Chief Priests, Scribes, and Sadducees Try to Trap Jesus in His Words

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 20:1) And it came to pass on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon Him with the elders.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and He was teaching daily in the temple.  On one of those days that He taught in the temple, the chief priests and scribes and elders confronted Him.

(2) And spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority do you do these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?"

The chief priests and scribes asked Jesus by what authority He did the things He did, teaching and healing and performing any other miracles they had witnessed.  In other words, they asked who gave Him the authority to do them.

(3) And He answered and said to them, "I will also ask you one thing and answer Me."

Jesus answered that He would first ask them a question and He wanted them to answer Him first before He answered their question.

(4) "The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?"

Jesus asked a simple question about whether the baptisms that John the Baptist performed were from heaven or was it a doctrine made up by men.  After all, it was a rather new ordinance that men be baptized.  So was it of God or did John just do it of his own folly?

(5) And they reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' (6) But if we say, 'Of men,' all the people will stone us for they are persuaded that John was a prophet."

The chief priests and scribes reasoned among themselves about what they might answer.  This certainly proves that they were not asking out of genuine curiosity to know the truth.  They knew the truth but did not want to admit it.  For if they admitted that John the Baptist baptized by authority from heaven, then they knew that Jesus would ask why they did not believe him if they knew his prophecies to be from heaven.  Likewise, they would have to admit that Jesus's authority came from heaven, too, since John spoke of Him specifically, and of course, that is one thing they did not want to do.  However, if they said John's baptism was simply from men, they feared the people would rise up against them because they saw John as the great prophet he was.

(7) And they answered that they could not tell where it was from.

Trapped by their own attempts to trap Jesus in His words, they cowardly answered that they didn't know where John's authority came from.

(8) And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Jesus, knowing they only asked Him to try to trap Him, said He would not tell them by what authority He did those things if they did not want to answer Him.  Of course, they knew the answer, and Jesus knew they knew the answer as it could be easily ascertained by His question to them.

(9) Then He began to speak to the people this parable: "A certain man planted a vineyard and leased it out to farmers and went into a far country for a long time."

Then Jesus began to tell a parable.  He spoke of a man who planted a vineyard and leased it out to farmers, and then went to a faraway country for a long time.  This represented God who brought His people into a rich land of plenty in Canaan and then left them to tend it while He was not physically with them as in the days of Moses.  Physically is not exactly the right word for God's presence with them in the days of Moses, but His presence with them was known back then and was not so much at their present time.  And it was a very long time since Moses's day until that present time of Jesus.

(10) "And at the season he sent a servant to the farmers that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard, but the farmers beat him and sent him away empty."

When it was time for the harvest, the man sent a servant to the farmers to collect the fruit of the vineyard, but the farmers beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.  This servant represented a prophet that God sent to His people to exhort them to bring forth the fruits of righteousness.  However, the Jews only mocked the prophet and abused him and sent him away with no account of any fruitfulness in good works.

(11) "And again he sent another servant and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty. (12) And again he sent a third and they wounded him also and cast him out."

The owner of the vineyard sent another servant and the farmers beat him also and sent him away empty-handed, and again he sent another who was treated the same way.  These servants represented the prophets the Lord God kept sending to His people, but His people rejected and abused them.

(13) "Then said the lord of the vineyard, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him when they see him.'"

The lord of the vineyard then decided to send his son expecting the farmers to show more respect to him.  This is symbolic of our sweet Lord having such love and patience for His people that even though they had rejected His word through His prophets countless times, He sent His only beloved son to save them from themselves and the enemy.

(14) "But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him that the inheritance may be ours.'"

However, when the farmers saw the vineyard owner's son, they reasoned among themselves that they should kill the son and then the inheritance would be theirs.  Of course, that is symbolic of the Jews, especially the scribes and Pharisees, and chief priests and elders, who wanted to kill Jesus so that their little kingdom in Jerusalem would be theirs to run as they wanted to, enriching themselves, not serving the Lord.

(15) "So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. What therefore should the lord of the vineyard do to them?"

The farmers in the parable indeed killed the vineyard owner's son.  Jesus then asked His listeners what they thought the lord of the vineyard should do after the farmers had killed his son.

(16) "He shall come and destroy these farmers and shall give the vineyard to others." And when they heard, they said, "God forbid."

Jesus answered the question Himself and replied that the lord of the vineyard would come and destroy the farmers and he would give his vineyard to others.  When the people heard what Jesus said should happen to the farmers, they said "God forbid."  Of course, the point of Jesus's question was to make them think about the consequences of rejecting and killing Him.  The Lord God would justly destroy them and give His gift of salvation to the Gentiles.  It's hard to believe that they would not see that this was a righteous judgment, but perhaps it was meant to mean, "God forbid that we should go as far to be as guilty of the crime as in Your parable."  But they did nothing to change their ultimate plans.  If their "God forbid" was an indication that they did not see themselves reflected in the parable, then they were very foolish indeed.

(17) And He beheld them and said, "What is this then that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner'?"

Jesus then asked the people who had said, "God forbid," what they thought the scripture meant in Psalms 118:22 that said that the stone the builders refused had become the head of the corner, or the cornerstone.  The word of God in that prophecy had stated emphatically that they would reject their Messiah who would regardless be the cornerstone of their church.  Before He told them this, He "beheld them."  Luke made it a point to add that bit of information which means it was probably more than just looking at them to answer them.  He probably felt compassion and pity for them, grieved to know that they would indeed be guilty of the crime He had described in His parable, and that they did not recognize themselves to their detriment and ultimate demise.

(18) "Whoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken, but on whoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."

Jesus told them that whoever fell on that cornerstone would be broken, meaning whoever stumbled on His word and was offended by Him, would only injure himself and be broken.  One has to be broken to self to completely submit to Jesus, but whatever a person chooses to do when he shall without a doubt be broken, determines where he will spend eternity.  He really doesn't have to DO anything but choose to let the Lord do for him.  If the persecution and rejection reach the point where that cornerstone falls on someone (as opposed to him falling on it), he will be completely destroyed, ground to powder, just as what was to happen to Jerusalem after they rejected and killed Christ.

(19) And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on Him, and they feared the people, for they perceived that He had spoken this parable against them.

Incredibly, the chief priests and scribes understood that Jesus's parable was about them, but it didn't matter.  They still sought to seize the Son even after Jesus had told them what would happen.  However, they didn't go through with it because they feared the people who would likely rise up against them.

(20) And they watched Him and sent forth spies who would pretend to be just men that they might take hold of His words so that they might deliver Him to the power and authority of the governor.

So the chief priests and scribes continued to watch Jesus and sent spies to pretend to be righteous men who might be able to seize upon something Jesus said against the Romans so that they could deliver Him to the governor.  It seems they realized they couldn't catch Him or at least feared to catch Him saying anything religiously "incorrect," but they felt they might be able to catch Him saying something against the Roman government.

(21) And they asked Him, saying, "Master, we know that you say and teach rightly, neither do you accept the person of any, but teach the word of God truly."

The spies came up to Jesus and complimented Him on His ability to teach correctly the word of God.  They recognized that He did not show partiality or favoritism to anyone because of social status or wealth, but just taught the word of God truthfully.

(22) "Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or no?"

They asked Jesus if it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar.  They had supposed if Jesus answered that it was lawful for Jews, God's people who boasted never to be in bondage again, to pay tribute to a heathen emperor, that the people would rise up against Him because they expected their Messiah to free them from Roman bondage and would stand by them in denying tribute to Caesar.  However, if Jesus had said that it was not lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, then they could take Him to the governor with something to accuse Him of, which is what they were trying to do.

(23) But He perceived their craftiness and said to them, "Why do you tempt Me?"

Jesus knew they only asked in order to try to trick Him up and He let them know that He knew they asked only as a trap by asking them why they were tempting Him.

(24) "Show Me a penny. Whose image and superscription does it have?" They answered and said, "Caesar's."

Jesus told the spies to show Him a penny and asked them whose image and superscription was on the penny.  They answered that it was Caesar's.

(25) And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's."

Jesus demonstrated to them that since it was Caesar's image on the coin and the Jews indeed traded with his money, they were accepting the fact that they were under his government as indicated on the coin.  Therefore they were to give Caesar what was due him, in this case tribute, and give to God what was His.

(26) And they could not take hold of His words before the people; and they marveled at His answer and held their peace.

The spies were not able to seize Jesus the way they anticipated they would be able to.  They, in fact, had to marvel at His answer that He had spoken in the presence of the people, so they just held their peace.

(27) Then came some of the Sadducees who deny that there is any resurrection, and they asked Him, (28) Saying, "Master, Moses wrote to us if any man's brother dies having a wife, and he died without children, that his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother."

Some Sadducees then came to Jesus to ask a question.  The Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection.  They may have supposed that they had a logical argument against the resurrection, so they began describing a hypothetical situation.  They first recounted Moses's law that if a man's brother died leaving a wife but no children, that he should marry his brother's widow and raise up children for his brother (Deuteronomy 25:5-6).

(29) "There were therefore seven brothers and the first took a wife and died without children."

So began their hypothetical situation.  There were seven brothers and the first of them married a wife but then died without children.

(30) "And the second took her as wife and he died childless."

The second brother took his dead brother's widowed wife as his wife, but he then also died before having any children.

(31) "And the third took her, and in like manner, the seven also, and they left no children and died. (32) Last of all the woman died also."

Then the third brother took his brothers' widowed wife as his own, and this apparently continued to happen to all the brothers as the Sadducees took their hypothetical to a rather ridiculous level.  All brothers took the woman as their wife and all died childless, and finally the woman herself died.

(33) "Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? For seven had her as wife."

The Sadducees then asked Jesus that if there was a resurrection, whose wife would the woman be since she had married all seven brothers.

(34) And Jesus answering, said to them, "The children of this world marry and are given in marriage. (35) But they who shall be counted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage."

Jesus answered that the people in this world marry and are given in marriage, but those who were counted worthy to be resurrected from the dead and be a part of the kingdom of heaven would not marry nor be given in marriage, nor would marriages be recognized in heaven.  After all, the elect is the bride of Christ.

(36) "Neither can they die anymore for they are equal to the angels and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection."

Jesus continued saying that the resurrected would not die for they were the children of God and equal to the angels.  Death or marriage, neither one, would be recognized in heaven.

(37) "Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush when he called the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. (38) For He is not a God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."

Jesus went on to explain regarding the resurrection of the dead.  He said that even Moses when he was at the burning bush called the Lord the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He told them that God was not a God of the dead, but only the living.  Therefore when he referred to God as he did, it meant that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must be living in their afterlife.

(39) Then certain of the scribes, answering, said, "Master, You have well said." (40) And after that they dared not question Him.

One of the scribes who did believe in the resurrection which the Sadducees rejected, told Jesus He had spoken well on the subject, and after that, none of them asked Him any more questions.

(41) And He said to them, "How can they say that Christ is David's son?"

Jesus went on to speak to them all, asking how it was that people said that Christ was David's son, which was, of course, common knowledge among the Jews.

(42) "And David himself said in the book of Psalms, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit on My right hand, (43) Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'"

Jesus then quoted Psalms 110:1 where David said, "The Lord said to My Lord, 'Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool.'"  Of course, David was speaking of Jesus Christ as sitting at the right hand of Father God until He destroyed all Christ's enemies, Satan, the antichrist, all the ungodly who followed them, and sin and death itself.

(44) "David therefore called Him Lord; how is He then his Son?"

Jesus then asked the question how Christ could be David's Son if David himself called Him his Lord.  His point was directed to the Pharisees and all who expected Christ to be a mortal man from the line of David who would sit upon his throne and would be a victorious king who would deliver them out of the hands of their earthly enemies.  If that were so, then why would David have referred to Him as his Lord?  Of course, that could only be reconciled by realizing that Christ was the divine Lord of David who had come to earth in human form through the line of David.  His reign was spiritual in nature and He would indeed deliver those who believed in Him from their enemies.

(45) Then in the audience of all the people, He said to His disciples, (46) "Beware of the scribes who desire to walk in long robes and love greetings in the markets and the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts, (46) Who devour widows' houses, and for a show, make long prayers; the same will receive greater damnation."

Jesus then spoke to His disciples in the hearing of all the people in His audience.  He told them to beware of the scribes who loved to walk around in long robes and be greeted in the marketplaces.  They loved to have the places of highest honor in the synagogues and at feasts.  For a show, they would make long prayers while they devoured widows' livelihoods and homes.  They were glory-seeking and greedy and they must be avoided for they were worthy of and would receive greater damnation than the average person because they had used their pretended piety for their own gain and had led people astray away from true salvation.  So we must avoid the example of glory seeking and covetous pastors and the like, and so shall they receive greater damnation for leading their flocks astray.

Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and His Lament Over Her

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 19:1) And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

Jesus and His disciples had been journeying toward Jerusalem and He now entered into Jericho and passed through it.

(2) And behold, a man named Zacchaeus who was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

There was a man there named Zacchaeus who was the head of the tax collectors and was very rich.

(3) And he sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the crowd because he was little of stature.

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus and know who He was but could not get to Him because of the crowd of people around Jesus, and also because he was a short man.

(4) And he ran before and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was to pass that way.

Zacchaeus ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a sycamore tree that was beside where Jesus would be passing.

(5) And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down for today I must abide at your house."

When Jesus came to the place at the sycamore tree, He looked up and saw Zacchaeus and spoke to him, calling him by name.  He told him to hurry down because He needed to stay at his house.  

(6) And he made haste and came down and received Him joyfully.

Zacchaeus was surely very happy that Jesus had noticed him and asked him to come down from the tree and prepare for Him to stay at his house.  He hurriedly came down and received Jesus joyfully.

(7) And when they saw, they all murmured, saying that He had gone to be a guest with a man who was a sinner.

When the people saw that Jesus had gone to be with Zacchaeus, they all murmured about his going to be a guest at the home of a sinner, for the Jews considered the tax collectors to be the lowest of sinners.

(8) And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore fourfold."

Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and in the hearing of the people to say that he would give half his goods to the poor, and if he had ever wrongly taken anything from anyone by false accusation, he would make it up to the victim fourfold.  

(9) And Jesus said to him, "This day salvation has come to this house for he is also a son of Abraham."

Jesus said to Zacchaeus in the hearing of the people that salvation had come to his house that day.  Jesus was the literal Salvation; there is salvation in no one else.  Because of his repentance, salvation of his eternal soul had come that day.  As a Jew, he may have been a descendant of Abraham, but being saved by His faith in Jesus, he was then worthy to be called a son of Abraham.

(10) "For the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

As if to answer the people who were murmuring about His fellowshipping with sinners, Jesus said that He had come to search out and save the ones who were lost.

(11) And as they heard these things, he added and spoke a parable because he was near to Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

While the people were listening and hearing what He said, Jesus went on to add a parable, mainly because they were nearing Jerusalem and He knew the people were expecting a temporal princely kingdom to appear.

(12) He said therefore, "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return."

Therefore Jesus began His parable.  He told of a nobleman who went into a far country to receive a kingdom and then he would return.  In those days a prince or king would have to go to Rome to receive recognition of his right to the kingdom by the Roman emperor.  This is symbolic of Jesus ascending into heaven far away receiving His kingdom from the Father after having done His will and with the plan to return.

(13) "And he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said to them, 'Occupy until I come.'"

The nobleman called his ten servants and gave them each one pound of gold or silver.  He told them to occupy until he returned.  Again this is symbolic of Jesus ascending to faraway heaven and asking His people to occupy until His return.  Each servant of Jesus is given certain gifts or talents to use until His return.

(14) "But his citizens hated him and sent a message after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'"

The citizens of that kingdom rejected the nobleman as their king just as the Jews rejected Jesus.

(15) "And it came to pass when he returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called to him, to whom he had given the money that he might know how much every man had gained by trading."

Rejected or not, the nobleman received the kingdom, just as Jesus, whether men want to acknowledge it or not, is Lord of His kingdom, and He will return just as the nobleman did to receive an account of His servants.  The nobleman's servants dealt in money, working to enrich the nobleman's kingdom.  Jesus's servants deal in spiritual gifts that enrich the kingdom of God on earth.

(16) "Then came the first, saying, 'Lord, your pound has gained ten pounds.'"

The first servant came to the nobleman and told him that with the pound he had been given, he had increased it to ten more pounds.  Notice the servant said, "your pound."  This is symbolic of the gifts God gives each of us.  Anything we receive is on loan to us from God as it is all His.  We are to take the gifts we are given and use them to increase the kingdom of God.

(17) "And he said to him, 'Well, good servant, because you have been faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'"

The nobleman told the first servant he had done well, and because he had been faithful in the little he had given him, he would then entrust him with authority over ten cities.  Likewise, our rewards in heaven will be proportionate to our faithfulness in increasing God's kingdom on earth.

(18) "And the second came, saying, 'Lord, your pound has gained five pounds.'"

The second servant came to the nobleman and told him that he had increased the one pound he had been given an additional five pounds.  As servants of Christ on earth, some of His servants will do more than others.

(19) "And he said likewise to him, 'You be also over five cities.'" 

The nobleman gave that servant authority over five cities, as Jesus will reward His servants in proportionate amounts according to their faithfulness in increasing His kingdom on earth.

(20) "And another came, saying, 'Lord, behold your pound which I have kept laid up in a napkin. (21) For I feared you because you are an austere man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.'"

Another servant came to the nobleman and gave him back his pound which he had saved in a napkin, doing nothing with it.  He said he had been afraid because he saw the nobleman as a stern and cruel man who took more than his fair share.  This is similar to what some people think about God; they see Him as a cruel God who takes from them more than they think is fair.  They have had no desire to learn the truth about Him, that in everything He asks of us, He gives us the grace and strength to do what He asks, and the benefits we receive are immensely more than anything we feel we have given up.  This servant was symbolic of the person who does nothing with the talents God gave him to advance the kingdom of God, but comes back to Him in the Judgment still possessing the talents, but having done nothing with them of any real lasting value.

(22) "And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth will I judge you, wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow. (23) Why then did you not put my money in the bank that at my coming I might have acquired mine with interest?'"

The nobleman told the servant that he would judge him by the servant's own opinion of the nobleman's character.  If he thought he knew him to be a severe and strict man taking what was not his, then why wouldn't he at the very least put his pound in the bank to at least collect a little interest?  Likewise, if a person considers God to be a cruel God, then by his own logic, he should fear God and do the very minimum not to anger Him.  But, of course, that is merely an excuse to ignore God's laws and to live selfish sinful lives.

(24) "And he said to those who stood by, 'Take from him the pound and give to him who has ten pounds.'"

The nobleman told the others who stood by to take from the wicked servant the pound he had given him and give it to the one who had ten pounds.  Regarding the kingdom of God, this is not to be taken literally in every instance, that the talents of one who does not use them for the kingdom will be taken away and given to another.  However, it is certainly possible that certain grace and blessings that had been given to one in order to do the will of God might be taken away and given to another in order that God's will be done.  But generally, I believe this just means that the one doing the will of God and advancing His kingdom will be given more and more blessings.

(25) (And they said to Him, "Lord, he has ten pounds.")

This is meant to be a parenthetical statement interrupting Jesus's parable.  The bystanders listening to His parable are the ones who pointed out that that servant already had ten pounds, inferring that he had no need for another.  Perhaps their reasoning was that he should give it to one who had fewer pounds.

(26) "For I say to you that to everyone who has will be given, and from him who has not, even that he has will be taken away from him."

Jesus answered saying that anyone who had gifts and blessings of the Lord would be given more, that is if he was using them righteously, and anyone who had nothing to show for himself would lose that which had been given him.  This is similar to what Jesus had said in Luke 8:18, "Take heed therefore how you hear; for whoever has, to him shall be given, and whoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have."  In that instance, it was regarding truths and doctrines they would hear from Jesus; whoever had the spiritual gifts to understand and spread the doctrine of Christ would be given more, but those who did not have true spiritual knowledge would have even what they thought they had taken away, in that case so they would not pass on false doctrines that would endanger the souls of others.  In like manner, whoever had the talents and gifts to increase the kingdom of God on earth would be given more, and those who had none that they used for God's kingdom, would lose even that which they had.

(27) "But those my enemies who did not want that I should reign over them, bring here and slay them before me."

The nobleman in the parable turned his attention to those citizens who hated him (verse 14), and commanded that they be brought before him and slain.  That is what would soon happen to the Jews who hated and rejected Jesus Christ; they would be slain by the Roman soldiers.  Likewise, in a sense, that will happen at the Judgment when Christ's enemies will be cast into hell.

(28) And when He had thus spoken, He went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

When Jesus finished His parable, He went on ahead on His journey to Jerusalem.  As Jerusalem was built on higher ground, He ascended up to Jerusalem.

(29) And it came to pass when He came near to Bethphage and Bethany at the mount called Olivet, He sent two of His disciples (30) Saying, "Go into the village opposite where at your entering you shall find a colt tied on which never a man sat; loose him and bring him."

When Jesus came to Mount Olivet, or the Mount of Olives, near Bethphage and Bethany, two tracts of land that reached from the mountain to Jerusalem, He sent two of His disciples ahead to go into the village opposite them.  He foretold that they would find a colt upon which no man had ever sat, and they were to loose the colt and bring it to Jesus.

(31) "And if any man asks you, 'Why do you loose him?' you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of him.'"

Jesus went on to instruct the two disciples that if someone asked them why they were loosening the colt, they were simply to tell him that the Lord had need of it.

(32) And they who were sent went their way and found just as He had said to them.

The two disciples went into the village as they were commanded and found things just as Jesus had said they would.

(33) And as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why do you loose the colt?"

As the disciples were loosening the colt, its owners indeed asked them why they were doing so.

(34) And they said, "The Lord has need of him."

The disciples answered just as Jesus had told them to, that the Lord had need of him.  Mark 11:6 told us that they indeed let them go with the colt.

(35) And they brought him to Jesus, and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus on it.

They brought the colt to Jesus and cast their outer garments over it for Jesus to sit upon.

(36) And as He went, they spread their clothes on the road.

As Jesus went forward on the colt, people spread their clothes before Him on the road.

(37) And when He was come near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, (38) Saying, "Blessed the king who comes in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

When Jesus had come near the other side of Mount Olivet at the descent of it, all of His followers began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had witnessed.  They shouted acknowledgment that Jesus was King who came in the name of the Lord, and there would be peace in heaven because He came to reconcile God to man.  They shouted that glory be given to God for the salvation and life brought by Jesus Christ.

(39) And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said to Him, "Master, rebuke Your disciples."

There were some Pharisees among the people who told Jesus to rebuke His disciples, for they probably found it unbearable that the people publicly bestowed such honor on Jesus.  They would undoubtedly call it blasphemy what the people did and pride and vanity in Jesus to allow such a display.

(40) And He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."

However, Jesus told them that even if those people were to hold their peace and not shout their praises and proclamation that Jesus was the Messiah, the stones would shout it, for it was impossible that these declarations not be made at that time.  One way or another, God would make known at that moment in time who was entering into Jerusalem!

(41) And when He was come near, He beheld the city and wept over it.

When Jesus had come near to Jerusalem, He looked at the city and began to weep over it.  He, of course, knew what was soon to happen to the city and its inhabitants, and He had compassion for it and for them.

(42) Saying, "If you had known, even you, at least in this your day, the things for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes."

As Jesus wept over Jerusalem, He lamented that Jerusalem had not known up to that day what would have brought them, Jerusalem's people, peace.  He had tried to bring them that peace that they had not known for a long time, but they had rejected Him.  Now it was too late; their fate was cemented, and Jesus wept for them.

(43) "For the days will come upon you that your enemies will cast a trench around you and surround you and keep you in on every side, (44) And will lay you even with the ground and your children within you, and they shall not leave in you one stone upon another because you did not know the time of your visitation."

Jesus foretold how the days would come when Jerusalem's enemies, the Romans, would surround the city and level it to the ground with all the people in it.  There would not be one stone left upon another, it would be so flattened and destroyed, and that was because they had not known and understood, neither did they believe, that their Lord God had come to visit and save them.

(45) And He went into the temple and began to cast out those who sold in it and those who bought, (46) Saying to them, "It is written, 'My house is the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.'"

Jesus then went into the temple and began to drive out all the vendors who had set up to sell sacrificial animals and tokens of worship and to cast out the buyers, as well.  The account in John went further to add that Jesus had even made "a scourge of small cords" (John 2:15) to drive them out.  He quoted parts of Isaiah 56:7 that the Lord's house would be called a house of prayer and of Jeremiah 7:11 that it had become a den of robbers.

(47) And He taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy Him.

Jesus then taught in the temple and continued to teach every day until the Passover came.  However, the chief priests and scribes and the elders of the people conspired about how to destroy Him.

(48) And could not find what they might do for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

Though they conspired to destroy Jesus, the chief priests and scribes and elders could not find a way to do it because all the people constantly crowded around Him very attentive to what He had to say, and left them no opportunity to do what they wished to do.

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)!

The Prodigal Son

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 15:1) Then drew near to Him all the publicans and sinners to hear Him.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had been journeying toward Jerusalem and a multitude of people followed Him.  He had been telling them what they must do in order to be His disciples, forsake family and self, and accept all trials and tribulations that came with being His disciple.  At this time, whether from the ranks of the multitude or perhaps coming out of the town He was passing through, tax collectors who were detestable to the Jews and other sinners came near to Jesus to hear Him.

(2) And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

When the scribes and Pharisees saw that the publicans and sinners had easy access to Jesus and He cordially accepted them into His audience and even sometimes ate with them, they found it disgraceful and began murmuring among themselves about it.

(3) And He spoke this parable to them, saying, (4) "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?"

Jesus, knowing what the scribes and Pharisees were thinking and saying, asked what one of them, if he had 100 sheep and lost one, would not leave his 99 sheep and go in search of the lost one.

(5) "And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing."

Still part of His question to them, would they not rejoice when they had found their lost sheep?

(6) "And when he comes home, he calls together friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.'"

Would they not be happy about finding their lost sheep and would rejoice with friends and family that they had found it?

(7) "I say to you that likewise joy will be in heaven over one sinner who repents more than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

Jesus said that was the way it was in heaven, great rejoicing over one sinner who repented, more than over 99 just people who had no need of repentance.  As Jesus had said in Luke 5:32, He had not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  Therefore, it was necessary to be where the sinners were.

(8) "Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she loses one piece, does not light a candle and sweep the house and seeks diligently until she finds it?"

Jesus offered another example, asking what woman who had ten pieces of silver, if she lost one, would not search diligently for the one lost piece of silver until she found it.

(9) "And when she has found it, she calls friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me for I have found the piece which I had lost.'"

Wouldn't that woman be so happy about finding her one lost coin that she would rejoice with friends and neighbors telling them she had found it?

(10) "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Again Jesus told them there was great joy in heaven over one sinner who repented, and that is why Jesus was often among sinners.

(11) And He said, "A certain man had two sons."

To further illustrate His point, Jesus began a parable about a man who had two sons.

(12) "And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' And he divided to them his livelihood."

The younger of the man's two sons asked his father if he could have his portion of his inheritance at that time, and his father did indeed divide his property and give the younger son his share.

(13) "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living."

Not many days after the younger son had received his inheritance, he packed up everything he owned and journeyed to a faraway land, and there wasted all his money on excessive riotous living.

(14) "And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in need."

When that son had wasted his entire inheritance, there came upon the land a severe famine, and the son found himself in need.

(15) "And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine."

The son went into the service of a citizen of that country who sent him into his fields to feed the swine.  This is representative of one who attaches himself to the world and is employed in loathsome activity, contrary to Godly living, as the keeping of swine was unlawful and one of the lowest forms of degradation to a Jew.

(16) "And he would long to have filled his belly with the husks that the swine ate, and no man gave to him."

The son was so poor and hungry that he longed to eat the husks that the swine ate, but no one gave him anything.

(17) "And when he came to himself, he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger.'"

When the son came to his right mind, he started thinking about his father and how even his father's servants had more than enough to eat and there he was starving to death.

(18) "'I will arise and go to my father and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, (19) And am no more worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired servants."'"

He thought about what he would do and what he would say to his father.  He would acknowledge that he had sinned against God and his father also in squandering all that he had given him with debauched living.  He would confess that he was no longer worthy to be called his son and would ask that he be allowed to be one of his father's servants.

(20) "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him."

So the son went back to his father.  When he was still a distance away from him, his father saw him coming and was moved with compassion and love for him.  He literally ran to his son and threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.

(21) "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.'"

The son confessed to his father that he had sinned against God in heaven and against his father and considered himself no longer worthy to be called his son.

(22) "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.'"

However, the father told his servants to bring out the best robe and put it on his younger son, and also to put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet.  The son was surely in rags and must have been barefooted.  The father wanted his son clothed in the best and with a ring that denoted dignity and the favor of his father.  This is a beautiful picture of how God receives us when we repent; He showers us with His grace and love.

(23) "'And bring here the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry.'"

The father continued telling his servants to also bring forth a fatted calf and kill it so they might feast on it and be joyful.

(24) "'For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry."

The reason for the father's joyous feast was that his son had been as dead to him, seemingly gone forever; he had lost his way, lost in sin, but had now found his way back.  For this, they began a joyous feast.  Again this is a beautiful picture of Father God and the joy in heaven over a lost soul who repented.

(25) "Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing."

The father's older son was apparently working in the field when all this occurred.  As he came near the house, he heard the music and dancing of the joyful feast.

(26) "And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant."

The older son called one of the servants and asked him the reason for the music and dancing.

(27) "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and sound.'"

The servant told the older son that his brother had returned and that his father was overjoyed that he had come back to him safe and sound, so he had killed the fatted calf and they were having a joyful celebratory feast.

(28) "And he was angry and would not go in; therefore his father came out and entreated him."

The older son was angry about it all and would not join the feast, so his father came out to him and begged him to join them.

(29) "And he, answering, said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you; I neither transgressed your commandment at any time and yet you never gave me a kid that I might make merry with my friends. (30) But as soon as this your son came, who had devoured your livelihood with harlots, you have killed for him the fatted calf.'"

The son told his father why he was so angry and would not go in to the feast.  He had served his father faithfully for many years and never failed to do what he asked, and yet his father had never offered so much as a goat kid so that he might celebrate with his friends.  However, when his sinful son returned, after squandering his inheritance that had been his father's livelihood, he killed a fatted calf and made a great celebration for him.

(31) "And he said to him, 'Son, you are ever with me and all that I have is yours. (32) It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found.'"

The father told his older son that he had been with him always and therefore enjoyed all that his father had.  However, they should be joyful that their lost family member was now found.  He had been literally dead in sin but was now alive!  That should be a happy event for the older son, too.  Of course, this was a perfect addendum to what Jesus had said at the beginning of this chapter.  In this case the Father would not leave the one and others to find the lost one but would seem to shower more blessings on the lost one when he returned.  Although it might seem unfair to some that they could be faithful Christians all their lives when a lost soul who lived a corrupt life can come to Jesus and Father God at the end of his life and be showered with blessings, we must remember that as faithful Christians, we have always had the blessings of the Father that come with following Him.  A lost soul has never really been happy, always searching for something to fill the emptiness.  And he was destined to live eternity in hell!  We must realize that "there but for the grace of God go I."  We could have so easily been lost as well if not for the love and mercy of God.  Perhaps we were for a time and are now saved.  Because God forgave us and saved us, we should also be willing to forgive others no matter how long they have lived wickedly, and to rejoice when they finally come to Jesus.  This is something Jesus taught in Matthew 6:14-15, that only when we forgave men's trespasses would our heavenly Father forgive us ours.  Matthew Henry said it beautifully in his Commentary on the Whole Bible:

"Therefore we ought not to envy others God's grace to them because we shall have never the less for their sharing in it. If we be true believers, all that God is, all that he has, is ours; and, if others come to be true believers, all that he is, and all that he has, is theirs too, and yet we have not the less, as they that walk in the light and warmth of the sun have all the benefit they can have by it, and yet not the less for others having as much."