Meditate on it

Section 86  PRAYER TAUGHT AND ENCOURAGED (Probably Judea) LUKE 11:1-13 Overview: After Jesus was praying in "a certain place," one of his disciples requests that he teach them how to pray. First some background on Jewish prayer customs: "It was customary for the rabbis to give their disciples forms of prayer, and [John] the Baptist seems to have followed this practice, though the prayer taught by him appears soon to have been forgotten." -Fourfold Gospel "Dr. Lightfoot's notion of this is, That whereas the Jews' prayers were generally adorations, and praises of God, and doxologies, John taught his disciples such prayers as were more filled up with petitions and requests; for it is said of them that they did deēseis poiountai - make prayers, Luk_5:33. The word signifies such prayers as are properly petitionary." -Matthew Henry "Idle repetition of prayers is forbidden; but persistence and importunity are encouraged.Gen. 18:23-33 [A

Section 85 JESUS THE GUEST OF MARTHA AND MARY Bethany, near Jerusalem LUKE 10:38-42 To this day, when I read the story of Martha and Mary, my gut sides with Martha.  Maybe it's because my husband is a "people person" and enjoys talking with them on so many levels while I am scurrying around pulling together food and drinks. But as several of the commentaries below point out, the message is not serve/no serve.  It's in the kind of service and in recognizing the value of the moment, something the Greeks called kairos.  Here, Mary "gets it" and sits down to listen.  Martha's busyness and preconceptions miss the bigger moment: "In Martha there was an error of judgment: not of that kind which proves the entire want of real piety, but which implies great oversight, and a disregard to existing circumstances." Essex Congregational Remembrancer "The narrative teaches us in what way we are to expect the notice and approbation of our Divine

Section 84 PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN (Probably Judea) LUKE 10:25-37 I remember this parable emphasized in my Catholic childhood---by my "CCD" teachers, not by my parents, who to my knowledge, never commented about the Bible. This morning, I noticed the larger context more than the parable itself. The older I grow, the more I notice and appreciate context in all areas of reading and life.   Context is the frame by which we begin to understand a text or a person on a deeper level. Here the context is malicious---it's not just a random person with an earnest question, but a lawyer with an agenda, setting a trap.  Jesus is a master at turning manipulators back on themselves. The lawyer tries to narrow the issue to something he can control or justify which also reveals his heart nature: But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  Luke 10:29 "[The lawyer] sought to justify himself. Why should he? No one had accused him.

Section 82 DISCOURSE ON THE GOOD SHEPHERD Jerusalem, December, A. D. 29. JOHN X. 1-21. p.150 of 243 in Fourfold Gospel Document  (61.7%) *************************** Jon Courson Commentary: While the sheep stayed in the communal sheepfold, all of the shepherds would return home each night except the one who would act as a porter, or watchman. In the morning, the shepherds would return for their flocks. How did they know whose sheep was whose if they were all mixed together in the sheepfold? Each shepherd had a distinctive call, or song, to which only his own sheep responded. In Rev_2:17, we are told that our Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, will give us new names that will fit us perfectly and that we'll possess for eternity. You can always tell when a stranger creeps into the flock. He will cause division. Knowing something's not quite right, the sheep will scatter. *************************** All BKC Commentary: Jesus developed this analogy in several ways.

Section 83 MISSION AND RETURN OF THE SEVENTY (Probably in Judea, October, A. D. 29.) LUKE 10:1-24. "On His way to Jerusalem Jesus was sending out messengers to all the towns in order to give people opportunities to accept His message. Only Luke records this incident." -BKC "The report of the seventy is more joyous than that of the twelve, for the sayings of the latter on their return were overshadowed by the news of John the Baptist's death."-BKC "The 72 were supported by those who accepted their message (Luk_10:7). Through hospitality people would show whether or not they believed the message of the kingdom. To the believing cities the message was to be, The kingdom of God is near you. The Messiah was coming, and He could bring in the kingdom. Even the cities that rejected the message were to be told that the kingdom was near." -BKC After spending time with His disciples, Jesus will now commission them for service. And as He does, we find i

Section 81 CONTENTION OVER THE MAN BORN BLIND Jerusalem. JOHN 9:1-41 Did Jesus come to judge or save? Occasionally I'll be reading the New Testament and different passages clash in my mind.  Here's an example: "Jesus said, “ For judgment I came into this world , that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains. John 9:39-41 x “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but  whoever does not believe is condemned already, b ecause he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

Section 79  THE STORY OF THE ADULTERESS (Jerusalem) JOHN 7:53-8:11 The authenticity of this story is hotly contested among scholars as it is not in many early manuscripts. I'm not sure what I think about the issue and would have to dig more.  In terms of it being consistent with Christ's other teachings, in some ways it is keeping with Christ's emphasis on forgiveness but the part about he who is without sin, cast the first stone does not necessarily seem consistent.  It's hard to put my finger on, but I feel like Christ would say it's not our business to cast stones either way.  It's not the "sin" that makes the judgement okay or not okay.  One could argue that Christ's goal was to provoke the accusers to think about the condition of their own hearts through this statement.  But Christ doesn't seem intent upon trying to teach his opponents.  Typically he acknowledges their blindness and comments upon it, but reserves his more teachable com

Section 78 continued... IN THE TEMPLE AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES (October, A. D. 29.) JOHN 7:32-52 " On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. ’” John 7:37-38 Jon Courson's comments here shine: "To commemorate the miraculous provision of water, a procession of priests would draw water from the pool of Siloam and pour it out on the floor of the temple courtyard during each day of the feast. On the eighth day, the last day, the great day of the feast, however, the priests would return from the pool of Siloam with empty vessels, signifying that when the Israelites entered the Promised Land, water from the rock was no longer needed. The Feast of Tabernacles not only commemorated the past—it anticipated the future. As the priests symbolically poured out their empty vessels on the last

Section 77 AS TO SACRIFICE FOR CHRIST'S SERVICE Samaria. Probably September, A. D. 29. LUKE 9:57-62 Overview--In this section, three men come to Jesus wishing to follow him.  Christ gives directives to each. From the Pulpit Commentary: "SUCCESSFUL WORK REQUIRES FAITHFUL DEALING WITH INDIVIDUAL CASES. (Verses 57-62.) As Jesus was moving upwards to the capital, the people perceived that a crisis was at hand. Hence the desire of some on insufficient grounds to cast in their lot with him who is to be the conquering King. Here is a case in point. A man comes and professes his willingness to be a follower of Jesus wheresoever he goeth. But Jesus undeceives him by indicating that he is not going to be sure of any lodging in this world. Perhaps the man was hoping to reach a palace by following him; but Jesus shows that the birds and beasts have more certain lodgings than he. He thus laid bare the man’s danger, and prevented a rash decision. The second case is an invitatio