Category: Luke

Matthew 4, Luke 4-5, John 1:15-51

~ Patricia ~ 1 Comment

This may be familiar to you, but now that you know from the Old Testament who the Devil is, where he came from, what he wants,-I hope you read this brand new today.  There are 3 temptations:

  1.  The temptation to satisfy the flesh.  It specifically says Jesus was hungry. Where the Israelites failed, Jesus will conquer.  He is recalling when the Lord provided in the wilderness. Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy:

Deut 8: 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

I can almost see the Devil saying “Oh, you want to play the Scripture game…I know it well, I use it to sway humans ALL THE TME.”

2.  The temptation of pride/power (prove it!): He comes back with Psalm 91:11-12

6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus replies with scripture in Deut. 6:16

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

So here is the deal: The Devil knows the End Game!  The Messiah came to be the Lord of ALL.  So what if the Devil tempts Jesus with a shortcut—bypass the Crucifixion…take it now, the easy way!  (Oh my, that would undo EVERYTHING,  but how tempting is that!).

3.  Temptation of having it all (material)- The Devil says:- 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

I bet the Devil left cursing like a truck driver!  (I bet he did too when he left Georgia without the golden fiddle) LOL.

Temptations of Jesus

There are tons of good maps.  I will try to pick a different one each time, keep the one you like.  It is important to pay attention to Jesus’ travels.  Remember The Lord has a very specific timeline.  Every detail is planned out.  Jesus will give up His life on the Passover to fulfill the Passover.  But first, he has to teach.  So when you see a scripture like:

12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,

One of the reasons (there are many)- was for safety.  It is not his time to be arrested! Galilee (I remember it from the G).

  • G- Galilee-the Gentile “area”
  • J-Judea- the Jewish “area”

Galilee was settled by the Greeks, taken over by the Romans became a melting pot of languages, radically different ideas of religion, architecture, government, philosophy, religion, and morality.

John the Baptist is imprisoned in Machaerus.  Jesus heads North and established his ministry headquarters in Capernaum. (In Galilee)

What do you do when there's nothing you can do? - ppt download

Now that you have all that ramblings-go back and look at verses 12-17 and see if that makes sense.  If you want to take it one step deeper click here for Land Distribution of the tribes.

Luke 4-5:  Oh this is a favorite!  Whenever I read this I picture Jesus dropping a Mic at the end! #dropmic

Picture the Scene:  Jesus, on the Sabbath (as it was his custom), goes into the synagogue (a place to study scripture).  It was customary that the ‘new’ teacher in town would speak.    Jesus walks up…takes the scroll of Isaiah 61 and reads..

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. DROP MIC!

Verse 21:“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

(I promise I will keep this short!..I will bullet my thoughts)

  • Verse 4:28  They were furious BECAUSE the stories were of Gentile Healings.
  • Verse 4:34 Even the Demons know of God’s destruction and that He is the HOLY ONE of God (notice it was more than one demon “us”
  • Verse 4:35 He can subdue them with a WORD!
  • 4:37 Uh Oh!  Things are getting stirred up.  It’s beginning.  Rome is going to start to get aggravated
  • 4:41 He silences the demons- It is not time yet to reveal himself
  • 4:42 In Galilee (Gentile area) and Judea (Jews), Jesus says why He is sent

43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Luke 5…

Bible Map: Genneseret

I’m sorry this is long and posted so late.  I will make this part short.  If this is your first time reading it and have questions let me know.  Map above.

These 3 men: Peter, John, and James will be with Jesus the longest and are His “inner circle”. All three men were present with Jesus during special events, being eyewitnesses of Jesus’ transfiguration, witnessing Jesus raise Jairus’s daughter from the dead, and accompany Him while He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Thus, these three witnessed Jesus’ greatest moments of glory and His darkest trials. They were His closest friends.  I will tell you one fact good/sad about each to

  • Peter-
    • when his net was full Jesus told him he would be fishers of men.  He will!  Peter preaches at Pentecost and catches 3,000 men that day! (in Acts)
    • Peter is eventually put to death and did not feel worthy to die the same way Jesus did so he requests to be hung upside down.  If you go to Rome you will see this-The Petrine Cross for St. Peter.

  • John–
    • When Jesus dies, John is the one to take care of Mary going forward (this is how we know for certain Joseph had passed away
    • John will be exiled to the island of Patmos to be given the vision to write down.  The vision is Revelation!
  • James-
    • This is NOT the author of the book of James. (Jesus’ brother wrote it)
    • James was the only apostle that has a record of martyrdom in NT.  (Acts 12)

if you are interested in more click here for a pdf on the 12 Ordinary Men (and some others)

 

Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3

~ Patricia ~ 3 Comments

Matthew: We know that he is going to write straight out the OT fulfilling scriptures)  Let’s do this!

Acts 19:2-7 – Disciples of John the Baptist | Reading Acts

He is a “Voice”- so what is this crazy outfit?  So if this were today at my house it would be-

“Hey mom, there is a crazy looking guy outside, his hair has never been cut, he doesn’t smell like he has been drinking, and he is wearing camel hair and a big belt, quoting Isaiah”  My response would be “Oh my stars, get your camera…it must be Elijah!”  “How do you know mom?”  “I knew you weren’t paying attention at Sunday School!”

2 Kings 1:7-8

7 The king asked them, “What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?”

8 They replied, “He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.”

The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”

Isaiah40:3

A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.

Micah 4:5

5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

John the Baptist comes as the last prophet proclaiming a word of repentance.  They came TO him, he was in the wilderness.  They confessed and were baptized.  Baptisms were not new.  When the Hebrews came to the Temple to make a sacrifice for their sins they washed in the laver.  Also, throughout history, as people “converted” to Judaism they studied the scriptures, circumcised, and were symbolically washed away of their sins in water.  An outward expression of an inside change. The Pharisees and Sadducees relied on their genealogy for salvation.  They had their printout from Ancenstry.com and used that as their ticket. (so they thought)

John speaks about himself as being lower than the lowest servant.  The lowest servant was the one that would take the sandals off of a guest at a home upon their arrival.  John says he is not even close to being the lowest servant compared to his cousin Jesus.

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Why would Jesus need to be baptized?  After all, He was sinless.  What could be have repented from?

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

Jesus needed to be accepted by the people because He was taking the reigns of John’s ministry.  This is the moment in order to fulfill all righteousness they would follow Him.  When Jesus gets baptized, the Trinity is Present!

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

God Reveals Himself Through The Holy Trinity | Hearing From Jesus

Mark 1- When I read Mark 1 I started laughing because Mark is hyperspeed! (read the Mark Overview)  However, his audience is the Romans.  He doesn’t need to fulfill OT scriptures and he’s not a gentile talking to gentiles, so he doesn’t have to explain “why” things are happening..he just dives right in!

Map of Jesus starts his work

Since we will break many of these scriptures down,  I am just going to let you enjoy “Mark 1” at “Mach 1” speed.

Luke 3- He is going to begin by telling us what is happening internationally (Rome), nationally (Israel), and spiritually (Temple).

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

  1. Tiberius Caesar (followed Caesar Agustus): Emperor in Rome  (from the dating we know it is about 28 AD)
  2. Pontius Pilot: The appointed Roman Governor placed in Judea (He is not Roman nor Jewish, he is Spanish.  He married the granddaughter of Caesar Agustus) (In charge of Southern Israel/Jerusalem)
  3. Herod Antipas, (governed the area of Galilee North)
  4. Annas and Caiaphas the high priests.
    • Annas used to be the high priest, but the priesthood by this time is so corrupt, the Romans placed Caiaphas in the position for political control.  Caiaphas was the son-law of Annas.
      • Annas was in the “Good Ole Boys Club, while Caiaphas was the puppet son-in-law.
      • This will be pertinent when Jesus goes on “trial”.   Who is the High Priest?

The reading mimics Matthew but one of my favorite verses is:

8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

I could talk about that forever (shocking I know).  The followers ask “What does that mean, we need an example”!

John 15:5 says:

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

In Luke John continues with examples of what it means to be bear fruit.  What fruit looks like BECAUSE we are believers not to BE believers.  Bloom where you are planted!  If you are an office worker-bear fruit there.  If you are a tattoo artist-bear fruit there.  If you are a stay-at-home mom-bear fruit there.  All the examples given were given within a current job.

John being put in prison was mentioned in the caffeine-filled book of Mark and again here in Luke.

19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

So long story short:

What is that!!  Well, just look at a small part of it (for now).  Look at:

  • #6 Herod Antipas, then the heart, then #3 Herodias.
  • Now follow #3 line to the heart of #2.
  • Good so far?
  • John rebukes this infinitely my marrying Philip’s wife, so Herod Antipas #6, imprisons him for speaking against him.
  • (If you keep looking at it you will see the fate of John…or you can close your eyes and let it be a surprise in the scriptures.)

Luke’s genealogy:  What do you see?  How is this one different?  There are lots of cool answers!!  Tell me what stood out-there are no wrong answers.

Matthew 2; Luke 2:39-52

~ Patricia ~ 1 Comment

Let’s start by looking at Herod the Great.  This is the ruler that was given all 4 political districts to rule in Israel from Rome. Caesar told him he was in “charge” of the Jews.  Titled him: “king of the Jews”.   Click here if you would like to print this to take notes on.

Herod's Family Tree | Family tree, Christian history, Bible study

So Herod the great hears that one has been born called “King of the Jews”.  The word in verse 3 “disturbed” means “Stirred Up!”  (I bet he was).   When he asked where this infant was born they quoted Michah 5:2-

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
    from ancient times.”

The Herod dynast came from the line of Esau, so when the Magi asked about the whereabouts of the King of the Jews, that they had seen the “star”- this was referring to the King that would come from Jacob NOT Esau: (ouch)

Numbers 24:17-   “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.”

I wonder if Herod said “Oh my stars”-probably not, but he did lie to the Magi and say “find him so I can worship him”.

I love a good nativity scene at Christmas  BUT please know that is not what it looked like.   The Magi were a large group of men who came from the Babylon/Syria area. They were educated men (gentiles) who had studied the scriptures, astronomy, science, and history.

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Adoration of the Magi (Perugino, Città della Pieve) - Wikipedia

They did however give Jesus gifts representing and fulfilling his role as Messiah.

  1. Gold: for royalty, Jesus as King.
  2. Incense: symbolic of Prayers of the High Priest rising up to Heaven. (Jesus is the High Priest)
  3. Myrrh: a burial oil, a foreshadow of His death. (Messiah)

The wise caravan knew ignoring Herod’s wishes put them in danger so they returned a different way.  In the meantime, The Lord leads Joseph to take Jesus to Egypt for safety.  Fulfilling another prophecy of the Old Testament: Hosea 11:1

“When Israel was a child, I loved him,
    and out of Egypt I called my son.

Remember who the book of Mattew was written for: The Jewish people: so Matthew is going to constantly refer to the fulfillment of the words of the prophets:  This time Jeremiah 31:15

15 This is what the Lord says:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,
    mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”

During the captivity,  Rachel (representing the LAND: Israel) weeps as the Hebrews were taken into captivity (ripped out of the arms of the Land), the same weeping now comes from the mothers of the children as they are murdered at the hands of Herod’s army.

So now what?  Where will Jesus live?  Egypt? Bethlehem? Jerusalem?  Well, after Herod the Great died, the Romans redivided the land and put Archelaus in charge of the Judea.(Look at the genealogy above)  Archelaus was evil and slaughtered 300 Jewish leaders, meanwhile, Antipas reigned over the Galilee area.

Herodian Kingdoms

So The Lord directed Joseph to safety by diverting him to Nazareth to live with Jesus.   Of course, fulfilling the scripture: Isaiah 11:1

11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

The word Branch is Hebrew is ‘Nazarene’.  However,  this will also make sense when the Jewish council will constantly call Jesus: “Jesus the Nazareth” because they didn’t think ANYTHING good could come from a town in the Galilee region. (Oh but it did!)

Luke 2:39-52- Don’t miss this!!  Jesus’ first words recorded in the Bible.

Mary and Joseph would take the Pilgrimage to the Temple, just as they were instructed in the Law to commemorate the Passover.  The Passover Festival commemorated the escape from Egypt, led by Moses in Exodus 12.  An innocent lamb was sacrificed, blood was shed, and all of those who believed that the lamb represented a “substitute” for their death was “passed over” when death came that night.  FAITH in the blood of an innocent lamb would take their place covered them (atoned) their life and they were Saved.  Jesus is the Passover Lamb.  Salvation in the Old Testament and the New Testament are EXACTLY the same.

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

If this is new to you, please ask questions.  But stop and think about this:

  • Jesus said these words on the Passover.
  • Jesus will fulfill the Passover.  When? (We say on Good Friday)  On PASSOVER!
  • Put that in your pocket because as we read we will hear Jesus say when people are trying to kill him “It is not time yet”.  It ALL lines up.
    • Exodus 12
    • His first words
    • the Crucifixion

…it will ALL lines up on the same day.  The Passover Festival.  The day innocent blood is shed and Faith that it substitutes or covers our sin Saves us.

 

Matthew 1, Luke 2:1-38

~ Patricia ~ 1 Comment

The book opens with a genealogy.  When I bought my first Bible I remember thinking…who in the world would want to read these names? No one knows who they are.  If you read through the OT, look closely…I bet you know MANY of them.  Crazy good.

The Old Testament prophets predicted that the Messiah would be born of a woman (Gen. 3:15), of the seed of Abraham (Gen. 22:18), through the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), and of the family of David (2 Sam. 7:12-13). Jesus qualified in every respect.

Matthew deliberately constructed his genealogy in three groups of 14 names.

  • 1st 14- The Patriarchs
  • 2nd 14-The Kings
  • 3rd 14- The Exiles

#14 on the list is King David- The Focal Point.

17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

The genealogy tells us 3 things:

  1. Jesus is the Messiah
  2. Jesus is the Descendant of David
  3. Jesus is a descendant of Abraham.

Note that 4 women are included in the Geneology, This is not typical but highlights that Gentiles were included.

  • Tamar and Rehab-both Canaanites! (gentile)
  • Ruth -a Moabite (gentile)
  • Uriah’s wife (Uriah was a Hittite so legally she was a gentile)

Joseph was “engaged”.  He could have disgraced Mary but instead, he planned a quiet divorce “from their engagement”.  But God interceded in a dream.  Not only was Joseph instructed to marry her BUT was also told the name he was to give.  We learned yesterday that the “Name” was the family identity.  He was told NOT to name him a family name but to name him Jesus (Salvation).

 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

What prophet?

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Luke 2: 

Micha 5:2–“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
    from ancient times.”

So the Lord moves on the mind of Caesar Agustus to decree a census ( tax purposes).  Well, actually to fulfill Micah.  Jesus needs to be born 90 miles away to fulfill scripture.  That’s a long walk when you are pregnant.  Bethlehem is the “House of Bread” in translation.

I am going to keep this a light post (I will go deeper in Matthew)

Then the reading ends with a Prophecy of Simeon.

29“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
30For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”

At the Birth of Jesus, we already are talking about Revelation!  The Greek word in this text is apokalypsis.  (Apocalypse) and the definition is: a very serious event resulting in great destruction and change

I want to take a little time on the Circumcision:  VERY important background here.  Jesus was not born above the law, instead, He filled it perfectly!  So these paragraphs are very important.

  1. Circumcision is part of the Abrahamic Covenant.  In Genesis 12 God promises that through Moses ALL people on earth will be blessed.  In Genesis 15 God makes that promise a Covenant.  With every covenant there must be a death and blood must be shed. (why Jesus had to sacrifice himself).  So if you go to Genesis 17 the Jewish part of that Covenant was circumcision.  It represented being set apart from all others and their relationship with the Lord.
  2. Luke 2:23 talks of the consecration of the firstborn.  Why? WOW, this is awesome, go back way back to Exodus 11-13.  Remember when the Jews were delivered out of Egypt.  Do you remember how? Yes! The Plagues.  Each one to combat a false god.  The last plague was the death of the firstborn children, and God sent an angel of death to take them all but the Jewish children were spared called the Passover.  In remembrance of God’s deliverance and mercy,  the Jews consecrate their firstborn to the Lord acknowledging that it is all His!

Luke 1 and John 1:1-14

~ Patricia ~ 1 Comment

Luke 1 (I bolded some fun words for those who have been reading through OT and NT)

  • The political figure in Rome was Caesar Augustus, but the appointed leader in Judah (Jerusalem) was Herod the Great).  The Jews were a self-governing body as long as they remained peaceful and quiet. (put that in your pocket for later)
  • Priests (from the tribe of Levi)  took turns taking care of the temple, chosen by “casting lots” (like dice that God controlled) to see whose turn it is daily.  Part of taking care of the temple was burning incense which represented prayer (the smoke going up to the Heavens like our prayers do).  So this day, it was Priest Zechariah’s day-chosen by God.
  • It is noted that Zechariah is a descendant of Aaron.   Aaron was Moses’ brother, which meant Zechariah came from a line of High Priests (great importance).

OK, back to Luke. Wait…before we begin:

  • Zechariah means “God Remembers”
  • Elizabeth means “HIs Oath”

We open the Gospel with GOD REMEMBERS HIS OATH!!

Zechariah was chosen (by God) to burn the incense in the Temple.  There were 20,000 priests at that time to be chosen…God chose Zechariah specifically for the duty of burning the incense: the incense in the Temple represented prayer.

QETORET: The Fragrance of Jerusalem | Halakha of the Day

The angel tells him that his barren wife will give birth.  (Impossible made possible) and here is the “Bridge” between Old Testament and the New Testament.  A scripture from Malach 4:5 bridged to Luke: (God remembers His Oath through Zechariah and Elizabeth)

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:16 and Malachi 4.5)

John will come before the Messiah in the spirit of Elijah the prophet. He will be dedicated to the Lord as “His” through a vow called a Nazarite Vow.

 Numbers 6 (click here), the Nazarite Vow.

A parent could dedicate their child to the Lord by committing them to not drink alcohol, cut their hair,  or touch a dead carcass. Other Nazarites in the Bible included Samson and  Samuel.

Elizabeth recognized the miracle that they were able to conceive.  Zechariah was in doubt and the Lord kept him silent until the day of the birth. (Wait for it…..there is a test of Faith here Zechariah will get an A+ on)

The same angel,  Gabriel,  now speaks to Mary about Jesus being born through her.  She is from a small town called Nazareth, so insignificant the Bible had to note:  Nazareth, a town in Galilee.

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.

It is very important that the “legal” (not birth) father is a descendant of David.  In 2 Samuel 7 we read about the Davidic Covenant. This is an unconditional covenant made between God and David through which God promises David and Israel that the Messiah would come from the lineage of David, the tribe of Judah, and would establish a kingdom that would endure forever. The Davidic Covenant is unconditional because God does not place any conditions of obedience upon its fulfillment.  It’s HIS Covenant-His Oath.

Abraham's Family Tree Chart

Jesus, the Greek word for ‘Joshua’ in Hebrew means “The Lord Saves”. Do notice that Mary believes Gabriel not just because an angel is before her but because she is a woman of faith, and KNEW the Word of God through studying scripture.  How do I know this??  Read her song we call the Magnificat-weaved through this song are roughly 15 Old Testament quotes.  This young woman knew her Scriptures.

Explore the Life of Mary This Advent Season - LogosTalk

When John is born, Zechariah’s family adhered to the law by circumcising and naming him on the 8th day.  Naming a child after the father meant he would follow in his footsteps.  They knew this would be an only child so others at the circumcision just assumed he would be a “Junior”.  Zechariah’s decision to name him John was a profession that it was only by God that he had a son (even though he was conceived the old fashioned way).  A+ !  And Zechariah’s mouth was opened and he immediately praised God through a song too called the Benedictus. (To be Blessed)

(This reading was long and the post was long BUT if anyone wants to continue the conversation in the comments there are a million things I could have talked about) 😃

John 1:1-14

In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.

The word “Word” was Logos which spoke to both the Jew and the Gentile.  The word God was so reverent that they used other words in its place.

This is the foundational scripture of the Trinity being present at the creation of the World.  Genesis 1 says:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

and now add John 1:1 to it.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus is the Word. (How do we know it is the 3rd part of the Trinity?… How can we defend Genesis 1 that Jesus was present at the creation? 

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

Luke Overview for tomorrow

~ Patricia ~ Leave a comment
  • Day 1 of the New Testament!  Great day to jump in!

The book of Luke was written by a gentile for the gentiles.  Luke was a Dr. writing for Theophilus.  Theophilus may have been Luke’s friend, his lawyer, his financer,  but I think of it this way…Theophilus means “one who loves God” in Greek.  So when it is said Luke is writing it to Theophilus,  I think the book is written to me, (and you) “one who loves God”. He specifically was writing to the Greeks.  (This totally makes sense now that we read about the Intertestement Time “the Silent Years”.)  Greeks believed in the “Perfect Man”- that is what Philopsphers preached about.  So Luke will refer to Jesus as “the Son of Man”.  He is the Perfect Man.

The emphasis of this book is: What Jesus Felt.  This book writes about Jesus’ compassion and miracles.  In fact, there are more miracles in this book than Matthew and Mark put together.

  • This book will tell 20 miracles, 7 of them can only be found in Luke
  • This book will tell 23 parables, 18 of them can only be found in Luke
  • This book is the only one that has songs like the Magnificat and the song of Elizabeth
  • This book is the only one that shares the post-resurrection account on the Road to Emmaus.

The book of Luke is the most complete narration and is relatively the most chronological.