In Today's Email:
Luke 6 Notes
In this chapter Christ preaches the Sermon on the Mount.
vs. 1-5 – This parallels Mathew 12:1-8 and Mark 2:23-28. Christ and His disciples go through a field of grain, either wheat or barley. They take some of the grain, rub the chaff away with their hands, and eat the kernels. Deuteronomy 23:25 allowed this, but the Pharisees still condemned them for working, I suppose harvesting, on the Sabbath. Christ appeals to the example of David eating shewbread in I Samuel 21:1-7 to show the there are greater laws of grace above the strict observance of traditions. He claims authority over the Sabbath as the Messiah. This does not settle the issue, as we see in the next section.
vs. 6-11 – This parallels Matthew 12:9-14 and Mark 3:1-6. The Pharisees set a trap for Christ by having a man with a withered hand (note how Luke diagnoses this as a doctor) attend Synagogue on the Sabbath. They wanted to trick Him into healing on the Sabbath, which Christ readily did. Instead of praising God for the man being healed, they are enraged that their traditions had been violated and begin to plot against Christ.
vs. 12-19 – This parallels Matthew 10:2-4 and Mark 3:13-19. Christ calls twelve disciples to be trained specially for the work ahead. This of course includes the traitor Judas.
vs. 20-23 – This parallels Matthew 5:1-16. Christ begins the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes. These illustrate the characteristics of a full, content life in serving God.
vs. 24-36 – This parallels Matthew 6:19-34. Christ continues the Sermon on the Mount by showing the way the righteous should love. The first and foremost characteristic of a believer should be love. Here it is love for their neighbor that is highlighted. This includes enemies.
vs. 37-42 – This parallels Matthew 7:1-12. This section of the Sermon on the Mount concerns our interactions with others. We are not to be judgmental toward others, dealing with our own faults before those of others.
vs. 43-49 – This parallels Matthew 7:13-29. The final section of the Sermon on the Mount is a call to show our faith through our works. The fruits and treasures we produce should be results of who we are in Christ. The best life is one lived in accordance with the Scripture.
Luke 7 Notes
In this chapter Christ raises the dead for the first time.
vs. 1-10 - This parallels Matthew 8:5-13. The servant of a Roman centurion was deathly sick. The Jewish elders vouch for the man’s character and faith in that he had paid for a synagogue to be built there. This and the fact he even cared for a servant speaks highly of this soldier. Christs is moved by the man’s humility and faith. This Gentile showed more faith than most Jews.
vs. 11-17 – This is the first of three occasions where Christ raised someone from the dead. Nain (“beauty”) was a village about 20 mile southwest of Capernaum. As Christ and the disciples enter, they meet a funeral process exiting the city. The deceased is the only son of a widow, and the description of him being carried on a bier suggests he may be only a toddler. This would leave the widow a husband, heir, and any hope beyond living as a beggar. Christ stops the procession and commands the boy to rise. Nothing like this had happened since the days of Elijah and Elisha, and Christ’s fame grows even more.
vs. 18-35 – This parallels Matthew 11:2-19. John the Baptist is still imprisoned by Herod Antipas. He sends messengers to Christ. There are two theories as to why he does so. First, that he had begun to have doubts about Christ. Second, that he wanted to point his followers to Christ. I prefer the latter. Christ tells the messengers to tell John of the miracles being done, but more importantly that the Gospel message was being preached. Christ then speaks on the person and purpose of John. He was the greatest of the prophets and the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. Note in verses 29 and 30 that rejected John’s message is considered the same as rejecting Christ’s. They preached the same Gospel of faith in God through the Messiah.
vs. 36-50 – A Pharisee named Simon invites Christ to a dinner. This seems to have been an opportunity to humiliate Christ. We note in verse 44 that Christ says His host had failed to provide the simplest acts of hospitality. It is in this setting that a disgraced woman comes to Christ, washes His feet with her tears, and anoints them with valuable ointment. The Pharisees are shocked that He would interact with such a woman. Christ responds with a parable of two men that were forgiven debts. The first had been forgive a debt of 500 denarii (about $4,100) and the other 50 (about $410). Who would be the most appreciative? Of course, the one that had been forgiven the larger debt. Be the same logic, Christ shows that someone who finds forgiveness from a life of terrible sins would obviously be more grateful for their salvation. He acknowledges her faith and publicly declares her sins to be forgiven.
Closing Thoughts
Christ was never afraid to rub shoulders with the lowest of men and women. These had the greatest needs and were the most receptive to His message of grace and forgiveness. Sadly, we judge many today that are in similar conditions to be beyond hope. As long as someone is breathing, there is hope for them in Christ.
Hymn for Today
Our hymn today is “Divine Forgiveness” by Thomas Gibbons.
Forgiveness! 'tis a joyful sound
To malefactors doom'd to die;
Publish the bliss the world around;
Ye seraphs, shout it from the sky!
'Tis the rich gift of love divine;
'Tis, full, out-measuring every crime;
Unclouded shall its glories shine,
And fee no change, by changing time.
O'er sins unnumber'd as the sand,
And like the mountains for their size,
The seas of sovereign grace expand,
The seas of sovereign grace arise.
For this stupendous love of heaven
What grateful honors shall we show?
Where much transgression is forgiven
Let love in equal ardors glow.
By this inspir'd, let all our days
With various holiness be crown'd,
Let truth and goodness, prayer and praise
In all abide, in all abound.