Luke: If you look at this outline you can see where we are in Luke. Luke 1-3 was the advent of the Messiah. Then we saw His identity through His Miracles. Next, we will sit at his feet and listen to his teaching as we close in on His last 6 months. 
70 men are sent out (some manuscripts say 72). We had the 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and Jesus sent out the 12 apostles with instructions to minister to the Jewish people.
Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
Now Jesus sends 70 to the surrounding nations.
Luke 24:46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
In Genesis, there were 70 nations established, 70 descendants of Jacob that went to Egypt, and then 70 Elders that were chosen to lead (in Numbers) which is where the Jewish Council got the number to have 70 leaders in the Sanhedrin.
They were sent in pairs for companionship, protection, and to adhere to the law of having a witness if needed. After all, they were being sent to the wolves! The message/advice given to the 70 was the same message given to the 12 so it may sound very familiar
- Go!
- travel light (God will provide for your needs)
- Be careful and aware of your surroundings
- Always offer Peace when entering a home
- If they promote Peace back: ’ 6 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
- the food set before the disciples, in whatever town they might visit, could possibly include ceremonially unclean food. Jesus had already discussed what goes into our body does not make us unclean, but what comes out of our mouth.
- Heal the sick…THEN minister to them.
8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
Jesus ends with these words as they are LOOKING at Jesus:
23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
The Parable of the Good Samaritan. I hope now that you have all the context, you read this story with fresh eyes and look at the deeper meaning than “just be a good Samaritan”
- Jesus was being tested by an “expert in the law” so we know his question was a trap
- So Jesus turns the question back on the “expert”
- ALL the law can be summarized as“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Look at the 10 Commandments, they are divided into- honoring God and honoring others.
- So Jesus says:“Do this and you will live.”
- The whole point was Jesus was saying “you can’t”. Go read the 10 commandments and cross off all the ones you have personally broken. Oh my…were more crossed off than you thought?? Romans:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- I feel like this parable sounds like a joke you would tell “A priest, a Levite, and someone you don’t like to walk into a bar…😂 Anyway, after this awesome parable, PURPOSELSY using a samaritan in the example because the Jewish “experts” hated the Samarians.
- I have all the past scriptures about Loving your enemy running through my brain…
- A priest and a Levite were used in this account because they had created a legal system of making laws to protect the laws that they thought they really COULD safeguard anyone from breaking the Law. EVEN if they protected the laws that we do on the “outside”, how can someone be sinless in their heart or their thoughts? I mean could we go a day (or an hour if you were me) without a thought of judgment, jealousy, idolatry…(OK, an hour was a long shot…)
- Now go back and read that section again: WHO is the Good Samaritan?? (By the way it’s not me or you, sorry)
- took pity
- took care of his wounds
- anointed him with oil
- paid for him
- says he will return
- 🤔
Mary and Marth-in Bethany. Look at both maps. You will see that Bethany is just 2 miles Southeast of Jerusalem.
The home of Mary and Martha. Have you heard a sermon on this? Now read it. Sit quietly. Listen for God to bring a thought to your mind about where you are in this story. 😍
Luke 11: When you turn the page and you see that we have read the synoptic gospel in the same account what should you do? READ IT CLOSER.
- its a great time to say “Hmm I don’t understand that, I better research or ask
- you might say “that is amazing in context now”
- you WILL see things you didn’t see in last week’s reading for sure
- now it might be less educational and more personal to you
Did any particular WOE stop you in your tacks?? Feel free to write in the comments 😒 use a fake name if you have to!
John: Start paying attention to His presence in Judea, being accused of the crime of blasphemy (who He is), and then retreating to ‘safe’ territory. It was a crime in Judea to claim He was God, but not outside the region. So he retreats to a region He cannot be arrested because the time has not come! BUT if Jesus came first for the Jew and then for the Gentile, He will need to be accused from both. So what will the crime be in the Gentile region? If you don’t know then I guess you will have to keep reading. He dies for both so He will be accused by both.
Have a wonderful day. I am glad you read today even if it is days or weeks behind schedule. I leave with this wonderful scripture from John:
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Reading the Bible - 2021 