Bible 101 - Luke 20-22:30

Presented June 5, 2006 by Phyllis Gilbert

Review: As we know, Jesus has begun the last week of his life before his crucifixion. Having entered the city to acclamations of joy and cries of Hosannah, he will soon be hearing "Crucify him, crucify him" from the same crowds. What is his final week like? It's filled with confrontations and teaching, trials and suffering. And yet, Jesus faces it all with the knowledge that he is doing God's will and fulfilling the purpose for which he came to earth.

The final week: Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, on Monday cleared the temple, and on Tuesday, he teaches in the temple and his authority is challenged. On Wednesday, the plot against him grows more serious and as this day is often called "Spy Wednesday," it suggests that this is the day Judas made his deal with the chief priests to betray Jesus. Thursday is the day on which Passover is celebrated, and Jesus eats this meal with his disciples, after which they go to the Garden of Gethsemane where he is arrested. That night and the next morning, his trials are held, he's crucified at about 9 a.m. on Friday, and dies at about 3 p.m. Joseph of Arimathea buries Jesus in his own tomb, and Jesus is there until Sunday morning when the women come to the tomb and find it empty. The horrible week of suffering and death ends in a glorious resurrection of new life - for Jesus and for us.

Luke 20: This, then is Tuesday, and he's in the Temple courts teaching and preaching. Since it's Passover week, thousands of pilgrims are in Jerusalem and many are crowding around Jesus to hear him and to be healed. The chief priests and other religious leaders challenge him asking him "by what authority are you doing these things?" We can surmise that "these things" include throwing the merchants out of the Temple the day before, not to mention casting out demons, healing people of various diseases and conditions, and forgiving sins. Recall that earlier, they'd accused him of casting out demons by the power of Satan (Luke 11); Jesus showed the illogical nature of their reasoning and went on with his ministry. But those who opposed him then have only become hardened in their desire to get Jesus off center stage; he's become much too popular. And so they ask him on their own turf who had given him permission to do what he had done the day before. We have to admire Jesus' courage to even appear in the Temple courts after the commotion he'd caused the day before. Jesus never runs from his critics; he's confronting them time after time, pointing out their hypocrisy over the Sabbath, their keeping of tradition, and their lack of mercy for others. Jesus replies with a question: "Was John's baptism from heaven or from men?" John the Baptist had preached a baptism of repentance and thousands had gone to hear him. Those questioning Jesus huddled and decided that Jesus question would trap them: if they said John's baptism was of God, Jesus would ask why they'd denied it and hadn't believe John's message. If they said of men, they'd be in trouble with the crowds who believed John was a prophet and therefore, sent by God. So they copped out saying: "we don't know," and Jesus said "neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

Luke 20:9: And so Jesus talks to the Pharisees and chief priests, still at the fringes of the crowd, while telling a parable: a man planted a vineyard and left it in charge of tenant farmers. When the fruit was ripe, the owner sent a servant to collect the harvest. The tenants beat the servant and sent him back to the owner without a single cluster of grapes. And so the owner tried again, sending several more servants who were treated even more harshly. The owner got no fruit, only badly wounded servants. And so he sent his son thinking the tenants would respect him, but they reasoned that if they killed the heir, the vineyard would be theirs. They carried out their plan, and Jesus asks "what then will the owner do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." The crowd hopes this is just a story; the religious leaders know that Jesus is speaking to them. They are the tenants of God's vineyard, the nation Israel. The servants are the many prophets whom God sent to his people warning them, servants like John the Baptist, who carried God's word to his people and for their trouble were rejected, stoned, and killed. Jesus as God's son was finally sent; he will be killed. And where will the owner go? To others. And we are the "others," the Gentiles to whom the gospel was and is preached. The chief priests knew Jesus had aimed the parable at them and looked for a means of silencing him then, but the people hung on Jesus' words and the religious leaders, out of fear of a riot, backed away.

Luke 20:20: 'Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies who pretended to be honest." What a statement! Here are the spiritual leaders of the nation, the ones who say they uphold the law, practicing deception and all manner of trickery in order to arrest God's son! The spies sent to infiltrate the crowds asked questions, hoping to sound innocent. In this they underestimated Jesus who knew who they were and what their game was. They asked "should we pay taxes to Caesar?" Their attempt to catch Jesus in a statement that would lead to political suicide - disloyalty to the Roman government and advising others not to support it - failed. Jesus asked for a coin and asked whose picture was on it. The people answered Caesar's. Jesus answers: "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." With this brilliant answer, his critics were silenced for the moment.

Luke 20:27: The Sadducees now approach Jesus with a question about the resurrection. This is a red herring. The Sadducees, believing only the Torah to be the Word of God, did not believe in a resurrection. But they ask him about marriage: will a woman, married to seven brothers in succession (following the Levirate law of a brother marrying a widow to produce offspring for the deceased brother), be married to any of them in heaven? Jesus tells them that on earth and in human bodies people marry, but in heaven, in heavenly bodies, there is no marriage. There we will be as the angels, neither marrying nor giving in marriage. There is no death, either, setting aside such customs as the Levirate law. In another Gospel account, Jesus tells them they are in error, not understanding the scriptures or the power of God (Matt. 22:23). Jesus continues his argument by saying to them that God is the God of the living and quotes Moses calling God the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as evidence. The teachers of the law were impressed; the Sadducees could say nothing, and "no one dared ask him any more questions."

Luke 20:41: Jesus presses the argument: "How is it that they say the Christ is the son of David?" Jesus quotes Psalm 110 in which David calls the Son of God "Lord" so how can he be David's Lord and also be his son? This kind of reasoning was typical of the rabbis of the day, and the crowds loved it. Then Jesus speaks to his disciples (the 12 and others) telling them to listen to the teachers of the law carefully. "They like the spotlight," Jesus says. "They want others to think they are righteous." But Jesus tells the disciples "they are hypocrites" for they are not men who apply the law equally or with justice. They will "devour widows" and "for show make lengthy prayers," but it's all show, Jesus says. If they were really God's own sons, they would not take advantage of the helpless (widows and orphans), and they would pray to God and God alone.

Luke 21: Jesus has taught throughout his ministry about putting the Kingdom of God first. He's illustrated this through parables such as the rich man who built bigger barns to hold his crops, storing up his security as material items. Jesus condemns such thinking, saying in another parable "you cannot serve God and money." Now we come to another teaching on the subject of money and priorities: This chapter begins with an observation Jesus makes of both rich and poor putting their tithes into the Temple collection box. Jesus sees a widow Jesus putting two copper coins - the nation's smallest - into the temple treasury. Today, it would be as if someone put 2 pennies in a collection plate. Those putting in $10 and $20 bills would say "what can we do with 2 cents?" And yet, Jesus says, it's the proportion of the gift to what remains that counts: "This poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." She's made a sacrifice, and she's also acted on faith. She's given to God, thus depending on God to sustain her in the future. Remember the slogan we had for the capital campaign: not equal giving, but equal sacrifice.

Luke 21:5: The disciples, gazing around the magnificence of the Temple courts and the Temple itself, rebuilt and adorned by Herod, say to Jesus "this is a beautiful place, isn't it?" And Jesus replies that the time is coming when not one stone of the temple will remain on top of another (a prophecy that becomes reality in 70 A.D. with the destruction of the temple and much of the city by the Romans). This leads to questions because the disciples want to know when this will happen. All three of the synoptic gospels have Jesus' answers in brief or in detail, often called the Olivet Discourse since part of it was delivered on the Mt. of Olives, just across a ravine from the Temple. Like much of prophecy, what Jesus tells them has both a near-term and a long-term significance. In other words, some of what he says will happen within the lifetime or shortly after of the disciples who are with him. Most of it will occur at the end of the age, or at Jesus' second coming.

Luke 21:8: First Jesus warns them that after he returns to heaven many false teachers and false messiahs will appear. And that was true both in the first century and has been true throughout history but will intensify just before the second coming. He tells them wars and revolutions will be common, but these are not signs of the end. He speaks of earthquakes and famines, "fearful events and great signs from heaven" to precede the Temple's destruction but before that, persecution. He warns them that as his followers they will have to pay a price: they'll be on trial, be beaten, imprisoned, but he says "This will result in your being witnesses to them." And we see this happening in the book of Acts. As an example, the apostles are arrested for stirring up the public with preaching and healing. The temple police take them before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest questions and cautions them: "We told you not to teach in this name" meaning in Jesus' name since Jesus was condemned by this same Sanhedrin and it was their manipulation of the crowds and political leaders which got Jesus crucified. Peter and those with him tell the Sanhedrin: "We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead - whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." (Acts 5:29-32). Of course the high priest and his colleagues are furious and want to kill them, but Gamaliel (who was Paul's teacher), a noted rabbi, convinces them that killing these men would only make things worse. And he wisely adds: "If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." (Acts 5:38-39) The apostles are released once again with a warning not to speak in Jesus' name, but they went out "rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name," and they continued to teach and preach. (Acts 5:41). We also know that except for John, who died a natural death, and Judas who killed himself, the other original disciples died violent deaths at the hands of those who opposed them.

Luke 21:20: Jesus tells them that Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies, and it will then be time to flee to the hills. He paints a picture of upheaval both by military means and by unnatural events to the sun and stars: "the heavenly bodies will be shaken," and normal life will cease to exist. And then the Son of Man will return with power and great glory. It is at this second coming of Christ that the complete fulfillment of end times prophecy begins. As Jesus puts it, "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing nigh." Jesus defeated death and sin on the cross, but the devil is still doing his dirty work in this world. Other events will occur, and finally, the devil and his demons will be thrown into hell. But Jesus' return signals the beginning of the end of all that is evil.

Jerusalem was surrounded by Roman armies in 70 A.D. and the Temple was destroyed. Before that time, an earthquake ravaged Phrygia (Asia Minor) in 61 A.D., Vesuvius erupted disastrously in 63 A.D., worldwide famines occurred in the 50s and 60s A.D.; there was war in Britain, Parthia and Palestine; in 68 A.D., Nero died and was succeeded by four emperors in the next year. It was a time of terrific political uproar. The events Jesus predicted in vv. 10-11 were realized before the end of the first century A.D. And of course, we know about the apostles' persecution and deaths, and many more believers were equally the target of outrageous acts all because they were faithful to Christ.

Luke 21:29: Jesus concludes this teaching on the future with a parable, saying that they were able to interpret signs of nature such as a fig tree's leaves meaning summer was approaching. He tells them to be as sensitive to the signs he's given them: wars, earthquakes, famine, persecution, knowing that it means God is at work to bring fulfillment of his plan of salvation. And he tells them "This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." And the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. is eloquent evidence of the truth of this prophecy. He warns them to be watchful and to keep in mind that God's work, and God's kingdom must take first place. They (and we) are not to become complacent, becoming preoccupied with this life and all it weighs us down with. Now he speaks of the second coming, the event we still anticipate. It is that event for which we are to be watchful: "Be always on the watch and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." Paul tells us: "Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things" (Col. 3:1-2).

Luke 21:37: This chapter concludes with a summary telling us what Jesus did during this last week of his life, teaching at the Temple in the daytime and leaving each evening for the Mt. of Olives. Notice that even though Jesus is aware of the plots against him, the traps being laid by the religious leaders, he doesn't hide. He goes directly into their world, the Temple, and openly teaches and heals there.

Next week: The Last Supper, Jesus' arrest and trials begin.

Luke 22: The first six verses of this chapter form a transition. Jesus, entering Jerusalem on Sunday of Passion Week, has continued to teach and confront his critics. He's drawn his disciples closer to himself and their future. Now Judas, one of the 12, is turned. We read, "Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the twelve." (v. 3). We know Satan is the "prince of this world," the father of evil and lies. It is he who tempts us - and in this case, he tempted Judas to sell Jesus to the religious leaders. Some believe that Judas was a Zealot, a member or sympathizer with the most fervent of the Jewish parties, which worked for the violent overthrow of the Roman government. Judas had been with Jesus for three years; he'd seen the miracles, heard the teaching. But as we've seen all along, crowds came to Jesus and individuals within the crowds responded differently to the message. Judas believed that the Messiah would deliver Israel from the foreign rule they'd suffered for more than 750 years. He wanted Jesus to be the military hero who then became king on David's throne. He finally recognizes that Jesus wasn't that kind of Messiah, and so he makes a deal with the chief priests who were "delighted" at this insider about to turn on his master. Now all he has to do is find the right time to turn Jesus over to the enemy. Legend has it that this deal-making took place on Wednesday of Holy Week, and thus it's known as Spy Wednesday.

Luke 22:7: We know that this final week of Jesus' life coincided with the Passover. It is no coincidence, however; it was God's timing. Remember the Passover story? In Ex. 12, God instructed Moses to tell the people to take a year-old lamb (sheep or goat) without spot or blemish into their homes on the 10th day of Nisan/Abib, the first month of the year. Then on the 14th day, they were to kill this lamb and daub some of its blood on the door posts and lintel. The lamb itself was then to be roasted and eaten with unleavened bread. They were to eat with their shoes on and bags packed, ready to leave Egypt. The death angel, passing through Egypt, would "pass over" all the homes where he saw the blood of the lamb; in homes without this sacrificial blood, the first born would be killed. And thus wailing was heard all over Egypt that night from the Pharaoh's palace to the lowest slave's quarters. But God's people, Abraham's descendants, were eating their first Passover Seder, a meal that has been eaten by generations since to commemorate God's deliverance of his people from slavery. In John 1:29, John the Baptist sees Jesus and says "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." So Jesus is to become the sacrifice for sin - all the sin of the whole world from before his death until and beyond our present day: "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore, let us keep the feast," Paul tells us (I Cor. 5:7-8). Knowing this, the Passover meal that Jesus eats with his disciples is doubly significant. Jesus sends Peter and John into Jerusalem and tells them to follow a man carrying water to a house. There the owner would show them a room where they could eat the dinner together, and we're told, "they prepared the Passover." Jesus and the 12 gather in the room, reclining around a table for their last meal together. It would not have been as the famous painting shows it since the custom of that day was to recline at low tables rather than sitting on chairs at a table of the style we use. The seating order was also important, and we can be sure that Jesus had instructed the disciples to put place cards in their proper order. James, John and Peter would have been closest to Jesus. We know this because they appear to have formed the "inner circle," having been taken with him to the home of Jairus when he raised Jairus' little girl from the dead; they'd also been the three present at the Transfiguration, witnessing Jesus in his glorified body talking with Moses and Elijah. And as it happens, Peter becomes the leader of the early church, with John and James as elders. These three each write at least one epistle, and John also writes a Gospel. The other disciples would have been placed on either side of these three, but Judas must have been fairly close because Mark tells us Jesus identified the betrayer as "the one who dips bread into the bowl with me," (Mark 14:20).

Luke 22:15: Jesus tells them he's been looking forward to this time with the 12; no wonder about that. He's enjoying his last bit of fellowship with them, his last chance to give them encouragement before his arrest, trials and crucifixion - events that will leave them scattered, afraid and confused. Jesus then takes a cup, blesses it, and shares the first cup with them. He tells them "I will not drink wine again until the kingdom of God comes," pointing to the time after his crucifixion and resurrection when the kingdom of God would be fulfilled. That is, the gap between a sinful human race and a sinless God would be bridged at the cross. Jesus' sacrifice as the spotless lamb of God would atone for sin, giving us a way to be reconciled with God. He also took bread and broke it after giving thanks, sharing it with his disciples. "This is my body," he declares. And "after supper he took the cup," this time saying, "this is the new covenant in my blood" thereby replacing the old covenant God made with his people at the foot of Mt. Sinai, an animal's blood shed on an altar to ratify it. The writer of Hebrews tells us "By calling this covenant 'new' he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear" (Heb. 8:13). And in the next chapter, this same writer explains: "When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle. . . He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood. . . For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant" (Heb. 9:11-12,15). Jesus, "set aside the first [covenant] to establish the second. And by that, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. 10:9b-10). It is this new covenant, this new and prefect plan of salvation, the means of redemption that we celebrate in Holy Eucharist - the Sacrament Jesus instituted that Passover night.

Luke 22:21: Jesus tells them he will be betrayed, and a hush falls, after which they begin to question who it will be. Jesus interrupts with a curious, but timely, analogy: in earthly government there is a hierarchy: some are in power and others serve. But Jesus tells them, in the heavenly kingdom, which he will establish, the great ones are those who serve. Over and over, he's reversed the order of things: healing on the Sabbath, confronting the Pharisees for their self-righteousness, condemning rote behavior designed to appear pious while neglecting the spirit of the law which is love. He'd told the disciples earlier, when they'd disputed over who would be the secretary of state in Jesus' kingdom, that a child's faith and humility was needed: "the first shall be last and the last first." Mark showed us Jesus as servant, and Luke does, too. Here he warns the disciples not to get ahead of themselves; there's work to be done and then they'll sit on 12 thrones in the kingdom.

Homework for those who want to go deeper:

Let's close in prayer.