Week 7

Luke 10

The preaching your and the neighbor 

Jesus talks about his first preaching tour. One thing we should remember is that the NIV says he sends out 72 disciples whereas the KJV says 70. Why is tigers such a discrepancy? These small insignificant typos happen due to 'primitive error'. There are 40 such errors in the bible (NT) as we know it. Remember that all of them are insignificant and does not result in doctrinal issues. These happen because of copying mistakes. When Luke wrote the original manuscript, it was divinely inspired. But some of the earliest manuscripts had some minor errors which could not be rectified due to the fact that these happened early enough. The bible is the most reliable book ever. Considering that we read Shakespeare although it was written only 500 years ago and believe it to be the real one, it is a miracle that we have the bible saved in such perfect manner and verified with several 100 manuscripts. The error described in verse 1 happened due to an early manuscript missing out on a small word which makes it unclear whether he wrote 72 or 70. 

Coming to the preaching tour as described in the first part of chapter 10. The lesson for us is this: 

When God uses you and me, let's not get impressed with our successes. Rather let's be joyful that our name is written in heaven. 

Again, you can read that Jesus was joyful in the Holy Spirit. He enjoys our small victories. The joy of The Lord is one of the greatest marks of a spirit filled life. 

Finally, the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is narrated by Jesus in response to a question by a lawyer. "What must I do to get eternal life". He replied to his own question and says that one should love God and his neighbor. He knows that no one can fulfill both of this. Therefore he asks a rhetorical question to avoid his guilt. "Who's a neighbor"?  Jesus says, through the parable, a good neighbor is one who shows mercy on you when you need help. Even though Samaritans and Jews are sworn enemies, this man ventures to help the Jewish man lying wounded. 

Are you a good neighbor? 

Luke 9

The apprenticeship

I would like to call chapter 9 as the “lesson in Apprenticeship.” My father had apprentices in his shop. I used to watch them when I was young. There would be a senior employee and several juniors who would do the work according to strict instructions from the senior man. Jesus employs the same strategy. He picks his apprentices and gave them the tools (power and authority to cure diseases). And, he sent them out to work in Galilee. He tells them how they should be compensated (abide in houses that welcome them) and how they should respond to people who neglect them (have nothing to do with them). This part of his instruction is a bit of a mystery to me – but as I heard in church today, I should learn to accept the mysteries of faith, if not, how can there be a higher power – God – who knows more than I do.

Even his miracle of feeding the 5000 is an exercise in discipleship. He first lets them handle this responsibility. And, it is only when they failed he stepped in to work his miracle.

If you notice, Peter when asked by Jesus, who he thinks Jesus is, replies – “the Christ of God.” In other words, The God’s Messiah. He is yet to call him God. There maybe some theological meanings about this statement, which I leave for your curiosity.

Jesus talks about taking up the cross daily, denying himself. Does this mean that salvation is a daily experience? No, the bible teaches that salvation is a one time experience. The ‘taking of cross and denying’ is probably an expression of discipleship.

Jesus lets few of the disciples witness the transfiguration. If that does not show who is God, what else can. I know I said this last day as well – when Jesus calmed the storm. But, still the disciples needed more evidence so that they could withstand the severe tribulation that is to come. I think that is why he gave them the experience of the transfiguration.

Finally, Jesus talks about his death a year prior to his eventual crucifixion. The gospel says he set his eyes upon Jerusalem. He chose the death voluntarily, in a purposeful manner, well planned. He knew that his death was necessary for God’s redemption plan for man.

No other battle has ever been won with the victor’s death. Jesus did that for us. Hallelujah.

Luke 8:22-55

Authority over all

Matthew, Mark and Luke are considered the synoptic gospels. It essentially means that all three describes similar incidents from slightly different angles, which when read together provides a clear synopsis of the event. John’s gospel was written last. He ventures to describe more of the conversations and the teachings rather than incidents.

In today’s passage, we see Jesus exercising authority over nature, demons and sickness or death.

In the first incident, Jesus is sleeping in the boat. The disciples who are expert fisherman, who probably have seen plenty of storms see a major one and get scared. They soon discover the authority Jesus has over the storm and nature. Surely, they must have thought of Psalms 89:9 ‘You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.’ Or psalms 107:29 – ‘He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.’ The psalmist says that Jehovah stills the storm. Here they see Jesus calming the storm. If this does not prove Jesus as God, nothing will. The disciples, out of their fear, asks “Who is this?”

In the second incident, Jesus casts out numerous demons from Legion. Are all sickness due to demons or is all cases of epilepsy due to demons? Certainly not. When the son of man started performing miracles, the master of this world may have created trouble in this world by increasing demon possessions. The key message here is two fold – Jesus can cast out demons. Nothing can stop his power. Second, some of the sickness that you see in today’s world could be due to a non-physiological ailment. Only a man of God given wisdom can identify it. And, when that is known, the only cure is through prayer.

Finally, Jesus shows his authority over sickness and death. It is interesting to note that he recognizes the small miracles even when he is about to do the big ones. Here, on his way to give life to a dead girl, he stops to take care of a woman with sickness. He knows our every problems. Isn’t it comforting to read these passages and think about your own life’s circumstances? And, knowing that He is in your side!

Summary of the three incidents:

1. Safety is where Jesus is, even if it is in the middle of the storm.

2. There is no such thing as a hard case for Jesus.

3. Jesus is never too busy for your issues.

Luke 8:1-21
Parables

1. If you notice the introduction, one can see that Luke again places much importance on women. Mary, a woman with 7 demons, and the high class aristocratic Joanna can work together easily only under Jesus. That's what God does. Rich or poor, whatever may divide us, we come together when we are in Him.

2. Jesus style of mentoring is hands-on. Apprenticeship style. If you want to learn about him, be with him.

3. Jesus uses parables as a teaching method. A parable is a earthly story with a heavenly meaning. John's gospel has no parables. The synoptic gospels have plenty of them. John's gospel is the last to have been written, probably to complete unfinished matter.
Anyway, returning to parables - there are three important things in a parable: the setting, story and the application.

A parable usually only provides one teaching point. Do not try to dig more into parables. You may risk over interpreting and bringing forth un-biblical teaching and doctrine. In the parable of the sower, the teaching point is that the soil is most important. How we receive the gospel is most important.

Interpreting parables involves few basic steps:
1. Think about the stories' natural meaning
2. Note the occasion where he says them. Luke 15 talks about the 'lost' series as a response to the Pharisees questioning Jesus on the company he keeps.
3. Find the central teaching point.
4. Check the meaning with scripture elsewhere. Does it fit?
5. If you have problems, get hints from the social situation - for eg, parable of the wedding gifts in Matthew.

Jesus may hide the meaning of a parable from certain people. For them, though they hear, they may not understand (Luke 8:10). If you constantly reject God's word, it may not be revealed further.

4. Finally, Jesus stresses that his family is people who hear God's word and put it into practice. He shows the oneness of Christ's family here.

Sorry I am not writing in Malayalam, since I am bogged down with work. I will resume in calmer, peaceful circumstances. Maybe, once I have time, I will get a chance to translate all that I have written in English anyway. 

Luke 7
Three incidents - three prayer approaches

If you look at Luke's gospel, what strikes us is the importance he gives to women and gentiles. His gospel emphasizes that the coming of Jesus is for ALL nations. 

Again, here you see two women and a gentile. 
1. Widow at Nain
2. Centurion
3. Women with the Alabaster jar

The centurion's story shows us the omnipotency of God's word. His one word was able to heal and bring forth a miracle in the Roman Centurion's home. All powerful God. The faith of the centurion is amazing. 
There is just two instances where Jesus is "amazed". 
1. Seeing the Centurion's faith
2. Seeing his own people's unbelief (Nazareth)

The Centurion is a righteous man. Unlike most people who pray for miracles in the bible, he prays for his slave. He is humble, sensitive (to know that it is not OK for a jewish Rabbi to visit his house), righteous and full of faith. In this instance, his faith is so much that he prays God heals his slave with one word. 

The second instance is the widow at Nain who lost her son. She does not say a prayer. Jesus sees her sorrow and is merciful and does a miracle. 

The third instance is one of the women with the Alabaster jar. She does not come with a request to receive something. Instead, she comes with a thank offering. She is full of gratitude. She probably used up her life's savings to do this. She probably did a huge risk by coming to the house of Simon the pharisee to anoint Jesus with oil. Real love produces action that is extravagant. 

Reading all these three stories, I am left wondering which approach I should take in my prayer - should I pray in faith and ask God for that one word, or should I be so much sad that God sees my sorrow and shows his mercy or should I come to him with gratitude and not with a request. I maybe over extrapolating this chapter to area of prayer, but these are just random thoughts or a random blogger. 

The next big lesson from this chapter is John the Baptist's question:
- even John had doubts - is Jesus the Messiah?
His doubt comes due to two reasons:
1. it comes in the extremely difficult circumstance that he is in - the jail, facing death
2. it comes due to an incomplete knowledge of the son of God. 

Like him, we too have doubts. If John the Baptist (the man who Jesus recognized as the greatest to be born of a woman) can have doubts in faith, we too can have questions. Jesus understands us. What a relief!

That's all for today - week 7 day 1. Thanks for staying with me. As I write this, I know no one is staying with me, but maybe in a few years down the line, there maybe one person who maybe reading this blogpost and maybe blessed. In such a case, drop me an email and bless me too. Or, better still, remember me in your prayer. God bless you.