Who Can Be Saved?

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 18:1) And He spoke a parable to them that men ought always to pray and not to weary,

Jesus had been journeying to Jerusalem with His disciples and others following, stopping in villages along the way, healing and teaching.  He now began a parable that taught men to always pray without ceasing and not to grow weary.

(2) Saying, "There was in a city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man."

Jesus told of a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor had any regard or respect for the rights of men.

(3) "And there was a widow in that city, and she came to him, saying, "Avenge me of my adversary."

There was also a widow in the city who came to the judge and asked that he give her justice against her adversary, or vindicate her from him.

(4) "And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, (5) Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"

In the beginning and for a while, the judge did not help the woman.  However, it appears the woman did not give up and she kept coming back and asking him to intervene for her.  Finally, not because he feared God or had any regard for her innocence, he decided to rule in her favor just because he was tired of her continually coming to him and nagging him about her problem.

(6) And the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said."

Jesus told them to really hear and understand what an unjust judge had said.  He called the judge unjust because he did not dispense justice as he ought.  He had only given in to the woman because she bothered him so and he wanted to be rid of her.

(7) "And shall not God avenge His own elect who cry day and night to Him though He bears long with them?"

Jesus asked if even an unjust judge would relent and eventually do justice after persistent pleading, how much more would a good God avenge His own elect who prayed to Him continually?  Even though He may delay for a while perhaps to try their faith or to refine it, or perhaps even showing patience to the one who might be causing the trouble for the one crying out for justice, you can be sure that God will eventually answer those requests.

(8) "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

Jesus confirmed that God would indeed avenge His elect suddenly and unexpectedly.  It might be after long suffering to the point that one might think it was hopeless that God shows up in a big way.  I have experienced just that.  It has seemed that prayers might not be answered in the way I desired but all the sudden God acts and things move and change very quickly.  I believe that is God's design.  In the long suffering patience, we grow in love and dependence on the Lord, and then when He acts, there is no doubt it was God changing things and we grow in faith because we learn that He is indeed trustworthy and completely deserving of our faith.  However, Jesus asked that when He returned, if he would find any faith on earth.  It may seem that Jesus has delayed His second coming to the point of seeming slack in His promise to return and avenge His elect, but 2 Peter 3:9 assures us that the Lord is not slack but rather patient, not wanting any of His children to perish but giving them time to all come to repentance.  Jesus wondered just how many would endure till the end and would He find faith on earth at that time.

(9) And He spoke this parable to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others.

Jesus began a parable specifically to some among those listening to Him who trusted that they themselves were righteous and they had contempt for those they believed were not as righteous as they were.

(10) "Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican."

Jesus told of two men who had gone to the temple to pray.  One was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.

(11) "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.'"

Jesus told how the Pharisee stood and prayed apparently silently to himself.  He thanked God that he was not like other men, sinners, extortionists, adulterers, unjust, or even as the publican who was also in the temple praying.

(12) "'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"

Jesus went on to tell more that the Pharisee prayed.  He praised himself to God that he fasted and tithed regularly.

(13) "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven but struck his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner.'"

The publican or tax collector, on the other hand, stood a distance away and would not even lift his eyes up to heaven as he prayed.  He struck his breast, recognizing that he was a sinner and prayed for God's mercy.

(14) "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be abased and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Jesus told His listeners that the tax collector who humbled himself before God was counted as just in the sight of God and the Pharisee was not.  He declared that everyone who exalted themselves would be abased or humbled.  Anyone who sings his own praises and doesn't recognize that he is a sinner as we all are, not only lies but is guilty of pride, one of the sins that God hates most (Proverbs 6:17 and 16:5).  Anyone who humbled himself before the Lord would be exalted as his sins might be forgiven and not visible in the sight of God.  This is a most beautiful promise of the Lord!  Though one may not be able to boast of righteousness equal to the Pharisees and cannot be justified according to the law, yet he may be justified freely through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24).

(15) And they brought to Him also infants that he would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

People brought infants to Jesus that He might lay His hands on them.  However, when the disciples saw them bringing babies to Jesus, they rebuked them, probably thinking they were troubling Him.

(16) But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Allow little children to come to Me and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God."

However, Jesus called those who had brought the children to Him and told His disciples to allow them to come to Him, for it was of such innocent children that made up the kingdom of God.

(17) "Verily, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no way enter in."

Jesus told them assuredly that anyone who did not receive the kingdom of God as a little child would never be able to enter it.  One who was proud and vain could not enter the kingdom of God, but if one humbled himself to the level of a child, meek and lowly, not proud or vain or prejudiced, then he would be able to enter in.

(18) And a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

Then a ruler asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, calling Him Good Master.

(19) And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? None is good, except One, God."

Jesus asked the man why he called Him good, because there was no one good except God.  His point may have been to show the ruler that he acknowledged that the man realized who He was, but even more it added to the lesson Jesus was about to give this ruler about just what "good" would get him.

(20) "You know the commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"

Jesus then began to answer the man's question by suggesting first that he surely already knew the commandments, and He quoted several of them.

(21) And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth up."

The ruler replied that he had obeyed all the commandments since he was a child.  In this, he was a bit like the Pharisee in that he believed he did only good.  Yet he must have realized something was missing to ask if he needed more to obtain eternal life.

(22) Now when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "Yet you lack one thing; sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

Jesus told the ruler that he lacked one thing.  The commandments He had first mentioned to the man dealt with how he should treat others, but what He mentioned now was how he approached God.  He told the ruler to sell all he had, give it to the poor, and that his treasure would be in heaven, and He asked him to follow Him.  Was he willing to give all to God and not put his possessions over God?

(23) And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

When the ruler heard that answer, he was very sorrowful because he was very rich and knew he could not give all that away.  He probably had felt that he loved God very much but thought he could have both God and riches.  And it's not that he couldn't have both; rich men can serve God, but in this ruler's case he wasn't willing to choose God over his riches.  You cannot serve God and money equally (Matthew 6:24).

(24) And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, "How hard for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"

Jesus saw that the ruler was genuinely sorry and remarked how hard it was for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.  For that reason, we should feel very blessed when we don't have as much to prevent us from salvation!

(25) "For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

Jesus then told His listeners that it was easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  That would mean it was impossible.  Many commentators have gone to great lengths to explain that He didn't mean it was impossible, that the word "camel" was actually meant to be "cable," or that the Needle's Eye was some small gate in the Jerusalem wall.  However, it was a proverbial expression that just meant something was extremely difficult, but actually Jesus would admit that it was impossible with man alone.

(26) And they who heard, said, "Who then can be saved?"

Those people who heard what Jesus said were astonished at this and asked how then could anyone be saved it was impossible for them.

(27) And He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

Jesus answered that although it was impossible for man to save himself, it was possible with God.  God draws us to Him and changes our hearts' desires and makes it possible for us to put Him before everything.

(28) Then Peter said, "Lo, we have left all and followed you."

Then Peter told Jesus that they, His disciples, had left everything and followed Him.  Whether it was a boasting that they had left everything to follow Him, something the rich ruler had not been able to do, or whether he was asking if they had done enough, it is not clear.

(29) And He said to them, "Verily, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children for the kingdom of God's sake, (30) Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come life everlasting."

Jesus answered His disciples saying that there was no one who had left his home and his family for the sake of the kingdom of God who would not receive many times more in the present and in the everlasting life to come.  This is not to be understood as more houses and more family and more possessions, but the blessings that would come as a result of one giving up everything to God would be immensely greater than those worldly things.  They would have great treasures in heaven and eternal life which is what that rich ruler had been seeking.

(31) Then He took the twelve and said to them, "Behold, we go to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man will be accomplished."

Jesus then took His twelve disciples aside and told them they would be going to Jerusalem where all the things that had been prophesied by the prophets concerning Him would be accomplished.

(32) "For He shall be delivered to the Gentiles and would be mocked and spitefully treated and spit on."

Jesus told His disciples how He would be delivered up to the Gentiles and how He would be mocked and shamefully treated and spit on.

(33) "And they shall scourge Him and put Him to death, and the third day He shall rise again."

He told them they would also scourge Him and would put Him to death, but on the third day He would rise again.

(34) And they understood none of these things, and this saying was hid from them, neither did they know the things which were spoken.

The disciples understood none of what Jesus said.  You might understand why they didn't understand about Jesus rising again on the third day, but He was pretty plain in His speech about what the Gentiles would do to Him in Jerusalem.  However, the disciples still expected their Messiah king to be a temporal prince and conqueror, so the things Jesus said made no sense at all to them.  It was not revealed to them in their hearts and spirits what exactly was to happen to Jesus.

(35) And it came to pass that as He was come near to Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside begging.

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem, they passed near Jericho, and there was a blind man sitting by the side of the road begging.

(36) And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.

It appears that many people followed along with Jesus as there was a multitude of people passing by the blind man, and he asked what it meant.

(37) And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passed by.

Some of the people told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by him.

(38) And he cried, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

The blind man seemed to know at once that Jesus was the promised Messiah from the line of David and cried out to Him to have mercy on him.

(39) And they who went before rebuked him that he should hold his peace, but he cried all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Those who went ahead of Jesus and probably some of the ones who had told the blind man that it was Jesus who was passing by him, rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he only cried all the more, still proclaiming who Jesus was and asking Him to have mercy on him.

(40) And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought to Him, and when he had come near, He asked him, (41) Saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."

Jesus stopped among the crowd and commanded that they bring the blind man to Him.  When he was near Him, Jesus asked what it was that the blind man wanted Him to do for him.  Of course, Jesus already knew what the man wanted, but He wanted to hear it again from the man himself.  He answered that he wished to receive his sight.

(42) And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has saved you."

Jesus told the blind man to receive his sight, that his faith had saved him.  I find that an interesting choice of words, just receive your sight.  I wonder how many times we just need to receive our blessings.  We go around stuck in our circumstances and we need only to receive our blessing from God to remedy them.  Jesus told the man that his faith had saved him.  He had had faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David, and he didn't let the people rebuking him stand in his way.  That is a beautiful picture of how we should we willing to accept Jesus into our hearts although the world and Satan may put stumbling blocks in our way, tempting to forbid us.  And thusly, our faith may save us, too.

(43) And immediately he received his sight and followed Him, glorifying God, and all the people when they saw, gave praise to God.

The blind man immediately received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God, and all the people in the crowd who had seen him receive his sight, gave glory and praise to God, as well.  This is an example of how we may be an inspiration to others who witness Jesus's saving grace in us.

Forgive, Have Faith, Be Thankful, Don't Turn Back

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 17:1) Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses will come, but woe through him they come!"

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had been teaching and telling parables to His disciples and also to Pharisees who had been among those who heard Him speak.  He then told His disciples that there was no escaping offenses in life; they would indeed come at some point or another and probably multiple times.  However, the greatest woe would be to those from which the offenses came!  In this, He was directing His comments to the Pharisees who were notorious for cheating for their own gain and to the detriment of the people.

(2) "It would be better for him that a millstone was hung around his neck and he was cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."

Jesus went on to say that it would be better for one of those offenders if a millstone was hung around his neck and he was thrown into the sea, than what was in store for him if he offended the least of Christ's own, those followers of Him.  The world is full of people who distrust church and Christianity because of the harm done by people who call themselves Christians.  We are all imperfect people who sin, even pastors do.  However, the difference between a true Christian pastor of God and a Pharisee is that the first one will be shown his sin by the Holy Spirit and he will confess it and repent, but a Pharisee is in it for his own gain and will only deny and defend his actions.

(3) "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother trespasses against you, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him."

Although He declared the most severe woe and doom to the offender, Jesus warned that those little ones who were offended must be willing to forgive.  If it was a brother who offended him, it was okay to rebuke him; it was good to go to him and tell him his fault and the effect of his conduct and seek an explanation, that is, talk about it.  If he repented, the offended one must forgive him.

(4) "And if he trespasses against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns again to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

Even if a brother trespassed against one seven times in one day, the number seven usually representing perfection or completeness, I believe in this case represents an infinite number of times, if he came to the one and repented, the offended one must be willing to forgive him.  To err is human, and Christians are to be of a forgiving nature, actually even to those who may not repent, because we were forgiven by God, so ought we forgive others (Matthew 6:14-15).

(5) And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.'"

The apostles asked the Lord to increase their faith, which may have been a response to His command that they must be willing to forgive an infinite number of times.  They perhaps thought they needed more faith to be able to continually forgive such offenses, and perhaps also that they themselves not offend anyone else.

(6) And the Lord said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamore tree, 'Be plucked up by the root and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."

Jesus told them that if they only had faith the size of a grain of a tiny mustard seed, they could tell a tree to be uprooted and plant itself in the sea, and it would indeed obey them.  This scripture makes me sad.  It really only takes so tiny a faith, and yet we must not have even that small amount of faith if we can't move a tree.  However, I don't really think this has to be taken literally.  There is no real purpose of God's to transplant a tree into the sea, but it refers to any obstacles that might stand in the way of our performing our service to accomplish God's will.  Jesus might have been telling the apostles they already had all the faith they needed if they had faith in Him; it was up to them to use it.  Likewise, with just a little faith, we should not let offensive articles stand in our way of doing good for the Lord.  Doubts and fear are a lack of faith, faith as tiny as a grain of mustard seed.

(7) "But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say to him by and by, when he has come from the field, 'Go and sit down to eat'? (8) And will not rather say to him, 'Make ready so that I may sup, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?"

Jesus then asked His disciples which one of them would reward his servant who had come in from doing his job in the field with a meal before he himself ate.  Rather, it was more likely that he would instruct him to continue with his duties and serve him his meal and then he could eat afterward.

(9) "Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not."

Jesus asked them if that master would thank his servant for doing the job he was hired to do.  Jesus said He didn't think he would.  Although it is possible a master might commend his servant for a particular job well done, it would probably not be a regular occurrence because the servant was just doing what he was hired to do.

(10) "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.'"

Jesus told them that in like manner, they should not expect thanks and reward just for doing what was commanded to them.  They should recognize and confess that they were truly unprofitable servants, for men cannot profit God.  All the good men do is that which is their duty to do; they should not expect any great reward for that.  Additionally, our best service is still imperfect as we all come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23); no reward should be expected for a flawed job.  However, because of His love and mercy for us, we are saved and rewarded with eternal salvation, but this is not a result of our own doing (Ephesians 2:8).  Though men are unprofitable to God, following God's commands is profitable to them and may be to others, as well.

(11) And it came to pass, as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

Jesus was journeying toward Jerusalem, and as He went, He passed through Samaria and Galilee.  Bible commentators suggest that the meaning is more likely in the middle between Samaria and Galilee, as that is a more likely path to Jerusalem.

(12) As He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers who stood afar off.

As Jesus came into a village, He was met by ten lepers who stood far back from Him.  It is plausible that these men were confined together to this place on the edge of the village, and they stood a distance away from Jesus as was the law for lepers.

(13) And they lifted up their voices, and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"

The lepers raised their voices to be heard by Jesus and asked Him to have mercy on them.  They recognized Him and called Him Master and probably all called out in unison.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote something beautiful that bears contemplation, "Sin is the worst of all leprosies; it not only separates those to whom it cleaves from the righteous, but it separates them from God; and nothing but the pitying heart and powerful hand of Christ Jesus can set any soul free from it."

(14) And when He saw them, He said to them, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And it came to pass that as they went, they were cleansed.

When Jesus saw the lepers, He told them to go show themselves to the priests, as was the law that the priests were the ones who could proclaim lepers clean.  As they went, they were cleansed.  Note that it was as they did what was commanded them by Jesus, that they were cleansed.  That's a beautiful picture of us just doing the right thing as commanded by Jesus, and as we do that, we may receive the mercy and blessings we desire.  It's not always a matter of us just praying for something expecting it immediately and deciding God didn't answer when it doesn't turn out the way we asked.  As Proverbs 3:5-8 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding.  In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.  It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones."  Trust Him and He will direct your paths and it will be health to you.  Another thing to remember is Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."  Love and trust God and do what He asks and it will always work for good.  But we also must remember that God's ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9) and He sees the big picture that we cannot yet see, but we can be assured His ways are for the best if we love, trust, and follow Him.

(15) And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and with a loud voice glorified God,

One of the lepers, when he realized he was healed, turned back, in this case meaning he returned to Jesus, and glorified God in a loud voice.

(16) And fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.

The leper returned to Jesus and fell down on his face at Jesus's feet, thanking Him.  This particular man was a Samaritan.  That was noted because the Samaritans were considered by the Jews to be ignorant and not religious and no better than heathens.  But this "heathen" was the one who came back to thank Jesus.

(17) And Jesus, answering, said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?"

Jesus answered the man by asking about the other nine who had also been cleansed.

(18) "There are not found any who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?"

Jesus went on to ask if there were none to return to give thanks to God except that one stranger, or foreigner, that Samaritan that the other nine likely considered a heathen.  This is a potent reminder that we should always give thanks to God for our blessings.  He notices when we do not.  I always have a pang of guilt when I realize that thanking Him was not the first thing I did after receiving a blessing.  This Samaritan came back and thanked Him first thing, before even going to the priest as Jesus had told him to do.

(19) And He said to him, "Arise, go your way; your faith has made you whole."

Jesus told the man to arise from His feet and continue on his way to the priest, that his faith had made him whole, that is, healed and saved.  Although Jesus had healed the other nine also and they were certainly whole in health and that would not be rescinded, I'm not sure that they were all eternally saved.  The Bible doesn't always make a point of saying that one who was healed would be with Jesus in heaven eternally as He told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him that day in paradise.  However, in this instance, Jesus did commend the leper's faith and told him it had made him whole.  Jesus did the healing which made his health whole, but the man's faith in Jesus made his spirit whole, as well.

(20) And when He was demanded of the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation." 

Apparently there were Pharisees in Jesus's presence at some point in His journey between the cities of Samaria and Galilee, and they asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come.  Jesus replied that it was not something they would physically see with their eyes and know instantly that the kingdom had come.

(21) "Neither shall they say, 'Lo here!' or 'Lo there!' For behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

Jesus went on to say that no one would say that they saw it here or there or anywhere, as the kingdom of God was within oneself.  Or perhaps Jesus meant that it was already among them.  Either way was true; the kingdom of God was already among them and was present in the soul of every true believer.  The Pharisees were always looking for a worldly king Messiah who would set up a kingdom they would see with their eyes, but it was a spiritual kingdom that existed in the heart.

(22) And He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not see it."

Jesus then told His disciples that there would come a day when they would wish for the days when they personally had Jesus with them, but He would not be there.

(23) "And they shall say to you, 'See here!' or 'See there!' Do not go after them or follow them."

In those days when Jesus was no longer physically among them, there would be those who were still looking for that worldly king Messiah, and they would declare that he was now with them.  Jesus warned His disciples not to go after those people or follow their "Messiah."

(24) "For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also will the Son of man be in His day."

Jesus told them that there would be no doubt when He returned.  Just as lightning flashed out of one part of the sky and went across the sky to another side, so would His coming be, just as swift and wide and self-evident.  It also described the swift judgment that would come upon Jerusalem when it would fall to the Romans.  The Roman army would descend upon them swift and wide as lightning across the sky.  Lightning also describes His kingdom of God on earth.  The Pharisees expected to see it, but Jesus had said it was within them.  So once again, they were not to believe anyone who said, "There it is!"  The kingdom of God was within their hearts and would spread fast and wide as lightning and would light the world.

(25) "But first must He suffer many things and be rejected by this generation."

Before Jesus would come again, and before His church would spread all over the world, He would suffer many things and be rejected by his own people.

(26) "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. (27) They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all."

As it was in the days of Noah when he was building the ark, so it would be when Jesus came again in judgment.  The people in Noah's time ignored the signs of Noah and continued living their jolly normal lives until the flood came and destroyed them all.

(28) "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built, (29) But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all."

As it was also in the days of Lot, the people lived their jolly debauched lives ignorant of the swift fate that befell them when Lot and his family left Sodom.  It rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all.

(30) "Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

So it would be when Jesus returned.  Immediately before the destruction of Jerusalem, people would be just as oblivious to its coming.  When Jesus returned in judgment on Jerusalem, though not personally, there would be no doubt this was a judgment of God against the Jews.  When He returns on the last day and is revealed to all just who He is, it will be as a thief in the night, so sudden and unexpected to the people who will be once again living their corrupt lives with no thought to Him or His coming.

(31) "In that day, he who is on the housetop and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away, and he who is in the field, let him likewise not turn back."

Jesus spoke specifically about the destruction of Jerusalem here.  In that day when the Romans besieged Jerusalem, anyone on the housetop or in the field should not turn back to retrieve anything, but flee for his life.

(32) "Remember Lot's wife."

Jesus told His disciples and anyone listening to remember Lot's wife, who turned back when she had been warned not to; she was turned to a pillar of salt.

(33) "Whoever shall seek to save his life will lose it and whoever shall lose his life shall preserve it."

Just as what happened to Lot's wife was symbolic of one turning back to the world and sin and not obeying God, so it would be with those who sought to save their lives and their worldly possessions themselves.  Their only hope was to trust God, not look back, and flee from the destruction.  Of course, as Jesus said this before in Luke 9:24, He meant this spiritually.  By giving their lives up to Jesus, they would have eternal life.

(34) "I tell you, in that night there shall be two in one bed; the one shall be taken and the other shall be left."

So uncertain was their fate, Jesus told them that there might be two in a bed and one would be taken by the Roman soldiers and the other might escape.

(35) "Two shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken and the other left. (36) Two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left."

Also uncertain was the time that destruction might occur.  It might be at night when they were in bed, or it might be while they were working during the day.  Even in the daytime with no turning back, so uncertain was their fate, one would be taken by the Roman soldiers while the other might escape.

Some have suggested that the above verses are about the end times and imply that some will be raptured away while others remain.  I think it is very evident that Jesus was talking about the coming destruction of Jerusalem.  Even though the swift destruction of Jerusalem might be symbolic of the destruction of the world in the end, it is clear that the meaning is that one will be spiritually saved and have eternal life while the other will not.  A Left Behind scenario is a relatively new interpretation of scripture and is probably a trick of the devil to lull us into a false sense of security.  We are told by Jesus to endure till the end and we will be saved (Matthew 24:13).  I believe that implies that there might be fair weather believers who will fall away when things get tough, and that is why a belief in a pre-trib rapture could be dangerous.

(37) And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?" And He said to them, "Wherever the body, there will the eagles be gathered together."

Either the disciples asked, or perhaps it was the Pharisees who had asked when the kingdom of God would come before Jesus had turned His attention to His disciples.  The Pharisees may have still been within hearing.  They wanted to know where these things would happen.  Jesus answered that it would be where the body was, more specifically, where the dead carcass was, as He said in Matthew 24:28.  That was symbolic of the spiritually dead Jerusalem; it was there where the Roman eagles would gather (the Romans wore eagles on their ensigns), just as vultures would gather at a dead carcass.

Parables of the Unjust Steward and the Rich Man and Lazarus

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 16:1) And He also said to His disciples, "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and the same was accused to him that he had wasted his goods."

In the last chapter, Jesus had been teaching His disciples and others about the importance of saving just one lost soul and the joy in heaven when a lost soul was found which He illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son.  He now began another parable directed to His disciples.  He spoke of a rich man who had a steward, and it was told to him that that steward had been wasting his goods.

(2) "And he called him and said to him, 'How is it that I hear this of you? Give an account of your stewardship for you may be no longer steward.'"

The rich man called his steward to him, asking how it could be that he had heard such things about him.  He demanded the steward give an account of his stewardship, his receipts and disbursements, and told him that he would no longer be his steward.

(3) "Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do? For my lord takes away from me the stewardship; I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.'"

The steward wondered within himself what he was going to do if his master took away his stewardship.  He said he couldn't dig or do any such hard manual labor.  Whether he was physically unable to do so or he wouldn't stoop that low to do such menial labor, scripture doesn't say, but we do get a sense of his character.  He also said he was ashamed to beg, but apparently not too ashamed to cheat his master, so we don't see an actual sorrow and repentance over what he had done.

(4) "'I have resolved what to do that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'"

The steward had a plan that when he had been put out of the stewardship, the people he had had dealings with because of his stewardship would receive him into their houses.

(5) "So he called every one of his lord's debtors, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my lord?'"

The steward called all of his master's debtors to him and began by asking the first debtor how much he owed his master.

(6) "And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill and sit down quickly and write fifty.'"

The first debtor replied that he owed the steward's master a hundred measures of oil.  The steward told him to take his bill and change it to fifty that he owed.

(7) "Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill and write eighty.'"

The steward asked another debtor what he owed and he replied that he owed a hundred measures of wheat.  The steward told him to take his bill and change it to eighty.  Of course, his plan was that all those debtors would feel an obligation to him and give him sustenance and a place to live after he lost his stewardship.

(8) "And the lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light."

Of course, my first reaction was "What?!"  An unjust cheating steward was commended by the one he had cheated?  But upon deeper reflection, the master had only commended the steward's wisdom and craftiness in providing for himself.  And Jesus did say in Matthew 10:16 to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves.  I believe the second part of the statement above was Jesus's own reflection on the moral of His story; the children of this world, those with only worldly interests, were wiser than the children of light, those following Christ.  It struck me how I could compare this to the circus going on in Congress this very minute.  Although I think the Democrat Party stands for everything against God, against life, against God Himself, against authority, and standing for what He deems an abomination, like same-sex marriage and pornography and the abuse of children.  Although I found Nancy Pelosi to be a wicked woman, she was a very shrewd leader, and always produced for her party and her president.  However, the party that is supposed to stand for God and life and the people and good morals, constantly flails around and never comes together to do anything of any real value.  Oh, that they would be as wise as the Democrats!  Wow, what a lesson for how to defeat the darkness that is of the principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12), who kill the babies, allow the trafficking of children, and celebrate every sexual deviancy and depravity!  I hear leaders saying they don't want to stoop to the same level as the other side, but Jesus says here that the other side is wiser!  We should use every legal measure within our means to achieve just and righteous laws.  Why, I even believe this answers the question to whether or not a Christian should stand in the political arena.  Some believe a Christian should have nothing to do with filthy politics.  But politics determines the world our children live in, so we should be willing to use every wise and shrewd method available to us to improve that world and keep it as safe and fair as possible for them to live freely.

(9) "And I say to you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations."

Jesus told His disciples to make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness.  He called it that because money and riches are often gotten by unrighteous means.  However, the money in itself is not evil; only the love of it is (1 Timothy 6:10).  Therefore feel free to use money for good.  I fought hard against Obamacare because I found it wrong to make taxpayers pay for the healthcare of everyone, especially when it included many things I was opposed to as a Christian.  However, when I was a recipient of the subsidies for it, I used them.  That freed up my personal money to do some good.  It is fine to take advantage of the proceeds we may get because of unrighteous laws or maybe from proceeds we get from an unrighteous boss.  However, the line in the sand we must not cross is if we are called to do something against God's laws, such as killing a baby in the womb for a paycheck.  There may come a time when we must sign our names to say we agree and approve of abortion and same-sex marriage and teaching porn in elementary schools in order to receive social security checks.  That is when we will have to say no to mammon.  To accept that check would be demonstrating the love of that social security check over God's laws and thus Him.  

The meaning of the word translated as "fail" above means more precisely "cease (by implication) die."  If one has used mammon to do good as in feeding the poor and helping the less fortunate, he will be received into heaven and everlasting life when he dies.

(10) "He who is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much, and he who is unjust in the least is unjust also in much."

Jesus's point was that if one is faithful in the lowest things such as worldly substance, he is also faithful in things of a higher nature, and one who uses the lowest gifts unjustly and unfaithfully is likewise unfaithful in spiritual things.

(11) "If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?"

If one has not been faithful in the proper righteous use of unrighteous mammon, how can he be trusted with true riches, those of heaven which are spiritual and eternal?

(12) "And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"

If one has not been faithful in that which is another's, which is the proper definition of "allotrios" that was translated as "another man's," that is more specifically, the things that are the Lord's, the things that have been committed to his care as a steward of all that belongs to God, how can he be trusted with the things that are truly his own?  All things on earth are God's and it is only through His blessings that we are born when and where we are, that we have the health and the talents to make something in this world, that resources and privileges are available to us, and that no man takes it all away from us, including our very lives.  The only thing that is truly ours is our eternal salvation by the love and mercy of God.  That is the one thing that no man can take away from us (John 10:29); men might be able to kill our bodies, but they cannot kill our eternal souls (Matthew 10:28).  If we cannot be trusted with trivial worldly matters, how can God trust us with something so infinitely more important as the salvation of our eternal souls and our life's testimony to that salvation?  He must be able to trust us to be good stewards of that salvation, that by our example, others may desire it as well.

(13) "No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Jesus concluded this particular lesson by saying that one could not wholeheartedly serve God and riches at the same time.  His heart would naturally be more for one over the other.  If he used unrighteous mammon for his own gain and his riches were most important, he could not possibly be a good servant and steward to God; it would be impossible.  One must be able to put God over riches and say no when those riches cause us to sin against God.

(14) And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things, and they derided Him.

Pharisees, who were among the group of people who heard Jesus speak, heard all these things Jesus taught and had contempt for Him because they were lovers of money.

(15) And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."

Jesus either heard the Pharisees talking or simply knew their thoughts and spoke directly to them.  The Pharisees attempted to serve both God and mammon, justifying their actions before men, but they didn't fool God for He knew their hearts.  The deeds they did that were highly esteemed among men were pure abomination in the sight of God.  It can't be understood that Jesus said every act that was highly esteemed among men could be considered abomination, for often righteous deeds may be esteemed by men, but in the case of the Pharisees, their "good" deeds were an abomination because God knew their hearts and their true reasons for doing any good they appeared to do.

(16) "The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached and every man is pressing into it."

Before that time when Jesus was speaking, all the people had were the law and the prophets which foresaw this time of Jesus.  But at that present time, they had Him and His message of salvation and eternal life, and the people were pressing into it and Him in great numbers.

(17) "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fail."

Jesus's point was that what was taught by the law and the prophets was not nullified because He was there at that present time offering the kingdom of God.  He was the fulfillment of the law and what the prophets foresaw.  As Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law till all be fulfilled."

(18) "Whoever puts away his wife and marries another, commits adultery, and whoever marries her who is put away from her husband, commits adultery."

Jesus then spoke of a man who divorced his wife and married another as having committed adultery.  Also if a man married a divorced woman, he also committed adultery.  This was undoubtedly spoken to the Pharisees to show how they departed from the law of Moses even though they pretended piousness.

(19) "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day."

Jesus then began a parable about a rich man who had the finest in clothes and lived every day in luxury.

(20) "And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus who was laid at his gate, full of sores."

There was also a very poor man, which is more the sense of the original word, rather than beggar.  He may have been reduced to begging because he was very poor and his body was full of sores.  He was laid at the gate of the rich man.  

(21) "And desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores."

The poor man lay at the gate of the rich man hoping to eat from his crumbs, and dogs came and licked his sores; such was his state of destitution.

(22) "And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried."

The beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The Jews supposed that Abraham must be in heaven or else in a special paradise reserved for those saints' souls where they were until the resurrection.  The poor beggar was with Abraham.  The rich man also died and he was buried.  We weren't told that the beggar was buried, most likely that was because fine burials were reserved for the rich only.

(23) "And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeing Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom."

The rich man was in hell.  We aren't told of his life that brought him to that place, but we know he ignored the poor man at his gate!  He was after his death tormented in hell, and part of that torment was that he could actually see Abraham and Lazarus in paradise.  

A side note here is that I have often heard the debate about whether we actually go to heaven when we die or if we are in limbo until the resurrection.  I believe our souls may go directly to heaven, but our bodies decompose in the ground until the resurrection.  So how is it that the rich man could see Abraham and Lazarus?  At Jesus's crucifixion, He told one hanging on a cross next to Him that He would see him in paradise that very day (Luke 23:43).  Of course, Jesus was only telling a parable in the first instance, so perhaps it shouldn't be taken so literally.  Perhaps it was only the souls of Abraham and Lazarus, and where exactly did the rich man see them?  The scripture didn't specifically say; I called it paradise as the opposite of where the rich man was.  However, Jesus did say "paradise" to the thief on the cross.  Jesus said at one point to Nicodemus in John 3:13 that no one had ascended to heaven except Him.  However, in 2 Kings 2:11, we were told that Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.  I have not studied all references at this point, but I am learning that there may be different levels of heaven, at least prior to Jesus's resurrection after He was crucified.  Before Jesus, people could not accept Jesus's payment for their sins that justly required death.  Where did their souls go?  They could not be with God because of their sins, but in their hearts they followed God to the best of their abilities.  Some of the old commentators I study suggest it may have been a place called Paradise or Abraham's Bosom.  Although very peaceful and pleasant in complete opposition to a tormenting hell, it was not with God yet.  Once Jesus paid the price for their sins, then they could be with God.  Is this another level of heaven?  Or merely a way for our human minds to understand the differences?  As far as Elijah going up to heaven, it could be this "lower" level of heaven reserved for those righteous people who did not yet have the gift of Christ.  In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth (Genesis 2:4).  Deuteronomy 10:14 spoke of heaven and the heaven of heavens, denoting two different heavens.  Whether it refers to different levels of heaven or maybe only to the universe and God's heaven above, I can't say with authority.  However, I know that a God I could fully explain and a heaven I could fully understand couldn't possibly be as magnificent and glorious as they surely are, and my simple mind could not possibly know the completely just and righteous and good and loving mind of God!

Back to the rich man and Lazarus:

(24) "And he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame.'"

The rich man in hell called out to Abraham to have mercy on him and to send Lazarus down to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool the rich man's tongue.  I don't believe this can be taken literally that the rich man could actually talk to Abraham, but it is said that the Jews thought it was possible that departed spirits might know and converse with each other.  Therefore, Jesus was using language they would understand to convey His message about the torment in hell.

(25) "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented.'"

Note that Abraham did not revile this damned soul.  It's a beautiful picture of how Jesus Christ must feel about those who rejected Him in life and must then face the terrible consequences of their choice.  An additional lesson might be that the rich man was probably indeed a descendant of Abraham, but that was not enough to save him.  In Matthew 6:1-2,5, Jesus spoke of those who would have their reward on earth and would have no reward in heaven.  In this parable, Abraham reminded the rich man that he had chosen to receive his reward on earth.  However, Lazarus had received evil things in his life due to no fault of his own and was at that present time comforted in Abraham's bosom.

(26) "'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass to us from there.'"

Additionally, Abraham told the rich man that there was a great fixed chasm between them and neither side could reach the other even if they wanted to.  

(27) "Then he said, 'I pray thee therefore, Father, that you would send him to my father's house. (28) For I have five brothers, that he may testify to them lest they also come to this place of torment.'"

The rich man then asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his father's house to warn his five brothers about that place of torment that awaited them if they did not change their ways.

(29) "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'"

However, Abraham told the rich man that his brothers had all the writings of Moses and the prophets to warn them and that they should take heed to what they said.

(30) "And he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent.'"

The rich man in turn implied that was not enough, but if someone from the dead went to tell them the firsthand truth, they would then repent.

(31) "And he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.'"

However, Abraham told the rich man that if his brothers would not hear the words of Moses and the prophets, then they would not listen even if one rose from the dead, which of course, Jesus would soon do, and still most of His listeners to this parable, most especially the Pharisees, would not be persuaded to repent.

Much can be gleaned from this parable of Jesus.  I believe it tells us that our souls do not die with our bodies and that they do not sleep, but are conscious after death.  The righteous are taken immediately to a place of happiness upon death, even if not heaven with God Himself, and the wicked are immediately sent to a place of misery, even if not the final hell after judgment.  We should certainly not envy the powerful and rich, but strive for a better inheritance than can ever be possessed in this life.  The sufferings in hell will be indescribably great and there will be no escape or end to the torments.  God has given us sufficient warning to prepare for death.  He sent His Word, Jesus Christ, a multitude of servants, and His Holy Spirit to draw us, and He will give us nothing more.  If one doesn't believe after all the proof he has been given, why would he believe one claiming to come from the dead to warn him?  God has set before us two choices, life and death, therefore choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19)!