The Least Shall Be Greatest, Giving All for Christ

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 9:37) And it came to pass that on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, many people met Him.

At the end of the last post, in the first part of chapter 9, Jesus had taken Peter, James, and John, with Him up into a mountain to pray, and there was transfigured before them.  The next day they came down from the mountain and many people were there to meet Jesus.

(38) And behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, "Master, I beseech You, look upon my son, for he is my only child."

A man among the crowd of people called out to Jesus, asking Him to look at his son, his only child.

(39) "And lo, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; and it convulses him that he foams at the mouth, and bruising him, hardly departing from him."

The man went on telling Jesus about his son.  A spirit would often seize him, making him cry out suddenly, convulsing him and causing him to foam at the mouth, and bruising him, hardly ever leaving him, or perhaps hardly ever leaving him alone, rarely allowing him peace, might be the better sense, as I don't believe the spirit left him until Jesus commanded it to leave.

(40) "And I besought Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not."

The man told Jesus he had asked the disciples to cast the demon spirit out of his son, but they were unable to do so.

(41) And Jesus answering, said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."

In answering him, Jesus first lamented the fact that He was dealing with a faithless and perverse generation.  He had, after all, given His disciples power to cast out demons, but they had been unable to do so in this case, because they did not have faith enough in their ability to do so, even though Jesus had told them He had given it to them.  He then told the man to bring his son to Him.

(42) And as he was coming, the devil threw him down and convulsed him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him back to his father.

As the boy was coming to Jesus, the demon spirit threw him down and convulsed him.  Regarding Jesus's action against the demon spirit, the original word "epitimao" that was translated as "rebuked" here can have a stronger meaning, "forbade" which I believe is the better sense here, as we know that Jesus healed the child, so He didn't just rebuke the spirit, but cast it out and forbade it from ever coming back.  The child was surely healed of any wounds the demon had caused in bruising him.

The accounts in Matthew and Mark said that the disciples asked Jesus why it was that they could not cast the demon out themselves.  He said it was because of their unbelief and added that that kind of spirit was only cast out with prayer and fasting.  I don't believe that He was giving them an exact formula for how to cast out such spirits, but that the point was that they needed to be strengthened by prayer and their constant communion with God with no distractions in order to have power over such powerful spirits as that one.

(43) And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, (44) "Let these sayings sink down into your ears, for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men."

Everyone who witnessed the healing was amazed at the mighty power of God demonstrated in Jesus.  Although they were all marveling over Him now, Jesus privately told His disciples that He would eventually be delivered into the hands of some of those same people.  He urged them to let what He was telling them really sink in.

(45) But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden that they did not perceive it, and they feared to ask Him about that saying.

However, the disciples did not understand what Jesus had said; the true meaning of what Jesus had said was hidden from them because of their perception of Jesus as a worldly king; it seemed a paradox.  They were afraid to ask Jesus what He had meant, perhaps fearing another rebuke from Jesus.  However, Jesus had planted a seed, telling them to let it sink in, and they would begin to understand His purpose as time went on.

(46) Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them would be greatest.

I find it a bit ironic that although the disciples had so recently not understood Jesus and were even afraid to ask Him, that they should think that they should each be the greatest in the kingdom of God, but that is what they were deliberating.

(47) And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child and set him by Him.

Not only did Jesus hear or know what they were discussing, but He knew the thoughts of their hearts.  He took aside a child from among the people who had gathered to meet Him.

(48) And said to them, "Whoever shall receive this child in My name receives Me, and whoever shall receive Me receives Him who sent Me; for he who is least among you all shall be great."

Jesus then spoke to the disciples, using the child as an example of lowliness and humility, one who was not seeking high honor and praise.  Whoever received such a one in Christ's name actually received Christ Himself, as He said in Matthew 25:40, "Inasmuch as you have done to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done to Me."  Furthermore, those who received Christ received Father God in heaven who had sent Christ.  Those who were least among them according to worldly standards, not seeking high praise and honor, would be the greatest among them because they served Christ and not worldly ambitions.

(49) And John answered and said, "Master, we saw one casting out devils in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."

John then told Jesus that they had seen someone casting out devils in Jesus's name, and they had forbidden him to do so because he was not one of Jesus's followers with them.

(50) And Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us."

Jesus, however, told John not to forbid such a one, because if he wasn't specifically working against Christ, then he was for Him, meaning that he, too, was desiring to promote the kingdom of God on earth, and should be encouraged, not discouraged.  That answers for me the question about how we should treat denominations other than our own, even if we perceive their church doctrines to be inaccurate; if they are doing the work of Christ, they are not against us, but for us, and we can rest assured the Holy Spirit will direct either or both of us in the truth of what matters most.

(51) And it came to pass when the time had come that He should be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.

When the time was nearing that Jesus should be lifted up on a cross and crucified, He set His face steadfastly toward Jerusalem, going toward His death without fear or shame and not shirking from it.

(52) And sent messengers before His face; and they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to prepare for Him.

Jesus sent messengers ahead of Him, and they went into a village of the Samaritans to prepare for Him.

(53) And they did not receive Him because His face was set to go to Jerusalem.

Apparently, the messengers told the people in the Samaritan village that they were requesting lodging on their way to Jerusalem.  There had long been a dispute between the Jews and the Samaritans about which was the right place of worship, the temple in Jerusalem or the Samaritans' temple on Mount Gerizzim.  Because Jesus seemed to them to prefer the temple at Jerusalem, they refused Him to temporarily lodge in their village, considering it an insult to them.

(54) And 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?"

James and John may have been the messengers, and when they witnessed the refusal of the Samaritan village to let them lodge there, they asked Jesus if He wanted them to command fire to come down from heaven and consume the village as Elijah had done in 2 Kings 1:10-12.

(55) But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of."

However, Jesus rebuked them and told them they did not realize what manner of spirit they were acting out of.  They may have thought they were acting out of love for their Lord and wished to defend His honor, but it was more likely desiring to exact revenge on the Samaritans.  Jesus had taught to love your enemies, so they were acting out with the wrong spirit.  Jesus had nicknamed James and John "Sons of Thunder," perhaps because of rash outbursts like this.

(56) "For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save." And they went to another village.

Jesus continued speaking to James and John and told them that He had not come into the world to destroy men, but to save them.  So they just went to another village.

(57) And it came to pass that as they went on the way, a certain man said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."

As they were walking on the way to another village, a man came up to Jesus and told Him he would follow Him wherever He went.

(58) And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head."

Jesus was saying to the man in effect that he should first understand under what conditions he must follow Jesus before making such a huge promise.  He told him that he had no home, and it would not be easy following Him.

(59) And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."

Apparently, another man had asked to follow Him, and Jesus told him to come and follow Him, but he said he wanted to first go and bury his father.

(60) Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."

However, Jesus told the man to let the dead bury the dead, but he should go and preach the kingdom of God, which was life for all men who accepted it.  It's not as though Jesus would have His followers deny all familial kindness and duty, but when Jesus calls one to a mission, he should not make excuses as to why he can't do it.  Jesus knows the heart.  Consider the reasons why this man may not have been ready to immediately follow Christ and why many people are not ready to immediately follow Him; he may have wished to "follow" Him at a safe distance, not having to give up familiar comforts for the unknown; he may have been delaying, wishing to put it off to another time; he may have honestly thought that his familial responsibilities should come first and then he would serve Christ, but we must realize that Christ comes first, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

(61) And another also said, "Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go bid them farewell who are at home at my house."

Another person told Jesus he would follow Him, but he first wanted time to tell everyone at his home good-bye.  It seems a reasonable request to let them know where he had gone.

(62) And Jesus said to him, "No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

However, Jesus knew his heart and knew what would have happened if this man went back.  He told him that no man, once he had taken on a mission and then looked backward, was fit to serve the kingdom of God.  I believe Jesus was teaching us how we must approach Him:

1) The first man vowed he would follow Jesus anywhere; however, when he learned there would be difficulties, he found he was not ready.  When we fully accept Jesus and His gift of salvation, we wholeheartedly should be willing to live for Him wherever that may take us.

2) The second man wanted to first go home and bury his father.  It was probably not the case that his father was already dead and he just needed to bury him, but rather that his father was old and he wanted to wait until he had died and was buried before he followed Jesus.  He was delaying for a considerable bit of time.  I believe the lesson here is that we should not wait for another time to come to Jesus.  We may wait too late.  Additionally, we must not let family stand in the way of our coming to Christ.

3) The third man wanted to go back and talk to his family first before he followed Christ.  I believe the lesson here is that we should not look back to family and friends to discuss our decision to follow Christ.  Once we have submitted to Christ, we should not look back to the world; once we have begun the work of God, we must resolve to go on with it.

"Seek first the kingdom of God..."  Seeking God first and not worldly honor or desiring to be the greatest, and denying all worldly desires and concerns to follow Christ, are very much one and the same thing.  Seek God first, trust Him with all your heart, acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).  You will find that it really is much easier to cast your concerns on Him and just follow Him.  "Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you..." (Psalm 55:22)  "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30)

Feeding of the 5000 and Jesus's Transfiguration

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 9:1) Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases.

Up to this point, Jesus's disciples had accompanied Him while He taught and healed people.  He now called them together to send them out on their own.  He gave them the power and the authority over all demons and to cure people of diseases.  Jesus gave them the power; they didn't have it on their own.  I believe there are still miraculous healings today, but it is only when the Holy Spirit gives the power to heal.  I don't believe in faith healers who can go around "healing" whomever and whenever they wish, but when the Holy Spirit calls one to heal, then he is given the power to do so.

(2) And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Armed with His power and authority, the disciples were sent out by Jesus to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

(3) And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs, nor bag, nor bread, nor money, nor have two coats apiece."

Jesus told the disciples not to take anything with them, no staffs, no provisions, and no extra clothing.

(4) "And whatever house you enter into, there abide, and from there depart."

When the disciples came into a town or city, whatever house they entered for the sake of lodging there, they were to stay at that same house and not switch lodging quarters until they departed the town or city.

(5) "And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them."

If any town or city would not receive them as guests and give them lodging, Jesus told them to shake the dust of that city off their feet as they left, as a testimony against them.  This was to signify they had been there and tried to offer them the good news and healing, but the inhabitants rejected; therefore, the disciples were abandoning the city, leaving the very dust on their feet behind, and would have nothing more to do with them.

(6) And they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

The disciples indeed went forth throughout all the towns and cities, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere they went.

(7) Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him, and he was perplexed because it was said of some that John was risen from the dead, (8) And of some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.

"Tetrarch" is made of two words meaning "four" and "reign"; Herod was ruler over one fourth of the region.  When Herod heard of Jesus and all that was done by Him, he was greatly perplexed because some people said that John the Baptist was risen from the dead.  Herod himself had had John beheaded.  Some said He was Elijah, and some said He was one of the old prophets risen from the dead.  The account in Mark told us that Herod believed He was John risen from the dead as his guilty conscience was troubling him.  He had known John was a righteous man but had had him beheaded for the desires of a dancing girl.

(9) And Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" And he desired to see Him.

Herod admitted that he had had John beheaded, so he questioned who Jesus could possibly be.  He wanted to see for himself who Jesus was, but scripture does not tell us if he ever saw Jesus until He was sent by Pilate to Herod right before His crucifixion.

(10) And the apostles, when they returned, told Him all that they had done. And He took them and went aside privately to a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.

The twelve apostles returned from their mission and told Jesus what all they had done.  He then took them separately aside from the other disciples and people desiring to follow Him, to a deserted place in the city of Bethsaida.

(11) And the people, when they knew it, followed Him and He received them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed them who had need of healing.

However, as soon as people knew where Jesus had gone, they followed Him to the deserted place.  Jesus received them, and taught them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.

(12) And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve and said to Him, "Send the multitude away that they may go into the towns and country around, and lodge and get provisions, for we are here in a desert place."

When it was late in the day, the twelve apostles went to Jesus to suggest that He send the multitude of people away so that they could go into the surrounding towns or country where they might find lodging and provisions, for they were in a deserted place where they could find neither.

(13) But 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."

However, Jesus told the disciples that they should feed the people themselves.  But they answered that they only had two fish and five loaves of bread, unless they went to buy food for all the people.  The other Gospel accounts added that they said it would cost a great deal of money and still would give the people only a little.

(14) For there were about five thousand men. And He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down by fifties in a group."

The multitude consisted of five thousand men, and that did not count women and children, according to the account in Matthew.  He told His disciples to have the people sit down in groups of fifty for the convenience of distributing food to them.

(15) And they did so and made them all sit down.

The disciples did as Jesus directed and had all the people sit down in groups of fifty.

(16) Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them and broke them, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

Jesus then took the five loaves of bread and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, blessed the food.  Here Jesus gave us an example of how we should pray before our food, recognizing that it all comes from God.  He broke apart the bread and fish and gave them to His disciples to distribute to the people.

(17) And they did eat and were all filled; and there was taken up of the fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

The people ate until they were filled.  It's as if the food they distributed was never ending as far as they needed it to be, as with the widow's flour and oil in 1 Kings 17.  After everyone had eaten their fill, the disciples picked up the leftover bits and that filled twelve baskets, much more than when they began.  I find it interesting that there were twelve, that number that represents perfection and completeness in the Bible.

(18) And it came to pass, as He was alone praying, His disciples were with Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the people say that I am?"

Afterward, when Jesus was alone praying, apart from the people, but apparently with the disciples, He asked His disciples who the people said that He was.

(19) They answering, said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah, and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again."

They told Jesus, just as had been told to Herod, that many people said He was John the Baptist, but some said He was Elijah, and still others, that He was one of the old prophets risen again.  The people knew and believed that Elijah would come before their anticipated Messiah, but since they were expecting an earthly king, they did not recognize Jesus as the One.

(20) He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answering, said, "The Christ of God."

Jesus asked who they thought He was, and Peter answered for them, saying that He was the Christ of God.  The account in Matthew 16 added that Jesus told him he could only have known that because it had been revealed to him by Father God in heaven.

(21) And He strictly charged them and commanded them to tell no man that thing, (22) Saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day."

Jesus warned His disciples that they should not tell anyone yet for it was not the time.  Jesus had many things to go through first, suffering and being rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, then to be killed, and then rising the third day after.  His resurrection would be the completed proof that He was indeed the Messiah.

(23) And He said to all, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny Himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

Jesus now spoke to not only His disciples, but to all the people, as Mark 8:34 told us it was at this point that He called the people back to Him and His disciples.  If a man wanted to follow Jesus, he had to deny himself his own sinful pleasures and also the idea that he could do anything of himself.  He had to take up his cross, meaning to endure hardships, submitting to them and bearing them with joy, as Jesus had said in the Beatitudes, count it as joy when you are persecuted.  Luke added a word in his account of this that the other Gospels did not:  daily.  We must be prepared to carry our crosses daily.  John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, added something that I must admit caused a sting of guilt, "Therefore that day is lost wherein no cross is taken up."  There is purpose in every day.  Even if it doesn't feel like we are doing something specifically for the kingdom of God, as we are interacting with others and they are watching how we handle all the adversities of life, we are giving testimony to them that there is peace, joy, and patience, when we turn it all over to Christ.  They will want to know how it is that we can take afflictions so well.  Therefore, it is good to remember that everything we do, we can do for the glory of God.

(24) "For whoever will save his life shall lose it, but whoever will lose his life for My sake, he shall save it."

We must prefer salvation and the peace and joy of our souls over any worldly concern.  Whoever puts everything into saving himself or his possessions denies Christ, having no faith in His truths.  In the end he will lose his eternal life.  However, the one who gives his life and everything in it over to Christ will save his soul and have everlasting life.

(25) "For what is a man advantaged if he gains the whole world and loses himself or is cast away?"

What will all the riches and power on earth profit a man if he loses his soul and eternal life in the process?  This life on earth is a mere blip in eternity and matters little in the scheme of things.  Besides, if only such people realized there was so much greater joy in living for Jesus than anything the temporal world could give.

(26) "For whoever will be ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of man will be ashamed when He shall come in His glory and His Father's and of the holy angels."

Jesus went on to say that whoever was ashamed of Him and His words, thereby rejecting Him, would be rejected by Christ when He returned in all His glory and in the glory of His Father, with the holy angels attending Him.  What a dreadful day that will be when one who had rejected Christ comes to the realization that He is, with His Father, the God of all the universe.  Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11) when they see Him return, but then it will be too late.

(27) "But I tell you a truth, there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."

Jesus encouraged His listeners that although they would suffer afflictions because of Him, the kingdom of God would be soon set up on earth, and some people standing with Him at that moment would be alive to witness it, when the Holy Spirit of God would be poured out and triumphant in all the world in the people's conversion.

(28) And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James, and went up in a mountain to pray.

About eight days later, Jesus took aside Peter, James, and John, and they went with Him up on a mountain to pray.

(29) And as He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His clothing was white and glistening.

As Jesus prayed, His face became exceedingly bright and shone like the sun, said Matthew in his account.  His clothing was white and glistening and bright as the light, said Matthew.

(30) And behold, there talked with Him two men who were Moses and Elijah, (31) Who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He would accomplish at Jerusalem.

As Jesus was transfigured as He prayed, there appeared gloriously Moses and Elijah who talked with Him about His coming death that HE would accomplish.  Isn't that interesting the way Luke wrote that by inspiration of God?  Jesus would accomplish His death to save us all.  No one could have killed Jesus if He did not permit it.  He was in control the whole time; He gave His life that we might live.  Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus about His coming death.  Moses, representing the law, and Elijah, representing the prophecies of the Messiah, talked with Jesus about all they had taught being fulfilled in the death of Jesus, and of course, His resurrection.

(32) But Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they were awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.

Peter, James, and John had been sleeping when Jesus transfigured, but when they awoke, they saw Jesus in His glorious state talking with the two men.

(33) And it came to pass, as they departed from Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah," not knowing what he said.

As the two men were departing, Peter, in his usual rash zeal, told Jesus that it was good for them to be there.  I read something this time that I did not see when I studied this account in Matthew and Mark.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote that some manuscripts added παντοτε, which I cannot decipher, but he said it meant "always."  Peter was suggesting they should build three tabernacles and stay there.  Peter did not realize what he was saying; he missed the symbolism of their being there.  He wanted to keep glorified saints in heaven on earth in tabernacles rather than realizing they had greater mansions in heaven and they longed to go back to them.  The account in Mark said that Peter really didn't know what to say for the disciples were afraid.

(34) While he spoke, there came a cloud and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

While Peter was speaking, a cloud appeared and overshadowed them.  The accounts in Matthew and Mark say only that the cloud overshadowed them.  Luke added "as they entered into the cloud."  The meaning could be that the cloud enveloped them and they were afraid, but many Bible commentators suggest that the disciples feared as they watched Moses and Elijah enter into the cloud by which they were taken away.

(35) And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son; hear Him!"

The voice of God came out of the cloud declaring Jesus to be His beloved Son and commanded that they listen to Him.  The account in Matthew added that God said He was well pleased with Him.

(36) And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept close and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

When the voice and the cloud passed, Jesus was there alone.  The disciples kept the matter close, in secret, and told no one what they had seen, as Jesus had charged them, according to the account in Matthew.  They were to tell no one until after Jesus had risen from the dead.

Luke's chapters keep getting longer and longer, so I believe I will divide this chapter into two posts, continuing in the next post.