Review Where We ve Been in Luke The Church f the Servant King Survey f the Bible Series The Gspel f Luke SB_18_Humility Manifested By Trust in the Father Befre we mve frward in ur study f Luke 18, it is imprtant that we pause, step back and take a lk at the larger flw f Luke s accunt. Since we have been enmeshed in the details f the accunt fr several weeks, this is especially imprtant nw. Here is a brief utline that captures mst f the highlights f what we ve cvered s far in Luke. Chapters 1-2 Luke emphasizes the Old Testament and its prmises f a Messiah Jhn s birth is annunced t Zacharias, the father f Jhn the Baptist, thrugh the angel Gabriel Jhn is seen as a fulfillment f Malachi 3:1 and 4:5-6 which prphesies that an Elijah wuld precede the cming f the Messiah (see Luke 7:27) Jesus birth is annunced by the angel Gabriel t Mary, the mther f the humanity f the Messiah, and seen as a fulfillment f the Davidic Cvenant (Lu 1:32-33) Mary s Magnificat (Lu 1:46-56) cntains many references t phrases and prmises fund in the Psalms and ther Old Testament passages regarding the Messiah Zecharias Benedictus (Lu 1:67-79) evidences much f the same Simen, the ld man, wuld nt see death until he saw the Cnslatin f Israel (Lu 2:25-35) Anna, a prphetess and widw fr 84 years, witnesses that Jesus is the Messiah (Lu 2:36-38) Jesus grws in knwledge and wisdm and amazes the schlars Chapters 3-4:13 Demnstrate Jesus as the Messiah Wh can resist Satan Jhn baptizes Jesus t begin Jesus public ministry (Lu 3:21-22) Satan tempts Jesus (Lu 4:1-13) Chapters 4:14-9:50 The Galilean Ministry Jesus Claims as the Messiah and Miracles t Supprt the Claims Rejected at Nazareth (Lu 4:16-30) Casts ut demn (Lu 4:31-37) Heals Peter s mther-in-law and thers (Lu 4:38-41) Preaches in Galilee (4:42-44) Calls Peter, James and Jhn t be disciples (Lu 5:1-11) Heals and cleanses a leper (Lu 5:12-15) Frgives and heals a paralytic (Lu 5:17-26) Calls Matthew, the tax cllectr (Lu 5:27-32) Questined abut fasting and Jesus illustrates the difference between the spirituality f the Messianic Kingdm verses the religius system currently being practiced which was a derivative f the Msaic Law (Lu 5:33-39) Disciples eat grain n the Sabbath and Jesus cnfrnted by Pharisees Jesus is Lrd f the Sabbath (Lu 6:1-5) Jesus heals man with withered right hand n the Sabbath (Lu 6:6-11) Jesus names the twelve apstles (Lu 6:12-16) Jesus heals a multitude (Lu 6:17-19) The Beatitudes and Sermn n the Munt (Lu 6:20-49) Jesus heals a centurin s servant (Lu 7:1-10) Jesus raises the dead sn f the widw f Nain (Lu 7:11-17) Jhn sends messengers t Jesus (Lu 7:18-35) Jesus aninted with il by sinful wman while at Pharisee s huse fr dinner and frgives her (Lu 7:36-50) 1
Wmen wh had been healed minister t Jesus (Lu 8:1-3) Parable f the Swer (Lu 8:4-8) Parable f the lamp (Lu 8:16-18) Wind and Wave bey Jesus (Lu 8:22-25) Jesus heals a demn pssessed man and the demns flee t the swine (Lu 8:26-39) Jesus heals the daughter f Jairus, ruler f a synaggue in Galilee and a wman with a hemrrhage. (Lu 8:40-56) Sends ut the Twelve (Lu 9:1-6) Jesus feeds five thusand (Lu 9:10-17) Peter cnfesses Jesus as the Messiah (Lu 9:18-20) Jesus predicts His death and resurrectin (Lu 9:21-22) Jesus is transfigured (Lu 9:28-36) Jesus casts ut a demn and heals a by (Lu 9:37-42) Jesus predicts His death (Lu 9:43-45) Pint f transitin Jesus Determines t g t Jerusalem (Lu 9:52). Miracles are less prminent and teaching and instructin becme mre prminent. Jesus Jurney t Jerusalem, Increased Oppsitin and His Teaching the Disciples (Lu 9:52-19:44). The widening rift between Jesus and the Jewish religius leaders becmes mre prminent in Luke 9-13 and in Luke 14-19, Luke emphasizes Jesus teaching f His disciples. Rejectin in Samaritan village (Lu 9:51-56) Teaching n the cst f discipleship (Lu 9:57-62) Seventy disciples sent and return and Jesus instructs them n spiritual pririties (Lu 10:1-20) The parable f the Gd Samaritan (Lu 10:25-37) Jesus teaches Martha a spiritual principle regarding pririties (Lu 10:38-42) Jesus teaches the disciples a prayer (Lu 11:1-4) Jesus teaches the disciples the principle f persistence (Lu 11:5-13) Jesus accused f casting ut demns by the pwer f Satan (Lu 11:14-23) Jesus teaches the disciples the principle that self-righteusness gives pprtunity fr greater evil (Lu 11:24-26) Jesus cmpares the rejectin f His generatin t the psitive vlitin f the Queen f Sheba and the Ninevites t whm Jnah evangelized (Lu 11:29-32) We t the Pharisees and religius leaders (Lu 11:37-54) Jesus teaches regarding hypcrisy (Lu 12:1-3) Jesus teaches regarding the mniscience f Gd sparrws and numbered hair (Lu 12:4-7) Jesus teaches the unpardnable sin f blasphemy f the Hly Spirit and the necessity t cnfess Him befre men (Lu 12:8-12) Jesus teaches the parable f the rich fl (Lu 12:13-21) Jesus teaches the principle f nt wrrying abut material prvisin, but t fcus upn all that awaits them in the kingdm (Lu 12:22-34) Jesus teaches the principle f the need fr faithfulness prir t the Secnd Cming using the faithful and evil servant as examples (Lu 12:35-48) Jesus teaches that He will bring divisin (Lu 12:49-53) Jesus teaches the multitudes t discern the times and make peace with ne s persnal adversaries (Lu 12:54-59) Jesus teaches the need t repent and the parable f the barren fig tree (Lu 13:1-9) Jesus heals a wman n the Sabbath (Lu 13:10-17) Jesus teaches principles f the kingdm, i.e. grwth like a mustard seed and spreading like leaven (Lu 13:18-21) Jesus teaches the principle that the way int the kingdm is a narrw way (Lu 13:22-33) Jesus laments ver Jerusalem (13:34-35) 2
Jesus heals a man n the Sabbath (14:1-6) Jesus teaches the principle f humility (14:7-14) Jesus teaches abut the Great Supper (14:15-24) Jesus teaches the principle f leaving all t fllw Christ (14:25-33) Jesus teaches principles relating t Gd s respnse t psitive vlitin the parable f the lst sheep, the lst cin and the lst (prdigal) sn (Lu 15:1-31) Jesus teaches the principle f making prvisin fr eternity future thrugh the parable f the unjust steward (16:1-13) Jesus respnds t the Pharisees derisin regarding Jesus teaching abut mney (16:14-18) Jesus teaches a principle relating t eternal destiny the rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31) Jesus teaches His disciples regarding the inevitability f negative vlitin (17:1-4) Jesus teaches His disciples principles regarding faith (17:5-10) Jesus heals ten lepers (17:11-19) Jesus answers the Pharisees and teaches His disciples regarding the cming f the kingdm (17:20-37) The abve summary brings us up t chapter 18 where Luke is emphasizing Jesus instructin t His disciples as He makes his way t Jerusalem during His public ministry. We are n the verge f entering the last sectin f Luke s gspel where the cntrversies with the religius leadership f Israel reaches its climax in the death, resurrectin and ascensin f Jesus. The Parable f the Persistent Widw (18:1-8) Jesus cntinues the instructin f His disciples in chapter 18. The principle message fr Jesus disciples frm this passage is t nt lse faith. Persecutin, such as Jesus taught that His fllwer s wuld suffer (e.g. 9:23-27; 12:10-12), culd cause sme t lse their faith. The judge in this parable represents pwer which is crrupt and uninterested in its subjects welfare quite a cntrast t Gd. The widw is dependent upn thers fr her supprt and care. Evidently, she had suffered a financial injustice. Luke ften takes nte f the plight f widws (e.g. 2;37; 4:25, 26; 7:12; 20:47; 21:2, 3; Acts 6:1-7; 9:39, 41). Even a crrupt judge will eventually yield t the pleas f a subject. Hw much mre will a lving heavenly Father yield t the pleas f His Own child? If an unjust judge will eventually give justice, then hw much mre will the heavenly Father and His Gd/man Sn mete ut justice n behalf f His Own? Jesus statement in verse 8 was designed t exhrt the disciples t cntinue in prayer and faithfulness. Jesus was nt indicating that there wuld nt be any believers when He returned. The Parable f the Pharisee and the Tax Cllectr (18:9-14) In this passage, Jesus turns t a select grup wh trusted in themselves. In ther wrds, they were self-righteus. I believe there is a high degree f likelihd that this grup cnsisted f the religius leaders r their crnies since it is that grup that s trusted in themselves and their wn keeping f their interpretatin f the Msaic Law. The self-righteus persn uses a relative standard t measure his wrthiness befre Gd. The self-righteus persn cmpares himself t ther peple. The tax cllectr represented the humble persn wh cmpares himself t Gd s standard. This parable reminds us f the parable f the prdigal sn in Luke 15:11-32 in regard t the attitude f the sn when he repented. It als reminds us f the principles f humility that Jesus has taught n previus ccasins (e.g. Lu 13:30; 14:11). Jesus Blesses Little Children (18:15-17) 3
Luke includes this shrt sectin as a fllw up n the principle f humility Jesus taught in the previus sectin. Jesus had just taught the need fr humility thrugh a parable that cntrasted the self-righteus persn with the persn wh really understd their spiritual plight. A child realizes that they are dependent upn smene else and incapable f prviding fr themselves. In the same manner, such an attitude f humility needs t be present in the adult wh desires t enter the kingdm. They need t realize their true spiritual cnditin and apprach Gd dependent upn His prvisin, nt their wn. Jesus teaches that it is impssible t enter the Kingdm when ne believes that gd wrks prduced frm a psitin f pwer and influence are sufficient t satisfy Gd s righteus requirements. Such is nt the humble attitude like a child that can nly trust in smething greater than him/herself rather than persnal ability. Jesus Cunsels the Rich Yung Ruler (18:18-23) In this passage, Jesus respnds t the rich yung ruler in a manner that affirms His deity. Jesus implied that if He were truly gd, then it wuld be because He was Gd since nly Gd is truly gd. Jesus respnds t the man s questins with instructins that the man needed t keep the seventh, sixth, eighth, ninth and fifth cmmandments (Lu 18:19-20 cf. Ex 20:12-16). These cmmandments pertain t man s relatinship t man; whereas the first fur pertain t man s relatinship t Gd. Jesus perceived that the man was mre attached t his wealth than what it wuld have required t inherit eternal life. The ruler was nt ready t take that step in cntrast t Zacchaeus in Luke 19:8. With Gd All Things Are Pssible (18:24-30) Jesus analgy f the camel thrugh the eye f the needle teaches the impssibility f entering the Kingdm if ne is relying upn his/her wn resurces. The needle was nt a small gate in the city wall thrugh which a camel culd just squeeze thrugh n its knees. (This is smetimes taught by thse wh want t acknwledge the fact that Jesus was nt excluding rich peple frm the Kingdm.) Rather, the cntext is that f a rich man wh is depending upn his wn gd wrks t enter the Kingdm. Any rich persn wh s tries t buy his way int the Kingdm thrugh the prductin f gd wrks will find entry as impssible as a camel trying t g thrugh the eye f a sewing needle. This is Jesus pint in verse 27 The things which are impssible with men [prductin f gd wrks sufficient t satisfy Gd s righteusness] are pssible with Gd. Jesus respnse t Peter is designed t encurage Peter and the ther disciples t fcus upn the blessings that wuld be theirs in the present time r age [i.e. the spiritual blessings related t having been a disciple f Christ Himself while He was n earth] and the age t cme, eternal life [i.e. the blessing f eternal life which wuld be a part f their inheritance in the Messianic kingdm]. Jesus Predicts His Death Yet a Third Time (18:31-34) Jesus has taught His disciples abut His death n previus ccasins; hwever this is the first mentin f the mde f His death and the Gentiles part in it. Can yu imagine being Jesus at this pint in His ministry? Hw wuld yu handle it if yu knew that Gd s plan fr yu included enduring such an injustice? Wuld yu rebel against the Father s plan because it wasn t fair t yu? Wuld yu have a perspective f yur life and human histry that was greater than yur wn interests? T ne degree r anther, we face these same questins every day when much less significant injustices cme ur way. 4
A Blind Man Receives His Sight (18:35-43) Here the blind man illustrates hw the natin shuld have respnded in faith. He manifest his faith by using the title Sn f David. The crwd, like the religius leaders, tried t keep him quiet. 5