Lesson&#7& Things&Are&Not&What&They&Seem& (6:&17& &7:&50)& Things"Are"Not"What"They"Seem"

Transcription

1 Lesson&#7& Things&Are&Not&What&They&Seem& (6:&17& &7:&50)& 1"

2 In#a#very#nice#literary#move,#Lesson##6#opened#with#Luke#moving#Jesus # rejec>on#at#nazareth#to#the#beginning#of#his#public#ministry,#rather#than# toward#the#end,#as#madhew#and#mark#have#it,#foreshadowing#jesus # condemna>on#and#death#at#the#hands#of#the#jewish#and#roman# authori>es#in#jerusalem.## Lesson##6#then#introduced#seven#vigneDes#of#Jesus#teaching#and#healing,# illustra>ng#his#increasing#popularity#with#the#crowds,#followed#by#three# ques>ons#regarding#fas>ng#and#working#on#the#sabbath,#ques>ons#that# planted#seeds#of#discontent#that#will#grow#into#fierce#opposi>on#as#our# story#con>nues.# Lesson##6#closed#with#Jesus#assembling#his#twelve#Apostles.# 2"

3 As#we#enter#Lesson##7#we#must#ask#ourselves:## What#did#people#expect# of#jesus? ##Unlike#Jesus #portrayal#as#a#fiery#revolu>onary#in#the#gospel& according&to&mark,#luke#portrays#him#as#a#profound#moral#and#ethical# teacher#who#says,#rather#meekly:## Blessed&is&the&one&who&takes&no& offense&at&me #(7:#23).##To#this#point#in#Luke,#Jesus#is#far#from#the# confronta>onal#firebrand#we#meet#in#the#gospel&according&to&mark.#### Lesson##7#alternates#Jesus #teaching#with#miraculous#healings,#including# raising#the#widow#of#nain s#son#from#the#dead.##like#the#first#seismic# rumblings#deep#beneath#the#earth,#barely#no>ceable,#we#are#moving# toward#something#big,#something#that#will#shake#the#very#founda>ons# of#the#earth.# 3"

4 Lesson##7#presents#a#carefully# structured,#5ypart#sequence:## 1. that#opens#with#jesus #teaching#the# Sermon#on#the#Plain ;## 2. con>nues#with#jesus#healing#the# centurion s#servant;# 3. escalates#to#jesus#raising#the#widow# of#nain s#dead#son;# 4. clarifies#jesus #iden>ty#and#purpose# through#a#visit#from#john#the# Bap>st s#followers;#and## 5. concludes#with#a#dinner#party#at#the# home#of#simon#the#pharisee.# 4"

5 A_er#Jesus#appoints#his#Apostles#on# the#mount#of#bea>tudes#in#our# closing#scene#of#lesson##6,# he&came& down&with&them&and&stood&on&a& stretch&of&level&ground &(6:#17),#the# very#same#place#he#stood#when#he# got#into#peter s#boat#to#teach#and# where#he#called#peter#to#become#a# fisher#of#men,#earlier#in#our#story#(5:# 1Y#11).# Luke#sets#the#stage#for#Jesus # teaching#in#6:#17y19.## 5"

6 A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all. (6: 17-19) 6"

7 ###Jesus#is#gathering#huge#crowds# from#a#100#mile#area,#tyre#and# Sidon#to#the#north#(in#Lebanon# of#today),#judea#and#jerusalem# to#the#south.#people#are## Not#me.## swarming#in#from#everywhere!" And# power&came& forth&from&him. && Oooo!##I#wish#I#had# been#there!# 7"

8 Then#Jesus#begins#his# Sermon#on#the# Plain. # Drawing#heavily#upon#MaDhew s# Sermon#on#the# Mount #(MaDhew#5Y7)#Luke#recasts#MaDhew s# material,#elimina>ng#references#to#the#mosaic#law# (e.g.,# You&have&heard&it&said&[in#the#law]&.&.&.&but&I& tell&you&.&.&. )#and#highligh>ng#jesus #more#universal# teachings#(e.g.,# Love&your&enemies,&do&good&to& those&who&hate&you. ),#teachings#more#relevant#to# his#gen>le#audience.# By#shi_ing#the#loca>on#of#Jesus #teaching#from#the# Mount#of#Bea>tudes#at#the#top#of#the#hill#to#the# plain #at#the#bodom,#luke#clearly#separates#the# two#teachings,#deflec>ng#aden>on#from# MaDhew s# Jewish #version#and#emphasizing#the# universality#of#jesus #message#in#luke s#version.## 8"

9 The# Sermon#on#the#Plain #is#a#simply# structured,#5ypart#teaching:# Introduc>on#(20Y26)# #1. #Love#your#enemies#(27Y36)# 2. #Stop#judging#others#(37Y42)# 3. #Proof#of#inten>on#(43Y45)## Conclusion(46Y49)# 9"

10 As#MaDhew#began#his# Sermon#on# the#mount #with#nine#clever#and# memorable## bea>tudes, #(5:#3Y12),# so#luke#begins#his# Sermon#on#the# Plain #with#four#clever#and# memorable# bea>tudes #(20b# #22),# balanced#by#four##clever#and# memorable# woe#to#you #statements# (24Y26),#the#en>re#unit#pivo>ng#on#a# proclama>on#(23).# 10"

11 Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you... (20b-22) Rejoice and leap for joy on that day. Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. (23) But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled no, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you... (24-26) 11"

12 ###Nicely#done,#Luke!" Not#me.## It#sure#is!# 12"

13 Introduc>on#(20Y26)# #1. #Love#your#enemies#(27Y36)# 2. #Stop#judging#others#(37Y42)# 3. #Proof#of#inten>on#(43Y45)## Conclusion(46Y49)# 13"

14 The# Love#your#enemies #sec>on# consists#of#five,#2ypart#balanced## statements:# 1. Love&your&enemies,&do&good&to&those& who&hate&you &(27);# 2. Bless&those&who&curse&you,&pray&for&those& who&mistreat&you &(28);# 3. To&the&person&who&strikes&you&on&one& cheek,&offer&the&other&one&as&well,&and& from&the&person&who&takes&your&cloak,&do& not&withhold&even&your&tunic &(29);# 4. Give&to&everyone&who&asks&of&you,&and& from&the&one&who&takes&what&is&yours&do& not&demand&it&back &(30);# 5. Do&to&others&as&you&would&have&them&do& to&you&.&.&.& &(31Y36).# Listen#to#Luke#6:#21Y36#in#context:# 14"

15 A_er#opening#with#Luke s#clever#and# memorable# bea>tudes #and# woes, #Luke s# love#your#enemies # sec>on#elevates#jesus #teaching#to#an# impossibly#high#moral#and#ethical# plain,#a#standard#that#is#not# restricted#to#the#covenant# community#of#israel one#under#the# Mosaic#law but#one#that#applies# universally.# Luke#then#shi_s#the#focus#from#the# high#standards#of#one s#own# behavior#to#not#judging#others # behavior.# 15"

16 Introduc>on#(20Y26)# #1. #Love#your#enemies#(27Y36)# 2. #Stop#judging#others#(37Y42)# 3. #Proof#of#inten>on#(43Y45)## Conclusion(46Y49)# 16"

17 Pieter#Bruegel#the#Elder.##The&Blind&Leading&the&Blind&(distemper#on#canvas),#1568.# Museo#di#Capodimonte,#Napels,#Italy.# 17"

18 18"

19 The#Greek#word#translated# hypocrite #is#ujpokrithvv (hoopyokyreeytace).# It#means# actor, #one#who# wears#a#mask,#pretending#to# be#someone#he#is#not.# Jesus#uses#the#word#as#a# scathing#insult.# Greek#theater#mask#(terracoDa),#1 st #century#bc.# Louvre#Museum,#Paris.# 19"

20 Introduc>on#(20Y26)# #1. #Love#your#enemies#(27Y36)# 2. #Stop#judging#others#(37Y42)# 3. #Proof#of#inten>on#(43Y45)## Conclusion(46Y49)# 20"

21 In#the#end,#what#you#believe#and#what#you#say# must#manifest#itself#in#your#ac>ons.# Chris>an#theology#is#clear,#as#St.#Paul#says:## For&by& grace&you&have&been&saved&through&faith,&and&this& is&not&from&you;&it&is&the&gix&of&god;&it&is&not&from& works,&so&no&one&may&boast &(Ephesians#2:#8Y9).# Yet,#St.#James#says:## What&good&is&it,&my&brothers,& if&someone&says&he&has&faith&but&does&not&have& works?&&can&that&faith&save&him?&(james#2:#14)?# The#old#Reforma>on#bugYaYboo#of# faith #vs.# works #is#a#false#dichotomy:##a#genuine#saving# faith#will#always&manifest#itself#in#a#life#of#ac>ve# love,#or#a#life#of#good#works.## Faith #and# works# are#like#breathing#in#and#breathing#out:##you#can t# have#one#without#the#other.# Listen#to#Jesus:# 21"

22 A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thorn bushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil: for from the fullness of heart the mouth speaks. (6: 43-45) 22"

23 Introduc>on#(20Y26)# #1. #Love#your#enemies#(27Y36)# 2. #Stop#judging#others#(37Y42)# 3. #Proof#of#inten>on#(43Y45)## Conclusion(46Y49)# 23"

24 Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, but not do what I command? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed. (6: 46-49) 24"

25 Jesus the#carpenter knows#what#he s#talking# about!# 25"

26 When#Jesus#finished#his# Sermon# on#the#plain #he#walked#a#short# distance#north#along#the#shore#of# the#sea#of#galilee,#returning#home# to#capernaum.## On#arriving,#a#delega>on#from#the# synagogue#met#him:# Listen#to#Luke#7:#1Y10.# 26"

27 Roman#Centurion# # ## A#Roman#Legion#consisted#of#6,000#men#and#was#divided#into#ten#Regiments,#each# having#a#name.##cornelius,#the#centurion#at#caesarea#mari>ma#who#summons#st.# Paul#in#Acts#10,#is#a#member#of#the#Italian#Regiment.##Each#Regiment#consisted#of# 600#men.##A#Centurion#commanded#a#100Yman#unit#in#a#Regiment.##All#legionnaires## were#professional#soldiers#serving#25yyear#terms.##athough#not#exactly#analogous,#a# centurion#was#similar#in#rank#to#a#career#midylevel#officer,#a#captain#or#major,#in# today s#army#or#marine#corps.# 27"

28 Capernaum s&4 th^century&synagogue,&built&over&the&remains&of& the&original&1 st^century&basalt&structure.& Photography&by&Ana&Maria&Vargas& 28"

29 Would#a#Roman#centurion#have#had#the# means or#the#desire to#have# built #the# synagogue#at#capernaum?# Although#Roman#soldiers#were#generally#disliked#(or# despised!)#by#the#jewish#popula>on,#there#were#notable# excep>ons;#for#example,#a_er#speaking#with#peter#at# Caesarea,#the#Roman#centurion#Cornelius#and#his#family## are#bap>zed#and#become#the#first#gen>le#converts## (Acts#10).# Capernaum#sits#along#the#great#Great#Ri_#Valley,#a# divergent#tectonic#plate#boundary,#prone#to#frequent#and# severe#earthquakes.##indeed,#a#massive#earthquake#on# January#18,#749#(referred#to#in#Jewish#sources#as# The# Seventh#Earthquake )#destroyed#capernaum,#along#with# several#other#ci>es#in#galilee#and#judea,#including# Scythopolis#[Hebrew#=#Beit#She an],#one#of#the#ten# decapolis #ci>es#men>oned#in#scripture.# A#centurion#would#probably#not#have#had#the#financial# means#to# build #the#synagogue#at#capernaum,#but#he# and#his#100#men#could#certainly#have#provided#labor#for# its#construc>on#or#rebuilding.# 29"

30 We#read#in#our#next#sec>on:# Soon&aXerward&[Jesus]#journeyed& to&a&city&called&nain,&and&his& disciples&and&a&large&crowd& accompanied&him. && & & & & & &(7:#11).# 30"

31 Capernaum#!# Nazareth#!# Nain#!# About#9#miles#south#of#Nazareth.# 31"

32 Nain#[Nein],#today#a#small#Arab#village#in#the#Galilee.& 32"

33 Lucas#Cranach#the#Elder.##The&Rise&of&the&Young&Man&of&Nain&(altarpiece),#1569.# Town#and#Parish#Church#of#St.#Mary s,#lutherstadt#widenberg,#germany.# 33"

34 So#far,#Jesus#has:## 1. taught#the# Sermon#on#the#Plain ;## 2. healed#the#centurion s#servant;#and# 3. raised#the#dead.### The#three#episodes#escalate#in# significance#and#intensity,# promp>ng#john#the#bap>st#to#send# two#of#his#disciples#north#to#galilee# to#ask#jesus:## Are&you&the&one&who& is&to&come,&or&should&we&look&for& another? #(7:#19).## Read#the#story#in#7:#18Y35.## 34"

35 Why#would#John# have#such#a# ques>on# Not#me.## about#jesus?#" That#is#strange!# 35"

36 John#EvereD#Mallais.##Christ&in&the&House&of&His&Parents&[ The#Carpenter#Shop ]#(oil#on#canvas),#1849.# Tate#Britain,#London.# 36"

37 The#ques>on,# Are&you&the&one&who&is&to& come,&or&should&we&look&for&another? #(7:# 18Y19)#suggests#that#although#John#knows# Jesus#quite#well they#are#rela>ves,#a_er#all,# and#at#jesus #bap>sm#the#voice#of#god# iden>fied#jesus#as#god s#son,#with#whom#he# is#well#pleased;#nonetheless,#john#seems#to# expect#very#different#behavior#from#jesus,# more#along#the#lines#of#the#fiery#prophet#who# will#come# before&the&day&of&the&lord&comes,& the&great&and&terrible&day &(Malachi#3:#19).# If#we#are#correct#about#the#Essene#influence# on#john s#thinking,#the# War#Scroll, #found# among#the#dead#sea#scrolls,#may#shed#light# on#john s#expecta>ons.## 37"

38 War&of&the&Sons&of&Light&against&the&Sons&of&Darkness&[ War#Scroll ],#1QM,#4Q491Y496.# Shrine#of#the#Book,#Israel#Museum,#Jerusalem.# 38"

39 The# War#Scroll #was#among#the#first#7#scrolls# found#in#cave##1#by#a#young#bedouin#boy#in#1947.## It#consists#of#19#columns,#but#is#missing#the# bodom#por>on#of#each,#as#well#as#the#final#page# or#pages#of#the#composi>on.# The#Essenes#had#a#decidedly#apocalyp>c#world# view.##the# War#Scroll #tells#of#a#great#badle# between#the# Sons#of#Light #and#the# Sons#of# Darkness, #led#by#a#great#leader,#a# son#of#david. # Although#the#war#lasts#40#years,#the#scroll# focuses#on#the#final#days,#much#like#homer s#iliad.# A_er#6#bloody#engagements,#in#the#7 th # the&great& hand&of&god&shall&overcome&[belial,#the#leader#of# the#sons#of#darkness]#and&all&the&men&of&[his# forces#shall#be#destroyed#forever] #(1QM#1:#14Y15),# ushering#in#a#new#and#righteous#kingdom.# 39"

40 Did#John#think# Jesus#would#be#the# leader#of#that# Not#me.## badle?" Makes#sense# to#me.# 40"

41 Perhaps#so.# But#Jesus#was#doing#something#very# different.##rather#than#appearing#as# the#fiery#prophet#in#malachi#3:#19# who#brings#the# great#and#terrible # day#of#the#lord,#jesus#brings#the# blessings#of#isaiah#61 the#very# passage#he#read#and#preached#upon# at#the#synagogue#in#nazareth:##he# brings# good&news&to&the& afflicted &.&.&.& liberty&to&the& capcves &.&.&.& comfort&to&those&who& mourn. & 41"

42 Moving#to#our#final#sec>on,#Jesus# has#just#been#in#nain#and#he# receives#a#dinner#invita>on#from# Simon,#a#Pharisee.# He#accepts.# And#we#have#the#story#of#Jesus# pardoning#the#sinful#woman#who# stands#behind#him#weeping,# bathing#his#feet#with#her#tears#and# anoin>ng#his#feet#with#ointment# from#an#alabaster#jar.# Read#Luke#7:#36Y50.# 42"

43 Peter#Paul#Rubens.##Feast&at&the&Home&of&Simon&the&Pharisee&(oil#on#canvas),#c.#1620.# Hermitage#Museum,#St.#Petersburg,#Russia.# 43"

44 Who#is#the#sinful# woman#in#this# story?" Not#me.## Not#Mary# Magdalene,# that s#for#sure!# 44"

45 Jose#de#Ribera.##Mary&Magdalene&(oil#on#canvas),#c.#1641.# Prado#Museum,#Madrid.# 45"

46 Mary#Magdalene#is#NOT#a#pros>tute# nor#is#she#the#sinful#woman#of#luke#7:# 36Y50.# As#far#back#as#the#4 th #century#mary#magdalene#(or# Mary#of#Migdol, #a#village#a#lidle#south#of# Capernaum#on#the#shore#of#the#Sea#of#Galilee)#was# conflated#with#the#sinful#woman#of#luke#7,#as#well#as# with#mary#of#bethany,#sister#of#martha#and#lazarus.# Pope#Gregory#the#Great#in#his#Homily&#33&con>nues and#enshrines the#error:&&& Mary&whom&Luke&calls&the&sinful&woman,&whom&John& calls&mary,&we&believe&to&be&the&mary&from&whom& seven&devils&were&ejected&according&to&mark.&&what& did&these&seven&devils&signify,&if&not&all&the&vices. & For#the#next#1,900#years#the#Western#church# con>nued#the#erroneous#confla>on,#lis>ng#mary# among#the#great#repentant#sinners#and#patroness#of# wayward#women#and#pros>tutes.# 46"

47 Migdol#!# Nain#!# Bethany#!# Three#different#stories;#three#different#towns;#three#different#women!# 47"

48 1. How#does#Luke s# Sermon#on#the#Plain #differ# from#madhew s# Sermon#on#the#Mount?# 2. Why#would#the#centurion#feel#that#he#was#not# worthy#to#enter#under#jesus #roof?# 3. Jesus#raises#the#widow#of#Nain s#dead#son.## Does#anyone#else#raise#the#dead#in#Scripture?# 4. Why#would#John#the#Bap>st#ques>on# whether#jesus#was#the#one#he#expected?# 5. Why#did#Simon#the#Pharisee#invite#Jesus#to# dinner?# 48"

49 Copyright# #2015#by#William#C.#Creasy# # All# rights# reserved.# No# part# of# this# course audio,# video,# photography,# maps,# >melines# or# other# media may# be# reproduced#or#transmided#in#any#form#by#any#means,#electronic# or# mechanical,# including# photocopying,# recording# or# by# any# informa>on# storage# or# retrieval# devices# without# permission# in# wri>ng#or#a#licensing#agreement#from#the#copyright#holder.# 49"