Bible 101 - Luke 11:37-13

Presented May 1, 2006 by Phyllis Gilbert

Review: Last week, we came to the turning point in Jesus' ministry and in the lives of his disciples. Jesus asked the 12 who people said he was, and they named John the Baptist, Elijah or another prophet. And then he said "but who do YOU say that I am?" and Peter replied "You are the Christ of God." (Luke 9:20). Jesus then begins to tell them what's ahead: they're on the way to Jerusalem where he'll be betrayed, handed over to the religious leaders, killed, be in the tomb three day s and rise again. Of course the disciples do not - cannot - understand what he's telling them. Until they see him on the cross and see his risen body, they won't grasp the full meaning of Jesus' coming to earth. They get a preview of his glory in the Transfiguration, and then Jesus, from the mountaintop exaltation to the valley of problems, continues to minister. His opposition becomes greater and louder and we recall over and over Simeon's prophecy to Mary and Joseph that "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul" (Luke 2:34-35 NLT).

Luke 11:37: A Pharisee invites Jesus to dinner and then is surprised when Jesus does not engage in the ritual handwashing before the meal (the Jews had an elaborate pouring and washing ceremony which had been described in the Mishnah or tradition, not the law). Jesus ate with clean hands (hygiene); the point was that he didn't follow the traditions. And this gave rise to Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees in the six woes or judgments of their hypocrisy. Jesus said their concern with clean hands didn't extend to clean "insides." Nor did their scrupulous tithing extend to having justice and mercy for the poor. And the list went on. Jesus has observed them as they have observed him; now he's telling them their righteousness is as filthy rags because it's all superficial. Their hearts are not involved.

Luke 11:53: "When Jesus left, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say." The best defense is a good offense, the Pharisees think, and their strategy is to bombard Jesus with tests to trap him and discredit him.

Luke 12: At the end of ch. 11, we read, "the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say." He's confronted their hypocritical keeping of the law, and now they're actively looking for a way to trap him and thus turn the people back to the established ways. Nevertheless, Jesus does not back down. And in this chapter, he pointedly tells his disciples to "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known." The Pharisees may put on piety, but the emptiness of their hearts will be clear to all in their condemnation of Jesus. And his warning to his disciples suggests that the "yeast of the Pharisees" like yeast in bread has a powerful effect. Jesus wants them to trust God, not these men. In the next verses, he speaks of proper fear: better to fear those who can kill the soul, rather than to fear those who can kill the body. This implies that (1) the Pharisees and other religious leaders have political power and that they will have a role in Jesus' death; and (2) that if the people fear them, they've placed fear (and power) in hands that can merely end physical life. Better to fear God and trust him. God alone has the plan of salvation; God alone provides the gift of salvation - spiritual life. If we reject his offer of salvation, we die spiritually. And Jesus presents a benevolent picture of God as one who even cares about sparrows; certainly such caring extends to human beings, Jesus reminds us.

Luke 12:9: Jesus continues in the vein of persecution: there are powerful men who can take life; there are powerful courts who will try Jesus and his followers. But we are to stand firm. "Whoever acknowledges me [Jesus] before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God." Paul puts it this way in Romans: "If you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (10:9-10). Jesus says that speaking blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven - and this is the result of rejecting God's offered salvation, or of actively deciding not to confess that Jesus is Lord and not believing in your heart that God raised him from the dead. It is the Spirit who convicts; if we reject that voice saying "believe" over and over, we condemn ourselves. The Holy Spirit also puts the words of faith into believers' mouths when taken before judges and authorities.

Luke 12:13: This chapter's teaching has a smorgasbord of topics, and here's one that seems random: a person in the crowd appeals to Jesus to force his brother to share his inheritance with him. Jesus replies: "who appointed me a judge between you?" turning the dispute back to the men. But then Jesus answers with another parable: A rich man's fields produced amazing crops and he built bigger and bigger barns. Finally, he told himself, "Relax, enjoy; eat, drink and be merry!" But God said "You fool. This night your soul will be required of you." And so the parable illustrates two things about which Jesus was just speaking: spiritual matters take priority. The rich man had put his faith in his own ability to make money; his pride had deluded him. He'd rejected God. And the man asking about an inheritance was also putting faith in things, riches, and Jesus says "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

Luke 12:22: In the same theme, Jesus explains that worry does nothing for human beings (and medical science has shown that worry actually does harm; it certainly doesn't add years to our lives). He counsels again that keeping our priorities on God and serving him results in a more satisfying life - and eternity. "Seek his [God's] kingdom and these things will be given to you as well." "These things" include food, clothing, a purpose in life. In Matthew 6:20-21, Jesus said "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. . . "; he repeats that advice here, adding "for where your treasure is there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34).

Luke 12:35: And speaking of heaven and Jesus' return, he tells them to be ready and watching. Be ready as a bridegroom's friends are ready for the banquet; be ready as servants are ready for their master to return from a trip. Be ready and vigilant as any householder is against thieves, "for the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him," (v. 40). Peter asks about the audience for this message: is it just for the 12 disciples or for everyone, and Jesus, once again, answers with a parable: If a master goes on a trip, leaving servants at home, he'll put a "faithful and wise manager" in charge of feeding and running the household. This responsible behavior is what the master counts on when he's there and when he's absent. But suppose, Jesus says, the servant thinks: "the master has been gone so long, I can do what I'd like," and he beats the other servants and gets drunk on the master's wine. The master will return, Jesus says; all the servants must be watchful and doing what they are assigned to do. Jesus tells his disciples to watch because they don't know when he'll return. Punishment will be severe for the unprepared. The more light we have (the more knowledge of God), the more responsible we are to act on it.

Luke 12:49: Jesus once again reiterates Simeon's prophecy: "I have come to bring fire on the earth. . . Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division." And he spells out what that division looks like. Jesus' teaching and miracles have already split the crowds: some believe that he is the Messiah and have faith in him; others are offended by what he says and does and they cling to the old ways. God wants our love, trust and obedience; that was true in the OT and in the NT. That love, trust and obedience splits families whose priorities differ (recall the man called to follow Jesus who wanted to go home a bury his father; his first responsibility, he was saying, was loyalty to his human father, not his heavenly father).

Luke 12:54: Jesus tells the crowds that they're adept at reading the sky for signs of coming weather - but he says "you can't read the signs of the present times." In other words, they're looking for a different Messiah; Jesus has challenged all they hold dear, and they're not willing to let go of the old and find joy in the new, in the Gospel he preaches. Jesus is concentrating on judgment here: he brings no peace, but his teaching demands that people decide. And again, in the matter of divisions among neighbors and friends, he urges settlement and not fighting. This applies his teaching to "love your enemy." And in a spiritual sense, he's saying "decide for yourselves whether you accept me and my message." Don't look to the hypocritical leaders; don't follow them just to get along. Decide to do what is right and will benefit your soul.

Luke 13: Here are curious incidents which make the people question why good behavior doesn't result in good things and vice versa. In a sense, these were Job's questions. They ask Jesus about an incident at the Temple in which, it is supposed, Herod killed some Jews offering sacrifices and their own blood was mixed with the blood of the sacrifice. "Were they more sinful than others to suffer this way?" Jesus asks. And he speaks of a tower near a gate falling on and killing 18 people; were they killed because they were sinners? Jesus answers his own questions: unless his hearers repent they will be punished. It is repentance that brings us close to God; it is belief in Jesus' sacrifice that justifies us in God's sight. But Jesus is also pointing to a nation which is ignoring God at its own peril, and in the next parable, this is clear. While a more frequent OT metaphor compared the nation of Israel to a vineyard, the fig tree is used here. The tree that doesn't bear fruit after the landowner's care over three years is about to be cut down. The people of God have had ample time to respond to his message to love him, obey him and trust him. The servant who took care of the tree pleaded or more time just as the prophets in the OT asked on behalf of the people for more time. Jesus implies that more time isn't the answer; it's truly hearing the message and acting on it.

Luke 13:10: Another Sabbath healing provokes outrage. Jesus heals a woman who'd been crippled for 18 years, so bent over, she couldn't straighten up. Jesus frees her of this crippling condition, and she rejoices in her release from pain and suffering. But the synagogue leaders are "indignant" because he's healed on the Sabbath, telling the people "there are six days for work." Jesus is also indignant and calls the leaders "hypocrites" because they will rescue their animals on the Sabbath - so why not rescue a woman, a child of God, from her suffering? The critics, we're told, were humiliated but the people were delighted at what Jesus did and said. The campaign to discredit Jesus hasn't paid off yet.

Luke 13:18: Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed, and to yeast. In both cases, the seed and the yeast are small at the start, but each grows into a much larger plant or effect. A small amount of yeast will cause a lot of dough to rise. It doesn't take much faith to start, Jesus says. But you must believe, and as each believer decides to put his/her trust in Jesus, the kingdom of God spreads.

Luke 13:22: Jesus is asked how many people will be saved. Recall earlier that in interpreting the parable of the sower and soils, Jesus had said some ears won't hear and some eyes won't see the truth. But his disciples were given spiritual insight. Today, we have people who say "all religions lead to God; it doesn't matter which one you believe in." But Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the father but by me" (John 14:6). Here he compares the path to eternal life to a narrow gate: those who go in by this one door, Jesus, will be acknowledged by the Father. We are recognized by our faith and our works in response to that faith. If God doesn't see the fruit of our belief, he will turn us away. Jesus is surrounded by huge crowds, but no one should imagine that all who said "wow; he's a miracle worker," went the next step and said "I want to follow him because I believe in the gospel message he preaches." Didn't happen then, and it doesn't happen now. The Holy Spirit draws us to God; it is our decision to accept or reject the gift of life he offers.

Luke 13:31: This warning from the Pharisees that Jesus get out of Herod's territory is unexpected. Since when did the Pharisees care about Jesus' welfare? Note Jesus' answer: "tell that fox I have work to do and I'll continue to do it," Jesus tells them No political or religious leader will stop God's plan of salvation from reaching its ultimate conclusion at the cross and resurrection. Jesus is operating on God's time, not on man's time. And Jesus weeps over Jerusalem's rejection of him. He echoes here his earlier thoughts in the fig tree parable: Jerusalem has had the prophets' message for years, but the nation has rejected God's call; they continue to do so.

Next week: The parables of the lost coin, lost sheep and lost son, among others.

Homework for those who want to go deeper:

Let's close in prayer.