This week we
will continue to study the Gospel of Luke.
Vv. 13-15
(1) A man approached Jesus for help. Given the kind of problem he had, what options did he have besides asking for Jesus’ help?
(2) Have you included the option suggested by the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 6:7?
(3) Why was he wrong in approaching Jesus as a judge or arbitrator on matters like this? He might have considered Jesus as someone like Solomon who had the wisdom in judging among them. Why shouldn’t he treat Jesus like Solomon?
(4) In v.15, Jesus pointed out his ultimate mistake. What was it?
Vv. 16-21 Following this incident, the Lord used a parable to warn us about greed.
(5) Shouldn’t producing a good crop be a blessing from the Lord? Why or why not?
(6) The crop was so great that the man needed more space to store it. What options did he have?
(7) It appeared that the plan of building a bigger barn meant something more than logical planning. What was his core reason for the project according to v.19? Why was it wrong? Why did Jesus call him a fool?
(8) For us, saving to provide for a rainy day, retirement or other legitimate purpose is part of life. But in what way(s) might we begin to resemble this man and become a fool in the eyes of Jesus?
(9) Reflect on the words of Jesus of v. 21 which contains a two-fold verdict on the man.
a. What are the two mistakes?
b. Can one store up things for oneself and be rich toward God at the same time? Why or Why not? (See 1 Jn. 2:15)
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you.” (Lk. 12:14)
The man obviously respected Jesus enough to know that He would be just, and Jesus' teachings were such that He had commanded great respect from the people in general. He came to Jesus for help. He was probably unjustly treated by his brother who held on to the estate of their parents without dividing the inheritance with him as he should. This man seized the rare opportunity of Jesus’ presence and asked him to arbitrate between him and his brother. In his mind, justice was on his side, and with Jesus’ authority, his brother would have to divide the inheritance as he should.
But to his utmost surprise, not only did Jesus not interfere with his unfair treatment, Jesus accused him of being greedy (12:15).
The question is why didn’t Jesus interfere. He did not question the fact that the man was unfairly treated. Why then did He also charge him of being greedy?
Greed, by definition, is not being satisfied with what one has and having the desire to want more. It was true that this man was not satisfied with what he had, but his desire was to have things that were rightfully his — his share of the inheritance. We do not have any further information about his case, but the fair assumption is that while he did not get to have his share distributed to him, or fully distributed to him, he did not appear to be ill-treated. The problem with him, as Jesus saw it, was greed.
However, even if he was ill-treated, Jesus said he had come to the wrong person, because that was not why He came to earth — not as a judge or an arbiter of material things, because “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possession” (Lk. 12:15). He has come to give life eternal.
From time to time, in the house of God, we have believers who bring cases of a similar nature before the church to arbitrate. I am afraid the same principle still applies, and that is that the church is not appointed as a judge or arbiter of materials things. The church’s prime goal is to preach the gospel of eternal salvation in Christ. And as valid as some of these cases might be, the Apostle Paul lays down a very important principle when it comes to the seeking of arbitration by the church, and that is: “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?” (I Corinthians 6:7). Many believers find Paul’s words hard to take, but I am sure this man also found Jesus’ words even harder to take, since he was being accused of being greedy!
Following up on the parable of the rich fool, Jesus told two more analogies to hammer home His points concerning the things of this life.
(1) Jesus asks us not to worry about life, and in particular about food and clothing:
a. What is meant by “worrying”?
b. How do we know that we are “worrying”?
(2) Jesus is not disputing our need for food and for clothes, but that life is more than them:
a. If food and clothing are really basic essentials of life, how then can life be more than them?
b. If our existence is reduced to mere eating and wearing, how different would we be from animals?
(3) Normally, how would you look at the life of ravens and other birds?
a. Do they simply exist on a “survival for the fittest” principle?
b. How do the words of Jesus dispute such a notion?
(4) Are you convinced that you are much more valuable than the birds? Why or why not?
(5) If you do, how then should you live?
(6) If you don’t, what can you do?
(7) Do you think the length of a person’s life, including yours, depends on God alone?
(8) How do modern men try to prolong their life by “worrying”?
(9) Does it really work?
(10) The example of the lilies seems to go beyond the need for basic survival but to address, perhaps, the desire for luxury:
a. Can you remember a captivating moment when you beheld the beauty of flowers in nature or in a painting?
b. Do you agree with what Jesus says in v. 27? Why or why not?
c. What then is the collective message of the lilies and the grass?
(11) Has this message of the Lord ever had any impact on you? Why or why not?
(12) Are you then a person of little faith?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Lk. 12:32)
In this famous exhortation, Jesus approaches our worries over life’s basic needs with great understanding and compassion.
To begin with, He does not dispute that food and clothing are necessary. All He is saying is that life is more than food and the body is more than clothes and He is saying that we should not worry about them.
The immediate hearers of these words of Jesus were Galilean disciples, most of whom were not wealthy, and they understood the worries associated with food, drink and clothing. But they were also able to associate with the analogies that Jesus gave — the ravens, the lilies and the grass. Today’s readers look at the ravens’ survival through the lens of “the survival of the fittest”. But Jesus’ use of the ravens is to point to the ongoing loving provision and care of the Father which extends even to the ravens.
Jesus correctly rebukes those of us who worry about our basic needs, and calls us “you of little faith” and contrasts us with the pagans: “For the pagan world runs after all such things”. But He does not say, “your Father knows that you do not need them”. Instead he says, “your Father knows that you need them”. Indeed, we can bring all our needs before Him.
I find the last address to the disciples in this discourse on our needs most heart-warming as He says, “Do not be afraid, little flock” (12:32). Yes, we are like sheep, totally incapable of survival without Him. Furthermore, we are little, in the sense that we are not great in number. But that does not diminish a bit our importance to Him. Even more astounding are these words which He added, “for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom”! In other words, we are far greater than any prince on earth — including Prince Harry and Prince William of Great Britain. How then can we live like panhandlers who worry from day to day, when the richest glory in heaven belongs to us!
Many parables and imagery of weddings are used of Jesus’ second coming, and this is the one in which we are portrayed as slaves waiting for the Master coming back from His wedding banquet. Note that a continuous banquet is portrayed here with many slaves assigned to serve and huge lamps in place to light up the great palace-like hall.
(1) How important should this banquet be to the slaves?
(2) What will constitute proper preparation?
(3) Describe how this banquet might apply to us in the following ways.
a. Being aware of who we are and our expectation to be in this banquet
b. The reminder to get dressed to serve
c. Keeping the lamps burning
(4) What is the reward for the slaves who are found to be watching and ready when the Master comes?
(5) How amazing is this reward?
(6) The parable implies that not all slaves will be ready and watchful. Why is that? Is it true of you?
(7) Why did Jesus use the analogy of a house being broken into to emphasize the need to be ready? In what way is this analogy true of His coming again?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning like men waiting for their Master...I tell you the truth He will dress Himself to serve…” (Lk. 12:35-37)
Many of the parables and analogies told by the Lord were not only readily understood by the people of His time, but are ones that we can today very easily relate to. The analogy of the unexpected and sudden break-in by thieves into our house is one of them.
Indeed, if “the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into” (Lk. 12:39). As a result, many of us install a security system, extra dead bolts, and other precautionary measures to secure our house. We want to deter would-be thieves and should they really attempt to break in, we will be ready.
Jesus uses this analogy to emphasize our need to be ready for His second coming, the time of which is absolutely unpredictable by us. So, the question we need to ask is, “How should we get ready for His coming?”
I can think of three important aspects of being ready for His coming:
1. The most basic preparation is to make sure that we are saved by repenting and receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. I suspect all if not most of our readers are ready in this respect. If not, it is paramount that you do so, because not only is the time of His coming totally unexpected, chances are what Jesus says in Luke 12:20 might be true of you — your life can be demanded by God anytime.
2. However, as believers, we need to be dressed properly for the occasion of His return (12:35), and Paul has this to say in Romans 13:11-14:
“(T)he hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with The Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”
These are words that we should take to heart.
3. We need to be faithful and wise managers (12:42), understanding the tasks and missions given to us by our Lord, not burying our talent (Matthew 25:25), but putting them to good use, without mistreating our fellow servants.
All of the above are really what we, as slaves of Jesus Christ, should do. However, as we faithfully fulfill our duties, the rewards are simply amazing: Our Master, at His coming, will dress to serve us instead (12:37); and for those faithful and wise servants, they will be put in charge of “all His possessions” (12:44).
What a glorious hope we have in Jesus Christ!
(1) Peter asked a very interesting question concerning the last parable (of the need to be ready as slaves of the Master):
a. What if the parable was told only to them, His disciples (12:1)?
b. What if the parable was told for all to hear?
c. What might be the difference, as far as Peter was concerned?
(2) If Peter assumed that he was not just a slave, but the head of the slaves, what then would be his duties?
(3) What do you think is the emphasis of the duties described in v. 42?
(4) How may you apply this to yourself?
(5) What will be the reward of such a faithful servant? Really?
(6) V. 45 describes the wicked servant:
a. What does he do?
b. Why would he do such things, given the fact that he, whom the Master had put in such an important position of His household, must have known the Master very well?
c. What might be the message for us today?
(7) Jesus gives two possible scenarios for such wrongdoing by the manager: One where the servant did such wrongs willfully and one where the servant did such wrongs unknowingly.
a. How would such a lead-servant not know the wrong he is doing to the other slaves?
b. What will his punishment be?
(8) What then is the answer given by Jesus in answering the question of Peter with this parable?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.” (Lk. 12:45)
It appears that all Biblical scholars opine that the Apostles and disciples of the first church expected an imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they lived and preached in light of this understanding. The natural question appears to be whether the Apostles had the wrong understanding or whether Jesus had a change of plan in terms of the timing of His return.
As we have just read the parables in Luke 12, the repeated motif is not only the unexpectedness in the timing of Jesus’ return, but also the much longer than anticipated wait, and so the wicked servant considers his master being away “for a long time” (12:45). Similarly, in the Gospel of Matthew, the ten virgins all have fallen asleep as “the bridegroom was a long time in coming” (Matt. 25:5). These parables point to the fact that the wait will certainly be unusually long.
It is true that the early believers did fervently desire the soon return of their Lord, and some, because of the perceived delay, began to doubt. This is why Peter had to remind them that, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). It is interesting to note that Peter did not say that Jesus was patient with the non-believers who would perish, but with us. That means if there is any delay, it is caused by us, who are too slow to accomplish the Great Commission entrusted to us.
12:49-53
(1) We like to think of Jesus as the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6), but Jesus said He has come to bring division instead. Is there any contradiction between the two? Why or why not?
(2) What was the baptism that He was talking about and why was He distressed until it was completed? (Mk.10:38-39)
(3) Two features of the
division that Jesus talked about are:
(i) It happens because
of Him (i.e. believing in Him).
(ii) It occurs particularly within the
closest of families.
a. Why did He mention it after He talked of His baptism?
b. Why did He wish that such a fire “were already kindled”?
c. Did you have any such an experience of division within your family because of Him?
d. Can you recall such divisions within families that happened in recent history?
(4) Taking a longer-term view, what have these divisions led to eventually?
12:54-56—Directed to the crowd
(5) If they were fairly accurate with their weather forecast (rain comes from the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and heat from the dessert in the south), we are far more accurate today:
a. What was the present time that Jesus referred to?
b. How is it any different now?
c. Should we not know our time as well? Why or why not?
12:57-59
(6) What does this parable have to do with our present time?
(7) Should we be expecting judgment from God? Why or why not?
(8) What should the world do?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“I have come to bring fire on the earth and how I wish it were already kindled.” (Lk. 12:49)
We always like to paint a picture of peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and rightly so. He is called the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6), and it is only through Him that we can make peace with God (Eph. 2:14).
However, for those who refuse to believe in Him, He will be a “consuming fire” that consumes (Deut. 4:24, 9:3), and this is the fate of the unbelieving world. He is a consuming fire that purifies too (1 Cor. 3:15). George Herbert was a God loving, mystical poet of a former generation, and his thoughts on this Holy Consuming fire is worth reflecting:
“Immortal Heat, O let Thy greater flame
Attract the lesser to it: let those fires,
Which shall consume the world, first make it tame,
And kindle in our hearts such true desires,As may consume our lusts, and make Thee way.
Then shall our hearts pant Thee, then shall
Our brain all her invention on Thine Altar lay,
And there in hymns send back Thy fire again.”
(1) Apart from Luke’s reporting here, we do not know anything about the death of the Galileans executed by Pilate or the death of those under the fallen tower in Siloam. However, the people appeared to associate the way some of the people died with being the result of their sin. Why?
(2) Honestly examine yourself: Do you somehow have a similar assumption when you hear of someone who dies an especially horrific death?
(3) Did the people not having the same attitude toward Jesus’ horrific death on the cross?
(4) How did Jesus correct their view? What does “perish” mean? (See Jn. 3:16)
(5) If the fig tree stands for the nation of Israel (an imagery not uncommon in the OT), what is the message to the crowd?
(6) But this parable can also be applicable to each individual.
a. How does the parable apply to you and me when it comes to God’s patience?
b. How then should we pray for our loved ones and friends who have yet to receive Christ?
(7) We are often frustrated and may even be in despair as we face the present world that continues to reject God and defy His words. How would this parable speak to the current situation of the world?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“I tell you no! But unless you repent, you will all perish.” (Lk. 13:5)
We often read about God employing awesome miracles to exercise His divine retribution upon the enemies of Israel in the Old Testament. The ten plagues that befell the land of Egypt and its inhabitants are classic examples. God also uses natural disasters to discipline the people of Israel from time to time. The three years of drought during the time of Ahab is a typical example (1 Ki. 17:1).
So, by the time of Jesus, it was obvious that the people had developed an association of disasters, including horrific deaths of people, with divine retribution. As a result, when some Galileans died, most likely executed by Pilate, with their blood mixed with their sacrifices, the people automatically judged that these Galileans must be “more wicked” than others.
In His comment on the matter, Jesus was not saying that the Galileans who died were not wicked, but that they were not necessarily more wicked than the people. The point that Jesus was making is not so much that these Galileans were not more wicked, but that we are all wicked and will perish should we not repent!
In the same way, in these days with unprecedented frequency and magnitude of earthquakes and other natural disasters, we should not judge that those who die in these disasters are more wicked than we are. At the same time, we do need to understand that these natural disasters still serve as a reminder that we have all sinned, and unless we repent, we too will all perish eternally (Jn. 3:16).
(1) Should we blame the people for attempting to observe the Sabbath to the best of their ability? What did the Sabbath mean to them?
(2) Why do you think they did not have any second thoughts about untying their animals from the stall and leading them out for water?
(3) Why do they think it’s okay to do so on Sabbath?
(4) Did Jesus think they were right in so treating their animals?
(5) Why then did they (especially referring to the Pharisees) think differently about the healing of this woman?
(6) Jesus attributed the plight of the woman as being bound by Satan: Can you imagine the plight of this woman for the last 18 years? What must have this healing meant to her?
(7) What did the ruler of the synagogue say about the incident? Was he attacking Jesus or the people? What then was his error?
(8) Define his kind of hypocrisy.
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
“There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” (Lk. 13:14)
We know that Jesus always heals on Sabbath. It is not only because He is The Lord of Sabbath (Lk. 6:5), it is also because it is not a violation of Sabbath to heal and to save life (Lk. 6:9).
But this ruler of the synagogue was more than hypocritical when he opposed Jesus. He pretended that he still valued people and that he still sympathized with the plight of the sick, but they should just choose another day to come and be healed. In a way, he was trying to protect the “sanctity” of Sabbath while caring for the needs of the people at the same time.
However, the truth of the matter was, as Jesus pointed out, he valued his own animals far more than people — even people that he pretended to care about and this daughter of Abraham, the woman who was healed of her eighteen year bondage by Satan (Lk. 13:16).
How do we know that he really did not care about people? Well, everyone knew that Sabbath was really the only day when Jesus could be expected to be seen and heard in the synagogue. So, it was more than hypocritical for the ruler of the synagogue to tell the people to come on another day to be healed. Who would be there to heal them?
Webster’s dictionary defines a hypocrite as someone who pretends to be pious or virtuous when he is not. This ruler was worse than the other Pharisees as he even pretended to be caring when he was not!