Week 2: Luke 11-24
February 2, 2021
Welcome to Week 2 of Encounter!
This week we cover a lot of ground in Luke. In Luke 9:51, we read this: "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem." Everything we read after that takes us to Jerusalem and to the crucifixion. Thankfully, the crucifixion is not the end of the story as Luke's final chapter gives us the story of his resurrection and ascension.
As you read, keep in mind the questions that I introduced last week. We will use these every week as general questions to keep in mind as we read and that will help to formulate our reflections, observations, and questions.
Our guiding questions are these:
- What stood out to you in the reading?
- Was there anything confusing or troubling?
- Did anything make you think differently about God?
- How might what you read change the way you live?
Please post a comment below with some of your questions, comments, and reflections from this week's reading.
I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ What is meant by the "third day I will reach m goal"? What is the goal Jesus refers to?
ReplyDeleteGreat question! So the context is that the Pharisees have told Jesus to leave because Herod (Antipas) wants to kill him. In the original language, the word translated as "reach my goal" means "to be brought to full development." It's sometimes translated as "I am perfected." I think what Jesus is saying here is this: "Nothing is going to keep me from doing my mission and on the third day, I will have fulfilled what my Father sent me to do." In the original language, it just says "the third," which I take as a reference to the resurrection. Jesus has "resolutely set his face to Jerusalem," meaning he knows what he's in for there, and not even the king Herod will be able to stop him from exorcisms and healings and especially not from the resurrection.
DeleteI got out of this section that Jesus was committed to reach out to the poor , the blind , the Samaritans, anyone who needed Him and He welcomes everybody.
ReplyDeleteAs we celebrate communion this week, I will picture Jesus at the table with us. Remembering His death and resurrection for us.
That's beautiful! Sometimes we focus on Jesus' mission being the cross, but Luke's gospel especially reminds us that Jesus did just as you pointed out. It's a calling that he welcomes us into so that we can reach out to others, but especially to those on the fringes. How wonderful to remember that as we celebrate communion!
DeleteChapter 12 verse 10 states. Whoever says something against The Son of Man can be forgiven. But whoever speaks against The Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. What does this mean.
ReplyDeleteChapter 12 verse 10 states. Whoever says something against The Son of Man can be forgiven. But whoever speaks against The Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. What does this mean.
ReplyDeleteYou might see this called in some places "the unforgivable sin." The root of this is blasphemy. The Heidelberg Catechism says that so sin is greater or provokes God's wrath more than blasphemy (taking God's name in vain - 3rd commandment). Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a conscious opposition to the truth (since the Holy Spirit brings us God's truth). An opposition to truth would lead us away from repentance and ultimately from salvation through Jesus Christ. I'm not sure if Jesus had a zero-tolerance policy here or if he was referring to an ongoing opposition to the truth of the Holy Spirit. My guess is that he's talking about an ongoing, intentional, conscious opposition to the word/truth of the Holy Spirit. Anyone else with thoughts on this?
DeleteThank You. Thats what I thought but an unforgivable sin was scary to me.
DeleteSorry, I got a late start on this. I have some questions from earlier readings.
ReplyDelete1) In Luke 10:19, it says we can walk with scorpions and snakes and not be heard. I know there are some sects that try to do that. Was that an allegory?
2) In Luke 21:32, it implies that no one living at that time would die before Christ would come again. Was He referring to the coming of the kingdom of God?
Thanks!
Hi Carlene! Great questions.
DeleteLuke 10:19 - I don't think Jesus would recommend doing that. In verse 18, Jesus says that he saw Satan falling like lightning. I think the reference to snakes is no accident as Satan is the serpent from Genesis 3. I believe Jesus is speaking in hyperbole here and suggesting that the message we are sent with (Luke 10 is the sending of the 72) is much more powerful than Satan.
Luke 21:32 - The note in my NIV Study Bible says this: "If the reference is to the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred 40 years after Jesus spoke these words, "generation" is used in its ordinary sense of a normal life span. All these things were fulfilled in a preliminary sense in the AD 70 destruction of Jerusalem. If the reference is to the second coming of Christ, "generation" might indicate the Jewish people as a race, who were promised existence to the very end. Or it might refer to the future generation alive at the beginning of these things. It does not mean that Jesus had a mistaken notion he was going to return immediately."
The destruction of Jerusalem was certainly a sign that the kingdom would come in a way very different than what the Jewish leaders expected. It could also be a more general statement that Jesus would preserve his church until he comes again.