Bible in one year 1/29/2022 Luke 19-20 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible in one year 1/29/2022 Luke 19-20

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; pastoral ministry & counseling

 

Chapter 19 Saving Zaccheus- Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. (Luke19:1-10)

A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.(Luke19:1-6)

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zaccaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my

possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke19: 7-10)

 

Tax collector (v.2) as a collector for the Romans, he therefore had a bad reputation, since the system was open to abuse and extortion was common. The word chief implies that Zaccheus was responsible for all the taxes of Jericho and had other collectors under him. 

Taken,(v.8) The same Greek word as in 3:14. It is a mild way of saying “extorted.” The tax collectors would put an excessive value on property or income, or increase the tax of those unable to pay, and would then practice usury. However evil this tax collector was, he nevertheless was a son of Abraham, a chosen heir of God’s promised inheritance (Gal.3:7,29). Zaccheus’s declaration of what he intended to do from then on, now that his life had been changed by Christ. Once a sinner receives the Savior, the issue of his dynamic salvation is that he deals with material possessions and clears his past sinful life.

In verse 10 indicates that the Savior coming to Jericho was not accidently but purposeful; He came to seek this unique lost sinner, just as He sought the sinful woman in Samaria (John4:4) 

 

Jesus’ teaching concerning faithfulness –Parable ten minas (19:11-27)

While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people though that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. “Put this money to work,” he said, “until I come back.”(vv.11-13)

 

            But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, “We don’t want this man to be our king.” He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. the first one came and said, “ Sir, your mina has earned ten more.” “Well done, my good servant!” his master replied. “Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.” (vv.14-17)

 

The second came and said, “Sir, your mina has earned five more.” His master answered, “you take charge of five cities.” Then another servant came and said, “Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.” His master replied, “ I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?” (vv.18-23)

 

Then he said to those standing by, “Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.” “Sir, they said, he already has ten!” He replied, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them-bring them here and kill them in front of me. (vv.24-27).

 

Spiritually, this further parable continuation of the preceding case of salvation. It depicts how the saved ones should serve the Lord that they may inherit the coming kingdom.

Verse 12 a man of noble signifying the Savior, who is the highest status-the God –man, both honorable in His deity and noble in His humanity, went to a distant country signifying the Savior’s going to heaven after His death and resurrection (24:51;1Pet.3:22) return. Signifying the Savior’s coming back with the kingdom (Dan.7:13-14; Rev.11:15;2Tim.4:1)

Verse 13 Minas. A mina was a measure of money worth one hundred drachmas or denarii. A mina is equal to one hundred drachmas, or one hundred days’ wages. Notice that each servant received the same amount (in contrast to the parable of the talents in which each received according to his ability. The minas represent the equal opportunity of life itself; the talents, the different gift God gives each individual. In the parable in Matt.25:14-30, the slaves are given a varying number of talents according to their individual ability; here the parable emphasizes the common portion given equally to each slave based on the common salvation. However, the point of both parables is the same; the faithfulness of the slaves will determine their portion their portion as their reward in the coming kingdom.

Verse 29 Bethphasge. Its site is unknown though was near Bethany, which was on the SE side of the Mount of Olives.

Verse 14 his subject (citizen) hated him. Signifying the unbelieving Jews hated Savior. Do not want Him to be the King. This was fulfilled in Acts2-9.

Verse 17 take charge of ten cities. Signifying the overcomers’ reigning over the nations (Rev.2:26;20:4,6)

Verse 19 five cities. indicating that the overcoming saints’ reigning in the coming kingdom as a reward will differ in extent.

Verse 20 laid away in a piece of cloth (handkerchief) Signifying that the unfaithful believers keep their salvation in an idle way instead of using it productively. To keep the Lord’s salvation laid away is to not make use of it. Such idleness toward the Lord will cause the unfaithful believers to be condemned and to suffer loss.

 

The condemnation of the son of man for men - A Sunday, going up to Jerusalem 19:28-44

 

After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “God to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” Tell him, “The Lord needs it.” (vv.28-30).

 

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.” They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” (vv.32-38)

 

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” I tell you, He replied, “If they keep quiet the stones will cry out.” As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace –but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you. (vv.39-44)

 

Monday 19:45-48

Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling.” It is written, he said to them, “My house will be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.” (v.46) every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet, they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

 

In the preceding verse the Savior finished His ministry. Now the time came when He needed to go up to Jerusalem to present Himself to the death ordained by God for the accomplishing of God’s eternal redemption. Although He knew that the leaders of Judaism were seeking the opportunity to kill Him. He still went straight ahead boldly. Verse 42 what would bring you peace. This will be in the restoration of Israel (Acts.1:6) after the Savior’s return.

            Verse 45 They will dash you to the ground.  This was fulfilled in A.D.70 through the Roman prince Titus with his army. The Savior’s first coming, when He visited them in grace in the acceptable year of the Lord.  To miss the Lord’s visitation of grace and thereby lose the opportunity to repent and be saved will cause a person to be judged and to regret forever.

 

Chapter 20    Sadducees say no resurrection 20:27-38

 

Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. “Teacher”, they said, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her? (vv.27-33)

Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive. (vv. 34-38) 

 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher! And no one dared to ask him any more question.(vv.39-40)

 

 In Old Testament Deut.25:5-10.According to the laws a man died without an heir, any unmarried brother was obliged to marry the man’s widow. Like the angels.(v.36)  In the resurrection stage, there is no marriage or procreation. The coming age of the kingdom (13:28-29;22:18) and the resurrection of life (John 5:29;Luke14:14;Rev.20:4,6) are eternal blessings and enjoyments in the eternal life for the believers who are counted worthy(18:29-30;Matt.19:28-29).

Verse 40 no one dared to ask him any more questions. The faultfinding opposes insidious questions exposed their evil, subtlety, and meanness, which were the exact opposites of the Man-Savior’s perfection, wisdom, and dignity. This vindicated Him in His human perfection with His divine splendor and muzzled them in their hateful plot and their Satan-instigated conspiracy (Matt.22). They were trying to find fault with the Man-Savior, but eventually they were subdued by Him, the perfect and blameless one.

Then Jesus said to them,, “How is it that they say the Christ is the Son of David?      David himself declares in the Book of Psalms; “The Lord said to my Lord; “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” (v.41-42) David calls him “Lord” How then can he be his son? While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ house and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”(vv.44-47)

After muzzling all His opposers, the Savior warned His disciples of the hypocrisy and evils of the scribes, indicating that they were condemned by the One in whom they tried their best to find fault. Pretense make long prayers, down through the ages prayer has been offered as a pretense and has been misused by man. Such men will be punished or condemned.

 

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.