PART IX
CHRIST'S PEREAN MINISTRY
A. The First Perean Tour
109 Leaving Judea, Jesus Moves Eastward Into Perea, Across the Jordan River.
January to March, A.D. 30
John 10:40-42
40 Then Jesus went across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed 41 and many people came to him. They said, "Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true." 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
110 An Outline of the First Perean Tour
Luke 13:22
22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.
111 The Parabolic Answer of Jesus to a Question Whether Few Will be Saved
Probably to Perea.
Luke 13:23-30
23 Someone asked him, Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, 24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'
"But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'
26 "Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'
28 "There will be weeping there, gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."
112. Christ's Reaction When Some Pharisees Warned Him Against Herod Antipas
Luke 13:31-35
31 At that time many Pharisees cane to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you."
32 He replied, "Go and tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' 33 In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day - for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
113 Invited to Dine at the Home of a Prominent Pharisee on a Sabbath Day, Jesus Heals a Man Suffering From Dropsy - He Silences His Adversaries and Admonishes Them with Pertinent Advice and Parabolic Teaching.
Luke 14:1-24
1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" 4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, they healed him and sent him away. 5 Then they asked them, "If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well of the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?" 6 and they had nothing to say.
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor the table, he told them this parable: 8 "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the places of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat." Then, humiliated, you will have to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when the host comes he will say 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
12 Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."
16 Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited., 'Come, for everything is now ready.'
18 "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, "I have just brought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'
19 "Another said, 'I have brought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'
20 "Still another said, "I just got married, so I can't come."
21 "The servant came back and reported this to the master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'
22 "'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'
23 "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'"
114 Three Parables, Addressed to a Crowd of Followers, On the Demands of True Discipleship.
Luke 14:25-35
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them said: 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate has father and mother, his wife and his children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And everyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28 "Suppose on of you wants to build a tower. Will he not sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, 'This fellow began build and way not able to finish.'
31 "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose one coming against him with twenty thousand men? 32 If he is not able he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot become my disciple.
34 "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit for neither the soil nor the manure pile; it is thrown out.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
115 Christ's Defense of His Compassionate Attitude Toward Religious Outcasts -- Parables About a Lost Sheep, A Lost Coin and Wayward Son.
Luke 15:1-32
1 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But he Pharisees and the teachers of the Law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
1 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you that in the same way there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents that over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
8 "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me, I have found my lost coin." 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of angels of God over one sinner who repents."
11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had; set off for a distant country and there he squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent to a field to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 "When he came to his senses, he said , 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death? 18 I will set out against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. when he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home you kill the fattened calf for him!'
31 "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and every thing I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and now is found.'"
116 Two Parables on the Advantageous Use of Money - Stories About a Shrewd Property Manager, and a Rich Man and a Beggar
Luke 16:1-31
1 Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'
3 "The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg - 4 I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here people will welcome me in their houses.'
5 "So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'
6 "Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied.
"The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.'
7 Then he asked the second, 'How much do you owe?'
"'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied.
"He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'
8 "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd with own kind that are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of their own.
13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money (Mammon).
14 The Pharisees who love money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.
16 "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of the pen to drop out of the Law.
" Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and the one who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
19 "There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury everyday. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 "The time came when the beggar dies and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am agony in this fire.'
25 "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in you lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from there to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over there to us.'
27 "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warm them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30 "'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"
117. Straightforward Teaching To The Disciples About Forgiveness, Faith and Service
Luke 17:1-10
1 Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. 2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck that for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 "So watch yourselves.
"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him"
5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
6 He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be rooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.
7 "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? 8 Would he not say prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat an drink; after that you may eat and drink'? 9 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty'"
B. An Interlude in Judea, Samaria and Galilee
118. Lazarus Miraculously Raise from the Dead.
Bethany, near Jerusalem
John 11:1-44
1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped him with her hair. 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."
5 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. 10 It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has not light."
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."
12 His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So when he said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
16 Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us go also that we may die with him."
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Judeans had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know even now God will give you whatever. you ask."
23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24 Martha answered, "I know he will rise again at the resurrection at the last day."
25 Jesus said her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whatever lives and believes in will never die. Do you believe this?"
27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the son of God, who has come into this world."
28 And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, " and is asking for you." 29 When Mary heard this, she quickly and went up to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Judeans who been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Judeans who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in the spirit in the spirit and troubled. 34 "Where a have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Judeans said, "See how he loved him!"
37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"
38 Jesus, once more moved deeply, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 "Take away the stone," he said.
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he been there four days."
40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."
(Morton Smith: Lost Fragment:
And Jesus got angry and went with her into the garden where the tomb was. just then a loud voice was heard from inside the tomb. Then Jesus went up and rolled the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. he went right in where the young man was, stuck out his hand and grabbed him by the hand and raised him up.)
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them. "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
(Morton Smith: Lost fragment:
The young man looked at Jesus, loved him, and began to beg him to be with him. Then they went inside the house (incidentally he was rich.)
Six days later Jesus gave him an order; and when the evening had come, the young man went to him dressed only in a linen cloth. he spent that night with him, because Jesus taught him the mystery of God's domain. From there Jesus (got up) and went to the other side of the Jordan.)
119. Consequences of the Raising of Lazarus - Popular Belief, Pharisaic Plots, the Departure of Jesus to Ephraim in Northern Judea
John 11:45-54
45 Therefore many of the Judeans who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, but their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
"What are we accomplishing?" they asked. "Here is a man performing many miraculous signs. 48 If we let him go like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our pace and our nation."
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not any for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer move about publicly among the Judeans. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
120 Ten Lepers Healed - Gratitude Expressed by Only One of Them
Probably in Galilee, near the north-eastern border of Samaria.
Luke 17:11-19
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood as a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourself to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praised God in a loud voice. 16 he threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him - and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
121. Christ's Solemn Reply to a Question About the Coming of God's Kingdom
Probably in south-estern Galilee
Luke 17:20-37
20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come visibly, 21 nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within (among) you.
22 Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but will not see it. 23 Men will tell you, 'There it is!' or 'Here he is!' Do not go running off after them. 24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
26 "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. the flood came and destroyed them all.
28 "It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
30 "It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man will be revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot's wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it . 34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left. 36 (Missing)
37 "Where Lord?" they asked.
He replied, "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather."
122 Parabolic Teaching on Prayer - Stories About a Persistent Widow, and a Pharisee and a Tax Collector
Probably in south-eastern Galilee
Luke 18:1-14
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'
4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!"
6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself; 'God, I thank you that I am not like all the other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. he would not even look up to heaven, but his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
C. The Second Perean Tour
123 Christ's Arrival in Perea Again, From Galilee - his Healing and Teaching Ministry
Matt 19:1-2, Mark 10:1
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them` (Mk 1b).
124. Reply to a Question of Some Pharisees, Jesus Teaches Concerning Divorce
Perea
Matt 19:3-12, Mark 10:2-12
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning of the Creator 'made them male and female,' 5 and he said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
7 "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
8 Jesus replied, 'Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard.
But it was not this way from the beginning. 10 When they were in the house again the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and married another man, she commits adultery."
19 The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
11 Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
125. Jesus Blesses Little Children
Matt 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17
13 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. 15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He (Lk 16b) called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of god like a little child will never enter it."
16 And he took the children in his arms, putting his hands on them and blessed them. 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
126. A Rich Young Ruler's Faltering Faith - Jesus Warns His Disciples About the Perils of Wealth, and Gives then Parabolic Teaching About the Rewards of Christian Service
Matt 19:16-20:16, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30
(Mk 17) As Jesus started on his way, a certain ruler ran up to him and fell on his knees before him, "Good teacher?" he asked, "what he good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
(Mt 17) "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied, (Mk 18) "Why do you call me good? There is only One who is good. No one is good except God alone. If you want to enter eternal life, obey the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, 19 "You know the commandments: 'do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do you give false testimony, do not defraud, honor you father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
20 "Teacher looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said, "If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this, his face fell. he went away very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24 Jesus looked at him and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God"
25 When the disciples heard this, the were greatly astonished and said to each other, "who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
27 Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on glorious throne, you who have followed will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 and, "No one who has left home or brothers or sisters mother or father or children or fields for me and for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail (Mk 30b) to receive an hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and (Mt 30b) many who are last will be first.
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 "About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, 'You also go work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5 So they went.
"He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6 About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, "Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?"
7 "Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last one hired and going with the first.'
9 "The workers who were hired first were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each on of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 "These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't' you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
127. Jesus Again Tells His Twelve Disciples Privately About His Approaching Death and Resurrection
Matt 20:17-19, Mark 10:32-34, Luke 18:31-34
32 They went on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what going to happen to him. 33 "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and (Lk 31b) everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be betrayed to the chief (Mt 18b) priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will turn over to the Gentiles to be mocked and spit on and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"
34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.
128. Selfish Ambition Expressed by James and John and Their Mother Precipitates Discord Among the Disciples - Jesus talking to them plainly about Humble Unselfish Service.
Matt. 20:20-28, Mark 10:35-45
20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jerusalem with her sons James and John, and, kneeling down, added a favor of him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." 36 "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mind may sit at your right hand side and the other at your left in your kingdom."
22 "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"
"We can," they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from the my cup, and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right hand or my left is not for me to grant. Theses places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father." 41 When the ten heard about his, they become indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you . Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever want to be first must be the salve of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as ransom for many."
D. A POSTLUDE: EXCITING EVENTS AS JESUS RE-ENTERS JUDEA, TERMINATING HIS MINISTRY IN PEREA
129 The Healing of Blind Bartimus
Probably on the way out of Old Jericho
Matt 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a crowd, with large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaus (that is the son of Timaeus), was sitting (Lk35b) by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." He's calling you ." 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 "What do you want me to do for you?"
"Lord, I want to see," he replied. Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." 42 Immediately he received his sight; and followed Jesus praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.".
130 Jesus and Zacchaeus
Probably New Jericho
Luke 19:1-10
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was , but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of 'sinner.'"
8 But Zaccharaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look lord! here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay him back four times the amount."
9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what he lost."
131 As He Approaches Jerusalem, Jesus Endeavors to Correct Popular Misunderstanding About the Coming of the Kingdom - the Parable of the Ten Minas.
Luke 19:11-28
11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten Minas. 'Put this money to work.' he said, 'until I come back.'
14 "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, "We don't want this man to be our king.'
15 "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16 "The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'
17 "'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'
18 "The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.'
19 "His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'
20 "Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina I have kept it laid away on apiece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.'
22 "His master replied, "I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not out in, and reaping what I did not sow.? 23 Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back I could have collected it with interest?'
24 Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'
25 "'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'
26 He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be gvien, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them - bring them here and kill them in front of me.'"
28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
132 A Hostile Proclamation of the Sanhedrin Creates Suspense in Jerusalem About the Coming of Jesus to the Passover
John 11:55-57
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for the ceremonial cleansing before the Passover . 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and they stood in the temple area they asked one another, "What do you think? Isn't he coming to the Feast at all?" 57 But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.
133 The Arrival of Jesus at Bethany Gives Rise to Popular Interest and Priestly Plots
John 12:1,9-11
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Judeans found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Judeans were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.