Return to March 30 Readings
9. Adultery Leviticus 20:10–21; Deuteronomy 22:22 10.Incest Leviticus 20:11, 12, 14 11. Homosexuality Leviticus 20:13 12.Blasphemy Leviticus 24:11–14, 16, 23 13.False Prophecy Deuteronomy 13:1–10 14.Incorrigible Deuteronomy 17:12; 21:18–21 Rebelliousness 15.Fornication Deuteronomy 22:20, 21 16. Rape of Betrothed Deuteronomy 22:23–27
Virgin
Return to March 30 Readings
March 31
L UKE 5:17–39
JESUS FORGIVES AND HEALS A PARALYTIC
17Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal
them.a 18Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom
they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.
20When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." 21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them,
"Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins
are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'? 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
25Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying
on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"
5:26 strange things. The response is curiously noncommittal not void of wonder and amazement, but utterly void of true faith.
MATTHEW THE TAX COLLECTOR
27After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." 28So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.
29Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. 30And their scribes and the Phariseesa complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
5:30 eat and drink. Consorting with outcasts on any level even merely speaking to them was bad enough. Eating and drinking with them implied a level of friendship that was abhorrent to the Pharisees (7:34; 15:2; 19:7).
31Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
JESUS IS QUESTIONED ABOUT FASTING
33Then they said to Him, "Why doa the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?"
5:33 fast often. Jesus did fast on at least one occasion (Matt. 4:2) but privately, in accordance with His own teaching (Matt. 6:16–18). The law also prescribed a fast on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29–31; 23:27) but all other fasts were supposed to be voluntary, for specific reasons such as penitence and earnest prayer. The fact that these Pharisees raised this question shows that they thought of fasting as a public exercise to display one's own spirituality. Yet, the Old Testament also rebuked hypocritical fasting (Is. 58:3–6).
34And He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days."
36Then He spoke a parable to them: "No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one;a otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece
that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38But new wine must be put into new
wineskins, and both are preserved.a 39And no one, having drunk old wine,
immediatelya desires new; for he says, 'The old is better.' "b
DAY 31: What does Deuteronomy 24:1–4 say about divorce and remarriage?
This passage does not command, commend, condone, or even suggest divorce. Rather, it recognizes that divorce occurs and permits it only on restricted grounds. The case presented here is designed to convey the fact that divorcing produced defilement. Notice the following sequence:
if a man finds an uncleanness (some impurity or something vile, see 23:14) in his wife, other than adultery, which was punished by execution (see 22:22);
if he legally divorces her (although God hates divorce, as Mal. 2:16 says; He has designed marriage for life, as Gen. 2:24 declares; and He allowed divorce because of hard hearts, as Matt. 19:8 reveals); if she then marries another man; if the new husband then dies or divorces her, then that woman could not return to her first husband (v. 4). This is so because she was "defiled" with such a defilement that is an abomination to the Lord and a sinful pollution of the Promised Land.
What constitutes that defilement? Only one thing is possible—she was defiled in the remarriage because there was no ground for the divorce. So when she remarried, she became an adulteress (Matt. 5:31, 32) and is thus defiled so that her former husband can't take her back. Illegitimate divorce proliferates adultery.
Return to March 31 Readings
Luke 6
April 1
L UKE 6:1–26
JESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATH
1Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the firsta that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. 2And some of the Pharisees said to them, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"
3But Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?" 5And He said to them, "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."
HEALING ON THE SABBATH
6Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and
taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. 8But He knew their thoughts, and said to the
man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here." And he arose and stood. 9Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do
good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?"a 10And when He had looked around at
them all, He said to the man,a "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand
was restored as whole as the other.b 11But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
6:11 filled with rage. A curious response in the face of so glorious a miracle. Such irrational hatred was the scribes' and Pharisees' response to having been publicly humiliated something they hated worse than anything (see Matt. 23:6, 7). They were unable to answer His reasoning (vv. 9, 10). And furthermore, by healing the man only with a command, He had performed no actual "work" that they could charge Him with. Desperately seeking a reason to accuse Him (v. 7), they could find none. Their response was blind fury.
THE TWELVE APOSTLES
12Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: 14Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.
6:12 continued all night in prayer. Luke frequently shows Jesus praying and particularly before major events in His ministry. See 3:21; 5:16; 9:18, 28, 29; 11:1; 22:32, 40–46.
JESUS HEALS A GREAT MULTITUDE
17And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, 18as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. 19And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
THE BEATITUDES
20Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
"Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God. 21Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh. 22Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. 23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
JESUS PRONOUNCES WOES
24"But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. 25Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep. 26Woe to youa when allb men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
DAY 1: How similar is the sermon in Luke 6:17–49 to the Sermon on the Mount?
The similarity of the Sermon on the Plateau in Luke to the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1–7:29) is remarkable. It is possible, of course, that Jesus simply preached the same sermon on more than one occasion. (It is evident that He often used the same material more than once—e.g., 12:58, 59; see Matt. 5:25, 26.) It appears more likely, however, that these are variant accounts of the same event. Luke's version is abbreviated somewhat, because he omitted sections from the sermon that are uniquely Jewish (particularly Christ's exposition of the law). Aside from that, the two sermons follow exactly the same flow of thought, beginning with the Beatitudes and ending with the parable about building on the rock. Differences in wording between the two accounts are undoubtedly owing to the fact that the sermon was originally delivered in Aramaic. Luke and Matthew translate into Greek with slight variances. Of course, both translations are equally inspired and authoritative.
Luke tells us the sermon was given on "a level place" (v. 17), after coming down from a mountain. In Matthew 5:1, it says "on a mountain." These harmonize easily if Luke is referring to either a plateau or a level place on the mountainside. Indeed, there is such a place at the site near Capernaum where tradition says this sermon was delivered.
Return to April 1 Readings
April 2
L UKE 6:27–49
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
27"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32"But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even
sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who do good to
you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great,
and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
DO NOT JUDGE
37"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not
be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
39And He spoke a parable to them: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they
not both fall into the ditch? 40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone
who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 41And why do you look at the
speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.
6:41 speck…plank. The humor of the imagery was no doubt intentional. Christ often employed hyperbole to paint comical images (see 18:25 ; Matt. 23:24 ).
A TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT
43"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his hearta brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
BUILD ON THE ROCK
46"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say? 47Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show
you whom he is like: 48He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.a 49But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.a And the ruin of that house was great."
6:46 you call Me 'Lord, Lord.' It is not sufficient to give lip service to Christ's lordship. Genuine faith produces obedience. A tree is known by its fruits (v. 44). See Matthew 7:21–23.
DAY 2: What did God promise would happen to Israel if they disobeyed the law?
Their obedience centers around "this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD," as described in Deuteronomy 28:58 and would lead to fearing the Lord, whose "name" represents His presence and character. The title "LORD (Yahweh)" revealed the glory and greatness of God (see Ex. 3:15). Significantly, the phrase "the LORDyour God" is used approximately 280 times in the Book of Deuteronomy. The full measure of the divine curse would come on Israel when its disobedience had been hardened into disregard for the glorious and awesome character of God. In vv. 15, 45, Moses described curses for disobedience; hence, the worst of the curses come when disobedience is hardened into failure to fear
God. Only God's grace would save a small remnant (v. 62), thus keeping Israel from being annihilated (see Mal. 2:2). In contrast to the promise made to Abraham in Genesis 15:5, the physical seed of Abraham under God's curse would be reduced. As God had multiplied the seed of the patriarchs in Egypt (see Ex. 1:7), He would decimate their numbers to make them as nothing until His restoration of the nation in a future day (see 30:5).
In v. 64, it warns that "the LORD will scatter you." The Jews remaining after the curses fall would be dispersed by the Lord ultimately to serve false gods, restlessly and fearfully throughout all the nations of the earth (see Neh. 1:8, 9; Jer. 30:11; Ezek. 11:16). This dispersion began with the captivity of the northern kingdom, Israel (722 B.C.), then the southern kingdom, Judah (586
B.C.), and is still a reality today. In the future earthly kingdom of Messiah, Israel will experience its regathering in faith, salvation, and righteousness. (See Is. 59:19– 21 ; Jer. 31:31–34 ; Ezek. 36:8–37:14 ; Zech. 12:10–14:21 .) In fact, Israel would be so abandoned by God that she would not even be able to sell herself into slavery (v. 68). The curse of God would bring Israel into a seemingly hopeless condition (see Hos. 8:13; 9:3). The specific mention of Egypt could be symbolic for any lands where the Jews have been taken into bondage or sold as slaves. But it is true that after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, which was a judgment on the apostasy of Israel and their rejection and execution of the Messiah, this prophecy was actually fulfilled. The Roman general Titus, who conquered Jerusalem and Israel, sent 17,000 adult Jews to Egypt to perform hard labor there and had those who were under 17 years old publicly sold. Under the Roman emperor Hadrian, countless Jews were sold and suffered such bondage and cruelty.
Return to April 2 Readings
Luke 7
April 3
L UKE 7:1–30
JESUS HEALS A CENTURION'S SERVANT
1Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. 4And 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."
6Then 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. 7Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For 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."
9When 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!" 10And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.a
JESUS RAISES THE SON OF THE WIDOW OF NAIN
11Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. 12And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." 14Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him
stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." 15So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
7:14 touched the open coffin. A ceremonially defiling act, normally. Jesus graphically illustrated how impervious He was to such defilements. When He touched the coffin, its defilement did not taint Him; rather, His power immediately dispelled the presence of all death and defilement. This was the first of 3 times Jesus raised people from the dead (see 8:49–56; John 11). Verse 22 implies that Christ also raised others who are not specifically mentioned.
16Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet
has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people." 17And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.
JOHN THE BAPTIST SENDS MESSENGERS TO JESUS
18Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things. 19And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus,a saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"
20When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?' " 21And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.
22Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen
and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
24When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts. 26But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes,
I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27This is he of whom it is written:
'Behold, I send My messenger before Your
face, Who will prepare Your way before You.'a
28For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist;a but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
29And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God,
having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.
DAY 3: Why are our choices in life so important?
In Deuteronomy 30:11–14, after remembering the failures of the past and the prospects for the future, Moses earnestly admonished the people to make the right choice. The issue facing them was to enjoy salvation and blessing by loving God so wholeheartedly that they would willingly live in obedience to His word. The choice was simple, yet profound. It was stated in simple terms so that they could understand and grasp what God expected of them (v. 11). Although God had spoken from heaven, He had spoken through Moses in words every person could understand (v. 12). Neither did they have to search at some point beyond the sea (v. 13). The truth was there, through Moses, now in their hearts and minds (v. 14). All the truth necessary for choosing to love and obey God and thus avoid disobedience and cursing, they had heard and known (v. 15).
In v. 15, Moses pinpoints the choice—to love and obey God is life and good; to
reject God is death and evil. If they chose to love God and obey His word, they would enjoy all God's blessings (v. 16). If they refused to love and obey Him, they would be severely and immediately punished (vv. 17, 18). Paul, in speaking about salvation in the New Testament, makes use of this appeal made by Moses (Rom. 10:1–13). Like Moses, Paul is saying that the message of salvation is plain and understandable.
So "choose life" (v. 19). Moses forces the decision, exhorting Israel on the plains of Moab before God (heaven) and man (earth) to choose, by believing in and loving God, the life available through the New Covenant (see v. 6). Sadly, Israel failed to respond to this call to the right choice (see 31:16–18, 27–29). Choosing life or death was also emphasized by Jesus. The one who believed in Him had the promise of eternal life, while the one who refused to believe faced eternal death (see John 3:1–36). Every person faces this same choice.
Return to April 3 Readings
April 4
L UKE 7:31–50
31And the Lord said,a "To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:
7:32 like children. Christ used strong derision to rebuke the Pharisees. He suggested they were behaving childishly, determined not to be pleased, whether invited to "dance" (a reference to Christ's joyous style of ministry, "eating and drinking" with sinners v. 34) or urged to "weep" (a reference to John the Baptist's call to repentance and John's more austere manner of ministry v. 33).
'We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance; We mourned to you,
And you did not weep.'
33For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and
you say, 'He has a demon.' 34The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 35But wisdom is justified by all her children."
A SINFUL WOMAN FORGIVEN
36Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the
Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. 37And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the
hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."
40And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you."
So he said, "Teacher, say it." 41"There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five
hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"
43Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."
And He said to him, "You have rightly judged." 44Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46You did not
anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."
48Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 49And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
50Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."
DAY 4: How is God characterized in the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32 ?
The Song of Moses is a call to Israel to always "ascribe greatness to our God" (v. 3). This command refers to the greatness of God revealed in His acts of omnipotence. Read through the song and note the descriptions of God.
"The Rock" (v. 4). This word, representing the stability and permanence of God, was placed at the beginning of the verse for emphasis and was followed by a series of phrases which elaborated the attributes of God as the Rock of Israel. It is one of the principle themes in this song (see vv. 15, 18, 30, 31), stressing the unchanging nature of God in contrast with the fickle nature of the people.
"Your Father" (v. 6). The foolishness and stupidity of Israel would be seen in the fact that they would rebel against God who as a Father had brought them forth and formed them into a nation. As Father, He was the progenitor and originator of the nation and the One who had matured and sustained it. This idea of God as Father of the nation is emphasized in the Old Testament (see 1 Chr. 29:10 ; Is. 63:16 ; 64:8 ; Mal. 2:10 ) while the idea of God as Father of individual believers is developed in the New Testament (see Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6).
"The Most High" (vv. 8, 9). This title for God emphasized His sovereignty and authority over all the nations (see Gen. 11:9; 10:32; 14:18; Num. 24:16) with the amazing revelation that, in the whole plan for the world, God had as His goal the salvation of His chosen people. God ordained a plan where the number of nations (70, according to Gen. 10) corresponded to the number of the children of Israel (70, according to Gen. 46:27). Further, as God gave the nations their lands, He established their boundaries, leaving Israel enough land to sustain their expected population.
"Hovers over its young" (v. 11). The Lord exercised His loving care for Israel like an eagle caring for its young, especially as they were taught to fly. As they began to fly and had little strength, they would start to fall. At that point, an eagle would stop their fall by spreading its wings so they could land on them. So the Lord has carried Israel and not let the nation fall. He has been training Israel to fly on His wings of love and omnipotence.
Return to April 4 Readings
Luke 8
April 5
L UKE 8:1–25
MANY WOMEN MINISTER TO JESUS
1Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, 3and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Hima from their substance.
8:2 certain women. Rabbis normally did not have women as disciples. Mary called Magdalene. Her name probably derives from the Galilean town of Magdala. Some believe she is the woman described in 7:37–50, but it seems highly unlikely that Luke would introduce her here by name for the first time if she were the main figure in the account he just completed. Also, while it is clear that she had suffered at the hands of "demons," there is no reason whatsoever to think that she had ever been a prostitute.
8:3 Joanna. This woman is also mentioned in 24:10, but nowhere else in Scripture. It is possible that she was a source for some of the details Luke recounts about Herod (see 23:8, 12). Susanna. Aside from this reference, she is nowhere mentioned in Scripture. She is probably someone Luke knew personally. from their substance. It was a Jewish custom for disciples to support rabbis in this way. (See 10:7; 1 Cor. 9:4–11; Gal. 6:6; 1 Tim. 5:17, 18..
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
4And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
THE PURPOSE OF PARABLES
9Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?" 10And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that
'Seeing they may not see,
And hearing they may not understand.'a
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER EXPLAINED
11"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
THE PARABLE OF THE REVEALED LIGHT
16"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a
bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."
8:18 take heed how you hear. One's response to the light in this life is crucial, because at the throne of judgment there will be no opportunity to embrace truth that was formerly spurned (Rev. 20:11–15). Those who scorn the light of the gospel now will have all light removed from them in eternity. See 19:26; Matthew 25:29.
JESUS' MOTHER AND BROTHERS COME TO HIM
19Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. 20And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."
21But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."
WIND AND WAVE OBEY JESUS
22Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out. 23But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down
on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. 24And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"
Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they
ceased, and there was a calm. 25But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"
And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"
DAY 5: How is Moses described at the end of his life?
He is called "the man of God" in Deuteronomy 33:1. This is the first use of this phrase in Scripture. Subsequently, some 70 times in the Old Testament, messengers of God (especially prophets) are called "a man of God " ( 1 Sam. 2:27 ; 9:6 ; 1 Kin. 13:1 ; 17:18 ; 2 Kin. 4:7 ). The New Testament uses this title for Timothy (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:17). Moses was viewed among such prophets in this conclusion to the book (see 34:10).
In Deuteronomy 34:1–4, he went to the top of Pisgah where "the LORD showed him" the panorama of the land the Lord had promised to give (the land of Canaan) to the patriarchs and their seed in Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 15:18–21; 26:4; 28:13, 14. Remarkably, it adds that "He buried him" (v. 6). The context indicates that the Lord is the One who buried Moses, and man did not have a part in it. See Jude 9, which recounts Michael's and Satan's dispute over Moses' body.
At the end, Moses' physical vision and physical health were "not dim...diminished" (v. 7). It was not death by natural causes that kept Moses from leading Israel into the Promised Land. It was his unfaithfulness to the Lord at Meribah (see Num. 20:12). Before he passed on, Moses "laid his hands" on Joshua (v. 9), which was a confirmation of the military and administrative ability necessary to the task the Lord had given Joshua. It also confirmed that Joshua
had the spiritual wisdom to rely on and to be committed to the Lord.
Moses was the greatest of all the Old Testament prophets (v. 10), one whom the Lord knew intimately. Not until John the Baptist was there another prophet greater than Moses (see Matt. 11:11). After John, the Prophet came of whom Moses wrote (see John 1:21, 25; 6:14 with Deut. 18:15, 18; Acts 3:22; 7:37). Moses next appeared on the Mt. of Transfiguration together with Elijah and Jesus Christ (Matt. 17:3; Mark 9:4; Luke 9:30, 31).
Return to April 5 Readings
April 6
L UKE 8:26–56
A DEMON-POSSESSED MAN HEALED
26Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes,a which is opposite
Galilee. 27And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain
man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes,a
nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!" 29For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.
30Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"
And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him. 31And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.
32Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they
begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran
violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
34When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenesa asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.
38Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might
be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39"Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
A GIRL RESTORED TO LIFE AND A WOMAN HEALED
40So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. 41And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
45And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with hima said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?' "b
46But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going
out from Me." 47Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
48And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer;a your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
49While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's
house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher."a
50But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." 51When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go ina except Peter, James, and John,b and the father and mother of the girl. 52Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." 53And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
54But He put them all outside,a took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." 55Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.
DAY 6: What prepared Joshua for leading the nation of Israel?
Exodus 17:9, 10, 13, 14—Joshua led the victorious battle against the Amalekites.
Exodus 24:13—Joshua, the servant of Moses, accompanied the Jewish leader to the mountain of God (see 32:17).
Numbers 11:28—Joshua was the attendant of Moses from his youth. Numbers 13:16—Moses changed his name from Hosea ("salvation") to Joshua ("the Lord saves").
Numbers 14:6–10, 30, 38—Joshua, along with Caleb, spied out the land of Canaan with 10 others. Only Joshua and Caleb urged the nation to possess the land and, thus, only they of the 12 actually entered Canaan.
Numbers 27:18—Joshua was indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Numbers 27:18–23—Joshua was commissioned for spiritual service the first time, to assist Moses.
Numbers 32:12—Joshua followed the Lord fully.
Deuteronomy 31:23—Joshua was commissioned a second time, to replace Moses.
Deuteronomy 34:9—Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom.
Return to April 6 Readings
Luke 9
April 7
L UKE 9:1–17
SENDING OUT THE TWELVE
1Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2He sent them to preach
the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.
9:3 Take nothing. Slight differences between Matthew, Mark, and Luke have troubled some. Matthew 10:9, 10 and this text say the disciples were not to take staffs, but Mark 6:8 prohibited everything "except a staff." Mark 6:9 also instructed them to "wear sandals," but in Matthew 10:10 sandals were included in the things they were not to carry. Actually, however, what Matthew 10:10 and this verse prohibited was the packing of extra staffs and sandals. The disciples were not to be carrying baggage for the journey, but merely to go with the clothes on their backs.
4"Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."
6So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
HEROD SEEKS TO SEE JESUS
7Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. 9Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" So he sought to see Him.
FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND
10And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."
13But He said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go
and buy food for all these people." 14For there were about five thousand men.
Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty." 15And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.
DAY 7: How do the Proverbs apply to specific life decisions and experiences?
Proverbs are divine guidelines and wise observations that teach underlying principles of life (24:3, 4). They are not inflexible laws or absolute promises. This is because they are applied in life situations that are rately clear-cut or uncomplicated by other conditions. The consequences of a fool's behavior as described in Proverbs apply to the complete fool. Most people are only occasionally foolish and therefore experience the occasional consequences of foolish behavior. It becomes apparent that the proverbs usually do have exceptions due to the uncertainty of life and the unpredictable behavior of fallen
people.
The marvelous challenge and principle expressed in 3:5, 6 puts a heavy emphasis on trusting the Lord with "all your heart" and "in all your ways [acknowledging]73 Him." Even partly practicing the conditions of those phrases represents a major challenge. Because of God's grace, we don't have to perfectly carry out the conditions in order to experience the truth that "He shall direct your paths."
God does not guarantee uniform outcome or application for each proverb. By studying them and applying them, a believer is allowed to contemplate God's mind, character, attributes, works, and blessings. In Jesus Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge which are only partly expressed in Proverbs (Col. 2:3).
Return to April 7 Readings
April 8
L UKE 9:18–36
PETER CONFESSES JESUS AS THE CHRIST
18And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
19So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."
20He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."
JESUS PREDICTS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
21And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."
TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM
23Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,a and follow Me. 24For whoever desires to
save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels. 27But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."
9:23 cross. Self-denial was a common thread in Christ's teaching to His disciples (see 14:26, 27; Matt. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; John 12:24– 26). The kind of self-denial He sought was not a reclusive asceticism, but a willingness to obey His commandments, serve one another, and suffer perhaps even die for His sake.
JESUS TRANSFIGURED ON THE MOUNT
28Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29As He prayed, the
appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. 30And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when
they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. 33Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—not knowing what he said.
9:29 As He prayed. As at Jesus' baptism, while He was praying, the Father's voice came from heaven. glistening. Literally, "emitting light." This word is used only here in the New Testament. It suggests a brilliant flashing light, similar to lightning.
34While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. 35And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.a Hear Him!" 36When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.
DAY 8: Why did God bless Rahab the prostitute?
Rahab's life was not spared because of her lie. It was spared because she put
her faith in God. Rahab was given a gracious opportunity to side with God by protecting the two Israelite spies, and she acted within her circumstances. She lied daringly and elaborately. Perhaps her initial response was simply a habit of her profession. From the perspective of the king of Jericho, Rahab would have been guilty of treason, not just lying. She had a new allegiance, and she didn't yet know that the God she now wanted to trust had a rule about lying.
While those around her feared what the God of Israel might do, Rahab feared enough to boldly trust Him as the one true God, "for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath" (2:11b). She understood that God wasn't a local or a national god. She knew enough to act.
The spies were impressed and indebted. When Rahab asked them for protection, they recognized their obligation. They were exact in promising to preserve the lives of those in her house, indicated by the scarlet cord from the window.
The radical change that came into Rahab's life when those spies knocked on her door can be seen in several ways. She risked her life to trust God. The Book of Ruth, along with Matthew 1:5, also reveals that Rahab married and became the great-great-grandmother of King David and one of the ancestors of Jesus. Centuries later, Rahab was one of the women listed in Hebrews 11 because of her faith.
Return to April 8 Readings
April 9
L UKE 9:37–62
A BOY IS HEALED
37Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the
mountain, that a great multitude met Him. 38Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only
child. 39And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty,
bruising him. 40So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."
41Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how
long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." 42And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.
JESUS AGAIN PREDICTS HIS DEATH
43And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, 44"Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men." 45But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.
WHO IS THE GREATEST?
46Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. 47And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little
child and set him by Him, 48and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great."
JESUS FORBIDS SECTARIANISM
49Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."
50But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against usa
is on ourb side."
A SAMARITAN VILLAGE REJECTS THE SAVIOR
51Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up,
that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for
the journey to Jerusalem. 54And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"a
9:51 steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. This begins a major section of Luke's Gospel. From here to 19:27, Christ's face was set toward Jerusalem, and Luke's narrative is a travelogue of that long journey to the Cross. This was a dramatic turning point in Christ's ministry. After this, Galilee was no longer His base of operation. Although 17:11–37 describes a return visit to Galilee, Luke included everything between this point and that short Galilean sojourn as part of the journey to Jerusalem. We know from a comparison of the Gospels that, during this period of Christ's ministry, He made short visits to Jerusalem to celebrate feasts. Nonetheless, those brief visits were only interludes in this period of ministry that would culminate in a final journey to Jerusalem for the purpose of dying there. Thus Luke underscored this turning point in Christ's ministry more dramatically than any of the other Gospels, by showing Christ's determination to complete His mission of going to the Cross.
55But He turned and rebuked them,a and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."a And they went to another village.
THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
57Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."
58And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
59Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."
61And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."
62But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
DAY 9: How should we respond to all forms of religious persecution?
Luke 9:51–56 show us Jesus' response to persecution. The Samaritans were descendants of Jewish mixed marriages from the days of captivity. They were rivals of the Jewish nation and had devised their own worship, a hybrid of Judaism and paganism, with a temple of their own on Mt. Gerizim. They were considered unclean by the Jews and were so hated that most Jewish travelers from Galilee to Judah took the longer route east of the Jordan to avoid traveling through Samaria.
The fact that Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem for worship implied rejection of the temple on Mt. Gerizim and a contempt for Samaritan worship. This was a strong point of contention between Jews and Samaritans (see John 4:20–22), and the Samaritan village would not take Him in (v. 53). James and John, whom Jesus nicknamed the "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17), then suggested they call down fire from heaven as Elijah once did (v. 54). To which Christ "rebuked them" (v. 55).
Christ's response to the Samaritans exemplifies the attitude the church ought to have with regard to all forms of religious persecution. The Samaritans' worship was pagan at heart, plainly wrong. Compounding that was their intolerance. Yet, the Lord would not retaliate with force against them. Nor did He even revile them verbally. He had come to save, not to destroy, and so His response was grace rather than destructive fury (v. 56). Nonetheless, Christ's words of disapproval here must not be taken as condemnation of Elijah's actions in 1 Kings 18:38–40 or 2 Kings 1:10–12 . Elijah was commissioned to a special ministry as prophet in a theocracy, and it was his God-ordained task to confront an evil monarch (Ahab) who was attempting to usurp God's authority. Elijah acted with an authority comparable to that of modern civil authorities (see Rom. 13:4 )—not in a capacity that parallels that of ministers of the gospel.
Return to April 9 Readings
Luke 10
April 10
L UKE 10:1–24
THE SEVENTY SENT OUT
1After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also,a and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3Go
your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5But whatever
house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. 7And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8Whatever city you enter, and they
receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 10But whatever city
you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11'The very dust of your city which clings to usa we wipe off against you. Nevertheless
know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' 12Buta I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.
WOE TO THE IMPENITENT CITIES
13"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at
the judgment than for you. 15And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will
be brought down to Hades.a 16He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."
THE SEVENTY RETURN WITH JOY
17Then the seventya returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."
18And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rathera rejoice because your names are written in heaven."
JESUS REJOICES IN THE SPIRIT
21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 22Alla things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."
23Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the
eyes which see the things you see; 24for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."
DAY 10: What authority are Christians given over demonic power?
The commissioning of the 70 disciples is recorded only in Luke 10:1. Moses also appointed 70 elders as his representatives (Num. 11:16, 24–26). The 12 disciples had been sent into Galilee (9:1–6); the 70 were sent into every city and place where Jesus was about to go—i.e., into Judea, and possibly Perea. They were to go out 2 by 2, as the 12 had been sent ( Mark 6:7 ; see Eccl. 4:9 , 11 ; Acts 13:2 ; 15:27 , 39 , 40 ; 19:22 ; Rev. 11:3 ). Jesus warned them in Luke 10:3 that they would face hostility (see Ezek. 2:3–6; John 15:20) and spiritual danger (see Matt. 7:15; John 10:12). Yet we are told they "returned with joy" (v. 17). How long the mission lasted is not recorded. It may have been several weeks.
Regarding their experience, Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (v. 18). In this context, it appears Jesus' meaning was, "Don't be so surprised that the demons are subject to you. I saw their commander cast out of heaven, so it is no wonder if his minions are cast out on earth. After all, I am the source of the authority that makes them subject to you" (v. 19). He may also have intended a subtle reminder and warning against pride—the reason for Satan's fall (see 1 Tim. 3:6). Jesus gave them "authority to trample on serpents and scorpions." These appear to be figurative terms for demonic powers (see
Rom. 16:20).
Nevertheless, Jesus says, "Do not rejoice in this" (v. 20). Rather than being so enthralled with extraordinary manifestations such as power over demons and the ability to work miracles, they should have realized that the greatest wonder of all is the reality of salvation—the whole point of the gospel message and the central issue to which all the miracles pointed—"because your names are written in heaven."
Return to April 10 Readings
April 11
L UKE 10:25–42
THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN
25And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
26He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?" 27So he answered and said, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,'a
and 'your neighbor as yourself.' "b
28And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." 29But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a certain priest came down that
road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32Likewise a Levite,
when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he
was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35On the next day, when he departed,a he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' 36So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"
37And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
MARY AND MARTHA WORSHIP AND SERVE
38Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain
woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39And she had a sister
called Mary, who also sat at Jesus'a feet and heard His word. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
41And Jesusa answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
10:42 one thing…good part. Jesus was not speaking of the number of dishes to be served. The one thing necessary was exemplified by Mary, i.e, an attitude of worship and meditation, listening with an open mind and heart to Jesus' words.
DAY 11: If we are to love our neighbor, who is our neighbor?
The lawyer who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life in Luke 10:25 knew the commandments well enough. But when he asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" we are told that he was "wanting to justify himself" (v. 29). It revealed the man's self-righteous character, as well as his desire to test Christ.
The prevailing opinion among scribes and Pharisees was that one's neighbors were the righteous alone. According to them, the wicked—including rank sinners (such as tax collectors and prostitutes), Gentiles, and especially Samaritans—were to be hated because they were the enemies of God. They cited Psalm 139:21, 22 to justify their position. As that passage suggests, hatred of evil is the natural corollary of loving righteousness. But the truly righteous person's "hatred" for sinners is not a malevolent enmity. It is a righteous abhorrence of all that is base and corrupt—not a spiteful, personal loathing of individuals. Godly hatred is marked by a brokenhearted grieving over the condition of the sinner. And as Jesus taught here and elsewhere ( 6:27–36 ; Matt. 5:44–48 ), it is also tempered by a genuine love. The Pharisees had elevated hostility toward the wicked to the status of a virtue, in effect nullifying the second Great Commandment. Jesus' answer to this lawyer demolished the Pharisaical excuse for hating one's enemies.
Contrasting the Levite, a religious person who assisted the priests in the work of the temple, with a despised Samaritan, who rescued the wounded person, Jesus reversed the lawyer's original question (v. 29). The lawyer assumed it was up to others to prove themselves neighbor to him. Jesus' reply makes it clear that each has a responsibility to be a neighbor—especially to those who are in need.
Return to April 11 Readings
Luke 11
April 12
L UKE 11:1–28
THE MODEL PRAYER
1Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
11:1 Lord, teach us to pray. Rabbis often composed prayers for their disciples to recite. Having seen Jesus pray many times, Jesus' disciples knew of His love for prayer, and they knew prayer was not just the reciting of words.
2So He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,a
Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.b
Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."a
A FRIEND COMES AT MIDNIGHT
5And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at
midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; 6for a friend of mine
has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? 8I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
KEEP ASKING, SEEKING, KNOCKING
9"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11If a son asks for breada from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND
14And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon
had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. 15But some of
them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub,a the ruler of the demons."
16Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. 17But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. 18If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. 19And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20But if I cast out demons
with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT RETURNS
24"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I
came.' 25And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."
KEEPING THE WORD
27And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"
28But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
11:28 More than that. This has the sense of, "Yes, but rather…." While not denying the blessedness of Mary, Christ did not countenance any tendency to elevate Mary as an object of veneration. Mary's relationship to Him as His physical mother did not confer on her any greater honor than the blessedness of those who hear and obey the word of God.
DAY 12: How far would some go to explain away Jesus' power?
Having just watched Jesus cast a demon out of a person, some people said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons" (Luke 11:15). Originally this referred to Baal-Zebul ("Baal, the prince"), chief god of the Philistine city of Ekron. The Israelites disdainfully referred to him as Baal-Zebub ("Lord of Flies").
Jesus reminded them that "every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation" (v. 17). This may have been a subtle jab at the Jewish nation, a kingdom divided in the time of Jeroboam, and still marked by various kinds of bitter internal strife and factionalism, right up to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. He also questioned them: "By whom do your sons cast them out?" (v. 19). There were Jewish exorcists who claimed power to cast out demons (Acts
19:13–15). Jesus' point was that if such exorcisms could be done via satanic power, the Pharisaical exorcists must be suspect, as well. And in fact, the evidence in Acts 19 suggests that the sons of Sceva were charlatans who employed fraud and trickery to fabricate phony exorcisms. "They will be your judges" (v. 19), i.e., witnesses against you. This seems to suggest that the fraudulent exorcisms (which had their approval) stood as a testimony against the Pharisees themselves, who disapproved of Christ's genuine exorcisms.
"But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you" (v. 20). In Exodus 8:19, the phony magicians of Egypt were forced to confess that Moses' miracles were genuine works of God, not mere trickery such as they had performed. Here Jesus made a similar comparison between His exorcisms and the work of the Jewish exorcists.
Return to April 12 Readings
April 13
L UKE 11:29–54
SEEKING A SIGN
29And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.a 30For as Jonah became a sign to the
Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 32The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.