Bible, NT-15, Gospel-6, Luke-2
Part 1
LESSON 15
THE GOSPEL 6
LUKE 2
Part 1
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer
INTRODUCTION TO LESSON 15We begin to move into areas dividing, yet joining. The title Holy Spirit only appears seven times in the Bible, three of those in the Old Testament as prophecy regarding the New, then four in the New. Here in Luke we will find the first time the title is used in the New Testament, as well as what it relates to. We will also begin to take a closer look at the title Holy Ghost; although Peter says the Holy Ghost moved on the saints of Old to write, we also find the title never appears in the Old Testament. The Holy Ghost was not yet given (known to man, or gave the Gift), until Jesus was glorified, but He was nonetheless behind the scenes preparing the path for the Spirit of Christ.
We know Luke is the only Gentile writer in the New Testament, he was also Paul’s scribe, yet he was not a Jew, nor was he a converted Jewish priest, but being the only Gentile with two books in the New Testament proves how the New Testament was the Door opening to the Gentile. Don’t forget there are only two groups of people in the world, the Jew and Gentile; one group not of the world, the Christian. The Arab is classed as a Gentile, since they come from Ishmael, as Ishmael came from Abram and Hagar, not Abraham and Sarah. Luke holds importance, yet we never read about him casting out devils, healing the sick, or raising the dead, yet without God using him we would not have the Book of Acts, or the historical importance of Jesus as a youth. God uses whom He will, but we must always pay attention to those He does use.
We are now about half way through Luke, but a long way from being done. Let’s pick up where we left off, shall we?
LESSON 15
THE GOSPEL 6
LUKE’S ACCOUNT – Part 2
We begin where we left off. Elijah called Elisha to the prophetic ministry to finish the work Elijah began, but Elisha said, “Let me, I pray you, kiss my father, mother, and then I will follow you”. Elijah said, “go back again, (return to your plow) for what have I done to you?” (I Kings 19:20). Elijah didn’t say, what have I to do with you, rather he pointed to the calling by saying, “what wrong have I done to you, for you to desire to slow me up?”. Was this some great burden causing Elisha to say good-bye to his family? Was this such a great cost and burden? This calling was a self-less calling, but nonetheless it was a calling to serve the Lord with gladness and joy. Elisha understood, he made a sacrifice of the “tools of the plow” (oxen), then gave to the people, then he followed Elijah (I Kings 19:21). The first act of this disciple was to leave his past behind, then to give to the people.
The training of Elisha is interesting, we see him called in I Kings 19, but we don’t see his name again until Elijah is taken. The time of training is not a time to be “out front”, it’s a time to learn. Elisha did end with his own ministry, but his true ministry was to finish the work Elijah began. Elisha founded the “school of prophets”, one would think they walked around saying, “so saith the Lord” all day long, but the school of prophets is based on discipleship, thus a disciple is trained to “hear ye Him”. Disciples who are trained to hear only their leader never seem to make the breakthrough from the voices of men, to the Voice of the Lord. They use the sayings of man to test the Bible, rather than the Bible to test the sayings of man. Any discipleship program must be fashioned after the earthly ministry of Jesus, teach, allow them to do, teach the more, above all disciple them to hear Ye the Voice of the Lord. How can a prophet prophesy if all they hear are the voices of men?
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place, where He Himself would come (10:1).
Luke is the only one who talks about the Seventy; John eludes to them in John Chapter six. The twelve went to places where Jesus had been, but the seventy will go to places where Jesus will be. The seventy were not apostles, nor were they Evangelists, but they were Jews sent to Jews. It is felt the Seventy became the basis to appoint the Seven deacons in Acts, could be.
One connection for the Seventy is the Light and Menorah, Josephus tells us the ornaments on the Menorah counted seventy in number (Josephus ChapVI:para7). In the Book of Numbers God told Moses, “Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, so they may stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon you, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you bear it not yourself alone” (Numb 11:16-17). Wow, put the “spirit” on them? Could it be an evil spirit like Saul had? Or could it be the same Authority Moses had in dealing with the people? Ahh, it’s not the Holy Ghost, but the same authority and compassion Moses had for the people.
This area in Numbers also relates to the time John hindered the man who was casting out devils; in the same chapter in Numbers Moses was told how two men were in the camp who prophesied (Numb 11:26). Moses said, “would God all the Lord’s people were prophets, or the Lord would put His spirit upon them” (Numb 11:29). Paul said the same thing to the Corinthians, his meaning was the same. The two men were not giving direction, they were giving comfort, edification and exhortation, just as Paul desired the Corinthians to do. We see a correlation, Moses was faced with stiffnecked people, the Corinthians were carnal, it would be a nice change for them to speak as the oracles of God. In John’s case he stopped a man from casting out devils, Jesus said, Let him alone. The problem was John already told the man, what to do? Don’t do it again.
The Harvest time was in hand, yet the Kingdom was not. Harvest doesn’t end the work, it begins it. Simply tossing the net isn’t all it entails, we teach, baptize, and teach the more.
Therefore said He unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest (10:2).
Again Jesus shows He is Jehovah of the harvest, as the harvest belongs to Him. How can we go, if we are not sent? How can we be sent if we are not called? These people were not to go out to bring in converts, they were sent to the Field, the place where the wheat and tares are located.
Go your ways: behold I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way (10:3-4).
Clearly showing the “Lambs among Wolves”, making reference to the Wheat and Tares. Also they are not commanded to cast out devils, yet they will find devils are subject to them, not because they were Jews, but because of the Authority (Name) Jesus granted them. The Authority spoke, even if they didn’t.
Paul saw this process of learning by saying, “not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Ph’l 4:11-13). None of us can separate Jesus from being The Christ, but on the same note we are called to be Like Christ, thus many of the teachings regarding Christ have to do with the Body of Christ. Paul said Christ in this instance was a Which, not a Who, this Christ gave him strength; therefore, the ability is found in ones position by being in the Body; therefore, if we are in Christ, the ability to abase is the same as the ability to abound, neither makes any difference as long as we are in Christ. For some of us the word “abase” is a big no-no, but Paul said it was part of the learning process. The context shows he was taught, or learned whatever state he was in, it didn’t matter as long as he had Christ in him, as he was in Christ.
There are other things as well, including the Renewed mind wherein one is able to think on the Things which are “true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, any virtue, and any praise” (Ph’l 4:8). Then Paul said, “those Things, which you have both learned, received, heard, and seen me do” (Ph’l 4:9). The learning in Christ settles in the nature of the Spirit, the nature brings a way of life, the way of life produced a witness. There are things we do, not works of the flesh, but nonetheless things. People saw Paul do things, Paul taught things, the people received the things Paul taught and did, showing the Word of our Witness is what others say about us.
And into whatsoever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the Son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not it shall turn to you again (10:5-6).
Who is this “Son of Peace”, could it be the Prince of Peace? Yes, a Prince is known by the Principality he represents, a Principality is a location within a kingdom, it is not the kingdom, neither does it rule the kingdom. Peace is a part of the Gift, it is not all the Gift, here Jesus points to His Name as the Authority covering the seventy.
These seventy are being Ordained for a purpose, the Authority granted them is specific in nature, yet the very Name of Jesus is so powerful the realm of darkness flees in terror when anyone with the Authority shows up.
Why even tell us of the Seventy? No one else did, overzealous scribe? No, it removes the false thought of only Apostles can heal, cast out devils, or preach. These Seventy were not born again, they didn’t have the Holy Ghost in them, they operated in the Mercy of the Authority of Jesus as the Son of man. What excuse could we who have the Power from on High have? None. The problem with us is the years of unbelieving people telling us we couldn’t do it, thus whatsoever we believed we became: ineffective.
And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house (10:7).
The seventy were sent to the Jews, it doesn’t mean eat pork if they put it before you? Why would a Jew do to begin with? It means don’t turn down whatever they give you. Clearly if they are sent to the Jews, no one is going to serve them pork. This also removes the Seventy from a sense of false humility, “no thank you I’m fasting as any holy servant would”. In truth they were not to fast, they were to receive.
After the day of Pentecost, when the Apostles went out they took prophets with them, thus Apostles venture into virgin land to establish churches; whereas the Evangelist brings in the lost to establish bodies. Prophets deliver doctrine, or give direction for the Body. Here we find disciples being sent to the called to advise the called the kingdom is at hand, the signs verify the message.
Jesus added, don’t go from house to house, don’t just stay at a house who gives you the best food or bed, rather go from house to house. This became the basis for Home Fellowship meetings, only used in reverse, as the people came to the house to learn.
And in whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you (10:8).
From houses to cities, if the city receives you, eat such things as they give. In essence receive from them, for it’s a blessing for them to give. If the call is to give, yet no one receives, to whom do we give? Ourselves? It would be the Jacob tithe, from the right pocket to the left.
And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come near unto you (10:9).
After the receiving, then the duties to give to those who gave. This is still connected to, freely they received, freely they were to give. The kingdom of God is “come near”, it was not in hand. This is still preparation, the signs were to verify the message. The word for Near (or nigh) is the Greek Eggizo, an interesting word, especially when we know there is the kingdom of heaven and the Kingdom of God. Eggizo means To be at hand, rather than in hand, but it also means the joining of two things (ref., Brown, Diggers). The kingdom of heaven was at hand, but the purpose for the kingdom of heaven was for the person to receive the Kingdom of God.
But into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaves on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be you sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come near to you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto you, Chorazin! woe unto you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And you Capernaum, which are exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell. He that hears you hears Me; and he that despises you despises Me; and he that despises Me, despises Him that sent Me (10:10-16).
Here Jesus is expanding and defining prophecy, especially the one in Genesis, showing us a prophecy coming to pass is also spoken of in the Book of Revelation. Back in Genesis God told the devil, “upon thy belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life” (Gen 3:14). The word Life doesn’t mean the devil had Life, rather in the Hebrew it means an existence, the devil will exist forever, but in a state of defeat and darkness. The “dust” is where the flesh came from, the devil’s food is always flesh, the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life are all flesh based.
Is Jesus cursing these places, or making statements of fact? The prophetic doesn’t mean He is cursing anything, it means He knows what will happen, as He is expounding on the result of their folly. If we say, “I saw a car hit a car” it doesn’t mean we caused the accident.
We also find Tyre and Sidon are not the places these disciples are going to, yet Jesus says, “were done”, thus the seventy were already working in the places they were sent to, which were Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, but IF the people in Tyre and Sidon had seen these works, they would have repented, thus the people rejecting the signs are more stubborn, more resistant, and in more danger than Sodom, Tyre or Sidon.
The word Despises doesn’t mean to hate, rather it means to Neutralize, Frustrate or Bring to Naught. It’s a negative concept of a word meaning to Stand Upright, Conceive or Have Purpose, thus, to Despise means to Neutralize the ability for one who is seeking to obtain the Righteousness of Jesus; to Frustrate the New Birth or Bring to Naught the Purpose of God, is not a wise thing to do.
This becomes a warning to the Seventy, as well as, the cities. If the Seventy allow rejection to cause them bitterness, they in turn will become what they fear the most. Instead of preaching hope, they will frustrate the purpose of God.
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Your name (10:17).
The Seventy were sent out to Heal the Sick, yet it’s obvious they cast out devils; therefore, they found the Name of Jesus has power over devils. This places casting out devils, healing the sick, preaching the Kingdom and water baptism all under the authority granted under the Name of Jesus as it relates to Mercy.
If we believe our sins are forgiven through the Mercy of God, we must also believe we have the authority to cast out devils and lay hands on the sick. If the Seventy operated in the Name of Jesus, yet were not Apostles, it puts to rest the concept saying only Apostles can do these acts. Jesus was building the Rock, since it’s where the Name resides. If it’s the case then John 6:66 would apply, as they are enjoying the labor they remain for the duration, but as soon as Jesus places responsibility on them, they turn and walk no more with Him (Jn 6:66). The “good time fellows” chase all the meetings, but run away when responsibility is applied.
And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you, Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven (10:18-20).
This changes everything, prior, in the Old Testament, Job was accused before the face of God, now a battle takes place. As the seventy went about doing Good, Michael and his angels were activated to cast the devil out of heaven, the same devil who accused our brethren (Jews) day and night. We also find Revelation 12:7-8 doesn’t tell us to fight the devil face to face, nor does it say this battle is yet to come, it shows this battle is a past tense issue (Rev 12:7); therefore, we fight the wiles of the enemy (Eph 6:11).
What else does this show? The seventy were excited, Jesus wasn’t, neither was He impressed. The Godhead is the Father, Word and Holy Ghost, we please God by faith, we don’t excite, or Impress Him. How can we excite a God who knows what we will do before we do it?
Revelation 12:8 shows there is no place for the devil in heaven, why then do we continue to place him there? Why do we elevate the devil to a position Jesus said he no longer has? The beginning is the beginning, the end the end, don’t sit in the beginning and assume the race is done. This doesn’t mean we don’t cast out devils, we do, but we don’t give them place. The context shows while on this earth we will cast out devils, but it’s temporal. Perhaps five years, or perhaps fifty, but heaven is forever. In Matthew 7:21-23 we found the workers of iniquity cast out devils, but it was their position in heaven they neglected. We must be Equal, casting out devils is important, but so is having our names written in heaven.
The character of the devil is Satan, the same character opposed to mankind, meaning it produces the nature of the serpents, as malicious people; as well as the scorpions. The definition of the scorpions is found when God sent Ezekiel among the scorpions, but he wasn’t to be afraid of their words, thus scorpions are deceptive people (Ezek 2:3-6 & I Sam 15:23).
There is a difference between taking up serpents, and treading on them. The wording, To tread is the Greek Pateo, it has a good and an evil sense. Literally it means to have power over, in the Book of Revelation the Gentile treads the city under foot (Rev 11:12), meaning they have authority, or at least an equal authority as the Jew. In this case it means we are not subject to the Serpents or Scorpions, they have no authority over us. A Scorpion makes it appear as if the danger is one thing, when it’s really something else. We fear the claws, but it’s the stinger bringing death, indicating deception. Later Jesus will tell the disciple they will Take up serpents, which means to Lift higher, how can this be? Paul is a perfect example of a serpent (Saul) being lifted, you can’t save a serpent if they have authority over you, thus Saul the Christian hunting serpent was caught in the net, lifted higher than the serpent’s den, to become Paul the Apostle of Grace.
Here Jesus also said, “nothing shall hurt you”, supporting Mark 16:16-18. Jesus uses two different Greek words pointing to Power, in the phrase “power to tread” the Greek word for Power is Exousia meaning Authority, but in the phrase “power of the enemy” it’s the Greek Dunamis. The devil has Dunamis? Of course, Dunamis simply means the ability to carry out the authority. What authority does the devil have? The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. The wording “hurt you” is very interesting, it’s the Greek word Adikeo meaning to harm, or to make to do harm, or to cause to do wickedly. This shows the devil has no power to make us do anything, the old excuse “the devil made me do it”, is completely in error, we are drawn away by our own lusts.
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in Spirit, and said, I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes: even so Father: for so it seemed good in Your sight (10:21).
Here is another clue to the term, Born Again, Jesus Rejoiced in the Spirit, not the soul. The Acts of God are always Good, the Ways of Good bring clarity to what is Good. Paul said, “for you see your calling, brethren, not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence” (I Cor 1:26-29).
The purpose is for our own good, if we assume by our intellect we interpreted the Scriptures, or our wisdom gained us the ability to know the things of God, if we presume our ability, talent or gift is our means to gain from, we frustrate the Grace of God. It’s the will of the Father to use us to confound those who are wise in their own eyes. Mankind is impressed with intellect and personal talents, God is pleased by our faith (Heb 11:6).
It’s also obvious God doesn’t leave us foolish, weak, base or despised, rather He renews (transfigures) our mind, instills the knowledge from on High, grants us His wisdom, our nature is changed by the Spirit. When most of us look at ourselves, we know it’s not by our might, nor by our power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. What would this relate to? The Grace of God, not by our abilities, but because of the Faithfulness of Jesus we have obtained the Spirit.
Jesus as the Son of man is thanking the Father for the Father’s wisdom and Mercy, we obtained the Mercy in forgiveness. Jesus looks at these men who just returned from casting out devils, healing the sick and preaching the kingdom of God, yet calls them babes. Paul told the Corinthians, “I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as babes in Christ” (I Cor 3:1). The Greek word for Babes in Nepios meaning Not of age, although the seventy were not even Born Again, they did as they were told.
All things are delivered to Me of My Father: and no man knows who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him (10:22).
This would seem strange, since Jesus is known by the disciples, three of them saw Him transfigured; however, the mystery is found in the word “Knows”. The Greek word is Ginosko, it means to Feel, to Have, to Perceive, to Understand, and to Speak for. When Jesus is speaking of the Father, it relates to Mercy, even His prayers to the Father relate to Mercy until the night of the Passover, when the change takes place. Everything to do with the kingdom of heaven is Mercy based, the Kingdom of God is Grace based. We need both to remain Equal. How does one know the Son? By the Greater He, no one at this point in time were Born Again, they had no idea what Grace entailed.
Later Paul will tell us the natural knowledge of man is one thing, but we must have the knowledge of God by the Spirit to enter the realm of spiritual understanding. The disciples did things, but they still lacked the Understanding of God. The doing is good, the understanding better, it brings clarity to why we are doing the doing. The seventy were more impressed with their power over the devil than the authority they were under.
Man’s knowledge leads to man’s wisdom, producing pride in his intellect, bringing about soulish thinking. Therefore, it’s not merely knowing of Jesus, it’s the ability to have the Mind of Christ to perceive the things of Christ, in order to know Him. John tells us the Spirit bears Witness, whosoever abides in God, sins not (I Jn 5:6, 3:2-6 & 3:9). Those who are Born Again of the Spirit Perceive the Love of God (I Jn 3:16). Whosoever confesses Jesus as the Son of God, God dwells in them, and they in God (I Jn 4:15). Confession is not mouthing the words, rather it’s the ability to live the Love and Light of God by displaying those Ways through Mercy and Grace. Here Jesus makes it clear, the Son and Father are One in purpose, thus as the Son of man, Jesus came with a body to represent us to the Father, but it doesn’t mean He gave up being the Son of God to represent the Father.
And He turned Him unto His disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them (10:23-24).
This teaching is just for the disciples, it will be a division point. Luke now engages in the teachings of Jesus related to what the prophets and kings wondered. Luke will not engage in chronological events, he will link them as a teacher does; the first is Eternal Life, but before one can consider the premise we must deny the Self which begins when we impute the flesh (old nature) dead (pick up) on the Cross.
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him, saying Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (10:25).
Here Luke begins to tell us of the things we need to hear in order to inherit eternal life. Ears hearing sounds are common, but ears receiving what the Lord has to say are rear indeed. Here is an example of Luke’s teaching method, the lawyer is tempting Jesus, thus the question begins as a formulated deception to test the knowledge of Jesus, without the desire to know the answer. What would all these temptations relate to? The wilderness experience? Yes, more important they go back to treading on serpents and scorpions. Here Jesus is applying the principle, thus we found the principle, now we find the example allowing us to see how to apply the principle.
There are many deceivers who ask questions in order to guide us into a subject they want to discuss. They could care less what we think, or the answer to the question, rather they are using the questions as a form of deception to enter an area where they control the subject, thereby allowing them to insert their opinion. The works of the devil are still the works of the devil, we tend to march into the mouth of the devil thinking we are going to impart some wisdom to a poor misunderstood cult member. Beware, we are sent as lambs among wolves, be as gentle as a dove, but wise as a serpent, know the devises of Satan, but don’t use them. Tread on the serpents and scorpions, don’t play with them.
Both the serpents and scorpions are defined for us here, the scorpion is deceptive, the claw is out there, but the stinger is waiting. Then will come the slanderous attitude, the mocking, belittling, or words to do harm, in order to make us feel inferior, allowing them to insert their opinion in a forceful manner. However, as we will see, they have no power or authority over us, regardless of how vociferous they sound.
He said unto him, What is written in the Law? how read you? (10:26).
Jesus knew the man’s heart; instead of answering the question with an answer, Jesus answered it with a question by going to the intent. We might term this, “putting the ball back in his court”. The lawyer knows the answer, and Jesus says, “how do you read it?” or, “what does it say to you?”. From this the lawyer must answer his own question, removing Jesus from being trapped into a theological debate. The lawyer didn’t ask Jesus, “I was wondering about Your teachings, I see it this way, You say this, can you explain the difference?”. Rather the lawyer knew what the Scriptures said, he was playing a mind game, yet Jesus brought exposure with clarity. Who then did the treading? Jesus of course, yet He didn’t beat the man up, stomp his brains out, or bring him harm. We tend to think treading means we can stomp all over the devil, but we find things are under the feet of Jesus, we are of His Body. If we have to look at the bottom of our feet to see what we tread on, we are wasting time, we know what we tread on. Nothing on this earth has authority over us, the Faith of Jesus said it this way, “You can do nothing to Me, unless it be granted from on High”. We tend to think, “You can do nothing to me, unless I like it”.
And he answering said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself (10:27).
The lawyer knew, but he was looking for a way around the commandment, he wasn’t looking for a way to complete it. Moses came down the mountain with two tablets, here the lawyer saw the intent of the entire Law; one tablet was to love the Lord, the other was to love one’s neighbor. The lawyer didn’t say, “with all your spirit”, but he did add Strength. Man’s personal strength is a weakness, every time we think we have personal strengths, we will use them before we consider trusting Jesus. If we were a good salespersons, we will sale Jesus like a cake of soap. If we can manipulate people, we will use it to get them to the altar, and in all this we are using the flesh to accomplish spiritual matters, nonetheless Christ is being preached. Even if someone doesn’t believe the Gospel, they can preach it, at least someone will hear and believe, the signs follow the believer.
There are all sorts of ways to love the Lord, one can love the Lord for the benefit of getting, they can love the Lord because they love religion, they can love the Lord because morality makes them feel superior, they can love the Lord because religious talk makes them feel important, or they can be in love with the Lord because they know Him, to know Him is to love Him.
We find the lawyer not only had an understanding of the Law, but he also knew what it took to obtain life, yet he failed to make the step of faith to Enter life, Jesus will show his answer was only half way home. Knowledge points out the way, or gives us the awareness, but knowledge is not the end of the walk, only the awareness regarding the path we walk.
And He said unto him, You have answered right, this do, and you shall live (10:28).
The lawyer knew the concept, it was doing it causing him problems. If he loved his neighbor as himself, he would never have tempted Jesus. If he loved the Lord, he would love Jesus, instead of tempting Him. This is the same premise behind “even the devils believe in one God”, if one truly believes in the one God, they will accept His Son.
But he willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? (10:29).
Self-justification is the sister of pride, this lawyer defined the word Neighbor as someone who agreed with him, walked in his circles, held the exactness of his theology, and condoned to his thinking, loving those who love you is easy, loving the unlovable takes the Holy Ghost.
To the Jew the concept of Charity is simple, If someone comes to you with their hand out, put something in it. However, the concept of Neighbor was more restricted to those who support the Nation Israel. Here the lawyer was told, “this do”, but did he? The first chance he got he attacked Jesus with a self-justifying question.
This shows we must deny the self, this lawyer didn’t, he allowed the self to exercise itself by justifying who he thinks he should love, and who he wants to hate. This attitude is found in the fall nature, sad to say, at times in the Body. If someone doesn’t like someone else in the Body they do the same old self-justification, “they are not my brother, they are not of the Body”: it’s never for us to say who is, or is not of the Body.
Jesus will show two concepts of love, first He shows love thy neighbor, then love the Lord, but we know this is reverse from the commandments. What else is reverse of the Commandments? Communion, we take the Bread first, since we are the Bread, thus it relates to loving thy neighbor. Then we take the Cup, as it relates to our relationship with Jesus, so what gives? Communion is a belief issue, it’s to Remember, we remember our position and condition in the Body as it relates to Mercy, then we can Find Grace. In this case it’s not Communion, but exposure.
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him. And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever you spend more, when I come again, I will repay you (10:30-35).
There are several subjects in this parable, any of which could be considered a Neighbor. The wounded man was not the Samaritan, rather the wounded man came from Jerusalem, as he was headed toward Jericho, pointing right to the lawyer. The lawyers gathered in Jerusalem, but trained in Jericho, Jesus has placed the shoe on the other foot. Really there was no way to tell what sect the wounded man was, his raiment was taken from him; was he a priest? A lawyer? A nobody?
If someone in this lawyer’s little group loved him, should they not stop and help him? The Inn Keeper could have rejected the wounded one, regardless of the money given, but he was more the Neighbor than the priest or Levite, yet both the priest and Levite are obligated by the Law of Moses to render assistance.
This same road to Jericho passed the Mount of Olives, after passing Jericho the path went along the Jordan toward Galilee, it was used to pass Samaria without having to go through Samaria. The Jews felt the Samaritans were the cause for much of the Jews problems with God, thus the Jews called the Samaritans, Dogs. It would be difficult at best to ascertain if the wounded man was coming from the area of Samaria, or from Jerusalem, or Jericho. The lawyer equated someone a Neighbor only after he was able to question them in order to identify their theological stand, but in this case the symbol of the lawyer was wounded; unable to ask, or answer questions. In essence, the wounded one is a stranger in need, yet on the road within the land.
Jesus shows the first to pass the wounded man was a priest reflecting to the religious rulers, but the second was a Levite which reflected on the religious minded, which would include the lawyer. Perhaps when the lawyer heard the word priest, his mind came up with, “oh yes, bless God, those priests are like that”; but then Jesus used the word Levite, and the lawyer was placed in the same class as the priest.
The Levite would include any priesthood, even the Hasmonean family, since they were also connected to Aaron, thus both Priest and Levite covered the entire religious function of Israel. The duty of the order was not simply to collect tithe, it was to care for the people (Ps 82). The problem the lawyer faced is being exposed, to him “social” gatherings determined his neighbor, here Jesus is showing anyone in need is his neighbor.
The man who was wounded was from Jerusalem, but neither the priest or the Levite came close enough to see the man, much less tell from which direction he came; therefore, neighbor or not, the wounded one was in the land (kingdom), making him a “neighbor”.
The wounded one could have looked up and told the Samaritan, “A Samaritan? no way, leave me here to die”; however, when we are in need, the one willing to help is always our neighbor. This also put the lawyer in the “do class”, the Parable placed the lawyer in both positions at the same time. Jesus told the lawyer, this do, but the parable indicates the wounded one as the lawyer as well as one passing by. By using both positions Jesus shows the neighbor is the one in need, as well as the one willing to provide the need.
The Samaritan poured the oil and the wine into the wound, yet the Samaritan didn’t care from which direction the man came, rather he saw someone in need. Why pour wine? Is it some kind of healing agent? Metaphors, the Oil represents the anointing of Mercy, the Wine represents Grace as the course of Life. The Samaritan wasn’t seeking favor from the wounded man, nor did he call out to the priest or Levite, or brag on his wonderful works, simply, the Samaritan cared for the wounded man without regard for himself. If there were a lot of people around, perhaps the priest or Levite would have helped, just to get the praises of people, but the only one there, was the wounded man, yet God was watching.
The priest and Levite may have felt pity for the man, but they weren’t moved to act, yet compassion calls for one to act. Some look at the wounded man as Adam, some as man in general, some see him as Jesus, any of these could be the wounded man, but the wounded man is not the context, rather we are looking for the context of Neighbor as the one who applies Mercy. If these religious leaders did as they say, then the wounded man would have been their neighbor, simply because he was wounded.
Which now of these three, do you think was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and you do likewise (10:36-37).
The subject here is Mercy, thus it does relate to Life, defining how we determine a neighbor. Not by whether or not we can make personal gain, but whether or not we see opportunity to apply Mercy. This is “entrance” material, pertaining to both denying the self, and picking up our cross.
The lawyer started this looking for Life, thus mercy grants us Life; therefore, be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful. If we love our neighbor we show them Mercy, if we love God, we display Mercy to others. The command was “go”, which would have been an act of faith, thus the man “heard”, faith came, but receiving faith means one applies it in order for it to become active in ones life.
Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word (10:38-39).
This still connects to the last teaching, here we find service through love brings joy to the service, but service lacking love brings bitterness and much bondage. Luke links this event to the prior teaching, but he is not looking for exactness or chronological timing, he is still linking line upon line as they relate to the concept.
Martha had a sister named Mary, in John’s account we find this is Martha the sister of Lazarus (Jn 11:1). Lazarus is the only person who Jesus refused to heal, instead He raised him from the dead. Lazarus was not resurrected, rather he was resuscitated back to his physical body. Luke gives us some insight to Martha; John adds more showing Martha was the practical sister, or the rational one. When Martha’s brother, Lazarus died, she and her sister sent for Jesus; however, it was some days later when Jesus arrived. Martha came to meet Jesus and said, “Lord, If you had been here, my brother had not died” (Jn 11:32). This is nearly the same statement as Mary would later make, however, from the position and manner of Martha we find there is a vast difference in the two sisters. Martha didn’t bow or greet Jesus with any respect, rather she accused Him, as she attempted to use manipulation to force Jesus to raise Lazarus, by saying, “but I know, even now whatsoever You will ask of God, God will give it You” (Jn 11:22). It almost sounds like a “faith statement”, but it’s not, it’s a form of manipulation. This also reflects to Peter’s statement; both Peter and Martha forgot the “nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will”. Martha wasn’t interested in the will of God, rather she was interested in her own will. Martha’s request is laced with manipulation as a challenge to force Jesus to raise her brother, in essence it’s akin to “If you be the Son of God raise this man”. When she spoke, Jesus stopped in His tracks, it would take the praise and words from Mary to finish the course. Was Martha evil? No, she was natural.
Martha went back to Mary, who was in the house, and said, “The Master is come, and calls for you” (Jn 11:28), which was not true. Martha even went so far as to pull Mary away from the others in the house so she wouldn’t be overheard. Mary came to Jesus, then worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother had not died” (Jn 11:32). This is same wording, but with a different intent. Both sisters used the same words, but they came from two different intents, producing two different reactions from Jesus. When Martha spoke, Jesus stayed where He was, but when Mary spoke, He wept (Jn 11:35). Jesus knows our hearts; it’s we who need to know our intent. The Holy Spirit puts our words and our intents together to establish our prayer request.
Martha served, but her attitude hindered her, causing her to be encumbered. We can never forget, God knows our hearts, but it’s our souls He wants to save.
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me (10:40).
The word Help used here is the same Greek word used in Romans 8:26 in reference to the Spirit Helping us in our infirmities. However the Spirit helping us, and demanding for someone help us are much different, especially when we find out what this Greek word is. This Greek word is SunAntiLambanomai, meaning To join (Sun) against something (Anti), to obtain the result (Lambanos), but it doesn’t mean we join to be against, rather it shows to join in a manner to finish the course; it indicates the Spirit is so centered on saving our souls nothing is going to stop Him, not even us. However, when Martha uses it, she is demanded for Jesus to force Mary to help her. Martha was serving, Mary was worshipping, yet Martha felt serving was more important then worship. Jesus will show Mary was doing a Good thing, thus Martha was doing as she should, Mary was doing as she should. This is an area where we learn, Martha viewed what someone else was doing as inferior, but it was still a Good work.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her (10:41-42).
This is more than your average rebuke, when we get in our “Martha, Martha” mindset we think we will never finish the task before us, so we begin to demand for help, even if it takes away from others should be doing. Didn’t Jesus say to pray for the workers of the harvest? Isn’t it what Martha is doing? No, she is asking Jesus to command one person to do the majority of the work, without regard for what the other person is doing. This is akin to turning the stones into bread. Both Martha and Mary had “tasks”, one was no more important than the other, until Martha determined they were.
Martha at this stage of her life is our example of someone who has works but lacks understanding, simply because Mary wasn’t doing what she was doing. Two sisters, much different, yet Jesus loved them both. Luke points out the lawyer knew the commandments but failed at doing them, here Martha thought more about her duties, than what her sister was doing. Martha entered the “why me, I always have to do the work, and look at Mary? It isn’t fair” mode of justification. We can’t look around to find out what other people are doing, then make our own conclusions on what we think they should be doing. Jesus tells us, “Follow Me”, in so doing we won’t hold the rubber neck of suspicion.
And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples (11:1).
This isn’t a different set of circumstances from Matthew, but it does clear up an issue. The question is not “teach us to pray, as You do”, or “teach us to pray”, this was “teach us to pray as John taught his disciples”. What did it entail? Looking toward the Kingdom, rather than praying from the Kingdom. Keep it in mind when you look at what is correctly called “the disciples prayer”.
And He said unto them, When you pray, say, Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be Your name, Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth (11:2).
This goes right back to Martha and Mary connecting to the prior teachings. It’s important to see this prayer is for those outside of the Kingdom wanting to get in. At this point in time it would be correct for Peter, James, John and the rest of the disciples to pray this way, but not for Jesus.
The first step points to denying the self, or giving up of our agendas and self-based wills, as we seek the Will of the Father. We can have agendas relating to ministry, we want this type or another, yet all we did was enforce our will into the calling. Paul never asked to be an apostle, Jesus made him one.
The wording in this prayer is different from Matthew, but makes the concept clearer. Matthew’s account reads, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). Matthew is asking for the Kingdom to come, why would someone in the Kingdom pray this? The mistake would be thinking the Kingdom has not come, which means none of us are Born Again. Not so, this prayer is the “sinner’s prayer”, those who wish to enter in. The first step is to recognize God is supreme, only He can forgive us, only He can bring the Kingdom.
Give us day by day our daily bread (11:3).
This denies our self-ability, we are not saying, “I made my way”, we are asking God to provide as He sees fit. It may be working, or it may be receiving. This is a trust issue, do we truly Trust God? What if He put us in a cave somewhere? How dare He, we have a ministry to run. Trust is a big issue, it needs a real searching of our souls to determine if we Trust God, or not.
The disciples are Jews, this part of the prayer could mean more to a Jew than to us. Correctly we see this as submitting to the provision of the Lord, to trust in Him day by day. Bread is an important element to the Jewish diet, it’s the center of all food, it represents the deliverance from Egypt, like the Manna in the wilderness, bread to them is “life”. For us, we are the Bread, as such we have Life (Cor 10:17). The Jewish prayer over bread goes; Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz, or “Blessed are Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who brings bread out from the earth”. The Jew thinks the Manna came from heaven, Jesus will point out the command came from heaven, the Manna from the earth. The Jew felt the Manna was the “bread of life”, since it kept the children alive, but Jesus tells us He is the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35 & 6:48).
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil (11:4).
Clearly this is the step of Mercy, the point where we pick up our Cross, as we forgive, to be forgiven. Of course we know Mercy is a day to day walk, pointing to this part of the prayer; thus the prayer has steps for one desiring to leave the world, to enter the Kingdom. The phrase, “deliver us from evil” is clear enough, we know Paul told us not to give place to the devil, thus the power to give the devil place is in our hands. This is also related to “tread on serpents”, we are delivered from evil, by having authority over it, rather than it having authority over us.
If God cannot tempt us to evil, why even pray for Him not to lead us into temptation? Didn’t the Spirit take Jesus to be tempted of the devil, so why didn’t Jesus pray this? Much different, this relates to the Hour of Temptation, this is our request and remission for God to do whatever it takes to keep us from the Night. There is one element very clear in this prayer, no where does Jesus tell them to “seek the Kingdom” or “ask for the Spirit”. This is an entrance prayer, it’s for those on the outside looking in. They are not going to be in a position to seek the Kingdom or the Spirit until they make entrance.
And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? (11:5-6).
This links to the prayer, the Loaves are a direct reference to the Bread; however, in this case it’s in reference to loving thy neighbor. The relationship is between two friends, yet the reference is to the Last Hour indicates urgency, helping us see the “temptation” as the Hour of Temptation.
This has nothing to do with annoying a friend to get what we want, rather it has to do with the confidence of the one asking. Who would go to a stranger at midnight? The one asking wouldn’t ask, unless he felt the friend was able to help, or at least hear. This does fit the prayer, we want God to do whatever it takes to keep us from the temptation, even if it’s at midnight. It would be stupid to march across town to someone who refuses to help. The one asking is not asking for himself, rather he is asking to benefit another, much like the wounded man being helped by another.
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give you. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs (11:7-8).
The friend didn’t want to get up, but the persistence, or insistence of the man made it impossible to ignore him. Some would make sure the one in the midst of the journey knew who gave the bread, another would make sure he was paid back, yet others are more concerned with loving their neighbor. Simply this points to continual belief, it is not supporting retentive prayer, rather it’s asking us not to let our belief slip.
And I say unto you, Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (11:9).
What will be? The Kingdom of course, the Kingdom was still “at” hand at this point in time, not in hand. The Door was being set before them, Jesus will say He is the Door. This confirms the prayer is for entrance, it is not a prayer one makes after entrance, rather their mindset knows God provides.
For every one that asks, receives; and he that seeks, finds; and to him that knocks, it shall be opened (11:10).
What comes with the Kingdom? The Spirit, thus this connects to asking for the Spirit. The phrase “every one” would include Jew and Gentile. It begins to get very clear this is for those seeking the Kingdom. Jesus is teaching and promising, He is not imparting. John 7:39 tells us no one was Born Again until Jesus was glorified by the Resurrection. Nicodemus is the proof of this, he heard “Ye must be Born Again”, yet he didn’t have a clue what it meant. Jesus was instructing the instructor, but the time of Impartation wouldn’t come until Pentecost (Jn 7:38-39 & 3:3-7).
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? (11:11-12).
Here the fear is being removed, the safe guard is the foundation of belief and faith. This is one place the devil has no part of, he cannot mix into this, Jesus said so. If we ask for the Spirit and the Kingdom (really one in the same) it’s exactly what we get. Don’t fear, Jesus promised us the Father will not allow a devil to enter in this. This of course connects to the prayer we just saw, if Jesus tells us to pray “Thy Kingdom come”, we should believe it’s exactly what we will get. These people were watching Jesus cast out devils, why would He then give them one?
Two elements of interest, if we ask for Bread, will we get a stone? No, why? Because Jesus will not turn the stones into bread. If we ask for the Fish, will we get a serpent? No, why? The Fish represents the Spirit, the Serpent the devil, if we ask God for the Spirit, it’s what we get. Two baptisms are seen here, the Bread is entrance into the Body, or water baptism relating to the Father (I Jn 5:7-8). When we were water baptized we didn’t expect to enter hell, we didn’t expect to be lost, rather we knew we were identifying with the death and resurrection of Jesus as we were being saved from the world. What then makes us think if we ask for the baptism with the Holy Ghost, we are going to get some devil? Here we have the evidence, this is our foundation of belief, we ask for the Spirit knowing we will receive the Spirit of Truth: how do we know this pertains to the Spirit?
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? (11:13).
This is the first time in the New Testament where we find the title “Holy Spirit”, it clearly shows the New Man is the Holy Spirit, explaining much. God has respected, and set apart the title through the Old Testament for the New. The Holy Ghost brings the Seed, the Seed is Spirit and Holy, based on the True Holiness of God. The very essence of the Shekinah Glory of God is within us, the same Glory will be revealed (Rom 8:18).
This teaching by Jesus shows we have to Ask, before it’s given, yet we continue to ask, seek and knock for the fullness of the Spirit. To assist us the Holy Ghost (deliverer of the Seed) will fill give us the Seed of God. It’s also for this reason the continual attacks against the Spirit filled people of God is very dangerous. This is going to be in conjunction with the teaching on the dangers of speaking evil of the efforts of the Holy Ghost. Jesus just said if we ask we get the Spirit, which is delivered by the Holy Ghost,: if we say the Holy Ghost delivered a serpent, what then do we make the Holy Ghost? The context is the leading us to the danger of equating the Holy Ghost to the devil.
And He was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out the dumb spoke; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casts out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others tempting Him, sought of Him a sign from heaven (11:14-16).
Jesus just finished saying God won’t give us Beelzebub if we ask for the Holy Spirit, now we find there are those who believe the devil is able to overpower the Father. Clearly this connects to the prior teaching, Jesus said if we pray for the Spirit, it’s what we get, here He casts out a devil, yet some accuse Him of using the devil. It’s what some presume when they assume we ended with a devil when we asked for the Spirit; they accuse us of speaking in the tongues of devils, rather than the tongues of angels. Those are dangerous accusations, very dangerous. This teaching completely negates the concern of someone who asked for the Spirit, thinking they would somehow get a devil. Faith and Belief begins with Jesus, based in the His words. Rather than instill fear, we should be knocking and seeking until the fullness of the Spirit is completely imparted.
There are some who demand for Christ identify with them, they demand a sign best suits to their theology, a sign based on their desires, these elements point to the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which includes blasphemy against those with the Spirit. “I will believe if you raise the dead I tell you to”; tempting God is not wise.
But He, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth (11:17)
This is somewhat different from Matthew’s account, Luke gives us clarity, we understand a house divided against will fall, but here we find one house against another. If the house of the Rock comes against the House of the Church, the House of the Rock will fall. If the House of Jacob comes against the House of David, the House of Jacob will fall. If the House of the soul comes against the House of the Spirit, the House of the soul will fall. If we as a house come against other members in the Body, we will fall.
The word Desolation is the Greek Eremoo meaning to lay waste, or be made desolate. It’s not the same word used for Perdition, which is the Greek Apoleia, rather here we find the house lacking Mercy, causes itself to fall.
If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub, and if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges (11:18-19).
Those who cast out devils become the judges over those who mock the Holy Ghost, but How? By casting out devils, thus showing it is possible for anyone in the Body. We always judge others by what we do, not what we say to them. If we walk in Mercy, we only show it can be done, leaving those who don’t without an excuse.
But If I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you (11:20).
In Matthew, Jesus said, “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you” (Matt 12:28). This not the Holy Spirit, but the entire Report as God is Spirit. Here it’s the finger of God, meaning the Report as well. In this case it’s those who come against the Report, by refusing to have the Witness. Jesus isn’t saying they can have the Kingdom, only it has arrived, the signs prove it.
When a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace (11:21).
Only when the strong man is armed, is he dangerous, because his peace is torment, because his peace is producing strife, envy and pride. Hardly Peace with God. When the Stronger One (Spirit) comes, guess what happens to the strongman’s peace? This is still teaching on the Holy Spirit, telling why we keep knocking and asking.
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, he takes from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divides his spoils. He that is not with Me is against Me: and he that gathers not with Me scatters (11:22-23).
The Stronger One is the Spirit, or Word in us, thus the flesh remains, but any authority or power are taken, leaving the strongman incapable of doing anything, this is the same as binding the strongman. Exposure by the New Man begins this, as we see the armor the strongman trusted in. We put on the armor of God, yet here we find there is yet another armor we don’t desire. The armor of the strongman is deception, strife, out of control emotions, and many other self-traits.
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, I will return unto my house where I came out. And when he comes, he finds it swept, and garnished. Then he goes in and takes to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first (11:24-26).
This speaks of an unclean spirit, the old man is a nature, we bind him. The warning here is when the unclean spirit is removed, yet the person does nothing to protect themselves. The manner in which one protects themselves is entrance into the Body, then receiving the Gift of the Spirit. If the unclean spirit returns it will find the Stronger One in residence, causing it leave; however, if the person remains in the world, they are open to a worse condition. So, why even cast out the devil? Opportunity, they will never be able to say they didn’t have the chance to be free indeed.
And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare You, and the paps which You have sucked. But He said, Yes, rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it (11:27-28).
Jesus didn’t say Mary wasn’t blessed, but the woman was attempting to elevate Mary higher than God did. It’s always a danger; we form idols when we elevate anyone or anything higher than God has. The Anointing is very important, but its not to be worshiped. The ministry is important, but it’s not to be worshiped. Mary is important, but she is not to be worshiped either. Here Jesus tells us more blessed are they who Hear the Word (Jesus) and Keep it. What Word? The Word of faith, they keep it by having the Word in them, which would come on Pentecost when the Holy Ghost brings the Gift.
This would be Paul’s support for saying, Faith comes by hearing, but the hearing by the Rhema, indicating the person is eager to keep the word of faith they heard.
And when the people were gathered thick together, He began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall be no sign given it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the son of man be to this generation (11:29-30).
This still links to the prior teachings, as the Pharisees rejected the signs given, yet demanded their own sign. Jonah preached to the Ninevites, he didn’t do one miracle, or testify of his whale experience. We don’t read where Jonah said, “Come listen to how God delivered me out of the whale, and how He will deliver you”, no, it was, “repent or die”. A wicked generation keeps seeking a sign, rather than the one they have. The believer has signs following, they don’t seek them in order to verify the Truth.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here (11:31).
When the Queen of Sheba heard of the wisdom of Solomon, she came with hard questions, yet the answers, not signs and wonders, convinced her of God (I Kings 10:1-3). Why is it some of us reject teaching for the signs? A desire to be convinced God cares? Signs are good, miracles are good, but so is teaching, be Equal and Balanced.
This allegory shows how the Queen of Sheba had a desire to know Wisdom, the Pharisees have a desire to avoid it. The Queen of Sheba said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, which delights in you, to set you on the throne of Israel, because the Lord loved Israel forever, therefore made He, you king, to do judgment and justice” (I Kings 10:7-9). The Pharisees said, “He cast out devils by Beelzebub”, who then is wiser?
The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold a greater than Jonah is here (11:32).
How shall the rise up? By what they did, they repented at the Word given, the generation before the Lord demands signs. Although Jonah was a prophet, he preached to the people of Nineveh, saying what could happen if things didn’t change. This confirms the method of judgment, the people of Nineveh repented without having to see signs.
No man, when he has lighted a candle, puts it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light (11:33).
Here is the point, what would Jonah say about someone who had the Spirit, yet decided not to walk in the Spirit? What would Jonah say about someone who had the opportunity to be a vessel of Honor, but remained so self-based God had to form them into a vessel of dishonor?
The light of the body is the eye: therefore when your eye is single, your whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, your body is also full of darkness. Take heed therefore, that the light which is in you be not darkness (11:34-35).
This connects to the why we want the beam in our eye removed, it blocks the Light. If the eye is single, it would indicate we are narrow in our focus. The context shows what we receive, if we receive the Light, the Light will fill us. If we refuse, darkness fills us.
In verse 34, the first word for Light means a Portable Light, or one capable of being moved, the second usage means Full Of Light, but in verse 35 it means, To Shine By Rays, this last word is made up from two words showing the intent is to display the light by words. If it’s by words, what does the eye have to do with it? Removing the evil eye removes the evil tongue, thus the evil eye is removed when the strongman and his deeds are vacated.
If your whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shinning of a candle does give you light (11:36).
The concept of the Body expands this to the Body of Christ, making sense if we keep this in respect to receiving the Holy Spirit. If the whole Body was spiritual there would be no darkness, and none would be carnal. It’s interesting we read about the church in Jerusalem, yet there is no Letter to them. Why is that? No problem; thus, showing us there is a way to operate in the Spirit.
And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee besought Him to dine with him: and He went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner (11:37-38).
To a Jew the washing of hands held more importance, it wasn’t merely getting rid of dirt, rather it was a tradition, or rite, yet like most traditions, it became more important than the truth it was taken from. The washing of the sacrifice was a shadow of baptism; however, it moved from washing the sacrifice to washing the person without considering the sacrifice. The tradition assumed making the outside appear holy, meant the inside must be holy. Accordingly the Law of Moses was a process to control the outside by using the pride of life; however, it’s still self-righteousness. Changing ourselves to appear moral, or righteous, is self-righteousness; being changed by the New Man is Grace.
Did Jesus know of this tradition? Yes, but there are times when the Lord will use offense to expose traditional behavior. What would we think if someone stood up to preach yet they didn’t pray first? How dare they, yet we never read where Jesus or Paul, or any of the disciples prayed with the people. It’s a good idea, but when we make it a tradition we harm ourselves. God may in fact send someone to expose our traditions, especially if we have the tendency to brag about how un-traditional we are.
We also find an exciting element taking us back to Jesus at the age of 12, as we recall it was a Passover, and Jesus was among the “doctors both hearing them, and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). We might say “so what?”, however, it would mean they accepted Jesus in the Minyan (Quorum), then later as an adult of full age He was allowed to open and read the Torah, yet they attacked Him. We can see Jesus was chastening them, with the purpose to bring forth the fruit of righteousness, but acceptance is up to the one being chastened (Heb 12:7-11). They were educated, dedicated, trained, yet they were attacking the Lord of Glory. How important is it to be Born Again? Vital if one wants to walk with Jesus.
And the Lord said unto him, Now do you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness (11:39).
Here we see Jesus didn’t wash on purpose, thus it was to expose the tradition, to bring correction, giving the Pharisee a chance to enter therein. The “eye” of the Pharisee saw darkness, not light. Was there darkness in what Jesus did? No, not at all, but we find it’s in the eye of the beholder.
The prophet Jeremiah said, “O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, so you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?” (Jere 4:14); and “How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?” (Jere 4:21). The Hebrew word for Standard is Nace, which is the same word used for the staff Moses used to hold up the serpent. Isaiah used Nace when he wrote: “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard (Nace) against him” (Isa 59:19). Paul said we should not tempt Christ as some of the children in the wilderness, since the evidence shows they were destroyed by serpents (I Cor 10:9). The Light shines in a dark place as it exposes those hidden things in darkness, but we find one can assume they are seeing something wrong, yet it’s because they are looking through the “eye of tradition”.
When the enemy comes in, the Holy Ghost doesn’t hold up a tradition, nor does He call for us to use our testimony, rather the Nace is held up, the Cross, the place where the Law and Commandments were nailed, the Cross where the line is drawn, the place where the devil has no right, place or authority. To Isaiah the Nace was the rod Moses used to hold up the brass serpent, but for us we know the real meaning. The serpents came in like a flood, but Moses held up the Nace with the brass (judgment) serpent, making the serpents ineffective. It’s the point Jesus makes, the eye allowing Light becomes Light, which binds the strongman, indicating the Light is the New Man. The eye is how we perceive, if we perceive the Baptism with the Holy Ghost as wrong, passed, or evil, we will refuse to allow the Light to enter; however, if we allow the Light to enter, we have the ability to not only bind the Strongman, but see all his so-called treasures vacated, making the strongman ineffective (destroyed).
You fools, did not He that made that which is without, make that which is within also? (11:40).
The Pharisee was self-deceived by his own traditions, missing the entire point of washing sacrifices. This Pharisee felt his outward appearance could hide his inward feelings from God. Religious minded people set out to impress people, as they are impressed by people. They transform their outward appearance to look righteous, but on the inside they are still full of dead man’s bones. This Pharisee needed an “eye change”, when we seek fault in others we need an eye change as well.
But rather give alms of such things as you have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you (11:41).
The Pharisees gave their tithe of their material possessions, thinking their acts made them holy, but Jesus says the Ways of a person show their holiness or lack thereof.
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone (11:42).
This is before the Cross, yet there is a point to be made. The Pharisees took great pains to make sure they completed the requirements under the Tithe, but they failed in other matters. Was their tithe evil? Not at all, Jesus says they shouldn’t forget the tithe, but neither should they forget other things they were not required to do, but were expected to do based on their position.
Woe unto you, Pharisees! for you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are as graves which appear not and the men that walk over them are not aware of them (11:43-44).
These are all self based acts seeking self-praise or self-exaltation, which stems from pride, causing a loss of integrity. They tithed, worked in the Temple, yet it was “woe unto you”: they were unequal, failing at some responsibilities, while doing other deeds. Jesus not only told the Pharisees they were dead, but they were like the graves, death filled with death. They did what was required, but there were other things associated with the position, Mercy, which is outlined in Psalm 82, treating the people of God as God would, caring for their needs as outlined in Ezekiel 34. They did some things, but failed at others they were suppose to do, meaning they fit into the realm of workers of iniquity.
We can now add to our knowledge regarding the word Hypocrite, we found it’s a compound word meaning To Judge Under, but if we look at the Classical Greek it means An actor, or Pretender, so how can this be? It’s a pretend judgment, they hold someone accountable to their standards, while they refuse to hold themselves accountable to the same standards, thus they Pretend they are holding to their standards, but they are deceived as they act a part. The Pharisees were convinced they were perfect in their ways, yet they judged Jesus according to their own standards. Therefore, they Judge us Under them, or less than them by using their supposed standards, but since they refuse to hold themselves accountable, they are Pretenders. An actor’s job is to convince us they are something they are not, they are playing a role, so is the Hypocrite. They elevate themselves, by placing others under them by using their self-defined standards, which standards they themselves refuse adhere to. They use a yardstick of judgment on others about a inch long, but when they apply the same yardstick to their own self, it’s about three miles long, surely they are unequal in their ways.
Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto Him, Master, thus saying reproach us also. And He said, Woe unto you also, you lawyers! for you lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and you yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers (11:45-46).
This is still in the house of the Pharisee, but the lawyer was offended, because they tithe as well. It wasn’t the tithe, it was the attitude, the Tithe was by Commandment, the Mercy and Faith were not. They felt by doing one thing, they were free of doing others. As strange as it may seem we can see the same thing in the Body, only in an opposite frame. We are commanded to Love, Believe, and walk in Faith, but we are not Commanded to give. The same test of Nature is on us, as it was on these religious leaders, do we need Commandments to guide us? Or do we follow the Nature of Christ? Do we only do what is expected? Or do we follow the nature of Christ to please God?
Woe unto you! for you build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them (11:47).
They refused to take the responsibility, they claimed they were “more holy” than those who killed the prophets, but their words betrayed them, they are forming ways to kill the Prophet. It’s easy to see who were the prophets of the past, it takes a willing heart seeking God to find the prophets of the present. Stones of theological abuse hurt just as much as real rocks.
Some of us think if we were back in the days of Jesus we would be the only ones standing at the Cross. Not so, we would be just like the rest. Some think if they had the same chance as Adam, they would reject the temptation. Not so, all have come short. It’s easy to look back then say what we think we would do, it’s also deception to think we’re so holy and powerful we can take on the devil in our natural state and win.
The lawyers thought by building the great monument to the prophets they were excused from their father’s deeds, but repentance, not works of the flesh or monuments of stone, is the way to be forgiven of the past.
The lawyers thought their self-righteousness was enough to cause God to honor them; but self-righteousness is depending on our ability, since the efforts must go through the flesh, they end in sin, the result is death. Self-righteousness is for the moment, it works for one thing at one time, once it’s accomplished, they must start over again.
Truly you bear witness that you allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and you build their sepulchers. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: (11:48-49).
The lawyers honored the prophets after the fact, but they refused to honor Jesus, Who is the purpose of all the prophets, thus their actions showed they were like their fathers who killed the prophets. History does little good, if we continue to do the same evil acts while condemning those in history who did the same.
That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation (11:50).
All these sayings show there was a need for repentance, although all in the house at the time were joined to the religion of Israel, the very ones granted repentance. They were leaders, why should a leader repent? The same reason any of us do.
From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zecharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation (11:51).
Abel’s blood prophesied from the ground, Zecharias was a prophet, thus Jesus doesn’t exclude this group from the past, but includes them into the past. Wait, how can it be, the sins of the father won’t be put on the sons. Right, but Jesus shows the same sin nature is in the son, as it was in the father. They felt “those were bad days, today we’re much more holy”. Wrong, they were still under the spirit of disobedience, the Law of Moses didn’t free them from the nature, it would take a greater Law to free us from the sin nature.
The term Generation is defined here, the generation facing Jesus, which started with Abel, continuing past the Gentile Age unto the very last time. The mental restrictions the lawyers placed on the people became a religious mountain, or a barrier holding back the blessing of heaven, and Jesus uses the lawyers as a warning to us, as He says:
Woe unto you, lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in you hindered (11:52).
Although these lawyers are far from entering into the Kingdom of God, they do give us a symbol of those who entered the kingdom of heaven by Mercy, but fail to enter the Kingdom of God. They produce theological barriers and restrictions based in natural intellect, or envy to hinder others from entering in. The children in the wilderness held every weekly sabbath, yet because of their unbelief they failed to enter into the rest of God (Heb 3:19). The Book of Hebrews reads, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” (Heb 4:1). Changing the promise, or taking away from it, or making it ineffective by claiming it has lost some effectiveness, or excusing unbelief, are all hindering attitudes. The lawyers were appointed religious leaders who interpreted the Law, thus they are akin to the modern self-based theologian. There are theologians guided by the Holy Ghost, thus being a theologian isn’t wrong, it’s who guides them telling the tale.
And as He said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge Him vehemently, and to provoke Him to speak of many things: Laying wait for Him, and seeking to catch something out His mouth, that they might accuse Him (11:53-54).
What is exposed will often attack to protect itself, or to show its supposed power. The “serpents” tongues were operating, but Jesus did tread on them. The call was exposure for repentance, but the result was pride taking control as a ruler of darkness. They were plotting to accuse the very One who could save them. How did they view Jesus? As the Christ? No, they saw Him as someone who had come to destroy the very thing God gave them. They were convinced Jesus was a false prophet, yet they were completely wrong. Without the Spirit we will not discern properly, we will honor the Wicked, yet destroy the Just.
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trod one upon another, He began to say unto His disciples first of all, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (12:1).
This is our hope, as the unbelieving were gathering to attack their hope, the believing were seeking to gain faith. Matthew and Mark show the multitude of people are the 4,000, the Pharisees and scribes saw this miracle, yet they continued to tempt Jesus, and seek a sign conducive to their thinking (Matt 15:38, 16:6 & 16:11, Mark 8:10-15). What were their actions akin to? “If you be the Son of God, give us a sign”. Not wise.
Luke adds to Mark and Matthew by showing the leaven of the Pharisee is hypocrisy, evidenced by demanding what it refuses to do. In this case Jesus measured them by a just scale, they in turn were using the “yardstick of hypocrisy”. Unequal measuring, is just as demonic as tempting Jesus to turn stones into bread.
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the house tops (12:2-3).
All things will be exposed, as soon as we find out being Pure means no masks, no hidden agendas, or what you see is what you get, the better we will get along with the Lord.
And I say unto you My friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear Him, which after He has killed has power to cast into hell; yea I say fear Him (12:4-5).
This is directed at the disciples who enter the place where Jesus calls them Friends. Here we move from deny the self, to pick up your cross. To be a Friend means there are no secrets, nothing hidden, things are open. If we can’t be honest with Jesus, we can’t be honest.
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows (12:6-7).
This refers to the birds sold to the poor for their sacrifices; although they would buy five, only two would be given in the sacrifice, the other three are discarded, yet Jesus says even the discarded are not forgotten by God.
Jesus says, “fear not”, but prior He said to “fear Him”, thus we have the purpose of “fear God”. The Fear we have toward God is based in our knowledge of His Holiness, and Integrity. We can’t expect God to make special rules just for us, we can’t expect Him to forget our iniquity, when we hold the iniquity of others against them. On the same note, we know if Jesus forgave Paul for his past, surely He will forgive us for ours, is not God equal?
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denies Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God (12:8-9).
Luke adds to Matthew’s account, Matthew told us, “Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father in heaven, but whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven” (Matt 10:32-33). This also connects to the Book of Revelation, where Jesus said a Few will walk with Him in White, and He will confess them to the Father (Rev 3:4-5).
One area this would really have impact is on Peter, he heard these words, yet he denied the Lord three times. However, he was converted, thus even if we deny the Lord, repentance puts us right back on the path of Righteousness. One thing is evident, after Pentecost Peter never denied the Lord again.
Confessing Jesus is not the same as voicing an opinion regarding Jesus. In order to Confess Jesus, one must have the same nature Jesus has, giving them the ability to confess Him, as He confessed the Father. Jesus said, He and the Father are One, meaning He did the Doctrine of the Father by showing the people the Mercy of God; thus we must be One with Jesus in order to confess Him. This connects to “Greater is He in you”, we have the Word (Logos) of our Testimony, but we also have the Witness of the Water, Blood and Spirit, as they agree as One. The Mercy is not going to disagree with Grace, the New Man is not going to disagree with either Mercy or Grace (I Jn 5:8).
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemes against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven (12:10).
Here was Peter’s escape, but we also see Luke confirms this is a deliberate spoken sin, connecting the prior attitudes to the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Did the Pharisees assume for a second they had committed sin? Not at all, they felt they had nothing to repent for, thus their sin remained unforgiven. The unpardonable sin is one wherein the person may ask forgiveness, but they continue in attacking the things of the Holy Ghost, including appointed leadership, the things of the Spirit granted by the Holy Ghost, or the activity of the Holy Ghost.
God is not going to force forgiveness on us, we first have to repent of our sin, then turn toward the Kingdom by forgiving as we are forgiven. However, it all begins with the admission of our sins. This is also against the “Son of man”, not the Son of God; relating to Mercy, connecting to Paul’s statements on the vessel of honor (Rom 9:21-23).
This started with the evil generation seeking a sign, it would seem strange, since the Believer and signs are connected; however, signs and wonders Follow the Believer, the Believer doesn’t run around looking for them. The sign of Jonah, or better the Resurrection was a sign to the unbelieving Pharisees. To us the Resurrection of Jesus is a past tense fact, making it a belief issue, but for us to be partakers in the First Resurrection in the Rapture is still future tense, making it a faith issue.
Next Jesus warned us about allowing our Light to become darkness, thus the warning is to those who have been granted the Light, not to those who lack the Light (Luke 11:35). The next area of failure is when we place our thoughts on being clean on the outside, while neglecting the inside. Next is doing religious works, yet forgetting our first love. Next is holding to the spirit of antichrist, hindering others from entering in. Lastly is holding religious conceit, or assuming the process ended when we received Jesus. These are all progressive steps in the wrong direction, each building on the other until the person becomes so self-deceived they can’t see the Light. They will call their acts of slander, hate, deception, or religious arrogance gifts of God; they will not repent, or seek to have a nature change. Clearly if all sin is forgiven when we ask God to forgive us, yet there is one not forgiven, it stands the one not forgiven is the one the person continually uses as part of the old nature. Simply it entering, but refusing the nature change into the Newness.
And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take you no thought how or what thing you shall answer, or what you shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say (12:11-12).
This is during the Day Season, since the Holy Ghost is “teaching”. Paul will tell us about those who lie in wait to deceive, as those who make up plans in advance to hinder or trap someone. Better off allowing the Holy Ghost to teach us how to apply the Wisdom of God, we may learn something in the process.
The Spirit that is of God in us may give us something to say in those one on one situations, or simply have us remain silent. In the gathering the Holy Ghost may give us something to say, or have us remain silent. In either case we can count on the old man saying, ”well, I’ll tell you what I think”. Just what we need, help from an idiot, when we know it’s our opinion, we stop it from becoming vocal. There are times when we are completely innocent, yet attacked with a vengeance. Peter reflected on this by saying, For what glory is it, if, when you are buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? but if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God (I Pet 2:20). Peter also said, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you: but rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s suffering (I Pet 4:12-13). The event is just an event, the attack is just an attack, what we do in the midst of it determines our gain in Christ.
And one of the company said unto Him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And He said unto him, Man who made Me a judge or a divider over you? (12:13-14).
The one asking knows he has claim to the property, but he is using Jesus to Convict, or Humble his brother, thus the request is a form of manipulation to use Jesus to gain the inheritance. According to the reasoning of the man this seemed like a just request, but it’s tempting the Lord to act outside of the position. It seems right for one to be humbled, some of us fall into the trap of praying for Jesus to humble someone; however, the call is for us to humble ourselves, not go about humbling others.
This brother is asking Jesus to judge between brothers, yet what Jesus does with one brother, is no business of another (we judge ourselves, lest we be judged). This man is asking Jesus to find one guilty based on some conclusion he has drawn, yet the intent was natural, as he failed to see the purpose of the event. To him was to obtain the inheritance, regardless, but he was attempting to force Jesus to condemn one brother, to honor another. We could advance this to the Kingdom, if we pray for Jesus to honor one over another we are asking Him to be partial, which James called a sin (James 2:1-4). The lesson for us is found in the prior words of Jesus, one brother against another will destroy the house.
And He said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses (12:15).
What covetousness? The man was entitled to the inheritance; however, the man desired harm to another in order to get his inheritance. The word used for Life here is not Psuche, but Zoe, meaning a person’s lifetime, it was used in reference to regeneration, thus it points to the kingdom of heaven, one bother against another for money.
And He spoke a parable unto them saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul; Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, ear, drink, and be merry (12:16-19).
This connects to the prior teaching, as the covetousness, based on envy. His brother was holding to covetousness, but to get the property from his brother he would have to enter covetousness as well, it was a no win situation, better leave it alone.
The man in this Parable had more than enough things to care for himself, as well as his neighbors, but instead of giving, he held back, seeking to protect his soul with his own security. How does this relate to the other man? The greed and covetousness, the only reason the other man wanted his inheritance was to retain the riches, rather than give. Here the man used the personal pronoun “I” several times, showing his attitude was self-serving and self-based. Jesus equates the motive one with the other, as He refuses to be a party to the covetousness.
In this parable the man’s question was two-fold, first he asked, “what shall I do”, but who did he ask? Himself, he didn’t ask God what to do. The same is true with the man who was attempting to get Jesus to humble his brother, he was telling Jesus what to do, rather than asking Jesus what he should do. Words are always a discerner, the flagship to the soul.
But God said unto him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you have provided? (12:20).
This goes back to the “life”, only here we find the Greek Psuche, or the soul life of man on earth. The security was based on the concept of the world, yet his soul was based on God’s Mercy and Grace. The man felt his security was based in money, the same as the brother who wanted the inheritance from his brother.
So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God (12:21).
Jesus doesn’t reject having Things, rather He points out the danger of allowing the things to have us; or allowing covetousness to enter in, causing the Commandment, “Thou shall not covet” to fall on us (Rom 7:7). For us it’s, Think not every man on his own things, but on the things of others, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Ph’l 2:4-5).
And He said unto His disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on (12:22).
Here it points directly to the Things, but does it? The word “life” is the same Greek word translated as “soul” (Psuche), but how does it connect to Zoe? The treasure is the Psuche, thus there is more to Zoe than things, there is the salvation of ones soul.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment (12:23).
Jesus didn’t say, “Life is more…”; rather He said “The Life is more…”; again, the word Life used here is the Greek Psuche, which is also translated as Soul. In this He is giving the man an answer, rather than force his brother to give, why not give the inheritance to his brother showing Mercy, which would be a move to securing his soul in God.
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them: how much more are you better than the fowls? (12:24).
If we need hope to add to our faith, look at the ravens, they neither sow nor reap, rather God guides them to their need. God may guide us to our need, or guide our need to us, whichever, it still takes ears to hear.
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? (12:25).
The phrase, Taking Thought used here points to Worry or Anxiety, no matter how much we worry and fret, we can’t make our body grow, thus worry can’t add one penny to our worth. On the same note, how much we worry about the saving of our soul isn’t going to save our soul, the just still Live by faith.
If you then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take you thought for the rest? (12:26).
Regardless of how big the problem may appear, we still have hope. The premise behind this asks us, if we can’t do the Least (Mercy), how can we do the Greater (Grace)?
This still helps us in the Things area as well, perhaps we got ourselves in a bind, and we are up to our necks in trouble, so much so we have to look up to see the bottom, but this we know, all Things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). If we love God, or if we’re called according to His purpose, then God has a plan, but it still takes ears to hear. The first step was seen in the fish and bread, the fish and bread remained in the same amount, but the Blessing of Jesus made them meet the need, with an abundance. We have to take our situation to the Lord, then allow Him to bless and guide. The end of the tunnel is closer than we think if we follow the right Guide.
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you; that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these (12:27).
Here the lilies are in one place, they can’t go to their need, but God brings their need to them. Whether it’s go and obtain, or wait to obtain, it’s still hearing the Spirit.
If then God so clothed the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? (12:28).
The term “Little faith”, means Puny faith, rather than no faith at all. Jesus will incorporate the phrase with a doubtful mind in the next verse. Puny faith lacks patience, it will wait a day, or maybe two, then manipulation takes over.
And seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be you of doubtful mind (12:29).
Here we find the phrase, Doubtful Mind referring to something already in process, if it was unbelief we would reject God providing to begin with, but here it shows we believe God will, but panic in the process allowing doubt to enter in. This still connects to the man with the barns, as well as the brother, the brother was seeking more security in money, the man with the barns was seeking all he could to fortify his security in money. This is not telling us to go hungry or naked, rather it points to priority, what is more important? Seeing a brother humble, or the saving of our souls? Is the barn full of money as important as the salvation of our souls? The doubtful mind allows the concerns of the natural to interfere with needs of the Spiritual, causing us to worry regarding God’s ability to meet our need, or answer our prayers.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knows that you have need of these things (12:30).
The real need is first and foremost is the New Man, and this teaching goes back to, “how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13); however, we also see the Father knows we have need, thus the method of gaining is also available.
But rather seek you the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you (12:31).
Here is our target, Luke places this with the teaching regarding blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. We can hinder the Holy Spirit by grieving Him, but we blaspheme the Holy Ghost by speaking against the works of the Holy Ghost. Here we have a procedure, we seek the Kingdom, the things are added. At times we think God will add the Kingdom if we seek the things. Under the Law it was seek the things, but Jesus reverses the order.
Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (12:32).
The term Little Flock has a dual meaning, it can refer to the 144,000, who acquire at the Judgment. At this point in time He is talking to the Rock, as the foundation of the Church, which was little to say the least. This doesn’t say which kingdom, but either would fit. The kingdom of heaven is Mercy based, the Father desires to give us the kingdom of heaven. The Kingdom God is within, the Father desires to give us the Kingdom as well.
Sell what you have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupt. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (12:33-34).
Jesus doesn’t say give of your excess, but He does refer to Goods; however there is an attitude connected to this. Our Father desires to give unto us, but unless we give, He won’t. Prior it was “men shall give unto your bosom”, here it’s the same thing, only giving is the key. When we give alms (not tithes) we provide a treasure in heaven. Why? “Lord when did we give you drink”. The works of faith are not telling everyone our theological opinions, it’s doing the things the Faith of Jesus showed us.
Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning (12:35).
Ahh, the Goods, let your Light shine, give the Light, then God will give unto us. This also points to the Armor of God on the outside, and the Power of God on the inside. It also projects to the Kingdom, as the ability in the Spirit. Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord. Without the Spirit we will give, but based on greed, not obedience.
And you yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately (12:36).
This verse, plus the ones immediately following are very important to our attitude. This is also prophecy spoken past the Day into the Night, as Jesus brings the 144,000 into the conversation. This is “after” the Wedding, not before. In the Book of Revelation John sees the Bride descending as New Jerusalem at the Judgment, it’s the reference here.
Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He comes shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that He shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them (12:37)
Again we find Jesus using, “I say unto you”, and the Them to whom it’s said; thus this is a Commandment giving us two periods of Wait and Watch. We Watch for the Door to open, as our Time to enter therein to be with the Lord forever more, the Remnant Watch for the Son of man to return and judge all mankind. The connection is the phrase “gird himself”, if Grace can’t be earned, how them do we “gird” ourselves? Application of Mercy, freely we received, freely we give.
And if He shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through (12:38-39).
Wow, does this mean Jesus is a thief? Hardly, it shows no one knows the Hour or time. This also helps us understand the term “watch”, in the Old Testament they Watched for danger, we Watch for the opportunity to apply Mercy.
Be you therefore ready also: for the Son of man comes at an hour when you think not (12:40).
Here Jesus tells us to be “Ready Also”; therefore, Jesus divided the Seasons and Times, showing our Season ends when we go through the Door, the next Season ends when Jesus comes through the Door. This is still “the Son of man”, not the Son of God, the Judgment will be based on Mercy, not Grace.
Then Peter said unto Him, Lord, do you speak this parable unto us, or even to all? (12:41).
Peter was puzzled, even Peter at this point in time knew Jesus was pointing to two Seasons with different means and times. Peter may have used Puny Faith, but he knew the prophets of Old promised the Time of Comfort, his confusion was whether or not the Church would be subject to the Time of Comfort.
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over His household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? (12:42).
The context of “due season” shows Jesus was speaking to the 144,000 as well as those of the Day, but how? Who were the disciples at this point? Christian? Not hardly, they didn’t have the Spirit. They were Jews, thus on one hand they would stand for the 144,000 as a little flock, but they were also the foundation for the Rock, standing for those about to enter the Kingdom. Since they were the foundation as the Rock they also represented those who would enter, thus the foundation is the apostles and prophets. Discerning which group helps us keep the Day separated from the Night.
Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He comes shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that He will make him rule over all that He has. But, and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delays His coming; and shall begin to beat the men servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looks not for Him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers (12:43-46).
This relates to the Wicked, who enter the Night as the Drunken, showing they are the ones who blaspheme the Holy Ghost. Peter would learn his lessons well, later he would write, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock” (I Pet 5:2-3). Sounds like “take no thought”, it does relate. Filthy lucre doesn’t mean money in and of itself, it means we don’t care from where the money came, nor do we care if there are strings attached. Balaam wanted money, he didn’t care where it came from, or what he had do to get it.
And that servant, which knew his Lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes (12:47).
There are three areas in this verse, the first is the knowledge of the servant, next the preparation, then failing to do the will of the Lord. Knowledge opens the clarity, the servant knows what to do, the preparation shows our faith to allow the New Man to bring us into the position, then the Will of the Lord is for us to be filled with the Spirit. The iniquity would be obtaining the knowledge, refusing to prepare, then failing to walk in the Spirit.
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more (12:48).
Those who have been given Much, relating to Grace, much is required. Beginning with imputing the flesh dead on the Cross, going through the grave to see the flesh become ineffective, obtaining the Power of the Resurrection, giving themselves as a living sacrifice, plus other areas of appreciation for what Jesus has done for us.
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? (12:49).
This would almost appear as if Jesus is the false prophet; however, the Fire Jesus brings is much different from the fire caused by the false prophet. Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Ghost and Fire, it’s the Fire most run from, when they should be running to it. The Fire of God comes from the altar of God, it purifies us in the justification process.
When the false prophet causes fire to fall from heaven, it’s based on “No God in Israel”; whereas, the Fire of God is based on Christ in us, the Hope of Glory. The word Kindled used here means to Enkindle or Set on Fire. Our attitude begins the Kindling process, but only Jesus can put the Fire to the Candle.
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straiteded till it be accomplished! (12:50)
The word Straiteded means Pained, this baptism is the Holy Ghost, or water, rather this is The Gethsemane baptism. From this we find the baptism unto the death of Jesus, the baptism unto the Resurrection of Jesus, the baptism of fire, all are included in the Doctrine of Baptisms, as the One Baptism. We have a choice to receive the Fire of God now, or face the lake of fire. Much better to face it now.
Suppose you that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you No; but rather division (12:51).
There is a vast difference between Peace with God, and peace on earth. This points directly to the Day, there shall be wars and rumors of wars in our Season, but these things must be.
The word Division is the Greek Diamerismos meaning a clear cut separation; the root word Merismos is found in Hebrews 4:12 meaning Dividing Asunder, or A separation for clarification, or To separate to make a distinction, yet not divide into parts. There will be a Division, the Cross itself is a Godly division between the earth and heaven.
Those in the kingdom of heaven have the choice to receive the Word of God to enter the Merismos, or find the Breaking at the Diamerismos.
For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; and the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against the mother in law (12:52-53).
This supports the concept, showing One House, not Two, yet the division is within. This division is also spoke of by the prophets of Old; the prophet Micah said, “trust you not in a friend, put you no confidence in a guide: keep the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom” (Micah 7:5). From Pentecost until the Rapture we have the opportunity to receive the Spirit, thus the Spiritual nature divides or separates us from the world.
There is a difference between love and trust, if we trust in someone we will follow them, if they fall, so does our trust, where our trust goes, so do we. If we love someone, yet they fall, we can use compassion to restore them, love never fails. Paul lists several things in reference to Agape Love, trust wasn’t one of them (I Cor 13:4-7).
And He said also to the people, When you see a cloud rise out of the west, straightaway you say, There comes a shower, and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, There will be heat; and it comes to pass. You hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that you do not discern this time? (12:54-56).
When bad weather comes we prepare, when good weather comes we prepare, but these people refused to prepare for the Time at hand, yet they sat around demanding it.
This shows how important the Faith of Jesus is, who had faith at the time of the Cross? Mary? Who wept. John? Who stood there. Jesus was the only one holding to faith, not one other person had the faith to stand with Jesus, much less endure the Cross. No one held to the words, “will be raised on the third day”, but Jesus. Don’t be fooled by the pride of presuming “if I would have been there, I would have had faith”. It’s the same self-based lie pride uses with, “Well, if I was in the garden, I would never have taken the fruit”. We all took it, all of come short of the glory of God, but Jesus who held His Faith looking to the result endured for us.
Yes, and why even of yourselves judge you not what is right? When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, give diligence that you may be delivered from him; lest he hale you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer cast you into prison. I tell you, you shall not depart there, till you have paid the very last mite (12:57-59).
Jesus takes this from judging the signs of the time, to judging our hearts. Jesus is talking to some of those He called, yet they are hypocrites, thus by their own words and actions they are being delivered to the adversary. We assume the adversary is the devil, but later Jesus will point out He is the adversary to the Pharisees, as they made themselves His adversaries (Luke 13:17). This goes right back to fear Him who can put both soul and body in hell. Jesus doesn’t desire to put any soul in hell, yet He is the Judge, meaning the decisions of man predicates the result.
It was still time for the Pharisees to make amends by repenting, before they are delivered to the Judge. The biggest hypocrite of all is one who claims to be a Christian, yet refuses to walk in the Mercy of the Father, or submit to the Spirit.
There were present at that season some that told Him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose you that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans because they suffered such things? I tell you, No: but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think you that they were sinners above all men that dwell in Jerusalem? I tell you, No; but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish (13:1-5).
The Tower of Siloam was one of the three towers located under the Temple, this tower was under the holy of holies. During the construction in the days of king Hezekiah the tower collapsed on some workers. The point is not to assume because something bad happened it was based on some evil in the person. Since the tower was connected to the holy of holies it was felt it was a type of judgment, the connection is “likewise perish”, so does it mean some tower will fall on them? No, it means standing before the judgment seat they stand alone. Nonetheless we can see how some of us see a bug and run off yelling “The curse, the curse”. Faith doesn’t avoid pit falls, it gets us through them.
He spoke also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard: and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that you shall cut it down (13:6-9).
The Three years points to three seasons, the fig tree is the religious order of Israel, yet it failed to produce fruit, then came the Olive Tree, then comes the Fig Tree with leaves again. Wait, what is a fig tree doing in a Vineyard? This is not the Olive Tree, but both the Fig Tree and Vine are suppose to bring forth Fruit. The time to fertilize is before the Time of Comfort, thus the Parable of the Fig Tree shows it won’t produce fruit, but it will produce leaves. The metaphor “leaves” points to a type of covering for the flesh, as Adam used fig leaves to cover himself, but we use the healing Leaves from the Tree of Life.
The Vine is much different, unless it produces fruit it will die and fade away. A transplanted Olive Tree will not produce fruit, nor bud, thus there is a time and a Season for the Vine and Olive Tree, they can’t be transplanted, nor fail to produce fruit, there will be fruit on the Vine and on the Olive Tree until He who now Let’s takes us out of here.
And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath (13:10).
Luke is still linking line upon line, he has yet to go back to a chronological order. Luke wants us to know two things, first Jesus is teaching, and the religious leaders are there, second this happened to be the sabbath. Putting this with the parable of the fig tree, we will find what type of fruit a dead tree produces.
And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said unto her, Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity (13:11-12).
For eighteen years this woman had walked the streets, she was hindered from entering the Temple, yet no one offered to pray for her. God saw her from the foundation of the world; therefore, there are some who are in conditions for a sign and a timing of God. This woman was not demon possessed, she was bound by a weakness (infirmity). She had the spirit of infirmity, but Jesus didn’t cast the devil out of her, He healed her. She was loosed, or set free from the mental torment of Satan, the bitterness and anger of the past binding her. The bound over state was the result of her condition, but Jesus went to the source, setting her free. This is one area where the title “Satan” is defined. Another is when Jesus tells Peter, “Get you behind Me Satan”. We tend to limit the Satan nature to the devil alone, but Satan is the Accuser, opposed to man. Jesus just finished talking about when we accuse others we end in the process of accusing ourselves. Once we figure out the old man is Satan natured, we will stop barking at the darkness, and start nailing the flesh to the Cross with conviction.
This woman with the spirit of infirmity couldn’t raise herself up, the Greek wording used shows she was in deep depression, thus her condition is not physical, rather it’s mental, her head was bowed over, causing her to be bowed over. This is another example for the premise of Binding and Loosing, did Jesus Bind the spirit of infirmity? Or did He loose the Woman?
This woman knew this was the sabbath, she also knew her hope was before her. The religious rulers weren’t going to stop her from being loosed, yet at the same time the religious rulers were bound to their own traditional thinking. They looked at “labor” as any effort, yet to do Good was the purpose of keeping the sabbath holy.
And He laid hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people. There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed and not on the sabbath day (13:13-14).
Here the woman has a “spirit”, yet Jesus laid hands on her, so much for the fear of Transference of spirits. Luke supports Mark’s account by showing us the doctrine of the laying on of hands. We are told to lay hands on the sick, none of us are above the Master, who laid hands on the sick.
The Pharisees weren’t mad because Jesus healed this woman, they were mad because He did it on the sabbath. To them the woman had been this way for 18 yeas, so what is one more day? Thus Jesus walked in, disrupted their service with these healings, causing the Pharisees to be offended. Jesus didn’t heal the woman to show off, or exalt Himself, rather it was another example of how the fig tree was producing religious conceit, as the Olive Tree was growing. .
The Lord then answered him, and said, You hypocrite, does not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? (13:15).
They will make sure their animals are cared for, but they reject caring for the lambs of God. They were self-based, the only reason they were religious, was for their own glory, their own benefit, and their own religious pride. Jesus also expands the teaching, some care more for their control over the people, than for the people; or more for the ministry, than why they have a ministry.
The woman was loosed, Jesus uses the word Loose in reference to taking the animal from the binding stall to the Water. It becomes clear Jesus didn’t Bind a thing or a person, He loosed them. Yet, we find a self-based effort in loosing as well, the religious leaders Loosed their anger and envy on others, while Binding the people to hindering rules and regulations.
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? (13:16).
The phrase Daughter of Abraham means she was a Jew, thus she had a right to the covenant at the moment. She didn’t need to enforce her right, rather she needed only acknowledge it, on the same note, the religious leaders should have acknowledged it, rather than go about demanding it. The proof was there, all it took was to be under the promise, yet envy closed the door to the promise.
And when He had said these things, all His adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him (13:17).
Here we find the adversaries are the religious rulers, they are ashamed by the Word, Signs and Wonders. Carnal theology didn’t shame them, Truth and the Power of His Christ did, yet the intent was to set them free.
Then said He, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it (13:18-19).
It would seem strange for Jesus to rebuke these leaders then talk about the Kingdom; however, it goes directly to the events following. The Pharisees and religious rulers were in the “land”, subject to the Covenant, they were like the birds, who took advantage, but contributed nothing. The Kingdom of God is not the birds, it’s like the grain of mustard seed, the birds are not seeds or mustard. This shows how the Tree grew, yet the birds came, thus, the birds are not part of the Tree, they lodge in the branches of it.
And again He said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened (13:20-21).
Leaven is usually a sign of sin, but Jesus said it was Like unto Leaven, rather than being Leaven, thus the context is still Growth. The premise is “liken the Kingdom of God”, it is not “liken unto sin”. The measures are hidden, thus they relate to the Witness, the Water, Blood and Spirit within, the time will come when it reaches the product of the course, the Body will be broken.
And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And He said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able (13:22-24).
Why not? I thought it was opened to all. Wait, many are called, few are chosen.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you, yourselves thrust out (13:25-28).
This is not directed to the Gentile, this is pointing right to the Jew, when did Abraham, Isaac and Jacob become part of the New Covenant? When Jesus takes captivity captive, as the great cloud of witnesses who ascended with Jesus.
And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last (13:29-30).
Now we’re talking about the Gentile, the progression went from the Jew first, then to the Gentile, but the Gentile being last, will be first in the matters of Day.
The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto Him, Get You out, and depart from here: for Herod will kill You. And He said unto them, Go you and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today, and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk today and tomorrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kills the prophets and stones them that are sent unto you; how often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen does gather her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, You shall not see Me, until the time come when you shall say, Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord (13:31-35).
House? Soul? Take no thought? Does this still relate to “deny yourself”? Yes, Jesus did the works of the ministry as the Son of man, but opened up the way for us to be “perfected” by the Resurrection. The saving of our soul is for us, the presentation of the Gospel to mankind is our responsibility to Jesus.
We also see Jesus talking to Jerusalem the City, not Israel the nation, thus not all called Israel are of Israel. The Woman in the Book of Revelation is Jerusalem, the city in bondage. The religious leaders were all from Jerusalem, becoming types and shadows of the attitude and condition allowing the False Prophet to enter in the latter days.
In a few days Jesus will enter Jerusalem, the people will say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord (Luke 19:38). Of course a few days after some of them will yell “Crucify Him”.
Jesus says a prophet cannot perish out of Jerusalem, but then He says, Jerusalem killed the prophets. The word Perish means to destroy fully, putting the two together we find they may kill the prophet, but the words of the prophet carry on. They may even change the Law, or cast the Law and Prophets into the street, but they will not destroy them. They may drive us from their midst, but the words of the prophet remain.
Nehemiah wrote, “Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against You, and cast Your Law behind their backs, and killed the prophets which testified against them to turn them to You, and they brought great provocations” (Neh 9:26). Here in Nehemiah we find something which was, is not, yet will be later.
David said, “hide me under the shadow of Your wings” (Ps 17:8), with, “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusts in You, yes, in the shadow of Your wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast” (Ps 57:1). God was reaching out in His Mercy, but often before we will open our eyes, we must be rebuked.
And it came to pass, as He went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched Him. And, behold, there was a certain man before Him which had the dropsy (14:1-2).
The chief Pharisee didn’t invite Jesus to “share the Word”, rather He was invited so they could keep an eye on Him, as they tempted Him. The false are spots in our feasts of love, they sit at the same table looking for something to accuse us by, but praise be to God, Greater is He in us, than the he in the world.
The man with the dropsy just so happened to be in the house of a chief Pharisee, as Jesus just so happened to be in the same house, as it just so happened to be the sabbath; clearly the Pharisees lay in wait to deceive Jesus, so they could accuse Him. However, Jesus is not moved by the traditions or evil plans of man. Luke also links this to the prior verses, showing they killed the prophets based on their religious conceit and envy.
And Jesus answering spoke unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it unlawful to heal on the sabbath day? (14:3).
They brought Jesus to accuse Him, but here Jesus places the question against them, from their own mouths Jesus will heal the man. Over and over the Pharisees attempted to find some fault in Jesus, each time they found none, but had their own faults exposed time and again, although they failed to see it. There is no rule or violation in the Law of Moses regarding healing on the sabbath, there is no violation for doing good on the sabbath.
And they held their peace. And He took him, and healed him, and let him go, and answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? (14:4-5).
The lawyers were the voice of the law, they were the ones who could tell us if something was lawful or not, here they didn’t say a word. If they say nothing, then there is no violation. The lawyers couldn’t just say, “well I tell you what I think”, they had to have Scripture to support them. This is another one of those times when the Pharisees would say, “The law doesn’t say you can”, yet Jesus would say, “but it doesn’t say I can’t either”. Is this warfare? Yes, Jesus fought the good fight of faith, by doing Good in the face of those who were evil.
And they could not answer Him again to these things (14:6).
Going back to Luke 13:14-15, we find these same Pharisees were in the synagogue when Jesus healed the woman who was bound for eighteen years, when they told the people, “There are six days in which men ought to work, in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath”, here we find the Pharisees brought this man before Jesus to see if Jesus would heal him. Their positions excused them from the labor violation, but the man wasn’t excused, they caused the man to violate the sabbath in order to find something to accuse Jesus with. The leaven was all over the place, they missed the teaching by a mile, but were proving it true by their actions.
And He put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when He marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them; When you are bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than you be bidden of him; and he that bade you and him come and say to you, Give this man place; and you begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when you are bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade you comes, he may say unto you, Friend, go up higher, then shall you have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with you. For whosoever exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted (14:7-11).
Yikes, Self-exaltation, it’s the means the old man uses to gain his self-glory, there are some who use the concept of “giving a testimony” as a means to brag in their own glory, yet we find one who humbles their self, will be exalted by God. Both James and Peter told us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, confirming this passage.
Then said He also to him that bade Him, When you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends, nor your kinsmen, nor the rich neighbors, lest they also bid you again, and a recompense be made you. But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you shall be blessed; for they cannot recompense you at the resurrection of the just (14:12-14).
Those called couldn’t “buy” the best seat in the house, nor did they have the money to give the required “love gift”, but they are a sign of how compassion is not partial. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, let not every man think on his own things, but on the things of others (Ph’l 2:4-5). Being Partial is giving to someone, whom we think can benefit us personally, it is not the same as sorting into groups. Jesus had His three, among the twelve, but it was for their benefit.
And when one of them that sat at meat with Him heard these things, he said unto Him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said He unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray you have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray you have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come (14:15-20).
The man was not agreeing with Jesus, rather he was saying, it only counts when we enter heaven, but the calling is here on earth, not in the Great By and By. There are some who form excuses based on material and natural things, thinking their desires more important than the desire of God who has called them. The first had land, assuming he obtained it by his own ability, thus he would rather glory in his security. The second had possessions, he wanted to play with his possessions, instead of changing yokes. Both had material possessions, ye they held them above the Kingdom, yet it’s God who makes the rich, rich, or the poor, poor. The third was married, yet he loved his wife more than he loved the One who called him, yet his wife was a gift from God. In each case they held the gift above the Giver. The first two asked to be excused, but the third simply said, I cannot come: all three point to the failure to Deny the Self.
So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor, the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is room, And the lord said unto the servant, Go out to the highways, and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of My supper (14:21-24).
Those who had possessions were first to be called, yet they refused, thus the master sent for those who didn’t have, but were nonetheless in need, they wanted to enter in. This goes all the way back to those who beg to get in, rather than think God owes them entrance. All these the Lord asked for, they were the ones the Pharisees refused entry to.
The master of the house could have forced them to come to the wedding, but the context is an invitation, not an order; therefore, it was based on Choice, not demand. In order to be Chosen, one must make the decision to be Chosen.
And there went great multitudes with Him: and He turned, and said unto them, (14:25).
Luke shows many can follow behind Jesus, yet not follow Him; the next verses are linked to the prior teaching.
If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and his mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple (14:26).
Wow, I know, curse my family, right? Wrong, the wording “hate not” means to love less, the prior parable explains this command. This verse as well as Matthew 10:37 shows the word Hate does not refer to abandonment of one’s belongings, rather it’s the Greek Apotassetai, with the middle voice of Apotasso from Apo, with Tasso meaning To properly arrange, surely the same Lord who said, “Love your mother and father”, is not saying to hate them, rather this means to put things in their right order. Clearly this connects back to those with property, the one with the oxen, as well as the one with the wife, each of them considered their possessions more important than the invitation. They failed to get their priorities in order, this same “rich” and “poor” state is what Jesus talked about prior. The Rich had the Promise at hand, but felt other things more important, yet the Poor were outside the Promise, they begged, asked and knocked, behold, the Door shall be opened for them.
And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple (14:27).
Our Cross is not some personal cross we bear for Jesus, rather it’s the Cross of Jesus, the point at which we impute the flesh and old nature dead, the connection to the ways of the world, the old man, the flesh, sin nature with all it entails, as we impute ourselves dead by the Sacrifice of Jesus. This is priority, getting things in the proper order, then keeping them there.
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sit not down first, and count the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest, haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish (14:28-30).
Clearly if Grace never costs a thing, then Jesus is in error, since here He tells us to, “count the cost” in order to Finish, rather than count the cost to enter in. Grace is something we can’t buy, or earn, thus the granting of Grace is the Gift, the remaining in it is still up to us. Jesus knew the finish of the Building was in hand before He began, thus it’s not the cost to enter or receive, but the cost to finish once one has received. The cost we count is whether we can finish the task, but in and of ourselves none of us can. The lie of self-righteousness thinks it can begin and finish the effort, when in truth it can’t maintain for two seconds. Once self-righteousness obtains, it has finished, it must begin anew. Like a dog chasing its tail, self-righteousness goes round and round, never getting anywhere.
Jesus shows us the decision is ours, but the ability to finish the work is His. Jesus laid the foundation, He is the Author and Finisher of faith; therefore, He is also the effectiveness between the beginning of faith and the finish of faith. If we hold to the self-nature it will form us into mockers and attackers, then we will form bitterness and religious conceit, thereby becoming another meal of “dust” for the devil to devour.
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sit not down first, and consults whether he is able to with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassador, and desires conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsake not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple (14:31-33).
These appear to be forms of self-preservation, but the context shows us how any of us know when one Greater has come, we immediately desire to make Peace. Here Jesus is the One Greater, yet the Pharisees are making war, not peace.
We prayed “Lord never let me be deceived”, then the Lord sent someone to expose our deception, yet we attacked them. The result is the Holy Spirit turning to be our enemy, yet it began with our prayer request. Did we believe in our prayer? Was our faith and our mouth working together? (Isa 63:10-11).
The Greek word for Peace is Eriene which means Prosperity, Rest and Peace, it’s the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew Shalom. However, this Peace is a Peace with God, which brings Rest and Prosperity as our souls prosper.
Salt is good: but if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dung hill; but men cast it out. He that has ears to hear, let him hear (14:34-35).
Salt does more than preserve meat, it brings flavor, or zest to the meal; when the salt no longer does what it was intended to do, it becomes worthless. Was it salt once? Yes, but it lost something, being the point. If we count the cost, then willingly give up the old nature to have the New, we will joy in our walk, but if we attempt to hold to the Old, yet claim the New, we will lose our salt.
First we saw the Greater One had the wherewithal to finish the task, but it takes Salt refusing to lose the Zest to finish the race. Salt is not an effort, but an attitude; the Word Salt means Energy, the purpose of salt is to bring an energy to the flavor of the food. The Salt is not the food, it’s an additive, man does not live by Bread alone. The wording Lose Your Savor means to become Insipid, or to lose our excitement, stimulation or interest. When we lose the excitement, or Joy of our salvation, our Salt has lost its savor, we will become religious bores.
Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners, and eats with them. And He spoke this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (15:1-4).
In this case the sheep wandered away, it wasn’t chased away, it didn’t intend to wander, it simply followed a bad path unaware of the result. The Lord will call every backslider back, not just once, but over and over again; however, He will not make their decision for them, nor will He force them to return, yet Jesus is still the Chief Shepherd.
This is also a direct rebuke to the religious leaders, taking us to Ezekiel, where God said, “Woe be to the shepherds of Israel who do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?” (Ezek 34:2). God goes on to say the shepherds have failed to heal the sick, or seek the lost, rather they used force and cruelty on the people (Ezek 34:4). God said He will come Himself to gather the lost sheep of Israel (Ezek 34:11-13). The religious leaders began to enforce the Law, rather than minister to the people. Legalists do the same, they use the Scriptures as a means of manipulation, or control, rather than freedom.
And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost (15:5-6).
The metaphor Shoulder refers to the government of the Body, it’s just above the Body, but below the Head of the Body (Isa 9:6). This is not gaining a sinner, rather it’s gaining one who wandered from the flock, thus the responsibility of gaining back the lost one was placed on the Shoulder. Some reject the backslider, but Jesus says Seek them in order to Loose them from their condition. A great deal of the time we find a backslider is discouraged, usually by someone in the Body who has lost their salt.
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance (15:7).
This explains the silence in heaven during the last Half of the Hour; since Salvation will be stayed until the Night, there will be no rejoicing in heaven. The Good side of this is seeing one sinner who repents which draws all of heaven’s attention. Here Jesus calls the backslider a sinner, showing they slipped right back into the same darkness.
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, does not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? (15:8).
In this case the woman had the silver in her hand, she misplaced one piece, the silver didn’t wander away, rather it was simply forgotten, then remembered. There are times when the Babes seem to fall between the cracks, then we remember them, causing us to diligently seek them. This parable also relates to our faith and how we diligently seek God in all things. Both parables show us, if we seek we shall find, in the finding comes the joy.
And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents (15:9-10).
The woman becomes a symbol of the Lord searching for the lost one, showing how much God loves the repentant sinner, as well as God not leaving us, rather He will continue to call and seek those who wander from the path. It’s very important for us to separate the sinner from the Wicked, keeping them in the proper groupings. God hates the ways of the Wicked, but seeks the sinner, we tend to mix the term sinner into the term wicked placing them in the same basket, ending condemning the sinner. We were all sinners, but we were not among the Wicked. The Wicked are those who have entered, but mock God’s mercy by refusing to give it. They haven’t backslid, they are still among us, but not part of us.
This reminds us of the prophet’s disciple who lost the borrowed ax head in the water, then cried out, “It’s borrowed, it’s borrowed”. Why was it so important? Why not say, “Oh well, old so-and-so will understand”? Or “So what?, it’s borrowed”. The Jew was raised with the concept of something borrowed was more important than something owned. If the ax head was his own, then lost or not, it was his own, but if borrowed, it had to be returned in the same condition when it was borrowed. This same premise is true with God’s Mercy, we borrowed it to gain entrance, thus it was imputed unto us, but when we give Mercy it becomes imparted. Therefore, Jesus tells us when we stand praying we forgive; the sinner has yet to make entrance, thus they have yet to borrow God’s mercy, but the Wicked have entered yet refuse to give Mercy, after they receive it, therein lays the difference.
And He said, A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. And he divided unto them his living (15:11-12).
The son didn’t wander off, he wasn’t misplaced, he made a decision to leave his house, and take a Portion of his inheritance. Did the father grab him, or bind him to the house? No, he allowed the child to go, knowing God Is. This Parable shows how the Father will allow us to make our own choices, knowing we will come to our senses when we are face to face with the pigs. This explains why some of us wake up in the middle of the pig’s pen wondering, “how did this happen?”, or “why did God allow this?”. Some of us have to learn the hard way, most of us learn the hard way, yet God allows us to taste of the pig pen in order to appreciate the Kingdom. God didn’t lead us to the pig pen, but He is fully able to save us.
We often think this father gave his son all of his inheritance, but here it shows the son was given a living, or a portion of the inheritance, which we could term “a gift”. God is always able to deliver His own; some of those horrid events we face are merely areas to expose how we are misusing our portion of the inheritance, or to bring us back to the proper place of understanding so we can enjoy the fullness of the inheritance.
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed the swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him (15:13-16).
The famine was not by chance, yet many of us have seen a famine in the Body. We know something is missing, but we also have this promise, If we ask, we shall receive, seek and we shall find, knock and it shall be opened to us, for the Father desires for us to have the Holy Spirit in fullness.
This Jewish youth ended up eating with pigs, and all sorts of unclean animals; any Pharisee would have written him off, but the father knew the lesson was worth the result. When we judge the event by the event we are blinded to the purpose, or bound to the event, but if we hold our faith in the event we are loosed from the evil, able to receive the Precious. The event is never our problem, it’s our soulish reaction to the event becoming our problem.
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! (15:17).
It took the experience to bring this one to his senses, the many lessons we assume are evil or ungodly in nature, are God giving us experiences to bring strength to our Grace, power to our Mercy, or confidence to our Faith. Perhaps it’s why James tells us to count it a Joy when we fall, since we are the only ones who can obtain a Spiritual gain.
While wandering in the land of the stranger the youth found famine, but he also knew his father’s house had more than enough to meet his need. The possessions in the hand of the lowest of his father’s servants, was far better than all the world had to offer. The experience had a purpose, a means to bring the son to repentance. There was none better born of women than John the Baptist, but the least in the Kingdom is greater (Matt 11:11). Interesting since John was a Jew, as God picked the Jews above all the nations in the world. The least in the Kingdom has more than they can fathom.
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you. And am no more worthy to be called your son: make me as one of your hired servants (15:18-19).
The son recognized his present position, he made a choice to repent. In the prior parables the item was lost, then searched for, here the one who is lost also had to make a choice to be found. The son could have blamed his father by saying, “if my father hadn’t given me my share, I won’t be here”, or “if it wasn’t for the famine, I would have made it”, but this youth said, “I have sinned”. This is the opposite of the fall excuses, instead of saying “it was the father you gave me”, the youth said, “I have sinned against Thee, and Thee alone”. This youth is type of a backslider, the parables talked of our responsibility to seek out the lost sheep. Here it’s when the lost sheep wakes up and comes back home.
This is still teaching in the presence of the Pharisees who said, “this man receives sinners and eats with them”, so was Jesus the one who took His father’s inheritance to cast it away? Not hardly, but the Pharisees had a responsibility, if Jesus was in fact “eating with sinners”, their job was not to condemn Him, but rescue Him. What then was Jesus doing? Rescuing the sinner, thus, He was completing the call in Ezekiel 34:11-12, “for thus says the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search out sheep, and seek them out, As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the Day he is among his sheep who are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver (rescue) them out of all the places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day”.
The paradox becomes obvious, but there is more yet, as a hope to those who have close ones who have wandered off. The first premise was God sending the shepherds out to find the lost, the youth however, didn’t have anyone come to him, rather his situation was made clear to him, then he sought repentance. In either case the lost sheep was found, then restored.
And he arose, and came to his father, But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him (15:20).
Once the youth made his choice, he had to act on it in order for it to be the fruit of repentance. He was sorry for what he did, which was correct and good, but he had to turn by making a move to be restored in order to complete the repentance. This youth is not the same as someone who is to be converted, rather this youth was of the “house”, then left. This would also connect to Peter being told, “and when you are converted”. Here we find clarity came, repentance took place, faith was added showing the future with the father was far better than the world.
Prior Jesus said, “go get them”, here He tells us, “wait for them”, which do we do? Faith comes by hearing, we find two examples to the same situation. One tells us to go after them, the other tells us to wait for them, which we do determines the result.
Before the youth asked his father for mercy, his father was already preparing the welcoming home party. The father had compassion, he didn’t condemn the son, or remind the son of all he had done for him, nor did he bring up the past, rather he kissed him, then received him back as if he was never gone. This example shows us when the backslider comes back, God brought them back, receive them as a treasure of the Lord. Holding someone’s past against them is very dangerous, it places us in a position for someone to hold our past against us.
And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, and am no more worthy to be called your son (15:21).
The son completed the repentance, knowing he was not worthy, yet the father called him more than worthy. This youth could have seen the preparation, yet decided not to repent; however, his repentance caused the party, it’s the point.
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring here the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry (15:22-24).
Repentance brings joy, once repentance becomes an action, so does restoration. The son was placed back in the folds of the family. Although all he wanted was the lowest of positions, the father give him the best, for the son was dead, but now he lives.
This youth discerned the event, learned from it, knew where his inheritance rested, causing him to return. This same youth could have remained with the pigs cursing the darkness, or he could sit around blaming God, but he didn’t, he knew his decision was the cause, thus every man is still drawn away by their own lust. The lust? Covetousness, taking us right back to the brother who demanded his inheritance. This youth found there is more to life, than possessions. Covetousness is the same as envy, it’s desiring what belongs to another, showing self-righteousness is an act of envy, it seeks the righteousness of God without having the means to obtain it. The New Birth gives us the Righteousness of God, thus, rather than seek it, we have it.
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Your brother is come; and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore, came his father out, and entreated him (15:25-28).
The other side of the coin is the son who stayed, worked and waited. Envy and jealousy can bring anger in a second. Covetousness took the one son away, here jealousy enters when the son who remains sees all the fuss over the returning son. Some of us think restoration is a method we can use to beat the person with many stripes for a year or two; however, restoration is the restoring to a position prior to the error, as if the error never happened.
This gives us two sides of the spirit of man; on one side we find the youth who was moved by covetousness who left, on the other, the son who remained becoming jealous when the father received the lost son. If we have Mercy we will sow restoration and compassion, as we reap mercy, restoration and compassion, but if we sow condemnation we reap condemnation. Paul saw this very parable, and said, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such a one in the Spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted” (Gal 6:1). Failure to restore will sow seeds of envy and jealousy giving the devil place to put us in the pig pen.
The spiritual seek to restore, but those who are carnal seek to destroy, in the process of destroying they seek to exalt their own minds. The world has no idea what this means, to them anyone who repents must still pay for their wrong. It’s an attitude very dangerous in the Kingdom, but it’s expected of the world. Two different manners, two different natures, two different places. The method of restoration we use is not imputing the sins on the person, but receiving them in love.
And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve you, neither transgressed I at any time your commandment: and yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this your son was come, which has devoured your living with harlots, you have killed for him the fatted calf (15:29-30).
It’s easy to say, “I’m better than him, why don’t I get some goodies?”. The eldest brother referred to the younger as, “this your son” instead of “my brother”; his self-pity has now turned to anger, as he is condemning his brother to justify his anger. Like Cain who entered envy, sin was at the door, thus one repented, but the other needed to. This also shows the heart of the brother who wanted his inheritance, thus Jesus exposed the lust in the man. True ministry is not a pat on the back, it’s assisting the person to find the beam, define the source, stand with them as it’s removed, while loving them through it.
And he said unto him, Son, you are ever with me, and all that I have is yours (15:31).
Since this is still related to the Pharisees who said, “He does eat with sinners”, we can see why Jesus is ministering to them, pointing to the beam, assisting them in identifying it, then showing how to remove it. Jesus is like the father who received the lost, but the Pharisees were acting like a spoiled son. If the elder son wanted a feast of his own, he could, the ability was there, but he wanted his father to make special arrangements, or proclaim his importance. The desire for special treatment, or being special of the special is a lust to be superior over the Body, rather than a member of it. Therefore, we can see how Jesus is teaching us about the Body of Christ, as the eye looks at the mouth, or the foot at the hand, wondering why it “appears” as if some receive more recognition than others? Or why we see God restore some fallen one, yet we fight to maintain, it doesn’t appear as if God is doing anything special for us, so we say, “it’s not fair!”. The eldest brother wasn’t looking at the younger as a brother, rather he was looking at him as some outcast the father was taking back in. The eldest failed to see the reverse, or how he would feel if he was in the shoes of the younger. Would the elder want to be received like the younger? Yes, if we fall, we would want restoration, so why do we end beating someone half to death when they backslide? Wrong spirit, thus exposure has many facets. Here the exposure of the youngest was the pig pen, the exposure of the elder was his own reaction to the event. “Look, I’ve been in this church for ten years, never missed a Sunday, they are making such a big deal over a sinner coming back”. Ouch! The son didn’t want to be special of the special, rather he humbled himself, but the father exalted him. It’s a far cry from coming up with some revelation the Body isn’t ready for, or some special name putting us above all the others, or thinking we are greater than the rest of the Body.
The father’s desire was to restore the son, as he made him feel as if he belonged, but the other son wanted some punishment applied; at the same time he wanted the father to exalt him. The one brother allowed jealousy to enter, either envy or jealousy cause us to desire punishment on others for their wrongs, while we demand mercy. Not only did he want some punishment applied, he also wanted to be honored for his good works. Mercy never seeks the punishment, Mercy will not rub someone’s nose in their failure, nor impute sin on them, it is ready to rejoice for the return of the fallen son.
All of us have some pillars of sand, or strongholds, when we fall, we fall for a moment or two, or we fall for a month of two. Therefore, God tells those who are spiritual to restore the fallen, but He doesn’t want those who are carnal to put their hands into the restoration process. Why? The carnal mind is unable to understand the Law of the Spirit, it will apply carnal means leaving the person with more sandy foundations than they had to begin with.
It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this your brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found (15:32).
Here the father answers for the eldest son, pointing out a “brother” was brought back. The eldest was looking at this situation through the eyes of jealousy, rather than through the eyes of compassion. He needed a change of view, from jealousy to mercy; at time we need to view the matter through the eyes of the Spirit.
And He said also unto His disciples, There was a certain Rich Man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods (16:1).
The teaching now changes to the disciples, as the parable is directed to leadership in the Body. The prior parable pointed to lad who came to his senses, but here is another situation. The word Accused is the Greek Dieblethe meaning Falsely Accused. This steward didn’t do a wrong, rather he was accused falsely of doing wrong. We recall how Peter told us, “For what glory is it, if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God” (I Pet 2:20).
And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of you? give an account of your stewardship; for you may no longer be a steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord takes away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses (16:2-4).
The master didn’t say “you shall no longer”, but “you may no longer”, thus this steward had to prove his position in order to remain. This steward is figuring two ends of the same problem, instead of attacking the false accusation, he will go out to prove to his master, how just he is.
So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owe you unto my lord? And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take your bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owe you? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take your bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations (16:5-9).
This seems really strange, Jesus tells us, we are suppose to make “friends” with these people, what gives? Who are those who hold the “mammon of unrighteousness”? Are they the “children of this world”? If so, why does Jesus say they are wiser than the children of Light? The word Light is the Greek Phos meaning Light in general, it was used to show God has commanded the Light to shine out of darkness (II Cor 4:6), often it refers to the light from a candle (Luke 8:16), as well as, the Daylight (Jn 11:9), it also refers to the Light of the Sun and Moon (James 1:17), thus it refers to both the Greater and Lesser Light. The servant is showing mercy to the debtors, but his motive is still to save his own neck, yet he was able to obtain some mercy. The point is how those who love money, are moved by money were able to give mercy to the steward, yet we who received the Mercy of the Father refuse at times to grant mercy.
This is another example of Loosing and Binding, this steward is Loosing the debt, yet we know the word Debt is a metaphor for Sin or Unforgiveness. In this case they refused to Forgive All, but even the unjust can Forgive. This Parable then points to Mercy, as some hold burdens of unforgiveness on their necks as great yokes, but if they would at least make the effort to forgive part, the Mercy of God would enter bringing the result freeing them of the debt. Did we deserve God’s Mercy? Of course not, thus we knew we didn’t deserve it, but we received it by faith. So then, there are some in our lives who don’t deserve our mercy, but we give it by faith, looking to the result.
Unforgiveness is retained Resentment, as an ill will, or indignation held regarding a real or imagined wrong or grievance. St. Augustine in his teaching on unforgiveness said, “holding resentment is like taking poison then hoping the other person dies”, it’s self-destructive.
In verse 8 we have the English words Wisely and Wiser which come from the Greek word Phronimos. This is different from the Greek word Sophos meaning Wise. Both Phronimos and Sophos refer to the use of intelligence, but Sophos is only used when the thing to be accomplished is good; whereas Phronimos is most often used when the result to be accomplished is evil. This opens the concept, showing the Unjust Steward had an evil intent, but nonetheless applied Mercy, thus Mercy can be applied by anyone, even if they are run by the spirit of man. The concept shows even the world can show Mercy, not much of an excuse for those in the Kingdom who refuse to. Compare this to those who work at their iniquity, they acquired God’s Mercy, thus they can walk in the fullness of Mercy, which is the Father’s Will (be ye merciful as your Father). However, they work harder at not walking in Mercy, than the unjust steward did applying mercy.
The steward was ashamed to beg, yet the first time we find the concept of being ashamed is at the fall (Gen 2:25 & 3:10). The unjust steward worked out some method to secure his position for a time, but since he failed to repent, he would end up in the same position over and over again. The son repented, he was received back into the house; Peter went out and wept bitterly, Judas attempted to buy his way back into the synagogue; two forms of repentance, with different results.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? (16:10-12).
The unjust steward sought to secure his position, the son also thought of his position, but the unjust steward used deception to gain his position back, whereas the son used repentance by confessing his sins. The unjust steward was able to avoid the judgment for a time, but the son gained much more than he sought. The Unjust attempt to serve two masters, to please both by actions, yet we do find a Precious seed here. Those who owed the master were forgiven for all their debt, by giving half, if we place ourselves in their position, we can find the Precious in this Parable. The Unjust Steward was still Unjust, the others still forgive. Although the steward was Unjust, we find the Just live by faith, thus an attribute of being Just is Mercy. Therefore, those who draw back to Perdition, refuse to give Mercy.
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other, You cannot serve God and mammon (16:13).
The son wasn’t seeking mammon, he was seeking to be lifted from one position to another in his father’s house, but the unjust steward was seeking his security by using the methods of mammon. The comparison indicates the application of mercy by those run by the love of money is possible, why then do those in Kingdom not give Mercy as part of their nature? This parable is more of a warning, in a few days Jesus will breath on the disciples, giving the ability to remit sins done unto them, they best apply it in a Godly manner.
And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided Him (16:14).
The disciples heard and received, out of the twelve only one became a son of perdition, but the Pharisees held to the mammon as their covetousness, remaining with their father the devil. This takes us all the way back to Luke 12:15 where Jesus said, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses”. The Pharisees were sitting in positions where they had want of nothing, yet they were stealing. They had their self-righteousness, but no sinner can gain Right standing before God, rather, they had standing before the Law, thinking it was before God. They had control of the temple, but they were denying the Lord of Glory. Success is not always a sign of holiness, even Satan will reward Satan for an evil purpose. Success is measured in our relationship with Jesus by the Spirit.
And He said unto them, You are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God (16:15).
The unjust steward thought he fooled his master, the Pharisees assumed they were fooling Jesus. Both were in error, all things are manifest and open before God (Heb 4:12-13).
When the world condones us, or when the world praises us, beware. We need to deny the self daily to keep our mercy laced with salt, as our savor is full of mercy and grace.
The Law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it (16:16).
This is like the “violent take it by force”, but here we find a twist, the Pharisees thought their self-righteousness was enough to get them into heaven, but one needs the Spirit. This also shows when John came the methods of Old ended, concepts were in the process of change, definitions were in the process of change, laws, and all sorts of things were in the process, but the change will not come until Pentecost. The word Press is the Greek Biazo meaning to inflict force, but this is timed as well, the Entry will not be available by the Spirit until Pentecost, since Jesus will also say the Kingdom of God is within.
And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the Law to fail (16:17).
The violence unto the Kingdom was based in self-righteousness, the vehicle for the Law of Moses, but the Violent are those empowered with an outside force. Before the Spirit was given the kingdom did suffer from those attempting to make entry by their self-righteousness, they would kick, beg, knock, but self-righteousness cannot make entry. The Violent attempted to use self-righteousness, but it was all they had at the time.
The entire premise of the Kingdom suffering violence is from John until the “Now”, it was not from Adam until the Now, or from David until the Now. Add this to “the Law and Prophets were until John”, and you have a very limited time from John until “Now”.
Right after saying the Law and Prophets were until John, Jesus now says not one dot on the “i”, or the cross on the “t” will fail from the Law. The Law of Moses didn’t disappear, we merely moved to a different Law for citizens of a different Kingdom.
Paul also commented on this, by saying, “Now we know what things soever the Law says, it says to them who are under the Law: so every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom 3:19). This shows the purpose of the Law: to stop the mouths of the self-righteous, showing how guilty they are, as well as, showing the world how guilty it is. The Law of the Spirit also has a purpose, to justify us as it makes us innocent before God by the Spirit. Two Laws, both from God, but sent to two different people for different purposes, to arrive at different results.
Whosoever puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery: and whosoever marries her that is put away from her husband commits adultery (16:18).
It would seem strange for Jesus to put this in the midst of this teaching, unless He is pointing to religious conceit, or the adultery of changing God’s Laws to fit man’s thinking. This points to the Law of Moses; if the Cross stops the Law, or as Paul put it, the Law is nailed to the Cross, then to take of the Law after we pass through the Cross is marrying the wife the Cross put away. This is somewhat different than Paul’s teaching on the subject, but very close. Paul said we can’t be free to marry another unless our first mate is dead; therefore we are bound to the Law until a death takes place (Rom 7:3). Therefore, we must be dead before we are free of the Law of Moses, thus death comes for us when we impute the flesh dead as we pick up our Cross. The Cross is a place of death, the Resurrection a place of Life. The Law of Moses pertained to a way of life, not life itself. Once death ensued, the Law served it’s purpose as it completed the process of sin and death. The Cross then ends the process of the Law of Moses, as it begins the path to a New Law. It’s vital for us not to stop at the Cross, rather we must gain the Spirit to enter Grace. If we remain at the Cross we’re free of the Law of Moses, but dead nonetheless.
The Life in Christ comes in the New Birth based on the Power of the Resurrection. Doing the deeds of the Law, after our imputed death, is witchcraft (Gal 3:1). We can’t keep pulling the flesh off the Cross by using the wiles of the flesh, then expect the fullness of the New Man as well. Surely the effort would be double-minded, let not that person expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:8). Paul tells us to Put off the old man, then Put on the New (Col 3:9-10); there is an order we must follow.
There was a certain Rich Man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores (16:19-20).
This same concept is found in the Book of James, if we think “rich” and “poor” always refers to money we will miss the point. To a Jew being “Rich” means subject to the Covenant, of course being “Poor” means one is a Gentile, who is not subject. James writes to converted Jews who were dispersed among the Gentiles. In Acts 15 James and the other apostles wrote a letter to the Gentiles regarding certain rites to settle the question regarding the Gentiles having to go back and follow Jewish rites regarding circumcision before they could receive the New Covenant. It became rather foolish, since the Gentiles had received the Spirit, or to say the Spirit made a mistake is also rather foolish. James is a letter to the dispersed Jews, telling them to gain the Wisdom of God, rather than continue to use the wisdom of man.
Here we find a combination of allegories, the rich man could very well be rich in goods, but the concept here shows a Jew subject to the Promise in the house, yet the Gentile is sick, because he is not subject to the Promise. The Jew sees this Gentile every day, but since the Gentile is not subject to the promise, why pay any attention to him? This is still to the disciples, and still in reference to them applying Mercy to the outcasts.
The word Sumptuously means the Rich Man gained daily, the beggar was at his gate; therefore, it was not being rich in material goods, rather it shows two groups, the Rich Man who had the House in hand, the Poor who was at the gate, and in need. Later Peter will have a vision telling him to enter a house of a Gentile, this parable points to the vision.
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores (16:21).
This sounds much like the Gentile woman who sought for her daughter, she knew the Crumbs were sufficient. Ahh, the key to the mystery, the Gentile woman, the Poor, the Table, the Crumbs, they all relate showing something presented to the Rich (Jew), but not forced on them, yet it will also be presented to the Poor Gentile. We tend to think, “If God wants me saved, He will have to force me”, not so, God will not force or manipulate, He presents.
We also find the “dogs”, to a Jew it pointed to the unclean. Clearly the rich man has the wherewithal, he is fully capable of applying what was given him. The same is true with us, God grants us Mercy, we can apply it, but it won’t be automatic, we must do it.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the Rich Man also died, and was buried (16:22).
Jesus didn’t say the beggar went to the bosom of Moses, or the bosom of God, rather it was the Bosom of Abraham. Why Abraham? The usage in and of itself should have caused the Pharisees to search out their theological stones of abuse. When Jesus called it “Abraham’s Bosom” He said the only way to get there was by faith, not the deeds of the Law. If the Law was the key, then it would be the “Bosom of Moses”.
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeing Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame (16:23-24).
When Jesus said “buried” the Pharisees could accept it, but hell? Oh my, could it be? The Jews held the thought even if they went to hell, the longest they could be kept there was one year, then hell would have to release them. This may have been one of the thoughts the religious rulers held regarding putting Jesus on the Cross. If they were right, then God would show them great favor, if they were wrong it would only be a year. Jesus made many comments about eternal judgment, perhaps it’s why one of the six rudiments to the Doctrine of Christ is Eternal Judgment (Heb 6:1-2).
When the beggar was at his gate the rich man had no time for mercy, now he wants Mercy. In order to get it, you’ve got to give it. This is along the lines of the lawyer who asked “who is my neighbor”, which pointed to Mercy. Here Jesus shows one can be subject to the Promise, have the token of the Covenant, yet fail to do what is expected, missing out on the Reward.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and you are tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from there (16:25-26).
Abraham didn’t call this person “stranger”, or “Goy“, rather it was “son”, showing the man was subject to the promise, he had what it took to obtain the promise, but rejected it. Lazarus on the other hand was at the Door, thus by God making him a beggar he was the Opportunity for the Rich Man to show mercy. God presents opportunity, although the beggar seemed poor in the standards of the world, as the rich man seemed rich according to the standards of the world, we find it was just the opposite.
Lazarus received evil at the hands of the Rich Man, the Rich Man received his position at the hand of God, Lazarus received his reward at the hands of God, the Rich Man by his own hand.
This parable also connects to the Rich Man who tore down his barns to make room for more goods, and God said, “You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you” (Luke 12:20). Jesus also said, “so is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). The Good News is full of warnings, but it also gives us God’s method of escape as well. So, is being rich a sin? No, it’s not being rich, but what one does with the riches God gave them. The rich man had opportunity, the way was presented, what he did with it was up to him, the result in God’s hand.
Then he said, I pray you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment (16:27-28).
The Rich Man knew his fate was sealed, he is now more concerned about his
”brethren”, but the beggar was also his brother, yet he didn’t care. We can see how those who say “Lord, Lord haven’t we” end in their condition by assuming since they are Rich (Acts), they don’t need to apply Mercy (Ways). The Rich man felt he was blessed, but he didn’t feel it necessary to bless others; thus this still relates to Mercy, the steward found mercy in those who loved money, the teaching here is we have the Power and Authority to forgive, it’s not a suggestion, but a Commandment.Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them (16:29).
When Jesus was transfigured on the Mount, the Father said, “this is My beloved Son, hear Him”, the Law and the prophets became the Two Witnesses for the time when there is no Christ on this earth. Abraham lived well before the Law or the Prophets, but here he mentions them, thus Abraham’s Bosom was not only in viewing distance of hell, but they knew the events of the world, by those who entered. Not only were the disciples being taught, but the Pharisees were sitting right there hearing this parable as well.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent (16:30).
Not only do we find the Rich Man correcting Abraham, as the Pharisees corrected Jesus, but the Rich Man is even making demands from hell. The Rich Man didn’t repent, yet he had the Law and prophets; therefore, the Law and Prophets must talk about Mercy as well. The Rich Man is looking at Lazarus who was with Abraham, yet he never makes note, or a suggestion of his wrong. The Pharisees also had the prior evidence, they had the Scriptures, but they rejected the Proceeding Word.
Even hell didn’t change the Rich man, he was still demanding, still bossing people around, still the self-based soul he was before.
And he said unto him, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead (16:31).
Jesus spent forty days with the disciples after the Resurrection, being seen of many (Acts 1:3); Paul had to remind the Corinthians Jesus was raised from the dead, they were baptized to identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus, but some didn’t believe. Paul asks why were they baptized unto death, if they don’t believe in being raised? (I Cor 15:29). If they were baptized, they should have accepted the conditions of the baptism, including imputing the flesh dead as well as not continuing to use the ways of the old man.
Abraham tells the Rich Man, if they won’t believe the shadow they had for all those years, they won’t believe the sign either, it’s exactly what happened, after Jesus was Resurrected the religious rulers still refused to believe. So much so, even Annas and Caiaphas the same two high priests who will condemn Jesus will also beat Peter and John for preaching Jesus (Acts 4:6).
Then said He unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come (17:1).
Ouch, man didn’t He just offend these guys? What does this mean? The word for Offense here means to cause one to stumble, it’s different than an offense of correction to bring perfection.
It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones (17:2).
We look at the little ones as actual small children, to a point it’s true, but the context goes deeper, showing us the Blades in Christ, and how carnal rules, regulations, and formulas are all obstacles. The saving of the soul is our goal, but our carnal methods can produce more self than we get rid of. If we use the pride of life to rid ourselves of the flesh, we end up using pride in our efforts, but if we impute the flesh dead by the Cross of Jesus, then trust in God to bring the result by the Spirit we will have victory.
Take heed to yourselves: If your brother trespass against you, rebuke him; and if he repent forgive him (17:3).
Many of us trespass against others and never know it, thus it’s best to be rebuked unto exposure in order to repent, than be the one who brings offense. We forget our carnal means often cause “peripheral damage”, or the damage caused around us. We say or do things based in carnal thinking, as others watch they become discouraged, or think they can do the same. It should not be so.
However, if someone trespasses then repents, we forgive, thereby bringing Mercy and Restoration. James noted many of our sicknesses are caused by retaining faults (trespasses) against one another (James 5:16).
And if he trespass against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns again to you, saying, I repent; you shall forgive him (17:4).
This is not a suggestion, it’s a Commandment, if we love Jesus, we will do His Commandments. Luke doesn’t change directions here, but continues to link one saying with another, to bring the Fruit of Mercy. What Commandments? Those from the Mount of Olives regarding Mercy are the Least, then those concerning Grace. It doesn’t mean they are least in priority, they are least in capability, anyone who has accepted the Mercy of God has the ability to apply Mercy. Yet, faith without love coupled to Mercy ends in self-centered mind power.
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say unto this sycamore tree, Be you plucked up by the root, and be you planted in the sea; and it should obey you (17:5-6).
The apostles knew forgiveness and mercy related to increased faith. Here it’s not the mountain but the Tree: the use of the sycamore tree was not by mistake. When the children believed not in God, they trusted not in His salvation, they forgot how God delivered them from Egypt, or how God plagued the Egyptians, and the Egyptian sycamore trees were destroyed with frost (great hailstones – Ps 78:17, 78:22, 78:41 & 78:47). The Mountain and Sycamore Tree in this context are things of the world, and the metaphor Sea represents the world, as does the metaphor Egypt. The world lacks Mercy, it seeks Justice, validation, recompense, yet we live by Mercy, and live more abundantly by Grace. The Sycamore tree came from the Hebrew Sukaminos, it has the form and foliage of a mulberry, but the fruit resembles a Fig Tree, thus here it’s representative of a counterfeit religious order, supposing itself to be the Fig Tree. This was a rebuke to the religious rulers, they used the religious order God gave them, but in an evil manner.
But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready where with I may eat, and grid yourself and serve me, till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you shall eat and drink? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not (17:7-9).
Jesus moves from Mercy to Grace, the word Thank in the phrase, “Does he thank …” is the Greek Charis, which we know as Grace. This shows there are things Expected by us who are in Grace, they are not means to gain righteousness, but efforts based on the Righteousness given. It’s the same with Mercy, we operate in Mercy by having Mercy granted to us by the Father. In First John we are told those who deny the Father and Son are antichrist in nature, pointing to the duties of Mercy by the Father, and Grace by the Son.
Jesus is still teaching on increasing faith, moving from faith to faith is akin to adding Mercy to Grace. Our labors of Grace and Mercy are expected, we shouldn’t expect some special treatment for doing what is expected.
So likewise you, when you shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do (17:10).
Grace is the heavenly Gift, not something we have a right to, but it’s also the Ability to do Grace, thus we had no foundation upon which to Receive Grace, but through Jesus we were imputed Grace, once imputed, we gained a position to be Born Again, then Grace was Imparted as the Spirit giving us the Ability to do the Things of Christ (Grace). However, is Grace the only subject here? No, He just talked about Mercy, so we find Mercy and Grace must work as a team. The proof of this is “come boldly to the throne of Grace to Obtain Mercy, and Find Grace”.
And it came to pass, as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee (17:11).
Luke is still linking the teachings regarding Deny the self, and picking up our Cross, he will do so until we reach Luke 18:35. Each one of these areas all link to the prior. For the teacher we find one thing after another establishing us now, explaining how we maintain in the Kingdom, thus this is how we Prepare to Take the Kingdom.
When we hold joy in doing the things we want to, what grace have we? But if we hold joy in doing the things of Grace, even if we don’t want to, rather we know the doing pleases God, therein we find Joy. Therefore, doing what we want, when we want, is not service, doing what the Lord wants with Joy, whether we like it, understand it, or agree with it, is service. It’s these matters increasing our Faith in God, thus, our Faith in God must be to please Him, whether we’re pleased or not.
And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us (17:12-13).
Like the blind men and many others, we find the phrase, “have mercy on us”; yet we claim to be under Grace, while denying these same things are available to us. The Book of Hebrews says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace, to obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). We can’t claim Grace without Mercy, if we have Mercy we will give it, Mercy heals our bodies and forgives our sins. In the times of Old when the priest came with timid dread, fearing for their life to the Mercy Seat, the Throne of Grace was not available to them, neither was the faith of Jesus which makes boldness possible.
And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed (17:14).
Not only did the Law have provisions for the lepers, but the only time they could show themselves to the priest was after they were clean; therefore, when Jesus said, “Go show yourselves unto the priests” the lepers knew they were clean, yet their bodies lacked the evidence. How do we know? As they went they were cleansed, they heard, did as they were told by the Lord, thus in the doing the healing took place. This goes right back to “if you Love Me, you will do My Commandments”. We may begin to apply Mercy, but our bodies and minds say, “no way, this isn’t working, you still hate them”; however, here is the promise, do and it shall come to pass; thus it’s a faith issue, we do looking to the result of the doing, not what our emotions tell us at the time.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger (17:15-18).
The man was a Samaritan, this is the reverse of the Good Samaritan. Here the Samaritan was in need, the He who is the Oil and Wine healed him. The Samaritan would seem to be disobedient, after all Jesus told him to show himself to the priests, yet here he is. Worship and Praise unto the Lord are never out of order, here the man “gives thanks” to Him who healed him. What caused it? As they went they were healed, this man did as he was told, his body didn’t show any signs of healing, but as the healing came he took time to praise ye the Lord. This man knew there was a matter of greater importance to do.
And He said unto him, Arise, go your way: your faith has made you whole (17:19).
What happened? The man just made connection with the true High Priest, we can see the test was on all ten. They were told to do something, the man didn’t say, “I’m not going to any priest”, rather he knew there was a greater importance, thus he applied his love and appreciation, which moved him past the prior requirement. Did Jesus change His mind? No, the man changed positions. This is a great lesson for us, we hear, we do, the healing will come, yet we add Praise unto the Lord then we shall be Whole. The word Whole here is the Greek Sozo, connecting to the woman who had the issue of blood. In both cases they centered their faith not in the healing, but directly on the Lord. This opens an area for us to consider, is our faith in the ability of Jesus? Or in Jesus?
And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God comes not with observation (17:20).
The word Observation means By physical sight, thus the Pharisees were expecting to see the Kingdom of God in order to believe, but the Kingdom of God will not come with observation. This goes right back to the man who returned, they did as they were told, on the path they were healed. We ask, we may not see a thing, in truth we won’t, but we believe we received, as we begin to Praise the Lord for the Gift. It will manifest, but it will not come by observation. For many it’s the problem, they want to see something, then they will ask. Won’t happen, Jesus is telling us to believe to receive the Seed, water it with Mercy, then the knowledge of the Seed taking residence will come to pass. This is not the same as speaking in unknown tongues, or prophecy, those are signs of the Seed being planted, here it’s the Kingdom of God meaning the time when our souls are becoming Spiritual in nature by the Spirit. Now Jesus will add to this by saying:
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you (17:21).
The phrase “shall they”, with the phrase “within you”, can also read, “among you”, and both would be correct; the potential for the Kingdom of God was within them, but the means to obtain was standing before them. Paul said the Kingdom is not meat or drink, but Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom 14:17). He also said the New Man is created in God’s Righteousness and Holiness (Eph 4:24). Putting the two together with the teaching here we find the New Man is Righteousness, Peace and Joy by the Holy Ghost. The Kingdom of God is not in Word alone, but in Power (I Cor 4:20). The Gospel doesn’t come in Word only, but also in Power, in the Holy Ghost, with much assurance (I Thess 1:5). Wait, isn’t the Word Jesus? Yes, it’s the point, the Holy Ghost brings the Seed, the Seed is the Word, becoming the Spirit of Truth. The New Man has functions, first is the saving of our souls, then bringing the inner witness of Jesus in us by the manifestation of the Spirit in those one on one encounters. The Holy Ghost still deals with the masses, He will fill us more than once to accomplish the task; the Holy Ghost is also the one who says, “separate unto Me” for the work of the Offices and ministry (Acts 13:1-3 et al).
And He said unto His disciples, The days will come, when you shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you shall not see it (17:22).
This is directed to the disciples, here we find more than one day of the Lord, what gives? Could this be a blessing? The Day of the Lord begins the Night, but it also entails two times. The first ends the Day, then begins the Night, the last ends the Night with Judgment. Also this relates to the “Son of man”, not the Son of God, thus it points to Mercy. We are sons of men by God’s mercy, sons of God by His Grace.
This is still talking about the Kingdom of God being within, by applying Mercy to maintain the Kingdom. There are times when we want to see the Judgment of God on others, but the New Man rebukes us, brings us back to Mercy in New Tongues.
Which day shall they not see? The last day. They will desire to see it, but fear not they won’t. It’s really a blessing. We want the Day of the Lord to come, so this Season can be ended, but at the same time we don’t want to “see” the Day of the Son of man.
Traditions begin by adding personal desires to Scripture; we know the phrase, “I believe Jesus will return to judge the just and unjust”, is a sound Biblical principle, but then we added, “I believe Jesus will return and bring His kingdom, and then judge the good and damned”, when we added, “I believe Jesus will return, set up His kingdom on earth for 1,000 years, then judge the good and damned”. Each adding to the other, all sounding good, except they remove the Night, remove the days of the Son of man where His enemies become His footstool, it also removes the Rapture. If we go into the Night, it means we won’t have the Spirit. Best know Jesus will return as the Son of man to judge, knowing we won’t see the day of the Lord, for it is a day of darkness (Amos 5:18).
And they shall say to you; See here; or see there: go not after them, nor follow them (17:23).
This is different than the teaching we found in Matthew, here it’s simply they will say See here, or See there. This has to be directed to the Night, Jesus just said the Kingdom of God comes without observation, in the Night they will say, “here is the Kingdom of God come and see”. Could the Day hold a shadow? Yes, there are those who claim one location or another on the earth is the Kingdom. The phrase, “go not after them” is simple, we are not to follow those who claim the Kingdom of God is a place on this earth, rather it’s a position in our hearts by the Spirit.
The phrase “nor follow them” also points to anyone who tells us the only way to obtain is through them. It’s through Jesus by the Spirit, no other way. This doesn’t mean we can’t use the people of God as examples, after all Paul told us “be ye followers of me”, but he added “even as I also am of Christ” (I Cor 11:1). It’s not saying we can’t use these Godly people as examples, rather it’s when anyone sets their self, or any saint of God between us and God, we are not to follow them. If we put Paul or Peter between us and God, we might as well go back to the Law of Moses, since it was the same principle. Jesus died to open the Door so we could have a relationship and fellowship with God, not so we could put another human between us and God.
For as the lighting, that lights out of one part under heaven, shines unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in His day (17:24).
It was His Hour, but not His Day, the world has the Hour of Temptation, we have the Hour of Christ, the Day of the Lord is not Light, but darkness, woe unto him who longs for the Day of the Lord. The teaching points to the Light, thus when the Lord comes there will be no Light on the earth, the Light will be in heaven with those of us who were caught up to meet the Lord in the Air, where we Forever remain with Him.
But first must He suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation (17:25).
However, first comes Salvation before the Judgment, the Lord will not judge until Salvation has been completed.
Although Jesus would explain the Cross and Resurrection to the disciples, they wouldn’t understand until after the Resurrection. The Good News preached by the disciples before the Cross was based in Mercy, yet Mercy healed the sick, it’s still the First element we receive.
And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man (17:26).
We are told over and over again, it will be as it was in the days of Noah, yet we tend to make it as it was in the days of Pentecost. The last days will be as it was in the days of Noah; Jesus defined the concept showing there is an attitude people will hold during those days, as well as a condition found on the earth during those days.
Those days are not upon us, thus we are still in the Season of the Day, not the Night. The Kingdom of God is still at hand, the Power of Mercy is still found in the Pardon of our sins, with the Power of Grace are still the Power of His Christ.
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, unto the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all (17:27).
We already know how the people of the earth in Noah’s time had Peace, they lived many years, they didn’t need police, or governments to protect them, they didn’t know the ways of war, they were not sick in body or diseased, yet they held their unrighteousness against God. They thought they were rich, and in need of nothing, then sudden destruction came, so shall it be in the latter days. Their attitude was “God won’t harm us”, they held no fear of God, Jude tells us the Wicked don’t fear God either (Jude 12). They didn’t think of destruction or judgment, rather they felt there was no end, no judgment, nothing could happen. Paul will call it “Peace and safety”, but he also shows then comes sudden destruction.
If we look at “they married wives” as the sign, we miss the point. One has to wonder if the Pharisees didn’t attack Jesus over this point. After all, the first commandment given man was “go and multiply”, as God proclaimed Adam and Eve as husband and wife, so is Jesus saying marriage is wrong? No, the metaphoric content shows the thoughts of the people. Today man worries about the environment, world war, food, and “birth control” is a major subject. The world speaks of over population, they are telling us to “refrain”, but Jesus says they will be “given in marriage”, just the opposite. It also stands during the Season of the Day all have the opportunity to have Salvation, yet in the Night no child will be born, thus they will be “given in marriage”, but they will not have children, which would violate “go and multiply”, God is equal, but He would not hold a child back from an opportunity; therefore, the prophet said, the child (not baby) will live to be a hundred, but the sinner being a hundred shall be accursed (Isa 65:20).
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built (17:28).
Jesus changes the time to the days of Lot, whether it was the days of Noah, or the days of Lot we know “Grace” was not given to man, neither did Jesus didn’t walk on the earth. The context shows there will be two groups on the earth at the time, Jew and Gentile, those who pierced Him, and those who wail because of Him. These are simply more Scriptures showing there must be a Rapture to remove the Grace of God, before the Judgment of God can take place.
The attitude in the days of Lot was like unto the one in the days of Noah, they felt they could do as they pleased, there would be no price to pay. They mocked God, mocked the angels of God, as well as the people of God, they felt they were above judgment. However, when the judgment came, it came suddenly.
Although Lot was delivered, the promise to be delivered was given to Lot, his wife, his two daughters, as well as his two sons-in-law; a small number of people connected to Abraham. Lot’s two sons-in-law loved the pleasure of sin more than deliverance, they laughed at the judgment. The Wicked have no fear of God, they assume God wouldn’t dare reject them. Lot’s wife left the danger, but turned, longing for the city, thus only half of the promised were delivered, because of the decisions they made, not the decision God made. God desired to save all the righteous from the city, He was willing to spare the entire city, if there were ten righteous in the city, but only Lot was just because only Lot feared God, as Lot believed the words of the angels. What about Lot’s daughters? They only left because Lot left, thus the symbol shows Lot’s daughters believed the words of their father, as they left with him, but they also felt the entire world was destroyed as well. Those who remained in the city lusted for the things of sin, they took the mark of the beast willingly (Rev 18:14 & 13:16-18), so shall it be in the latter days. The same principle is true with the Rapture, God will not destroy the Righteous with the Wicked, those who have the Righteousness of God must be removed in order to judge the Wicked. It also shows the Scripture, “it’s appointed unto all men to die once, then comes the judgment” proving there will be no physical life on earth when Jesus returns (Heb 9:27). It’s not the first death man faces at the Judgment, it’s the Second death, or freedom from it in the resurrection unto life.
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all (17:29).
It happened on the same Day, not several days later, thus the time after the Deliverance for the Church will last 1,000 years unto the end of the Day of the Lord; to the Lord the 1,000 years is like a Day, a Day is like the 1,000 years. This shows the Day of the Lord begins at the Rapture; thus the Day of the Lord is really the time of the Night on earth. It also stands, during the time the people on the earth will have no idea the Day of the Lord is coming; therefore, it will come suddenly upon them.
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed (17:30).
The Book of Revelation is, “the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him” (Rev 1:1). It doesn’t mean the Father gave Jesus some mental knowledge regarding the end times, it means the Revealed Jesus in the end times, based on the Father giving the forth Cup of God’s Judgment to Jesus. When did the Father give it to Jesus? In the Garden, after the meal; who showed up in the Garden? Judas the traitor. Paul said, the revelation of the righteous judgment of God will be carried out by Jesus (Rom 2:5 & 2:16-17). The word Revelation meaning something Revealed coupled with “every eye will see Him” shows the Revelation isn’t knowledge, but Jesus revealed to the souls left on earth.
It stands if we know Jesus, it doesn’t pertain to us, but it does pertain to those who pierced Him, and to those who wail because of Him. It’s for this reason many of the events in the Book of Revelation don’t pertain to the Body of Christ, but show what will happen after the Rapture, thus giving us an incentive to endure during the Day looking for our Hope in the Rapture. Until we see Peace, clean air, no wars, no sickness, no disease, as well as the devil bound, we have yet to miss the Rapture. Wait, if the devil is bound during the thousand years, whey are binding him now? Are we not binding him before his time? Yes, it’s the same trick the devils attempted to use on Jesus, but of course, Jesus never fell for it, although some of us do.
We are given all these things to assure us we are still in the Gentile Age, it’s still the Day, still the time for the Anointed Body of Christ to operate in all the Spiritual blessings. It’s also a firm warning of the folly of being religiously conceited, or holding to the iniquity of failing at Mercy.
In that day, he which shall be upon the house top, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot’s wife (17:31-32).
We all know the shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35 which says, “Jesus wept”, but the second shortest verse is here in Luke 17:32, which reads, “remember Lot’s wife”, when we put the two together we will find why Jesus wept. This also points to Gethsemane; the word Gethsemane means A place to press out the wine, or A place of pressure to bring forth the oil. Jesus took the fourth Cup of the Passover, the cup assigned to those who rejected the first Three Cups. Luke will show how we were given the cup of separation, the bread, then the Cup of the New Covenant, but there are four cups to the Passover meal, so what about the other two? The first cup was taken by Moses as a sign of the deliverance of the people from Egypt, in our case both the first and second cups are seen in our Token of water baptism as a sign of our deliverance from the world by the Cross. The Bread is a symbol of the first two cups, but the Blood of Jesus is the third cup of remission. However, Jesus took the Fourth Cup from the Father after giving us Salvation, thus the Fourth Cup is seen in the Book of Revelation as the “wrath of God”, not a cup we seek.
Lot’s wife was saved from the city, she was in a position of Mercy, yet she longed for the city as she looked back at her past, or felt sorrow for what she left behind. Jude would have us know, although we should always remember, how the Lord having Saved the people from Egypt, destroyed those who believed not (Jude 5). Jesus told us, it’s not the Baptism alone, but our continual belief bringing Shall be saved (Mark 16:16). Lot’s wife is a symbol showing two sides of the coin, first is longing for those things of the world we left behind; next is taking joy in the destruction of the wicked.
Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it (17:33).
This is a different wording than Matthew’s account, again the Holy Ghost is interpreting the Scripture, rather than Luke correcting Matthew. Matthew shows Jesus talking to His disciples by saying, “for whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it” (Matt 16:25). This verse points to the decision, whereas Matthew shows an action. The word Preserve means To rescue from Death, the word Lose means to die, thus one must die in order to be rescued from death. The death of Jesus on the Cross is useless in our lives unless we receive it as intended, by imputing the flesh (old nature) dead, then allowing the Spirit to bring the Life of Jesus in us. The only method anyone would use to save their own soul would be self-righteousness, it hasn’t worked yet. The old man was a nature, but he was nonetheless us, and we him.
I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; and the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left (17:34-36).
This separates the return of Jesus from the Season of the Greater Light of the Day. Jesus says, in the Night, not at the Watch, or during the Day, thus this refers to the Night, not the Day. Two in one bed, two working together at the wheel, and two in the field are all working together, they are not enemies. Matthew says, in that day Jesus will divide the sheep from the goats (Matt 25:31-46). In Matthew the context is not the Rapture, both Matthew and Luke give us the Judgment. In Luke half are taken and half left, the groups added together give us six, as Lot had six in his family, but only three were saved. The Righteous in the Night will be killed by the Wicked, then the Wicked will think they can have life forever without the Law and Prophets, but they killed their hope, as they find the lake of fire their kingdom as the earth becomes New, or something it was never before. It was once ice, it was once water, it will be fire.
Matthew on the other hand shows us two groups, as the Night begins with the Sixth church, then ends with the Seventh: who thinks its rich and in need of nothing. Even though this refers to the latter times, we can see from Matthew’s account two are in the field, pointing to the Wheat and Tares. The Wheat are the children of the kingdom, the Tares the children of the Wicked. Since these Tares are the children of the Wicked, we find an offspring, or a continuance. The Wheat being the children of the kingdom showing they are not in the Kingdom, but purposed for it.
This still gives us the methodology and purpose; we can see the ways and acts of the Tares against the Wheat in the Parable. The Wheat love the Lord, the Tares are only in this for some self-centered desire; one is taken to meet the Lord and one left behind. There were two grinding meal, or separating the shaft from the grain, one was doing it for love, the other to gain some self-glory; one was taken and one was left.
We have the Seal of the Holy Spirit, the Remnant have the Mark of God, two different things, for two different purposes. The Mark of God is protection based on mercy, the Seal of the Holy Spirit is for Grace and Salvation, thus the 144,000 will be protected during the last half of the hour until the time appointed; then they will be killed, since there can be no judgment if one righteous person remains. God’s longsuffering also allows man the very last breath to repent, thus, when all mankind is physically dead, then comes the Judgment.
Luke adds two men in bed (brothers), thus, his reference is to the Time of Rest (Comfort). Since sinful unsaved man remains on the earth, the term Taken, refers to Come Up Hither. Luke gives us the city divided into three parts, with only one part therein making it. The term Come Up Hither is found two times, once for the Rapture, then once at the end of the Judgment; both times are suggested in the context of the two parables found in Matthew and Luke. The Holy Ghost is still the Author, thus giving us more to consider.
And they answered and said unto Him, Where Lord? And He said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together (17:37).
This refers to the body, not the soul, it’s still appointed unto all men once to die, then comes the judgment; therefore, the eagles are the seven angels who come at the end of time, they don’t appear until the last seal is broken.
And He spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint (18:1).
Later this will be termed, “Watch and Pray”, thus it’s not merely Watching, or merely Praying, but combining the Two. The parable shows even the unjust with unjust motives can gain in persistence; however, it doesn’t mean God will honor our unjust motives or demands, rather if the unjust in the world yield to the persistence of people, surely God, Who is just will hear our prayers.
Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said (18:2-6).
Again, this is not saying God is like unto an unjust judge, rather it shows even an unjust judge is moved by persistence. We know the word Unjust means someone who has the ability to be Just, but Undoes it. The concept goes to “we are not of them who draw back to perdition, but of them who believe unto the saving of the soul”, the just still live by faith (Heb 10:38-39).
This widow was troubling the judge, it’s what the unjust judge says drawing our attention. Because the widow troubled him, he avenged her, not because she stood for the judge, or stood for the judges of the kingdom. Simply, if this unjust judge will avenge the widow, then surely God will avenge us, so why become so upset assuming we must avenge ourselves? Why demand justice now? God has a time to avenge His people, a time when all this ends, surely it will come, just as surely as Salvation has come.
And shall God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on the earth? (18:7-8).
Here it’s clear, if the unjust judge will avenge the widow, why would we think God won’t avenge the just? Our position is to forgive as we seek God’s Mercy and Grace to reach beyond vengeance and bitterness; thereby producing a testimony against the persecutors. If God will avenge us, why do we spend so much time going about cursing the darkness, hating the secular world, beating people half to death with wanton theology, or running about attempting to make some nation of the world the Kingdom of God?
And He spoke this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: (18:9).
The comparison was a rebuke to those who trusted in their self nature, or in their self-righteousness. God avenges those who hold His Righteousness. Self-righteousness avenges itself.
Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican (18:10).
To the Jew this parable hits home; the observant Jew still prays, Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam, shelo asani Goy, which means, “Blessed are You, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, Who has not made me a Goy (Gentile)”. The Jew still can’t figure out why they don’t simply pray, “Thank You O Lord for making me a Jew”; they assume this latter prayer would be pride, but in truth the former is just as much pride as the latter.
The Jew believes being a Jew is not something God does, it’s something the Jew does, thus it becomes self-righteousness, rather than trusting in God’s Righteousness. Being a Christian is not something we do, it’s based on something God has done, to make us who we are. Paul said, They have a zeal for God, but they are ignorant of God’s Righteousness, since they go about establishing their own righteousness (Rom 10:2-3). Christ is the end of self-righteousness, whether the self-righteousness is based in religion, or some other rite, deed, or effort of the flesh (Rom 10:4). One cannot engage in self-righteousness, yet claim the Righteousness of Jesus, one depends on what we do, the other on what Jesus has done. The Blood of Jesus is cleaning us from all unrighteousness, unrighteousness is sin (I Jn 1:9 & 5:17).
This parable will show why we continue to pray, seek, knock and ask. If we trust in our ability, we will forget our First Love, then begin to trust in deeds, rites and traditions. The next step is legalism, or thinking we are the only ones right, no translator did it right, no theologian got it right: the heart of the legalist is the home of pride.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican (18:11).
The Pharisee thanked God, but thanked God based on the efforts of the Pharisee, not on God’s mercy. The Pharisee not only thanked God for not being a Goy, but for not being as other men, yet he was like other men, full of pride, religious conceit and ego. This is the warning to watch our words, the day we think we’re the only ones with the Truth, is the day we have become a legalistic Pharisee.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all I possess (18:12).
These acts are all expected under the Law of Moses, they are not areas one should brag in, yet we also find they are based in self-righteousness, and self-righteousness will always lace pride in the effort. Take this to the Body, “Lord, Lord didn’t I”, the one error of the Lord, Lord people is they didn’t say, “Lord, Lord didn’t You”.
These acts are all expected under the Law of Moses, they are not areas one should brag in, yet we also find they are based in self-righteousness, meaning it will always lace pride in the effort. Giving Mercy is something we do based on duty, but we should never take pride in our efforts. How can we brag for doing what is expected? Telling God how we forgive others, is foolishness at work, asking God for the Power to forgive and love those we have forgiven, is Faith at work.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying God be merciful to me a sinner (18:13).
The Publican stood far off, which a Jew knows was right, since the man wasn’t allowed near the altar. The publican sought Mercy from God, he wasn’t bragging on his goodness, he was knocking, seeking and being honest. The Pharisee trusted in his efforts, the Publican trusted in God’s.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased and he that humbles himself shall be exalted (18:14).
The word Justified means Innocent or To render righteous. Justification in Mercy under the Old Covenant meant to have right standing before the Law of Moses by ones deeds, but under the New it means the Righteousness of God by the New Man justifying us by Grace. The word Exalted is the Greek Hupsoo meaning To lift, metaphorically it means to raise to the highest summit of opulence and prosperity, or to have absolute right standing. Right standing is only governed by who grants the regulations, and where one seeks standing. In some societies the king, or leader grants one standing to be in the “royal court”. In the Kingdom we find God grants us standing, but He does so based on His Righteousness, which is the highest and purest anyone can obtain. How can we obtain such a Righteousness? It’s given in the New Birth, thus if we humble (make lower) ourselves to the New Man, then the Righteousness in the New Man will lift us to the highest point of opulence and prosperity.
The Publican on the other hand compared himself, not to God, neither to the Law, but to one he presumed was less than him. Anyone can pick someone whom they feel is worse off to make a comparison, thereby assuming they are more righteous or holy.
Luke takes us back to the prior teaching in reference to seeking the lowest seat, then waiting to be invited to the higher. Whosoever exalts himself shall be abased, yet he who humbles himself shall be exalted (Luke 14:8-11). James and Peter tell us the same thing, with the same result based on the same purpose, but in two different manners. James says, “submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). James then says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble” (James 4:6); therefore, submit yourself unto God. James adds, “humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up. Speak no evil one of another brethren” (James 4:10-11). Peter says, “God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so He may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you, be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour” (I Pet 5:5-8). Both men were disciples before the Cross, they understood the premise of this teaching. Before God will lift us, He will declare our Justification, thus we find self-justification is a prideful act, being Justified by God takes Humbleness. Therefore, the man was Justified based on his humbleness, thus humbleness is a weapon of our warfare which defeats pride. Let’s move to Part 2 of Luke 2…
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer – s.b.i. les15 rev 8/© 2003
