Do any of you want to do a bible study on the book of luke
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Let’s proceed to Luke Chapter 3
In this chapter, as prophesied, John the Baptist begins his ministry. the word of God came to John the Baptist in the desert. As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, and make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’
John went throughout [the] whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
He said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance; and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. John answered them all, saying,l “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan* is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
And Jesus came to John to be baptized. After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
This Gospel reading continues to give a genealogy of Jesus’ ancestors. This genealogy of Jesus emphasizes Jesus’ bonds with the people of Israel. Luke’s universalism leads him to trace the descent of Jesus beyond Israel to Adam and beyond that to God (Lk 3:38) to stress again Jesus’ divine sonship.
Key takeaways from Cha 3:
With John the Baptist, the time of promise, the period of Israel, comes to an end; with the baptism of Jesus and the descent of the Spirit upon him, the time of fulfillment, the period of Jesus, begins.
In this chapter Luke focuses on the heavenly message from God, identifying Jesus as the Son of God.
In this chapter, as prophesied, John the Baptist begins his ministry. the word of God came to John the Baptist in the desert. As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, and make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’
John went throughout [the] whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
He said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance; and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. John answered them all, saying,l “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan* is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
And Jesus came to John to be baptized. After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
This Gospel reading continues to give a genealogy of Jesus’ ancestors. This genealogy of Jesus emphasizes Jesus’ bonds with the people of Israel. Luke’s universalism leads him to trace the descent of Jesus beyond Israel to Adam and beyond that to God (Lk 3:38) to stress again Jesus’ divine sonship.
Key takeaways from Cha 3:
With John the Baptist, the time of promise, the period of Israel, comes to an end; with the baptism of Jesus and the descent of the Spirit upon him, the time of fulfillment, the period of Jesus, begins.
In this chapter Luke focuses on the heavenly message from God, identifying Jesus as the Son of God.
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Here is a summation of Luke Cha 4
Jesus prepares to begin His earthly ministry, around the age of 30. The Holy Spirit leads Him into the seclusion of the desert. And Jesus fasts and prays for 40 days.
When Jesus is weak and hungry, the Devil tempts Him. “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone” Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’and: ‘With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
Jesus begins His ministry in Galilee.
He taught in the synagogues and was praised by all. But at Nazareth He was rejected.
At Nazareth, he made the claim that He was the Messiah. In the synagogue, He stood up to read
a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
But, at hearing what Jesus had to say, the people all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
In Chapter 4 Jesus exorcised demons, and the demons knew who He was. Demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah.
And Jesus healed many sick people.
And Jesus moved on and began preaching throughout the synagogues and region of Judea.
Key takeaways from Luke Cha 4.
Filled with the Holy Spirit Jesus prepares for His ministry in the seclusion of the desert, fasting and praying.
Jesus is severely tested by the temptations of Satan and overcomes the devil’s temptations.
Jesus starts His ministry and is accepted in many places, except in His hometown. There He is rejected and they try to kill Him. This rejection of Jesus in his own hometown foresees/hints at the greater rejection of him by Israel.
Jesus makes His initial claim to be the Son of God, the Messiah: Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing: this sermon inaugurates the time of fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
At the age of 30, Jesus has begun His earthly ministry, the quest to reconcile man back to God, and to offer men His salvation. Jesus work of salvation is underway.
Jesus prepares to begin His earthly ministry, around the age of 30. The Holy Spirit leads Him into the seclusion of the desert. And Jesus fasts and prays for 40 days.
When Jesus is weak and hungry, the Devil tempts Him. “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone” Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’and: ‘With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
Jesus begins His ministry in Galilee.
He taught in the synagogues and was praised by all. But at Nazareth He was rejected.
At Nazareth, he made the claim that He was the Messiah. In the synagogue, He stood up to read
a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
But, at hearing what Jesus had to say, the people all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
In Chapter 4 Jesus exorcised demons, and the demons knew who He was. Demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah.
And Jesus healed many sick people.
And Jesus moved on and began preaching throughout the synagogues and region of Judea.
Key takeaways from Luke Cha 4.
Filled with the Holy Spirit Jesus prepares for His ministry in the seclusion of the desert, fasting and praying.
Jesus is severely tested by the temptations of Satan and overcomes the devil’s temptations.
Jesus starts His ministry and is accepted in many places, except in His hometown. There He is rejected and they try to kill Him. This rejection of Jesus in his own hometown foresees/hints at the greater rejection of him by Israel.
Jesus makes His initial claim to be the Son of God, the Messiah: Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing: this sermon inaugurates the time of fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
At the age of 30, Jesus has begun His earthly ministry, the quest to reconcile man back to God, and to offer men His salvation. Jesus work of salvation is underway.
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1
- Show all
Luke’s Gospel Study continued, Cha 5
Jesus begins assembling His apostles.
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” They would become evangilists for Jesus. When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
Simon Peter accepts Jesus as ‘Lord’. This acceptance of Jesus, by Simon Peter, James, and John represents a reversal of Jesus’ rejection of the people at Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown. They left everything behind. The importance of this is that a follower of Christ must put Jesus first in their lives, above all else. Luke’s theme is of complete detachment from material possessions.
Jesus begins His healing ministry, The Cleansing of a Leper.
Now there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where he was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
There are two important points to be noted in the healing of the leper. Firstly in those days, under Jewish law, it was considered sinful to touch the ‘unclean’ the lepers. But instead, Jesus reached out and touched the leper, showing that He came to heal. Secondly, note the fact that all those who came to Jesus for healing, were in fact healed.
Beginning of animosity between Pharisees and Jesus
Luke now introduces a series of controversies with Pharisees: controversy over Jesus’ power to forgive sins; controversy over his eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners; controversy over not fasting. The controversies between the Pharisees and Jesus would continue and escalate throughout Jesus’ ministry.
The Healing of a Paralytic.
One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed to see Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God.
Note what happened here. Jesus is indirectly claiming to be God. The Pharisees claim that only God can forgive sins. And Jesus does not dispute that claim. But to prove that He has the power to forgive sins, He cures the paralytic.
The Call of Matthew, referred to as ‘Levi’ in the Gospel of Luke.
After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” Like Simon Peter, Matthew also left everything behind, he got up and followed Jesus. Then Matthew gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
The Pharisees believed that they were a group that was without sin, because they followed the Mosaic law. They kept themselves separate from others, judging them as unworthy. Yet Jesus showed His friendship for sinners. In those days sharing a meal with others was considered a sign of friendship and acceptance. At the Last Supper, Jesus told His Apostles/Disciples/Followers that He considered them to be His friends. And that applies to all of Jesus’ followers throughout history as all the stories in the New Testament pertain to all Christians.
The Question About Fasting.
The Pharisees again tested Jesus and they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”
Jesus is telling the Pharisees that, with His coming, it is a time for rejoicing and celebrating, not fasting. Jesus is the Bridegroom and His wedding guests are His followers. Jesus is telling the Pharisees that something new is happening here.
Jesus begins assembling His apostles.
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” They would become evangilists for Jesus. When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
Simon Peter accepts Jesus as ‘Lord’. This acceptance of Jesus, by Simon Peter, James, and John represents a reversal of Jesus’ rejection of the people at Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown. They left everything behind. The importance of this is that a follower of Christ must put Jesus first in their lives, above all else. Luke’s theme is of complete detachment from material possessions.
Jesus begins His healing ministry, The Cleansing of a Leper.
Now there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where he was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
There are two important points to be noted in the healing of the leper. Firstly in those days, under Jewish law, it was considered sinful to touch the ‘unclean’ the lepers. But instead, Jesus reached out and touched the leper, showing that He came to heal. Secondly, note the fact that all those who came to Jesus for healing, were in fact healed.
Beginning of animosity between Pharisees and Jesus
Luke now introduces a series of controversies with Pharisees: controversy over Jesus’ power to forgive sins; controversy over his eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners; controversy over not fasting. The controversies between the Pharisees and Jesus would continue and escalate throughout Jesus’ ministry.
The Healing of a Paralytic.
One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed to see Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God.
Note what happened here. Jesus is indirectly claiming to be God. The Pharisees claim that only God can forgive sins. And Jesus does not dispute that claim. But to prove that He has the power to forgive sins, He cures the paralytic.
The Call of Matthew, referred to as ‘Levi’ in the Gospel of Luke.
After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” Like Simon Peter, Matthew also left everything behind, he got up and followed Jesus. Then Matthew gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
The Pharisees believed that they were a group that was without sin, because they followed the Mosaic law. They kept themselves separate from others, judging them as unworthy. Yet Jesus showed His friendship for sinners. In those days sharing a meal with others was considered a sign of friendship and acceptance. At the Last Supper, Jesus told His Apostles/Disciples/Followers that He considered them to be His friends. And that applies to all of Jesus’ followers throughout history as all the stories in the New Testament pertain to all Christians.
The Question About Fasting.
The Pharisees again tested Jesus and they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”
Jesus is telling the Pharisees that, with His coming, it is a time for rejoicing and celebrating, not fasting. Jesus is the Bridegroom and His wedding guests are His followers. Jesus is telling the Pharisees that something new is happening here.
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1
- Show all
