Week 10 February 26, 2012 "Sabbath"

Text: This week we’re covering Luke 6:1-16 dealing with Jesus’ teaching about and healing on the Sabbath and the increasing conflict with the Pharisees over this issue.

Other passages to read: this week we encourage you to read "horizontally" in these passages that are parallel to our text from Luke:

• Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath: Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28
• Man with a withered hand: Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6
• Old Testament background verses: Exodus 20:8-11; Deut. 23:25; 1 Samuel 21:1-6

Other Resources: This week’s recommended resource is The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Vol. 8 (Matthew, Mark, Luke), edited by Frank E. Gæbelein. The author of the section on Luke is Walter L. Liefeld. This series multi-volume series based on the original NIV text (1973-1984) is a great, conservative, well-balanced resource. It is a set that we have used often in Bible classes over the years.
Sermon Notes: "On Guard and At Rest"

Read Text of Luke 6:1-11

1. Understanding the nature of the problem: Legalism

• Unbiblical  (v. 3-5)
• Unloving (v. 6-10)
• Unsafe  (v. 11)

2. Understanding the nature of the promise: Rest

• External Rest – an act of liberation(Deuteronomy 5:12-15)
• Internal Rest – an act of trust (Hebrews 4:1-11)

Points to ponder: In your study this week, you might want to think about one of these questions:

• What is Jesus saying about David’s actions in 1 Samuel 21? How are the two situations parallel?
• Is there some area where we have become “religious” that doesn’t foster relationship with God?
• Like last week, what details does Luke supply, that are not found in Matthew or Mark?
• What does the Sabbath mean to us today? How should we apply the principle in our lives?
• Read Hebrews chapters 3-4 and ask yourself, “What is the key to entering into God’s Sabbath rest?”

Questions to ask ourselves: The following questions are intended to help us move towards greater application of what we learn about Jesus…

• Like the passage where Jesus was rejected in Nazareth, is there something Jesus says in his Word that makes us mad? Why?
• Have we entered God’s rest (Hebrews 4:9)? What does that mean for my life?
• Do I trust God’s love enough to stop trying to approach him according to my system of works?
• How is my love for Christ reflected in the way I spend my time? If we do with our time exactly what we want to do, what does this reveal about our relationship with Jesus?

Quotes & Commentary: The religious leaders of Jesus’ day not only put rules over human needs, but they put laws ahead of the Law-giver. A man with one withered hand was healed on the Sabbath and ironically the physically whole Pharisees were withered spiritually by rejecting relationship with both God and man.
Here is a quote from this week's featured resource:

“The uneasy tension between Jesus and the Pharisees described in chapter 5 hardens into controversy over one of the main institutions of Judaism, the Sabbath. The Gospels list three Sabbath controversies. Two occur in the Synoptics and one in John 5. In each instance Jesus allows or even stimulates the controversy, providing several types of response:

• (1) the Sabbath is for man's benefit (Mark 2:27); 
• (2) the Son of Man is "Lord of the Sabbath" (v. 5); 
• (3) the Sabbath is for helpful deeds, the omission of which would be evil (v. 9); and 
• (4) the Father works even on the Sabbath and so may the Son John 5:17).” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 8, p. 886)

 Erickson, in his classic work, Christian Theology, writes,

“God had established the sacredness of the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11). Only God could abrogate or modify this regulation…[In Luke 6 we see Jesus] was clearly claiming the right to redefine the status of the Sabbath, a right that belongs only to someone virtually equal to God.” (p. 702)

One of the ways that I try to process and express theological truth is through poetry. I take all the study and thinking and try to express the synthesis of ideas as briefly and as powerfully as possible. This week’s topic of “Sabbath” has produced two poems: Sabbath Roots and Sabbath Rest. I include them here in this post as personal commentary on this topic. I hope you find them meaningful and helpful in your understanding of the rest we have in Christ!

                Sabbath Roots

Six days God worked creating

Three forming the framework—sky, water, land

Three filling it with teeming life—birds, fish, animals, man

One day he rested, it was all very good,

For our benefit not his.

He was not tired, but knew we would be.

He did not need to recharge his creative Spirit,

But saw that we would need to stop, to

Pause the naming, tilling, tending,

Subduing, producing, ruling,

Just for a day

To rest, to remember the Maker

To trust that we are not God.

After our fall from sinless

Unbroken relationship, mercifully

God did not remove the gift of Sabbath, yet

We looked at things differently now,

East of Eden,

Struggling against the thorns of a world,

A will, in rebellion.

We forgot it, buried it, under a pile of

Clay-tablet to-do lists, bricks without straw

Yet finally overwhelmed by our circumstances,

Labor to the point of despair, God heard us crying and…

     Brought us out to be free,

      Took us aside to be restored,

         Set us apart to be different,

Then wrote it down in stone.

Sabbath roots of

God-given grace, not man-made entitlement,

Mandatory not optional, we are

Surprised by rest not added work, in

Weekend renunciation of toil’s curse to produce bread.

A people

Forced to trust

God to provide, make up the difference…

Not in vain.

                                        © Greg K Dueker

This second poem uses a type of literary template we have previously discussed as being heavily used in the Gospel of Luke. It is a good idea to keep our eyes open for this inverted parallel structure as we study through Luke.

Sabbath Rest

Sabbath…

Rest in harmony with creation, Creator’s example

          Trust in Yahweh’s revealed plan for our good,

            Both neglected, misplaced, by people led to exilic slavery.

                      While land rested in obedience,

                      Until chastened people returned, rebuilt

            Resolved never to lose what God restored, but
 Rules too numerous replaced trust, produced crushing

Burdens with which neither law, nor leader, cared to help.

                                 Until…Jesus declared,

              “The Son of man is lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5)

                                            Now, our…

Burdens borne and sorrows carried by Sabbath’s Lord,

Rules’ record of our debt, its demands, nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14)

                      Jesus returned issue to the heart-land, celebrated

that Sabbath was to do good not bad,

to heal not harm, to bless not curse…people

            Resolved in gratefulness to remember, to care, to

Trust in his work, not ours, allowing our entrance into perfect

Rest as it was intended…our salvation. Sabbath rests forever fulfilled.

                                                                     © Greg K. Dueker

The following question was posted and addressed on our Bible Answers blog several years ago.

"Question: “How does the commandment to "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy" apply today?”

"This has been asked many times over the years, and is kind of a trick question as it applies to a far larger set of commandments than just the ones pertaining to the Sabbath. I think that we need to consider three separate biblical issues regarding the Sabbath: Commandments, Purpose, and Principles. There were many prohibitions established in the Old Testament (OT) that applied to ancient Israel, but no longer apply today as commands, yet are still part of God’s Word and are useful for instruction on many levels. Those commands were part of God’s covenant (contract) with Israel. Today, if we are Christians, we are not under obligation to the requirements of the old covenant; instead we are part of the new covenant. Interestingly, all the moral commands of the OT are repeated in the NT, but the ceremonial, dietary, public worship, public health, and anti-idolatry laws are not renewed. Don’t misunderstand me, the NT is very strong in its stand against idolatry, and other sinful lifestyles, but does not contain commands to enforce physical punishment upon those choosing to live in rebellion to God’s plan like the OT does. So to answer your question about the command to "remember the Sabbath and keep it holy", I would say that we no longer have the weight of such a command upon us just like we no longer need to travel to Jerusalem three times a year to worship God in Israel’s great national festivals.

Now let’s consider what the purpose of the Sabbath was. Jesus said on more than one occasion that the Sabbath was created for man and not man for the Sabbath. Jesus also said that he was the Lord of the Sabbath and that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Jesus provoked considerable anger against himself from the religious leaders of his day by violating their legalistic Sabbath commandments. What did Jesus do on the Sabbath? He taught in the synagogues, healed the sick, delivered the oppressed, taught his disciples, and went about his Father’s business. Here are a few passages from the life of Christ that are a helpful study—Matthew 12:1-12; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-11; Luke 13:10-16; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 14:1-6; John 5:1-15; John 7:21-24; John 9.

The Jewish Sabbath celebrated a finished creation. It involved mandatory resting from one’s normal work in order to trust God for provision. The Sabbath was a revolutionary concept in the ancient world . . . a six-day work week; because God loved us he gave us a day of rest.

So what is the Sabbath principle? Regular weekly sabbath rest is a good thing for us:

• Physically—to rest. Our bodies need a break and if we don’t take one they will.
• Economically—to trust God, not our own efforts, to provide. Can God make up for the time we take to rest from the insidious intrusion of worldly cares, or do we live like we have to handle it all ourselves?
• Socially— to gather in community with family and fellow believers to remember what the Lord has done for us and to encourage each other –Heb. 10:25.
• Spiritually— to take time to serve someone besides ourselves, to worship God, and to quiet the other noises and demands of life to listen for the Shepherd’s voice).

Your original question begs another question . . . that of worshipping on the Jewish Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday) or on “the Lord’s Day” (Sunday). The early church began meeting after the resurrection on Sunday (usually in the evening), which they called “the Lord’s Day” to celebrate and remember Jesus’ resurrection which signaled a finished redemption. Whereas in the OT believers kept a Sabbath day, we are now called to live a Sabbath life! We don’t set aside one day a week to worship and six days to do our own thing. We no longer have to work to earn salvation but have received it by grace. We now are called to rest from our own efforts to procure that which we never could, and instead to live all days in the rest, joy, and peace of right relationship with our Lord. Every day is a day of worship, a day of seeking God’s best for others, a day of trusting God for our salvation! Saturday? Yes! . . . Sunday? Yes! . . . Today? Yes!

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17 ESV)"

Actual link to this answer is: http://b4answers.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-does-commandment-to-remember.html"

Previously on "Ponderables":

• Why doesn’t Luke include the content of the Sermon from the Boat? At this point Luke is more concerned with the calling of Peter. If we look at the Prophetic Rhetorical Template contained in v. 1-11 it becomes clear.
• How can we reconcile verses 1-11 with Matt. 4:18-22 & Mark 1:16-20? Pastor Randy’s message spoke to this clearly. It can be done two ways. Randy talked about Matthew & Mark presenting an abbreviated version of the calling.
• Why does Simon ask Jesus to depart from him? Does he really mean it? It seems very similar to Isaiah’s experience in Isaiah 6. He was overwhelmed by his sin
• What is the real "miraculous catch" in this passage the one by Peter or the one by Jesus? The one by Jesus! He “caught” Peter, Andrew, James, and John!
• Why did Jesus want the healed leper to go to the priests? What two ways did the man’s disobedience cause problems for Jesus? Jesus wanted him to go as a testimony to the priests. It seems he was concerned that they might see the kingdom’s effects in a non-threatening way…within the context of their appointed duties. How often had the priests had to declare some a leper? And perhaps never to have seen one cured? As to the problems caused…they were two-fold. The unwanted publicity prevented Jesus from entering population centers and also stirred up the opposition of the priests and religious leaders against him.
• What does the 6-fold structure of 4:42-5:39 tell us about the message of this passage? Were you able to see the structure? Using Kenneth Bailey’s rhetorical template I see the calling of Peter in 5:1-11 as just one piece of the larger narrative presentation.

                     A  Missional Authority (4:42-44)
                          B  Simon/Peter Called (5:1-11)
                               C  Leper Cleansed (5:12-16)
                               C’ Paralytic Healed (5:17-26)
                          B’ Levi/Matthew Called (5:27-32)
                     A’  Missional Freedom/ New Wineskins (5:33-39)

Week 9 February 19, 2012 "Follow Me"

Text: This week we’re picking up the pace and covering Luke 5:1-39 dealing with Jesus’ calling of the first disciples, two healings, and a whole new way to look at reaching the world.

Other passages to read: 
This week we encourage you to read "horizontally" in these passages that are parallel to our text from Luke:

• The Calling of Simon Peter (Matt. 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Jeremiah 16:16)
• Healing the Leper (Matt. 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45);
• Healing the paralytic (Matt. 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12);
• Calling of Levi/Matthew (Matt. 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17);
• Fasting and new wine (Matt. 9:14-17; Mark 2:18-22).

Other Resources:
This week’s recommended resource is Michael Card’s Luke: The Gospel of Amazement. Card, who is best known as an insightful songwriter and musician, writes this devotional commentary with creativity and passion.

Sermon Notes: "One Step At a Time"

Read: Matthew 4:18-20; Luke 5:1-11
The Steps of a Disciple:

1. Somebody introduced you to Jesus (John 1:40-42)

2. You Listen and Learn About Jesus (Luke 4:1-3)

3. Jesus Asks you to Trust Him in an area of your life (Luke 4:4-7)
4. You see Jesus for who He really is (Luke 4:8-9)
5. Your Life Direction Changes (Luke 4:10-11)

• You don’t have to be afraid to follow Jesus
• The real mission is ‘rescuing’ people
• Jesus will take full responsibility for your life

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”    (Acts 4:13)

Points to ponder:

If you are enjoying these points…and pondering them, then you will want to read answers and post comments on the blog in the “Previously on Ponderables” section. In your study this week, you might want to think about one of these questions:

• Why doesn’t Luke include the content of the Sermon from the Boat?
• How can we reconcile verses 1-11 with Matt. 4:18-22 & Mark 1:16-20?
• Why does Simon ask Jesus to depart from him? Does he really mean it?
• What is the real "miraculous catch" in this passage the one by Peter or the one by Jesus?
• What does the 6-fold structure of 4:42-5:39 tell us about the message of this passage?
• Why did Jesus want the healed leper to go to the priests? What two ways did the man’s disobedience cause problems for Jesus?
• Verse 39 contains the most puzzling line in the chapter. When I read the Bible I always pay special attention to the things that seem unusual or unexpected. They are there for a reason. So, how does this verse fit into this passage as a whole? (Hint: who is the “them” of v. 34?)

Questions to ask ourselves:
The following questions are intended to help us move towards greater application of what we learn about Jesus…

• Peter caught more fish that day than he had ever caught in his life! What marker of career/ financial/ educational success would make us the happiest?
• Would we be instantly willing to leave it all behind to follow Jesus? 
• What do we desperately want Jesus to do for us? Is He willing to do it?
• How obedient to Jesus’ instructions are we in what we say (or don’t say), and how we say it?
• How much faith do we have that Jesus is the answer for the issues in our friends’ lives? What are we willing to do to get them to Jesus?
• Are we living trying to iron-on “new garment” patches to our same “old garment” life and ministry methods? What should we do?

Quotes & Commentary:
Literary Structure: The literary structure of a text can give us insight into its intended meaning and this passage is no different. There is a very clear inverted structure to 5:1-11 nested within a larger structure covering the whole chapter. As we have discussed in the past, Luke uses the Prophetic Rhetorical Template (PRT) in the same way that Isaiah does. In Isaiah there are several instances where he uses a PRT with a nature miracle in the center such as Isaiah 41:16-20; 42:13-17; 45:1-3. Sometimes this structure has seven steps with #4 being the center focal point and other times there are six steps with 3 & 4 being the double center. Here in Luke 5:1-11, the calling of Peter has seven steps with an introduction. Kenneth Bailey diagrams it simply as:

1. The boat goes out (Jesus teaches)

   2. Jesus speaks to Peter (catch fish!)

     3. Peter speaks to Jesus (in arrogance)

       4. A dramatic catch of fish (a nature miracle)

     5. Peter Speaks to Jesus (in repentance)

   6. Jesus Speaks to Peter (catch people!)

7. The boat returns (they follow Jesus)

Miracles: Here is a quote from Michael Card's commentary mentioned above:

"If  you look at the miracle straight on, you have to recognize that Jesus performs it in a very unmiraculous way. There is no waving of the arms in the air, no incantations, no hocus-pocus. He says simply, 'Be made clean.' The vast majority of his miracles are performed in such unmiraculous ways. 'Let down your nets' is a simple command that any one of the fishermen had said a thousand times before, only when Jesus says it, the boats almost sink with the weight of the catch. The point is that the miracle is rarely the point. There is always something more miraculous hiding behind the miracle." (Michael Card, Luke: The Gospel of Amazement, IVP, 2011, p. 78)

The following is an excerpt from Do You See Him? Expositional Studies in the New Testament I wrote for teacher training here at Beaverton Foursquare Church...

Follow Me: The Disciples are Called to Full-Time Commitments  

Soon after their initial encounters, the part-time, occasional, semi-disciples, were called by Christ to follow Him in a new way. This new commitment to follow as disciples was to be on a full-time basis and for them it involved the abandonment of their secular occupations, which they did without reservation.

"The expression 'Follow Me' would be easily understood, as implying a call to become the permanent disciple of a teacher." (Edersheim, Life & Times of Jesus the Messiah, p. 328)

The Spirit had prepared their hearts and Christ's character, power, and personal invitation somehow brought about an immediate, unhesitating, committed decision on their part to leave all behind and follow Him.

A) Four Fishers of Men
Matthew 4:18-22

"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."  At once they left their nets and followed him.  Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.  They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.  Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him." (NIV)

In Matthew we have the short account of Jesus' call on the lives of two sets of brothers.  First, Jesus called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew.  Next, He called James and his brother John (some scholars believe that James and John were cousins of Christ).  In both cases, we find that they left their nets, their boats, their father and their servants to follow Jesus.  They seemed not the least bit concerned about leaving their old way of life but followed their teacher readily.

In the Gospel of Luke, we have the long version of this episode, with an emphasis upon Peter's response to the miraculous power of the Lord.  As it is written,

Luke 5:1-11

"One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.  He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore.  Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."  Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.  But because you say so, I will let down the nets."  When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.  So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"  For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.  Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."  So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him." (NIV)

Peter, though tired and disappointed from an unsuccessful night of fishing, (Edersheim suggests it may have been stormy) allowed Jesus to use his boat as a platform to teach the crowd that had gathered.  When Jesus was finished speaking He asked Peter to put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch, for though Jesus was through speaking, He was not through teaching.  Initially Peter protested Jesus' suggestion for,

"Night was the best time for fishing, and Peter may be suggesting that, it was useless to try at the request of a carpenter.  If that is the way of it, Peter's willingness to act on Jesus' suggestion shows a realization that his word was not to be ignored on any subject.  Peter might not agree but he could obey." (Leon Morris, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries - Luke, Eerdmans, 1974, 1988, p.124.)

It is important to realize that they did not leave empty nets in frustration after one too many nights of not catching anything.  They left behind an amazing catch of fish that was probably would have been quite a financial boon.  The promise of becoming fishers of men and of being with the man who had just taught so wonderfully and worked so powerfully must have stirred their hearts to the place where they followed Jesus without so much as a second thought to their former business.
I can't pass up the opportunity to quote Edersheim one more time,

"And this is another object in Christ's miracles to his disciples: to make clear their inmost thoughts and longings, and to point them to the right goal... But what did [this miracle] mean to Simon Peter?... The Lord had seen through the waters down to where the multitude of fishes was...[if] He could see through the intervening waters right down to the bottom of that sea; He could see right through him, to the very bottom of Peter's heart. He did see it--and all that Jesus had just spoken meant it, and showed him what was there. And could he then be a fisher of men, out of whose heart, after a life's night of toil, the net would come up empty, or rather clogged with sand and torn with pebbles? This is what he meant when 'he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.' And this is why Jesus comforted him: 'Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.' And so also, and so only, do we, each of us, learn the lesson of our calling, and receive the true comfort in it. Nor yet can anyone become a true fisher of men in any other such manner." (Edersheim, LTJM, p. 330)

At this point we know that Jesus has had personal contact with at least Andrew, Peter, James, John, Philip, and Nathanael--six of the twelve men destined to be chosen as apostles.  It is time that we meet another.

B) The Calling of Matthew (Levi)

The calling of Matthew (a.k.a. Levi), is recorded in all three synoptic Gospels, and each passage adds something to our understanding of that occasion.  Let's consider those verses for a moment.

Matthew 9:9

"As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth.  "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him."

In the gospel account that is ascribed to the apostle Matthew, we find that Jesus called a man named Matthew and that when called to follow, he obeyed.

Mark 2:14

"As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth.  "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him."

The account in the Gospel of Mark relates the same incident, but uses a different name for the man who was called.  Here, he is named Levi.  Levi and Matthew are assumed to be two names for the same person.  It is entirely possible that Levi was the name of the tax-collector before his conversion and call by Jesus, and that Matthew was his name thereafter, with the name to remind him of his new life with Jesus.

Luke 5:27-28

"After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth.  "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him."

This passage in Luke makes it clear, whereas the others don't, that Levi (Matthew) was in fact a tax collector, not just sitting by the tax booth.  Luke also tells us that when Matthew got up to follow Christ that, like the fishermen, he left everything he had behind.

"This must have meant a considerable sacrifice, for tax collectors were normally wealthy.  Matthew must have been the richest of the apostles.  We should not miss the quiet heroism in this.  If following Jesus had not worked out for the fishermen, they could have returned to their trade without difficulty.  But when Levi walked out of his job he was through.  They would surely never take back a man who had simply abandoned his tax office.  His following Jesus was a final commitment." (Leon Morris, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries - Luke, Eerdmans, 1974, 1988, p. 131) 

C) Many “Full-Time” Disciples Early in Jesus’ Ministry

I do not want to create an artificial structure with this three stage outline, for it seems that the first two stages were probably not separated by much time.  However, the Scripture teaches that not only did those whose call we have already examined follow Christ but that there were a number of disciples who followed Jesus from the very beginning of His ministry.  It is written,

Acts 1:21-22

"Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us.  For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection." (NIV)

Thus there were others, perhaps many who followed Jesus from even as early as His baptism.

Previously in Ponderables:

• Why is this demon referred to as an “unclean demon”? No idea! This is the only time this term is used. Usually they are referred to as "demons" or "unclean spirits". Some have suggested that this one was particularly "unclean"...the "Pigpen" of demons but we really don't know
• Why did they receive Jesus so differently than in Nazareth? Well, as we discussed previously, Nazareth was a Jewish settlement planted to begin to drive the gentiles out of Galilee. Jesus' message of grace for the Gentile was rejected in Nazareth. However, Capernaum had better relationship with gentiles...even their synagogue had been built by a Roman Centurion. Their eagerness to listen and to come for healing indicates an awareness of need and the lack of the contempt of familiarity that may have prevented Nazarenes from seeking Jesus.
• Why was Jesus able to do so many miracles in Capernaum and not in Nazareth? Jesus was limited only in the sense that the Nazarenes had no faith, no expectation, so they didn't come to him for healing (except for a few). Their unbelief kept them from coming to Jesus. In Capernaum they had not hesitancy in coming. In fact, they positioned themselves outside Simon's house more eagerly than Black-Friday shoppers outside a Target store!
• What are some of the key words in this week’s passage? Why? I am waiting for reader participation on this one! IML students should take this cue...
• We are living in a culture that often teaches “any press is good press” and “never pass up free marketing,” so why did Jesus tell the demons to “be muzzled”? The witnesses that speak for Jesus are the Father and the Holy Spirit. The demonic proclamation seems like aftershock of the devil's offer to get Jesus the following he deserved in the wilderness temptation. No, Jesus would take no tainted testimony of demons. I referenced this on the journaling blog.
• In reading through Luke, notice the author’s precise use of medical terms and therapeutic details. Why is this? What unique details do we see this week? Luke was a physician an seems to carefully note the different therapeutic methodologies used by Jesus in healing the sick. It was his profession. My grandfather was a neuro-surgeon who also made a study of Jesus' healing practices. Luke used a very specific medical term for the fever Simon's mother-in-law suffered with. He notes Jesus' laying on of hands on the sick.
• In reading the parallel passage in Mark 1:35-38, what two additional details can we add to our picture of this time in Jesus’ ministry? Well if we read observantly there are at least four additional details: He went very early in the morning; he went to the desolate place to pray; Simon led the people that searched for him; his preaching tour in their synagogues was marked by casting out demons.

Week 8 February 5, 2012 "What Word Is This?"

Text = This week we covered Luke 4:31-44.

Introduction = This passage we consider this week covers the following events:

1. Jesus’ move to Capernaum (after being rejected at Nazareth last week)

2. Jesus’ teaching in their synagogue

3. Jesus’ first recorded instance of casting a demon out of a person

4. The healing of Simon’s [Peter] mother-in-law, and

5. Jesus’ “Working the Night Shift” to heal all the sick that were brought that night;

6. Jesus departure into a lonely place and his statement of purpose.
Pastor Randy is aware he was mispronouncing "Capernaum" in the video...or maybe he was quoting from the Latin Vulgate?

Other passages to read = Previously we introduced the idea of reading the parallel passages to our text in Luke which are found mainly in Matthew and Mark. So this week we will again encourage you to read "horizontally" in these other passages: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25; 7:28-29; 8:14-16 [Isaiah 53:4]; Mark 1:21-39.

Other Resources =
Another basic commentary resource is Leon Morris’ Luke (Revised Edition) in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series. Australian Morris’ work is a good introductory level look at Luke. While he is not especially eloquent…he is solid, accessible, and his easy to read observations may help to clear up most questions a general reader or Bible Study leader might face.
Points to ponder =
We want to be thinking as we are reading. While certainly the following questions are not all that we could be thinking about while we read this text, I think they can serve as seed ideas:

• Why is this demon referred to as an “unclean demon”?
• Why did they receive Jesus so differently than in Nazareth?
• Why was Jesus able to do so many miracles in Capernaum and not in Nazareth?
• What are some of the key words in this week’s passage? Why?
• We are living in a culture that often teaches “any press is good press” and “never pass up free marketing,” so why did Jesus tell the demons to “be muzzled”?
• In reading through Luke, notice the author’s precise use of medical terms and therapeutic details. Why is this? What unique details do we see this week?
• In reading the parallel passage in Mark, what two additional details can we add to our picture of this time in Jesus’ ministry?

Questions to ask ourselves = The following questions are intended to help us move towards greater application of what we learn about Jesus…

• Does the passage give us any clue as to why the people didn’t bring the sick to Jesus until after dark?
• Do we see Jesus’ words as having “authority and power” in our lives today?
• When was the last time you sensed Jesus speaking into your life in a very clear way?
• When we read about Jesus in the Bible, what words would most often describe our emotions and our actions?
• In verse 43, Jesus lets the inhabitants of Capernaum know that his mission is bigger than perhaps they want it to be. How do we respond when we don’t get our way with God?

Pastor Randy's Sermon Notes = Jesus' Authority
The Big Idea of this Passage:  The Authority of Jesus

• Exousia – unquestioned, ultimate authority that is tied into a person’s being, it is borne out of substance/essence.
• Dunamis – explosive power that accompanies authority
• Illustration = Picture of football player (powerful), then referee (authority).

1. Jesus teaches with authority
“And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.” (Luke 4:32)

2. Jesus has authority over the demonic
“Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits…”  (Luke 4:36)

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.” (1 John 3:8)

3. Jesus has authority over sickness and disease
“When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.” (Luke 4:40)
How will I respond to the authority of Jesus?
A) The faith of the Nazarites – no submission, angry at Jesus, refuses to believe in Jesus or in what He say’s.

“But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. People begin to talk about their astonishment and amazement.”  (Mark 6:4-6)

B) The faith of demons – forced submission –‘shuddering’ faith believes in Jesus but hates Him. 

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder.” (James 2:19)

“And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.” (Luke 4:41)

C) The faith of the Centurion – submitted faith, believes in Jesus and in His words.

“Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, 5 “for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.” 6 Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it. 9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” 10 And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.” (Mark 7:1-10)

Quotes & Commentary =Here are several commentary quotes from this section of Luke which have been arranged around four major components of the passage.

1. The response of the people in Capernaum to Jesus’ words v.31-32, 36-37
They we stunned…amazed… astonished blown away! I write more about this in this week's SOAP journal [http://b4lukejournal.blogspot.com ]. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary make two very good points; the first about the reaction of the people and the second about Luke’s focus on the message.

“The reaction of the people, though comparable to that in the preceding incident (vv. 20-22), differs from it in one important aspect. Now they are astonished that this teacher, who in their eyes was not even a rabbi, taught with authority (v. 32). The contrast is sharpened in Mark 1:22 by the additional words "not as the teachers of the law." The majority of rabbis would base their teaching on the chain of tradition, citing the opinions of their predecessors. By omitting this specific comparison, Luke may simply be deferring to his Gentile readership, who would perhaps not be as aware as Jewish readers of rabbinical custom. But it may also be that Luke is emphasizing the absolute authority of Jesus. In support of this is Luke's use of the word "message" (logos, lit., "word"). For the importance of the "word" in Luke, see comment on 1:1-4. Keeping in mind that the parallel passage in Mark does not use "word" but says "he taught them," Luke would seem to be emphasizing the "authority" of Jesus' "word" (cf. v. 36).” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary—Vol. 8, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1984, p. 871)

2. The response of the demons to the presence and authority of Jesus v. 33-35, 41
The translation in English of their response is "Ha!" The word in Greek is "Ea!" (pronounced ay-ah) which Thayer's Greek Lexicon says was "an interjection expressive of indignation, or of wonder mixed with fear." The question, "Have you come to destroy us?" could also be a statement, "You have come to destroy us!" 

"In one respect those who were 'demonized' exhibited the same phenomenon. They all owned the Power of Jesus. It was not otherwise in the Synagogue at Capernaum on that Sabbath-morning. What Jesus had spoken produced an immediate effect on the demonized, though one which could scarcely have been anticipated. For, there is authority for inserting the word 'straightway' immediately after the account of Jesus' preaching. Yet, as we think of it, we cannot imagine that the demon would have continued silent nor yet that he could have spoken other than the truth in the Presence of the God-Man. There must be, and yet there cannot be, resistance. The very Presence of the Christ meant the destruction of this work of the Devil. Involuntarily, in his confessed inability of disguise or resistance, he owns defeat, even before the contest. 'What have we to do with Thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Thou art come to destroy us!21I know Thee Who Thou art, the Holy One of God.' And yet there seems in these words already an emergence of the consciousness of the demonized, at least in so far that there is no longer confusion between him and his tormentor, and the latter speaks in his own name. One stronger than the demon had affected the higher part in the demonized. It was the Holy One of God, in Whose Presence the powers of moral destruction cannot be silent, but must speak, and own their subjection and doom. The Christ needs not to contend: that He is the Christ, is itself victory.

But this was not all. He had come not only to destroy the works of the Devil. His Incarnation meant this - and more: to set the prisoners free. By a word of command He gagged (This is the real meaning of the expression rendered, 'Hold thy peace.' It stills the raging of the powers of evil just as, characteristically, it is again employed in the stilling of the storm, St. Mark 4:39) the confessions of the demon, unwilling made, and even so with hostile intent. It was not by such voices that He would have His Messiahship ever proclaimed. Such testimony was wholly unfitting and incongruous; it would have been a strange discord on the witness of the Baptist and the Voice Which had proclaimed Him from heaven. And, truly, had it been admitted, it would have strangely jarred in a Life which needed not, and asked not even the witness of men, but appealed straightway to God Himself. Nor can we fail to perceive how, had it been allowed, it would have given a true ground to what the Pharisees sought to assign as the interpretation of His Power, that by the Prince of Demons He cast out demons. And thus there is here also deep accord with the fundamental idea which was the outcome of His Temptation: that not the seemingly shortest, but the Divine way must lead Him to the goal, and that goal not Royal proclamation, but the Resurrection.

The same power which gagged the confession also bade the demon relinquish his prey. One wild paroxysm - and the sufferer was forever free. But on them all who saw and heard it fell the utter stupor and confusion of astonishment. Each turned to his neighbor with the inquiry: 'What is this? A new doctrine with authority! And He commanded the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.' Well might they inquire. It had been a threefold miracle: 'a new doctrine;' 'with authority;' and obedience of the unclean spirits to His command. There is throughout, and especially in the account of the casting out of the demon, such un-Jewish simplicity…” (Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, 1883 Version Book III, Chapter 14, [In newer Eerdmans version p 335-336])

3. The healing work of Jesus in Capernaum v. 38-41
After preaching and delivering the demonized man in the synagogue, Jesus healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law of a high fever or "burning fever" one of those unique medical terms Luke uses. After she was healed she immediately served the Lord and his followers. What a great example for all of us. If only our first impulse upon receiving the miraculous working of Christ was to serve Him! Edersheim paints the scene on the canvas of our imagination...

“It was evening. The sun was setting, and the Sabbath past. All that day it had been told from home to home what had been done in the Synagogue; it had been whispered what had taken place in the house of their neighbor Simon. This one conviction had been borne in upon them all, that 'with authority' He spake, with authority and power He commanded even the unclean spirits, and they obeyed. No scene more characteristic of the Christ than that on this autumn evening at Capernaum. One by one the stars had shone out over the tranquil Lake and the festive city, lighting up earth's darkness with heaven's soft brilliancy, as if they stood there witnesses, that God had fulfilled His good promise to Abraham. On that evening no one in Capernaum thought of business, pleasure, or rest. There must have been many homes of sorrow, care, and sickness there, and in the populous neighborhood around. To them, to all, had the door of hope now been opened. Truly, a new Sun had risen on them, with healing in His wings. No disease too desperate, when even the demons owned the authority of His mere rebuke. From all parts they bring them: mothers, widows, wives, fathers, children, husbands - their loved ones, the treasures they had almost lost; and the whole city throngs - a hushed, solemnized, overawed multitude - expectant, waiting at the door of Simon's dwelling. There they laid them, along the street up to the market-place, on their beds; or brought them, with beseeching look and word. What a symbol of this world's misery, need, and hope; what a symbol, also, of what the Christ really is as the Consoler in the world's manifold woe! Never, surely, was He more truly the Christ; nor is He in symbol more truly such to us and to all time, than when, in the stillness of that evening, under the starlit sky, He went through that suffering throng, laying His hands in the blessing of healing on every one of them, and casting out many devils. No picture of the Christ more dear to us, than this of the unlimited healing of whatever disease of body or soul. In its blessed indefiniteness it conveys the infinite potentiality of relief, whatever misery have fallen on us, or whatever care or sorrow oppress us. He must be blind, indeed, who sees not in this Physician the Divine Healer; in this Christ the Light of the World; the Restorer of what sin had blighted; the Joy in our world's deep sorrow. Never was prophecy more truly fulfilled than, on that evening, this of Isaiah: 'Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.' By His Incarnation and Coming, by His taking our infirmities, and bearing our sicknesses - for this in the truest and widest sense is the meaning of the Incarnation of the Christ - did He become the Healer, the Consoler of humanity, its Savior in all ills of time, and from all ills of eternity. (Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, 1883 version, Book III, Chapter 14, in newer versions on p. 335-336)

4. The departure of Jesus for a desolate place v. 42-44
Jesus makes one of his very important "purpose statements" in this passage. They went to "bring him home" from his time of prayer outside the city with the line "the people are looking for you." Jesus' answer, that his mission in proclaiming the Kingdom of God, is bigger than they expect. He had been sent to "look for the people" by preaching in all their towns...not just in Capernaum. N.T. Wright comments,

“Though Capernaum was his base of operations, he spent most of his time on the move. This may have been partly for the sake of the village itself; it couldn’t have sustained having more and more people come there for healing. Some have suggested that Jesus didn’t want to risk people setting up a kind of local industry around him. But the main reason is that he had to go to where other people were. He had to tell people that God was becoming King in a new way, that God’s long awaited salvation was breaking into the world, even though it didn’t look like they had expected it would. And in doing this he had to stay one jump ahead of the authorities. It isn’t too long before we find opposition following him. Crowds and healings, powerful teaching about God’s kingdom: many found it threatening then, and may find it threatening still.” (N.T.Wright, Luke for Everyone, Westminster John Knox Press 2004, p.52.)