What I Noticed Today (Luke 17-18)
Luke 17
In verses 1-4, Jesus, teaching the disciples, told them offenses against others are bound to happen, but it would be better to be drowned in the sea than cause a little one to stumble.
Note: The “offense” Jesus refers to is causing someone to sin. “Causing little ones to stumble” is a reference to doing something that causes a young believer to stumble (fall away).
Jesus also taught the disciples that if someone sins against them and repents, they must forgive even if the person repeats his sin multiple times in a day.
Note: “Seven” is the number of completeness. In this case, meaning one must continue to forgive.
In verses 5-10, the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith, but Jesus said if you have faith as large as a mustard seed, you could command a mulberry tree to be uprooted.
Note: A mulberry tree has very deep roots, living hundreds of years, and would take an extremely powerful force to uproot it.
Jesus continued teaching about a slave who did what he was told.
Note: The point of the story about the slave is that the servant does not expect to be praised or thanked for doing what he commanded. Neither should the disciples expect praise for serving God the way they were supposed to.
In verses 11-19, as Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, He entered a village where ten men with leprosy (skin diseases) met Him and asked to be healed. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests, and while they were going, they were healed. When one of the Samaritan men noticed he was healed, he returned to Jesus praising and thanking God.
Note: The men were healed on the way. They must have had faith that they would be healed. However, only one man, the Samaritan, returned to praise God. It seems the others only wanted Jesus for the healing he provided, not to accept Him as the Messiah.
In verses 20-37, (See also Matthew 24:23-28, and 37-41), Jesus teaches about the coming of the Kingdom of God.
In verses 20-21, Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, but He answered they would not be able to see it but that the kingdom of God is among them.
Note: The Pharisees were looking for observable signs in heaven, but Jesus was saying the kingdom was among them in the form of His message of the Gospel.
In verses 22-25, Jesus told the disciples there would be a time when the disciples would long to see the kingdom, but they would not. Everyone will know when the kingdom comes because His appearance will be like lightning, but He must suffer first.
In verses 26-37, Jesus said the coming of man would be just like the time of Noah when people were eating and drinking right up until the time of the flood. The same thing happened in the time of Lot when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.
Note: Jesus’ point is in both examples, the people ignored the warnings and were unprepared, and the same thing will happen when the Son of God returns.
In that time, one will be taken (to judgment), and one will be left (they will enter the kingdom).
Luke 18
In verses 1-14, Jesus teaches two parables about prayer. One is directed to the disciples, and the other is directed to some who thought they were righteous.
In verses 1-8, Jesus teaches the disciples the parable of the Unjust Judge. The unjust judge did not fear God. A widow kept coming to him, demanding justice against an adversary. The worn-out judge finally gave her justice because she had been so persistent.
Note: The lesson of the parable (v. 1) is to pray continually and not get discouraged. God will grant justice swiftly to those who cry out to Him day and night.
Note: The last part of verse 8 is a reference to when the Son of Man comes genuine faith like that of the persistent woman will be rare.
In verses 9-14, Jesus teaches the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
Note: Jesus’ reference to the self-righteous man may be a direct reference to the Pharisees who thought of themselves as better than everyone else.
The Pharisee came into the temple and bragged as he prayed to God. The tax collector came into the temple, unwilling to look up to God, beating his chest and begging God to turn His wrath from him. Jesus said everyone who exalts himself would be humbled (by God), and everyone who humbles himself (before God) will be exalted.
Note: The Pharisee thought of himself as righteous because he was comparing himself to other men rather than to God’s standard. The tax collector knew he was a sinner, humbled himself, and begged God for forgiveness.
In verses 15-17, (See also Matthew 19:13-15, and Mark 10:13-16), people brought infants and small children to Jesus to bless them, and the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said the kingdom of God belongs to such as these children, and whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a child will never enter.
Note: Children come in faith, expectantly, and excitedly. They know they are dependent upon their parents. Those who expect to enter the kingdom of God need to come as children: in faith, excitedly, expectantly, and in total dependence on God.
In verses 18-30, (See also Matthew 9:16-30, and Mark 10:17-31) teaches about wealth and possessions in the kingdom of heaven.
In verses 18-23, a rich young ruler came to Jesus, addressing Him as a Good Teacher, asking, “what must I do” to inherit eternal life? Jesus answered only God is good. Jesus told the man to keep the commandments (the 5th through the 9th, Exodus 20:12-16) about adultery, murder, stealing, bearing false witness, and honoring your father and mother. The man said he had kept all these commandments. Jesus said, then sell everything you have, give it to the poor, and come follow Me. The man was sad because he had many possessions.
Note: Jesus did not mention the first four commandments, which have to do with one’s relationship to God.
Note: Only God is truly righteous (Good). One cannot earn their way into heaven by “doing,” only by obeying Jesus and following Him. Jesus asks the man to sell his possessions touches on the man’s weakness, attachment to possessions, and material wealth. This would have been a violation of the 10th commandment not to covet.
In verses 24-30, Jesus said it is hard for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of heaven. It easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter into heaven.
Note: This would have been a revelation to the disciples as Jews believed that material possessions and wealth were a sign of God’s blessing upon a person and a sure sign that they were destined for heaven.
Jesus assured them that what is impossible with men is possible with God. He continued saying those who had sacrificed for the kingdom of God would be rewarded many times over in heaven.
In verses 31-34, (See also Matthew 20:17-19, and Mark 10:32-34), Jesus told the disciples for the third time about His last days. He (the Son of Man) would be handed over to men, mocked, insulted, spit on, flogged, and killed, but on the third day, He would rise again. The disciples didn’t understand what He was talking about.
Note: The disciples thought the kingdom was coming soon, so they didn’t understand what Jesus meant. After Jesus’ resurrection, they began to understand.
In verses 35-42, (See also Matthew 20:29-34, and Mark 10:46-52), as Jesus came close to Jericho, a blind man heard that Jesus was coming, and he started yelling for Jesus, Son of David, to have mercy on him. People told him to be quiet, but he yelled even louder. Jesus heard him, had the man brought to Him, and asked what he wanted. The man said he wanted to see, so Jesus said, your faith has healed you. The man immediately was able to see. He praised God and began to follow Jesus.
Note: The blind man had great faith in Jesus’ power to heal him. His reference to Jesus, Son of David, was a Messianic confession. He believed Jesus was the Messiah. If the nation of Israel had only had such faith, Jesus would have been able to heal their spiritual blindness.
Some thoughts for further consideration:
- How much faith do we exercise in our lives? As much as a mustard seed is all that is needed to make an impact in the kingdom.
- When we pray, do we pray persistently like the woman seeking justice or humbly like the tax collector who did not consider himself worthy to be before God? Or do we pray self-righteously like the Pharisee, happy in our knowledge that we are not like other men?
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
