived. Satan is a counterfeiter who for centuries has led people astray by deceiving their minds and blinding their hearts (; , ). Israel was often seduced into sin by false prophets, and the church has had its share of false teachers (2 Peter 2).
Most people are naturally concerned about the future, especially when world events are threatening; therefore, religious racketeers can prey on them and take advantage of them. In every age, there are those who either claim to be the Christ or claim to know when He will return. These false prophets often “use” the Scriptures to “prove” the accuracy of their predictions, in spite of the fact that Jesus clearly stated that nobody knows the time of His return ().
“Be not deceived!” is our Lord’s admonition, and we must take it to heart. The only sure way to keep our balance in a deceptive world is to know the Scriptures and obey what God tells us to do (). It is foolish and hurtful to become so obsessed with Bible prophecy that we start to neglect the practical things of the Christian life. Blessed are the balanced!
There will also be international distress (). I have a friend who has been keeping track of the earthquakes that have occurred in recent years. Another prophetic student has a list of all the wars and attempted invasions. Both have overlooked the fact that Jesus said that wars, earthquakes, pestilences, and famines by themselves are not signs of His soon return. These things have been going on throughout the history of the world.
However, during the first half of the Tribulation, these events will multiply and intensify. lists them in detail, and if you compare Revelation 6, you will see the parallel:
Events
Matthew
Revelation
false Christs
wars
famines
death
martyrs
worldwide chaos
In fact, most of Revelation 6–19, describes the Tribulation period in detail and follows the outhne of Matthew 24: (1) first half of the Tribulation, chapters 6–9; (2) middle of the Tribulation, chapters 10–14; (3) last half of the Tribulation, chapters 15–19.
Our Lord’s admonition to His people is, “Don’t be terrified!” These things must come to pass; there is nothing anyone can do to prevent them. This does not mean that God’s people are submitting to blind fate; rather, it means they are yielding to the plan of a loving Father who works all things “after the counsel of His own will” ().
Finally, there will be religious persecution, both official () and personal (). Of course, there has been religious persecution ever since Cain killed Abel (; and see ; ; ; ). Jesus promised that His people would suffer (John 15:18–16:4, ), and that promise holds true today (). But the persecution in the end times will be much more severe and many will give their lives for Christ.
Notice the encouragements Jesus gives to all who suffer persecution. To begin with, we must remember that when we are persecuted, we suffer for His name’s sake (), and this is a high honor (). It is not important what people say about our names, but it is important that the name of Christ be glorified.
Second, times of suffering provide opportunities for witness (). The Apostles made good use of the witness stand when they were arrested and taken before the council (Acts 4–5), and Christ’s servants and martyrs down through the centuries have followed their example. The English word martyr comes from the Greek word martus which means “a witness” (see ).
Because of official persecution, God’s witnesses will stand before important people; and when that happens, they must not panic, for God will give them the words to speak. This promise is not an excuse for lazy preachers or Sunday School teachers who do not want to study! Rather, it is an assurance to faithful witnesses that God will always give them the words they need when they need them.
Not only will the saints endure official persecution from the government, but there will also be opposition from family and friends. Relatives will even follow in the footsteps of Judas and betray their Christian loved ones to be killed. Hatred, arrest, and death will be the lot of many of God’s children during the Tribulation.
But they must not despair, for God is in control. Not a hair on their head can perish apart from His sovereign will (). Knowing this, they can have endurance and be able to face the challenge with faith and courage.
While many Christians today enjoy freedom from official persecution, or even family opposition, there are others who suffer greatly for their faith, and what our Lord said here is an encouragement to them. A friend of mine ministered in Eastern Europe, and a believer in Poland said to him, “We are praying for you Christians in the Western world because you have it too easy. The Lord must help you not to compromise.”
Remember, the things Jesus described here are not signs of His soon return, because they have been going on for centuries. However, as the coming of the Lord draws near, these things will multiply and intensify. No matter what our views may be of the coming of the Lord, we all need to heed His three admonitions: “Don’t be deceived! Don’t be afraid! Don’t worry!”
The Destruction of the Temple ()
This paragraph is peculiar to Luke; there is no parallel in Matthew or Mark, in spite of the similar language in and . However, it is clear that both Matthew and Mark were referring to events in the middle of the Tribulation when “the abomination of desolation” would be set up in the Jewish temple and the Antichrist (the world ruler) would begin to persecute Israel (; Rev. 13). Jesus warned the people to flee and go into hiding, for “great tribulation” was about to fall.
Luke’s account refers not to a distant event to occur during the Tribulation but to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and the Roman army in A.D. 70, just forty years from that time (see ). This terrible event was in many respects a “dress rehearsal” for what will happen when Satan vents his anger on Israel and the believing Gentiles during the last half of the Tribulation (). The Jewish historian Josephus claimed that nearly a million people were killed by the Romans, and over 100,000 taken captive, when Titus captured the city.
This was not the first time Jerusalem would be “trodden down of the Gentiles,” for the Babylonians had destroyed the city in 586 B.C. when “the times of the Gentiles” began. This significant period in God’s plan will end when Jesus Christ returns to the earth, destroys all Gentile power, and sets up His own righteous kingdom (, ; ).
Believers today who are looking for their Lord’s return should not apply to their own situation. Jesus was talking about Jerusalem in A.D. 70. In and , He was speaking about Israel’s situation at the middle of the Tribulation. Since our Lord’s coming for the church will take place “in the twinkling of an eye” (), no one will have time to go back home for a coat; nor will we have to worry about traveling on the Sabbath or caring for nursing babies.
Thus far in His message, our Lord has told the disciples when the temple would be destroyed and what signs would point to the end of the age. Now He tells them about His own coming at the end of the Tribulation period.
Revelation 15–19 describes the frightening judgment signs that God will send on the earth during the last half of the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (). When these things occur, it will be evidence that the Lord’s coming is drawing near. The image of “waves roaring” describes nations rising and falling like waves in a storm (; ). It will be an awesome time, and the population of the earth will tremble with fear, but men will not repent of their sins and turn to God by faith (; ).
informs us that the sun and moon will be darkened and the stars will fall (; ; , ; ). states that “the sign of the Son of man” will appear in heaven. We do not know what this “sign” is, but it will produce fear among the nations of the earth. However, then Jesus Christ will appear, and every eye will see Him (). The nation of Israel will at last recognize their Messiah, repent, believe, and be saved (; and see ).
These awesome signs will bring terror to the lost people of the world, but hope to those who have trusted the Lord during the Tribulation period (Rev. 7), for these believers know that the Lord’s coming will be soon. Believers today look for the Saviour, not signs. However, as we see “coming events casting their shadows,” we believe that the Lord’s return is near.
Christ’s appearing will be sudden, glorious, and with great power (). The image here is taken from , a messianic passage that must have been familiar to the disciples. The angels promised that Jesus would return to earth in the same way He departed (), and He will ().
There are those who ignore and even ridicule the doctrine of the return of Christ. After all, the church has been waiting for the Lord for 2,000 years, and He has not returned yet! Peter answered that accusation in 2 Peter 3. He pointed out that God keeps His promises whether we believe them or not, and that God measures time differently from the way men measure it. Furthermore, the reason He waits is so that unsaved sinners may repent, be saved, and be ready when Jesus comes. While His seeming delay is a trial to the church, it is an opportunity for the lost.
Having answered their questions, the Lord then “applied” the message to their hearts by giving them two closing admonitions: “Know!” and “Watch!”
The Responsibilities of the Believers ()
In the Bible, the fig tree is often an image of Israel (; ). Some students interpret this parable to mean that the emergence of the State of Israel on May 15, 1948 was the “sign” that the Lord would soon return. Surely it is a significant thing that Israel is now a free nation after so many centuries of political bondage. But Luke added “and all the trees” (), suggesting that more than one nation is involved. Perhaps Jesus was saying that the rise of nationalism around the world is the thing to watch. In recent years we have certainly seen the growth of nationalism and the emerging of new nations, and this may be a “sign” that the coming of the Lord is near.
However, the basic idea here is that of knowing what is going on. As the budding of the trees indicates that summer is near, so the occurring of these signs indicates that the Lord’s return is near (see for a similar passage). The important thing is that the believer knows that God is keeping His promises and that His Word will not fail ().
To what “generation” does apply? Some who doubt that Jesus will literally return say that this statement applies to the generation of the Apostles, so that “the coming of the Lord” was either the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2) or the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. But none of the signs Jesus mentioned took place before or during those events. Nor did they climax with the deliverance of Israel and the establishing of the kingdom.
Jesus was probably referring to the generation that would be alive on earth at the time all these things take place. He was not suggesting that it would take a whole generation to accomplish these things, for they will occur with swiftness once they begin. The Greek word translated “generation” can also mean “race” and could refer to the people of Israel. Jesus used it that way in , ; . Jesus was assuring the disciples that, in spite of all the difficulties Israel would endure, the nation would be protected by God and not be destroyed. Satan has wanted to destroy the nation of Israel, but he will not succeed.
His first admonition was “Know!” and His second was “Watch!” () Both admonitions apply to God’s people in every age, though they will have a special meaning for the Jews of the Tribulation period. “Watch!” does not mean to stand around looking for signs. It means, “Be awake! Be alert! Don’t get caught unprepared!” This admonition carries a warning for us today, because it is so easy for us to “get weighted down” with the cares of this life and the temptations of the world and the flesh (see ).
During difficult times, it is easy to give up and start living like the unsaved world; and believers during the Tribulation period will face that temptation. They must “watch and pray” and resist the temptations around them, for they want to be ready when their Lord returns.
refers primarily to believers standing before the Lord at the judgment when He returns to earth to establish His kingdom (). The sheep will enter into the kingdom while the goats will be cast out. While some of God’s people will die during the Tribulation judgments and persecutions, some will “escape” and see Jesus Christ when He returns in glory.
If believers during that difficult age will be tempted to yield to the world and the flesh, Christians in this present age of comfort and affluence must face even greater dangers. We today do not know when our Lord will return, and it behooves us to be faithful and to be ready.
“I’m not looking for signs,” said the late Vance Havner; “I’m listening for a sound.”
The sound of the trumpet! The shout of the archangel!
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” ()
Jesus had “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (), knowing full well what would happen to Him there; and now those events were about to occur. They were appointments, not accidents, for they had been determined by the Father and written centuries ago in the Old Testament Scriptures (). We cannot but admire our Saviour and love Him more as we see Him courageously enter into this time of suffering and eventual death. We must remember that He did it for us.
The Passover supper in the Upper Room gives us the focus for our present study.
Before the Supper: Preparation ()
Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles were the three most important feasts on the Jewish calendar (Lev. 23); and all the Jewish men were expected to go to Jerusalem each year to celebrate (). The Feast of Passover commemorated the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and it was a time for both remembering and rejoicing (Ex. 11–12). Thousands of excited pilgrims crowded in and around Jerusalem during that week, causing the Romans to always be nervous about possible uprisings. Passover had strong political overtones, and it was the ideal time for some would-be messiah to attempt to overthrow Rome. This explains why King Herod and Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, were in Jerusalem instead of being at Tiberius and Caesarea respectively. They wanted to help keep the peace.
The religious leaders prepared for a crime (vv. ). It is incredible that these men perpetrated history’s greatest crime during Israel’s holiest festival. During Passover, the Jews were expected to remove all leaven (yeast) from their houses () as a reminder that their ancestors left Egypt in haste and had to eat unleavened bread. Jesus had warned His disciples about the “leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (; also see ; ), and now we see this hypocrisy at work.
The religious leaders had cleansed their homes but not their hearts (see ). For a long time now, they had wanted to arrest Jesus and get Him out of the way, but they had not been able to work out a safe plan that would protect them from the people. Judas solved their problem for them. He guaranteed to deliver Jesus to them privately so there would be no uproar from the people. The last thing the Jewish Sanhedrin wanted was a messianic uprising at Passover season (see ).
Judas was motivated and energized by Satan (, ), for he never was a true believer in Jesus Christ. His sins had never been cleansed by the Lord (), and he had never believed and received eternal life (). Yet none of the other Apostles had the least suspicion that Judas was a traitor. We have every reason to believe that Judas had been given the same authority as the other men and that he had preached the same message and performed the same miracles. It shows how close a person can come to God’s kingdom and still be lost ().
Why did Judas betray the Lord Jesus? We know that he was a thief () and that money played a part in his terrible deed. But thirty pieces of silver was not a large payment for such a great crime, and there had to be something more involved. It is possible that Judas saw in Jesus the salvation of the Jewish nation and, therefore, he followed Him because he hoped to hold an office in the kingdom. Keep in mind that the Twelve often argued over who was the greatest in the kingdom, and Judas, the treasurer, surely participated in those important discussions.
When Judas understood that Jesus would not establish the kingdom but rather would surrender to the authorities, he turned against Him in bitter retaliation. The “leaven” in his life grew quietly and secretly until it produced “malice and wickedness” (). When you cooperate with Satan, you pay dearly, and Judas ended up destroying himself (). Satan is a liar and a murderer (), and he reproduced himself perfectly in Judas.
Jesus prepared for the Passover (vv. ). The way our Lord arranged for the Passover feast indicates that He knew there were plots afoot. Until the disciples arrived at the Upper Room, only Jesus and Peter and John had known where the feast would be held. Had Judas known, he might have been tempted to inform the authorities.
Peter and John would have no trouble locating the man with the water pitcher, because men rarely carried pitchers of water. This was the task of the women. Like the men who owned the ass and colt (), this anonymous man was a disciple of Jesus who made his house available to the Master for His last Passover.
Peter and John would purchase an approved lamb and take it to the temple to be slain. Then they would take the lamb and the other elements of the supper to the house where they planned to meet, and there the lamb would be roasted. The table would be furnished with wine, unleavened bread, and the paste of bitter herbs that reminded the Jews of their long and bitter bondage in Egypt (see ).
There is a chronological question here that must be addressed or it will appear that the Gospel writers are contradicting each other. According to , the Jewish leaders had not yet eaten the Passover, and the day Jesus was tried and condemned was “the preparation of the Passover” (). But our Lord and His disciples had already eaten the Passover!
In their excellent Harmony of the Gospels (Harper & Row), Robert Thomas and Stanley Gundry suggest a possible solution to the dilemma (pp. 320–23). The Jews at that time reckoned days in one of two ways: from sunset to sunset or from sunrise to sunrise. The first approach was traditionally Jewish () while the second was Roman, though it had biblical precedent (see ).
If Matthew, Mark, and Luke used the Jewish reckoning, and John the Roman, then there is no contradiction. There was an “overlapping” of days that permitted both groups to celebrate on the same date but a different day. The temple priests permitted the Jews to bring their lambs for sacrifice either the earlier or the later time. Apparently the Jewish leaders followed the Roman form of reckoning () while Jesus and the disciples followed the Jewish form. Our Lord was crucified on Passover at the time when the lambs were being slain, becoming a fulfillment of Old Testament type.
During the Supper: Revelation (, )
The disciples did not know what to expect as they met in the Upper Room, but it turned out to be an evening of painful revelation. Jesus, the Host of the supper, met them with the traditional kiss of peace (He kissed Judas!), and then the men reclined around the table, Judas at our Lord’s left and John at His right ().
Jesus revealed His love (vv. ). He did this by what He said and by what He did. He told His friends that He had a great desire to share this last Passover with them before He suffered. Passover commemorated the Exodus of Israel from Egypt centuries before, but He would accomplish a greater “exodus” on the cross. He would purchase redemption from sin for a world of lost sinners ().
Then He arose, girded Himself with a towel, and washed the disciples’ feet, including Judas’ (). Later that evening, the Twelve would argue over which of them was the greatest, so this lesson on humility and service did not penetrate their hearts. Perhaps Peter had this scene in mind when years later he admonished his readers to “be clothed with humility” (; and see ).
Our Lord’s words in indicate that there would be no more Passover on God’s calendar. The next feast would be the great “kingdom feast” when He would return to establish His rule on earth (; ; ). He saw beyond the suffering to the glory, beyond the cross to the crown; and in His love, He reached out to include His friends.
Jesus revealed the presence of treachery (vv. ). He had already hinted to His disciples that one of their number was not truly with Him (), but now He openly spoke about a traitor in their midst. However, He did not do this just for the sake of the disciples, but more for the sake of Judas. Jesus had kissed Judas and washed his feet, and now He was giving Judas another opportunity to repent. It is most significant that Jesus did not openly identify Judas as the traitor but protected him until the very end.
If Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, why did He choose him in the first place? And, if somebody had to betray the Lord, why condemn Judas? After all, he simply did God’s will and fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy (see ; ; compare and with ).
Before He chose His 12 Apostles, Jesus spent a whole night in prayer (), so we must believe that it was the Father’s will that Judas be among them (). But the selection of Judas did not seal his fate; rather, it gave him opportunity to watch the Lord Jesus closely, believe, and be saved. God in His sovereignty had determined that His Son would be betrayed by a friend, but divine foreknowledge does not destroy human responsibility or accountability. Judas made each decision freely and would be judged accordingly, even though he still fulfilled the decree of God ().
The fact that the disciples were puzzled by this strange announcement reveals that they did not know Judas’ true character, their own hearts (“Which of us could do such a terrible thing?”), or the prophecies in the psalms. Nor did they remember the Lord’s statements that He would be betrayed into the hands of the enemy (; ). If Peter had fully understood what was happening, he might have used his sword on Judas!
Much about Judas remains a mystery to us, and we must not speculate too much. Judas is certainly a witness to the sinlessness of Jesus Christ, for if anybody could have given witness against Him, it was Judas. However, the authorities had to find false witnesses in order to build their case against Jesus. Judas admitted that he had “betrayed innocent blood” ().
At this point, Judas left the Upper Room to go to the religious leaders and get ready for the arrest of Jesus in the Garden. Judas went out “and it was night” (), for he was obeying the prince of darkness (). Alas, for Judas, it is still night and always will be night!
Jesus revealed the disciples’ worldliness (vv. ). This was not the first time the disciples had committed this sin (; ; ), but in the light of what their Lord had said and done that evening, this latest exhibition was inexcusable. Perhaps the argument grew out of their speculating over who would betray Him, or there may have been some jealousy over the way they had been seated at the table. When you are interested in promoting yourself, it doesn’t take much to start an argument.
Jesus had to explain that they were thinking like the unsaved Gentiles and not like God’s children. The Romans in particular vied for honors and did all they could, legally and illegally, to win promotion and recognition, but they are not the examples for us to follow. As in all things, Jesus is our example, and He has completely reversed the measure of true greatness.
True greatness means to be like Jesus, and that means being a servant to others. A servant does not argue over who is the greatest, because he knows that he is the least, and he accepts this from the hand of God. Since all Christians are to be servants, there is no reason for us to compete with one another for honors and recognition. It is too bad that this competitive spirit is so strong in the church today as people promote themselves and their ministries as “the greatest.”
Jesus closed this lesson on servanthood by reminding them of their future reward in the kingdom (). In spite of their weaknesses and failures, the disciples had stood by Jesus during His earthly ministry, and God would honor them for their faithfulness. We should not mind being servants today, for we shall sit on thrones in the future kingdom! For that matter, our faithful service today is preparing us for the rewards we shall receive. Jesus has set the example: first the cross, then the crown.
Jesus revealed Peter’s denial (vv. ). It is interesting that this word of warning followed the dispute over who was the greatest! Imagine how the disciples must have felt when they heard that not only would one of their number betray Him, but that their spokesman and leader would publicly deny Him! If a strong man like Peter was going to fail the Lord, what hope was there for the rest of them?
The word you in is plural; Satan asked to have all the disciples so he might sift them like wheat. These men had been with Jesus in His trials (), and He would not forsake them in their trials. This was both a warning and an encouragement to Peter and the other men, and our Lord’s prayers were answered. Peter’s courage failed but not his faith; he was restored to fellowship with Christ and was greatly used to strengthen God’s people.
Peter’s self-confident boasting is a warning to us that none of us really knows his own heart () and that we can fail in the point of our greatest strength. Abraham’s greatest strength was his faith, and yet his faith failed him when he went down to Egypt and lied about Sarah (Gen. 12:10–13:4). Moses’ strength was in his meekness (), yet he lost his temper, spoke rashly with his lips, and was not allowed to enter Canaan (Num. 20). Peter was a brave man, but his courage failed him and he denied his Lord three times. “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (, NKJV).
The word converted in means “turned around.” Peter was already a saved man, but he would soon start going in the wrong direction and would have to be turned around. He would not lose the gift of eternal life, but he would disobey the Lord and jeopardize his discipleship. Actually, all of the disciples would forsake Jesus, but Peter would also deny Him. It is a humbling lesson for all of us.
Our Lord’s counsel in was not fully understood by the disciples, because they interpreted what He said quite literally. Peter’s use of the sword in the Garden is evidence of this (). The point He was making was this: “You are now moving into a whole new situation. If they arrest Me, they will one day arrest you. If they treat Me like a common criminal (), they will do the same to you; so, be prepared!”
During their ministry with Jesus, the disciples had been sent out with special authority, and they were treated with respect and appreciation (; ). At that time, Jesus was still a very popular rabbi, and the authorities were not able to attack His disciples. But now “His hour had come” and the situation would change radically. Today, God’s people are aliens in enemy territory, and we must use our faith and sanctified common sense as we serve the Lord. This is a good warning to zealous people who foolishly get themselves into tight spots and then expect God to perform miracles for them. The Apostle Paul knew how to use the “sword” of human government to protect him and the Gospel (; ; ; Rom. 13).
Their words, “Here are two swords!” must have grieved the Lord, for they indicated that the disciples had missed the meaning of His words. Did they think that He needed their protection or that He would now overthrow Rome and establish the kingdom? “It is enough!” means “Don’t say anything more about the matter” (). His kingdom does not advance by means of men’s swords () but by the power of God’s truth, the Word of God that is sharper than any human sword (; ).
After the Supper: Commemoration ()
It was when the Passover meal was drawing to a close (; ) that Jesus instituted the ordinance that the church calls “The Communion” (), or “The Lord’s Supper” (), or “The Eucharist,” from the Greek word which means “to give thanks.”
The Passover feast opened with a prayer of thanksgiving, followed by the drinking of the first of four cups of wine. (The wine was diluted with water and was not intoxicating.)
Next they ate the bitter herbs and sang Psalms 113–114. Then they drank the second cup of wine and began eating the lamb and the unleavened bread. After drinking the third cup of wine, they sang Psalms 115–118; and then the fourth cup was passed among them. It is likely that between the third and fourth cups of wine, Jesus instituted the Supper.
Paul gave the order of the Supper in . First, Jesus broke a piece from the unleavened loaf, gave thanks, and shared it with the disciples, saying that it represented His body which was given for them. He then gave thanks for the cup and shared it, saying that it represented His blood. It was a simple observance that used the basic elements of a humble Jewish meal. Jesus sanctified the simple things of life and used them to convey profound spiritual truths.
Jesus stated one of the purposes for the Supper: “in remembrance of Me” (). It is a memorial feast to remind the believer that Jesus Christ gave His body and blood for the redemption of the world. There is no suggestion in the accounts of the Supper that anything “miraculous” took place when Jesus blessed the bread and the cup. The bread remained bread and the wine remained wine, and the physical act of receiving the elements did not do anything special to the eleven disciples. When we partake, we identify ourselves with His body and blood (), but there is no suggestion here that we receive His body and blood.
A second purpose for the supper is the proclaiming of His death until He returns (). The Supper encourages us to look back with love and adoration to what He did for us on the cross and to look forward with hope and anticipation to His coming again. Since we must be careful not to come to the Lord’s table with known sin in our lives, the Supper should also be an occasion for looking within, examining our hearts, and confessing our sins ().
A third blessing from the Supper is the reminder of the unity of the church: we are “one loaf” (). It is “The Lord’s Supper” and is not the exclusive property of any Christian denomination. Whenever we share in the Supper, we are identifying with Christians everywhere and are reminded of our obligation to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” ().
For us to receive a spiritual blessing from the Supper, it takes more than mere physical participation. We must also be able to “discern the body” (), that is, see the spiritual truths that are inherent in the bread and the cup. This spiritual discernment comes through the Spirit using the Word. The Holy Spirit makes all of this real to us as we wait before the Lord at the table.
Following the instituting of the Supper, Jesus taught His disciples many of the basic truths they desperately needed to know in order to have effective ministries in a hostile world (John 14–16). He prayed for His disciples (John 17); then they sang a hymn and departed from the Upper Room for the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas knew they would go there and he would have the arresting officers all prepared.
As you review this passage, you cannot help but be impressed with the calmness and courage of the Saviour. It is He who is in control, not Satan or Judas or the Sanhedrin. It is He who encourages the Apostles! And He is able even to sing a hymn before He goes out to die on a cross! Isaac Watts has best expressed what our response should be:
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Perhaps the best way to grasp the spiritual lessons behind the tragic events of that night is to focus on the symbols that appear in the narrative. The Bible is a picture book as well as a book of history and biography, and these pictures can say a great deal to us. In this passage, there are six symbols that can help us better understand our Lord’s suffering and death. They are: a lonely Garden, a costly cup, a hypocritical kiss, a useless sword, a crowing cock, and a glorious throne.
The Son of man left the Upper Room and went with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. This was His customary place of retirement when in Jerusalem (). Knowing that the Lord would be there (), Judas led his band of Roman soldiers and temple guards into the Garden to arrest Jesus, who willingly yielded Himself into their hands.
But why a Garden? Human history began in a Garden () and so did human sin (Gen. 3). For the redeemed, the whole story will climax in a “garden city” where there will be no sin (Rev. 21:1–22:7). But between the Garden where man failed and the Garden where God reigns is Gethsemane, the Garden where Jesus accepted the cup from the Father’s hand.
John informs us that when Jesus went to the Garden, He crossed the Kidron brook (). John may have had in mind King David’s experience when he left Jerusalem and fled from his son Absalom (2 Sam. 15; and note especially v. a). Both David and Jesus were throneless kings, accompanied by their closest friends and rejected by their own people. The name Kidron means “murky, dark,” and Gethsemane means “olive press.” Surely these names are significant.
Guides in modern Jerusalem can take visitors to four different sites that lay claim to being the ancient Garden of Gethsemane. Perhaps the most widely accepted one, and surely the most popular, is outside the east wall of Jerusalem near the Church of All Nations. The olive trees there are indeed very old, but it is not likely that they go back as far as the time of Christ since the Romans destroyed all the trees in their invasion of Judea in A.D. 70.
The geographical location of the Garden of Gethsemane is not as important as the spiritual message that we receive from what Jesus did there when He accepted “the cup” from His Father’s hand. The first Adam rebelled in the Garden of Eden and brought sin and death into the world, but the Last Adam () submitted in the Garden of Gethsemane and brought life and salvation for all who will believe.
Jesus left eight of His disciples somewhere in the Garden and took Peter, James, and John with Him to a private place to pray (). This is the third time He has shared a special occasion with these three men. The first was when Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (), and the second was when He was transfigured before them (). There must be a spiritual message here.
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, the British expositor, has pointed out that each of these occasions had something to do with death. In Jairus’ house, Jesus proved Himself to be victorious over death; and on the Mount of Transfiguration, He was glorified through death. (He and Moses and Elijah were talking about His “exodus” in Jerusalem [].) Here in the Garden, Jesus was surrendered to death. Since James was the first of the apostles to die (), John the last to die, and Peter experienced great persecution and eventually was crucified, these three lessons were very practical for their own lives.
Jesus is the Son of God and knew full well that He would be raised from the dead, and yet His soul experienced agony as He anticipated what lay before Him. In the hours ahead, He would be humiliated and abused, and suffer shame and pain on the cross. But even more, He would be made sin for us and separated from His Father. He called this solemn experience “drinking the cup.” (For parallel uses of this image, see ; ; , ; .)
A comparison of the Gospel accounts reveals that Jesus prayed three times about the cup and returned three times to the disciples, only to find them asleep. How little they realized the testing and danger that lay before them! And how much it would have meant to Jesus to have had their prayer support as He faced Calvary! (see )
Dr. Luke is the only Gospel writer who mentions “sweat … like great drops of blood.” His use of the word like may suggest that the sweat merely fell to the ground like clots of blood. But there is a rare physical phenomenon known as hematidrosis, in which, under great emotional stress, the tiny blood vessels rupture in the sweat glands and produce a mixture of blood and sweat. The first Adam sinned in a Garden and was condemned to living by the sweat of his brow (). Jesus, the Last Adam, obeyed the Father in a Garden and conquered Adam’s sin ().
Luke is also the only writer to mention the ministry of the angel (). In fact, both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts give angels a prominent place in the work of the Lord. Angels could not come to die for our sins, but they could strengthen our Saviour as He courageously accepted the cup from His Father’s hand. Dr. George Morrison said, “Every life has its Gethsemane, and every Gethsemane has its angel.” What an encouragement to God’s people when they wrestle and pray about difficult and costly decisions!