Week 18-B "You give them something to eat"

Video Notes:

·         Bethsaida was the hometown of at least 3 apostles… Simon Peter, Andrew, & Phillip

·         There are 2 archaeological sites that may possibly be Bethsaida.

·         In Mark he healed a blind man after walking him out of this town

·         The name of this village of Bethsaida means “House of the Hunt” and ironically, it was near here that the people hunted Jesus down when he was on retreat with the Apostles.

·         Here in the ruins of Bethsaida archaeologists have found what they call the

o   Fisherman’s House…

o   Winemaker’s House…

·         Jesus sent the apostles out from their home on a mission. Upon their return he took them on a private retreat in a desolate place outside of town.

·         When their “Retreat” was interrupted by crowds how did Jesus respond? He welcomed them and fed them miraculously!

·         “You give them something to eat”… We only have so much to offer… but Jesus is not limited by this.

Text: This week we’re covering Luke 9:1-17 which contains the first mission of the apostles, their return and report, their restful retreat being crashed by a crowd of Jesus seekers, and then the miraculous feeding miracle of over 5,000 from a few loaves and couple fish (a boy’s lunch). While this section is well known, take time to read this passage carefully, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you see it with fresh eyes. 

Other passages to read: There are parallel passages to these pericopes in the other gospels:

·         The 12 Apostles being sent out to minister (v.1-6): Matthew 10:5-15; Mark 6:7-13

·         Word about Jesus gets out to Herod (v.7-9): Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29

·         5,000 Fed on Apostles' Return (v.10-17): Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; John 6:1-15

Pastor Randy's Sermon Notes: "The Making of A Miracle" 

Read aloud Luke 9:10-17

1.       A problem arises: What are we going to do?

“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

 (John 6:5-9)

2.       A Person is enlisted: “You give them something to eat”

3.       A Plan is developed: What do you have?

“Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.” (Deuteronomy 14:22-23)

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." (Mark 14:22)

“After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” (John 6:14-15)

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

• How does Jesus’ sending of the apostles out to minister in power effect our lives and how we minister?
• Is Jesus still able to work miracles in the lives of those that put their trust in him?
• Leading up to Luke 9:11 (also Mark 6:34; Matt.14:14), what stresses and pressures had Jesus and his disciples experienced that would cause them to go on a “retreat” and that makes Jesus’ response all the more amazing? How would we respond in similar circumstances?
• What is the relationship between “brokenness” and “usefulness” in this miraculous narrative?
• What did your reading of the parallel accounts of the feeding of the 5,000 add to your understanding of this miracle? Don’t let its familiarity short-change you…read it closely!

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

• When Jesus sent his followers out to minister how did he equip and prepare them?
• In the midst of my own needs, am I sensitive to the needs of others?
• Is there something we have done in the past, a “Herod moment,” that causes us to feel like we are living in a horror movie? Are we getting jumpy, waiting for our past to pop up saying, “I’m back”? If so, take time right now to confess it to Jesus Christ and ask for forgiveness. He is not our accuser; rather, he is our Advocate and Redeemer, if we will put our life into his nail-scarred hands.  
• Have we heard Jesus say to us, “You give them something to eat” when we become aware of human need around us? What do we do when our own efforts are inadequate to the needs Jesus calls us to meet?
• Am I willing to ask Jesus to help me? Are we willing to be broken like the bread in order to be a blessing?

Commentary & Quotes:

This week's journaling blog focuses on v. 1-6. For devotional insights on that section you might want to read the related post at http://b4LukeJournal.blogspot.com

Here are a couple of longer commentary quotes on the feeding of the 5,000 from resources we have already recommended.

12-14a "Only when viewed against the backdrop of Jesus’ prior instructions to the twelve does their request to him seem odd. Their location in the rural environs of Bethsaida3° places them in close proximity to the possibility of food and lodging; why not take advantage of it? Jesus, however, had earlier instructed his disciples to take no bread on the journey (v. 3); thus they were counseled to carry on the divine mission while trusting in divine benefaction and resources. Had they not trusted and been successful earlier? If one reaches further back into the Lukan narrative, one remembers Jesus’ instructions on Simon’s boat that had led to a miraculous catch of fish (5:1-l I). If he was able to provide then, why not now? Even further back in the memory is Elisha’s instructions to feed a hundred people with five barley loaves and fresh ears of grain (2 Kings 4:42-44). the potential relevance of which is underscored by Luke’s earlier use of Elisha-material to portray Jesus (e.g., 4:27).

     In light of their present location in the “wilderness,” memories of God’s provision of manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16; Numbers 11) might also be activated. In light of these narrative realities, could the twelve not continue to trust now, even if these fresh circumstances presented obstacles more severe than those they had yet faced? Against such a backdrop, the extraordinary nature of their request to send the crowd away is seen in their lack of any vocalized expectation that Jesus might be able to provide for their needs."

(Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke (NICNT), Eerdmans, 1997, 363.)

"...Jesus has other plans. He makes the disciples initiate the provision of hospitality by getting the people to sit down in groups--a clear signal that they are going to be fed. Then invoking heaven, blessing, breaking the loaves and fishes, he miraculously makes it possible for the Twelve to feed the entire multitude. And feed them they do--not merely adequately but so abundantly that even after all were filled they were able to gather twelve basketfuls of broken pieces.

     Noteworthy in this episode is that Jesus does not himself deal directly with the crowd. Rather, he makes it possible for the Twelve to provide hospitality that initially they found so daunting. In this and many other aspects the episode is loaded with symbolism for the life of the later Church." (Brendan Byrne, The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke's Gospel, Litergical Press, 2000, 85.)

Week 18-A "Traffic & Tassels"

This was the topic we were originally going to cover this week. However, sensing the leading of the Lord to move on to chapter 9, we are not covering this material in our Sunday service. However, this material may still be of interest to some so we post it here.

Text: This week we’re covering Luke 8:40-56 which contains the intertwined narratives of the healing of the woman with the bleeding problem and the raising of Jairus’ daughter.

Other passages to read: There are two parallel passages in the other gospels: Matthew 9:18-26 and Mark 5:22-43. We would recommend that you read all three passages side-by-side to glean all the unique details as well as the common elements in order to see the events in 3-D…but there’s no need to duck! An Old Testament passage to read is found in Malachi 4:2.

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

• What are the common words and themes in these two intertwined healing narratives?
• Compare the raising of Jairus’ daughter to the raising of the widow’s son in Ch. 7. Are there similarities, common themes?
• What did your reading of the parallel accounts, from Matthew 9 and Mark 5, add to your understanding of these miracles? Did it raise any further questions?
• How might Luke (the physician) have felt writing 8:43?
• What does this passage add to our understanding of Jesus attitude towards women?
• Is Jesus still able to work miracles in the lives of those that put their trust in him?

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

• What do I do when God doesn’t answer my prayers according to my timetable?
• In the midst of my own needs, am I sensitive to the needs of others?
• What do we do in our own areas of expertise when our ability and resources are not enough to bring about the desired results?
• Am I willing to ask Jesus to help me? Jairus was not shy about humbly asking, even publically begging Jesus to heal his only daughter.
• Am I willing to trust Jesus to make me well (spiritually and every other way) even when others say it is no use?

Commentary & Quotes:

[Regarding Luke 8:48] “Only now, in response to her public testimony, does Jesus commend the woman and pronounce that she is whole. Her cure was realized in the privacy and anonymity afforded by the crowds, yet… he signals that he is not content to leave her cured according to biomedical definitions only. He embraces her in the family of God by referring to her as “daughter,” thus extending kinship to her and restoring her to the larger community—not on the basis of her ancestry, but as a consequence of her active faith. Now she is not the only one who knows what God has done for her; so do the crowds gathered around Jesus. Because he has pronounced her whole, they are to receive her as one restored to her community.” (Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke (NICNT), Eerdmans, 349)

v. 40 The laymen who were rulers of the synagogue presided over the affairs of the synagogue, including organizing and teaching in synagogue services. Most of them were Pharisees. The Greek term, archisynagōgos, has been found on many inscriptions from Palestine and throughout the Roman world …The fact that Jairus … fell at Jesus’ feet demonstrates his real need and his sincerity. (ESV Study Bible)

v. 42 An only daughter: See 7:12 Jesus heals and raises daughters from the dead as well as sons.

KJV = “thronged” Same word used in 8:7 for the thorns that “choke” the wheat.

v.43 The 12 years the woman has in common with the age of the dying girl is not an accident. It is part of God’s providence in the situation. As for the desperate state of the woman, “…her hemorrhaging would also have made her ceremonially unclean, which would have cut her off from many social and religious relationships (cf. Lev. 15:25).” (ESV Study Bible) How interesting for Dr. Luke to include this part about physicians inability.

The corner of his garment: The corners of the prayer shawl are also called the “wings” See Malachi 4:2. I believe it likely that this was not a superstitious act by the woman but an act of Messianic faith.

v. 45 Why would Jesus ask? Did he really not know? [Yes, he did know…so…?]

v. 46-47 “It was good for her, indeed it was necessary for her… if she was to be received back into regular religious and social [involvement] it was necessary that her cure become a matter of public knowledge. So Jesus took steps to see that people knew what had happened.” (Morris, Luke, 175)

v. 48, 50 How would this address used for the woman have made Jairus feel?

“Jesus addresses her tenderly as Daughter, the only woman he is recorded as having addressed this way.” (Morris, Luke, 176)

“Your faith has made you well would suggest both physical and spiritual healing, for Greek sōzō can mean either “heal” or “save.” The woman’s faith in Jesus for physical healing at the same time became faith in him for salvation from sin.” (ESV-SB)

v. 50 “…she will be well (again this is Gk. sōzō, but several times in these miracle accounts it seems to mean that both physical healing and spiritual salvation have taken place).” (ESV-SB)

v. 52 Do not weep: He tells the professional mourners to stop it. He likens her death to sleep for it is not permanent and Jesus is able to raise the dead like we are able to wake sleepers.

v. 54 Taking her by the hand: “A first century reader coming upon this double story would know very well that Jesus was taking on double pollution…Jesus shares the pollution of sickness and death, but the power of his own love—and it is love, above all, that shines through these stories—turns that pollution into wholeness and hope.”(Wright, Luke for Everyone, 104-105)

Arise: Make the connection to 7:14 Leon Morris says this phrase is what her mother would said to her to wake her up in the morning. See mark 5:41 for Aramaic phrase.

v. 56 tell no one: Why? In v. 39 the delivered man was to tell everyone. What is different here? Most likely it is a concern for the girl’s needs.

 

Did you notice the common words between the two miracle narratives?

• Crowds/People
• Pressed/Pressing
• Daughter
• Twelve years
• Faith/believe
• Healed/Well

There is an amazing miracle story of God’s providence in R. Kent Hughes' commentary, Luke Vol.1 on 331-315, when his wife almost bled to death in the hospital. Also some examples of the bizarre cures for the flow of blood practiced in Jesus’ day…that the woman would most likely have suffered.

Week #17 Chaotic Fear or Calm Faith

 

Video Notes: Shot on the Shore of the Sea of Galilee

·         In the ancient world, and in the Bible, “the sea” was a picture of chaos, a symbol of the uncontrollable elements, and a source of fear. It was often characterized as opposition to the work of God in the world.
·         It was also used to represent the gentile nations, as in…Isaiah 17:12-14 “Ah, the thunder of many peoples; they thunder like the thundering of the sea! Ah, the roar of nations; they roar like the roaring of mighty waters! The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm. At evening time, behold, terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us, and the lot of those who plunder us.”
·         Jonah’s sailors were terrified by the supernatural storm in the Mediterranean from which their gods were powerless to deliver (Jonah 1).
·         Here I am standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, now called Kinneret Lake. It was out on this lake that Jesus demonstrated that he had authority over the disciples’ greatest fear when they faced death in a storm.
·         This lake is subject to sudden violent storms. The elevation change from the 9,200’ Mt. Hermon to the lake surface at 700’ below sea level can cause sudden and very violent storms (or sharkia in Arabic).
·         Why are you afraid today? What is it in your life that is out of control? Jesus is bigger than your fear!

Blog Audience: This week this blog was viewed not just by those in the United States, but by people around the world including: the Netherlands, Russia, Australia, Philippines, Germany, United Kingdom, Kenya, New Zealand, and Vietnam.

Text: This week we’re covering Luke 8:1-39 which contains a number of well-known people, parables, and powerful miracles. Each episode can be studied individually with great lessons to apply in our lives. Yet there is a larger theme that runs through all of the accounts below. As you study through the chapter see if you can discover it.

Pastor Randy’s Sermon Notes: “Let’s Go” 

Read Luke 8:22-25

1.    Let’s Go!

2.    Don’t quit in the middle of what you are going through.

·       Fear – the anticipation of loss

·       Faith – the anticipation of God doing something great

3.    It’s not where you’re going, but to whom you’re going.

Read Luke 8:26-37

Other passages to read: There are a number of parallel passages in the other gospels:

·         Women who followed: Matthew 27:55-56; Mark 15:40-41; Luke 24:10

·         Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20;

·         Reason for parables: Psalm 78:2; Isaiah 6:8-10; John 12:37-43.

·         Lamp not hidden: Matthew 5:15; Mark 4:21-25

·         Jesus Family: Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35

·         Calming the Storm: Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41

·         Gadarene/Geresene demoniac delivered: Matthew 8:28-35; Mark 5:1-21; Psalm 66:16

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

• What are all the questions asked in this passage? Some are asked by Jesus and some are asked of Jesus. Can you see yourself asking or answering any of them?
• What can we learn from this passage about how parables functioned in Jesus’ ministry?
• What is Jesus saying about family in v. 19-21?
• Why would putting a lamp under a jar or a bed be a bad idea? How does this metaphor translate into our lives today?
• Was the demoniac from Gadara or Gergesa? Were there one or two?

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

• With whom am I following Jesus? It is not a solitary journey, but one done in community.
• After revisiting the familiar parable of the sower, what kind of soil is our heart today?
• Is there something we need to do to amend the soil of our life?
• Take time to put yourself into each of the other stories in this chapter. What characters would represent your affections, attitudes, and actions; and which groups would you have been a part of? For example, in v. 26-39, do we see ourselves among the amazed and silent disciples, the healed demoniac (clothed & in his right mind) begging to follow Jesus, the fleeing herdsmen, or the fearful people of Decapolis who asked Jesus to leave?
• Biblical hearing also involved responding in obedience. Do I have ears to hear?

Commentary & Quotes:

“Storms Still Come: It is good for us to realize that when we are with Jesus and doing His will, we may still encounter dangerous storms.  But that is no cause to be alarmed—Jesus is in control.  What a comfort it is to see that the things that make us panic do not disturb Him at all.  But we must be looking to His face in the midst of our trial in order to draw strength from the peace that is there.  No storm can overcome God's will.  …One word from Him and we are safe.  We need only come and ask Him for help and He will help us.” (From Do You See Him, by Greg Dueker)

Literary-Thematic Outline: As westerners, when we read through the gospels we don’t often pick up a guiding purpose or order to the arrangement of the events and discourses. I think this contributes to a subconscious notion that the text is utterly random. The Bible is not written randomly; rather the way we read and study is often random and disjointed. It would be very easy for us to read this passage as a string of independent scenes, but what if we look for an intentional structure? Luke assembled this gospel based on research and eye witness testimony. While following an orderly, generally chronological arrangement, he places each pericope intentionally (inspired by the Holy Spirit) in relation to those around it. It is not a secret code…it is there for all to see…but too often we simply fail to look beyond chapter numbers and the publisher’s paragraph titles.

As we look for the larger context/structure another element of God’s message to his people becomes apparent:

·         Jesus said things in a way that would help people to remember what he said.

·         The early oral traditions were passionate about accuracy.

·         The events and sayings were often selected and placed by the Gospel authors to communicate the heart of Jesus' message.

·      Prophetic Rhetorical Template (PRT) which was normative, familiar to the Jews from the OT prophets, was continued in Jesus’ teaching. Luke takes it to the next level integrating narrative and discourse together within the same structure.

Let's look at the different elements in this rhetorical outline in Luke 8:1-39.

People: Forming the outer ring/layer of this rhetorical template, we see delivered people (women at the begining, man at the end), let’s not miss that lesson, and they want to be with Jesus. Sometimes they get to follow and sometimes they get sent out to witness. In the case of the Gadarene, his mission prepared the way for the people of that region to eagerly come out to hear Jesus the next time Jesus was in the area. Kenneth Bailey (Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 192-193) is right to point out the counter-cultural significance of v.1-3 that shows that Jesus had women disciples traveling with him as well as men.

Parables & Power: Parables were not really designed to keep people in the dark so much as to serve as spiritual aptitude tests. It is clear that if someone has a hearing ear that they will be given more. If ones is hearing what Jesus is saying and trusting it, then the storms of life should not be cause for panic! Sometimes God’s will leads through deep waters. Storms will still come that will test how well we have been listening and how readily we are trusting Jesus. Jesus’ question is to the point, “Where is your faith?” If Jesus isn’t anxious then neither should we be fearful nor should we doubt his love and care.

Insiders & Outsiders: Part of this is God’s choice and part of this is our response to Him. Family is not being minimized in this section; rather, Jesus is speaking to the issue of our spiritual family being our true family. As adults we come to realize this in a more complete way. The thing that determines whether we are outsiders or insiders is how we hear and obey Jesus word.

Lamp parable & Taking Care: This parable and the specific caution to “hear” are at the center of the rhetorical structure of 8:1-39. What does this tell us?

A	Delivered people follow along with Jesus (1-3)
B	Parables: Listen carefully (4-8)
C	Insiders (9-15) Why?
D	Take Care how you hear (16-18)
C'	Outsiders (19-21) Why?
B'	Power: Didn't you listen? (22-25)
A'	Delivered people sent home to witness (26-39)

How we hear and act on God’s Word is the key to this entire section…and so much more!

Previously on “Ponderables”:

·      The Pharisee apparently thought that if one was a prophet that he would not allow sinners to approach…much less show such extravagant love. How does this Pharisaical idea effect the way that we live and love others today? The Pharisaical mindset causes us to look down on others as somehow being worse sinners than ourselves . It also gives rise to the idea that Jesus is just for those who deserve him, instead of the truth that he came to seek and save the lost!

·      What do I do when I see others being insulted and treated badly? What should we do? What do we see Jesus doing? He enters in to the suffering of all who are oppressed and is our advocate before the accuser. Kenneth Bailey says that the woman in this passage enters into the suffering of Jesus in great love because she has received great forgiveness. How can we do less?

·      What did Jesus do when he was treated disrespectfully by the Pharisees and lawyers? He didn’t defend himself, but neither did he allow them to be intimidated. He continued to reach to them as lost people and patiently give them reason to trust that he was a prophet and more!

·      How is it possible for us to enter into, and identify with, Jesus’ suffering today? We need a view of Jesus that sees him as the one who suffered and died for our sin. In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus says that when we show simple mercy and compassion “for the least of these my brothers, you did it for me.” Probably the best answer is to ask what God is laying on your heart to do for others this week, expecting nothing in return.

·      If in the Middle East the greatest “law” is the Law of Hospitality, what is the greatest cultural “law” here in the west? I haven’t received any feedback on this, but I suspect our greatest cultural “laws” in the west may be privacy and convenience rather than hospitality. A sad commentary on our society of what J.P. Moreland calls, “empty selves.”

·      The Pharisees seemed to set a trap to provoke Jesus by their lack of hospitality, but Jesus seemed to catch them in their own trap...has he caught us? I hope so!