Jarl Waggoner's Articles

Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons

Summer Quarter 2005

by Jarl K. Waggoner

Lesson 1 – Mark 1:4-13

1:4 – “wilderness” – This refers to the lower Jordan valley north of the Dead Sea, as well as the area west of the Dead Sea (BKC, 24; NIVBC, 16).

1:4 – “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” - "Repentance" literally means to change the mind. It implies, however, "more than mere change of opinion. As a religious term in Scripture, it involves a complete change of attitude regarding sin and God, accompanied by a sense of sorrow and a corresponding change in conduct" (WBC, 933; cf. Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology, 352-354; MacArthur, The Gospel according to Jesus, 162-165). John’s baptism was the external symbol of an inward change. It indicated that one had repented of sin. “For the remission of sins” probably means “with reference to remission (forgiveness)” or “leading to forgiveness” (BKC, 103). The preposition (eis) allows for either meaning.

1:5 – “all the land of Judaea . . . were all baptized” – “All” here is a use of hyperbole. The imperfect tense verbs indicate that many were continually going out to hear John and be baptized.

1:6 – “John was clothed with camel’s hair . . . and he did eat locusts and wild honey” – John’s “rugged apparel may have been regarded as symbolic of the prophetic office” (Hendriksen, Mark, 39), and he resembled Elijah (cf. 2 Kings 1:8). Locusts and honey were acceptable food under the law (Lev. 11:22) and were “the common diet in desert regions” (BKC, 104).

1:7 – “I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose” - This was a task that "only non-Jewish slaves had to do for their Jewish masters, for Jewish slaves were exempt from this demeaning act" (Stein, Luke, 135).

1:8 – “baptize you with the Holy Ghost” – This is usually seen as fulfilled in the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4 (Hendriksen, Matthew, 208-209; NIVBC, 18). It is also possible that it refers more generally to Christ's work of salvation without reference to any specific historical or eschatological event.

1:9 - "was baptized of John" - Jesus' baptism by John did not indicate He was repenting of sin, as was the case with others (cf. 1:4), but that he was identifying with sinners and accepting His redemptive role as their Substitute (BKC, 25; WBC, 934; Tasker, Matthew, 49; see also BKC 105 for a list of possible reasons for his baptism).

1:10 - "Spirit like a dove" - All three members of the Trinity as represented at Jesus' baptism (cf. 1:11). The Holy Spirit is represented in the form of a dove. The dove is not merely a metaphor but a bodily form the Spirit took (Luke 3:22). The Spirit's coming "on Jesus empowered Him for His messianic mission (cf. Acts 10:38) and the task of baptizing others with the Spirit, as John predicted (Mark 1:8)" (BKC, 105).

1:11 - "in whom I am well pleased" - The voice was clearly that of the Father, even though he is not named here. The Father's pleasure is especially directed to the Son's willingness to accept his divine mission, as evidenced by his baptism (Hendriksen, Mark, 44).

1:12 - "driveth him into the wilderness" - "Driveth" is a strong word that is used of the casting out of demons (Robt., 1:255). The same Spirit who anointed Jesus drove him into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan (v. 13).

1:13 - "tempted of Satan" - In the "wilderness," or "desert," Jesus was tempted by Satan. The fuller account is found in Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13.

Lesson 2 – Mark 2:1-12

2:1 – “entered into Capernaum” – Jesus had just returned to Capernaum from a tour of Galilee (Matt. 4:23; Mark 1:39).

2:1 – “he was in the house” – The house may have been Simon’s (1:29), one that Jesus himself now had, or one that had been provided by friends to serve as his headquarters. In any case, it was his “home” in Capernaum and recognized by people as such.

2:2 – “many were gathered together” – Jesus was well known in Capernaum (1:21-34), and this gathering was to be expected. Among the crowd, however, were also scribes and Pharisees from Judea and Jerusalem (Luke 5:17), who apparently had heard about Jesus as well and had come to investigate.

2:3 – “one sick of the palsy” – This man was a “paralytic” (NASB; NIV) or “paralyzed man” (NRSV).

2:4 - "uncovered the roof" - Most houses had flat roofs with access from an outside stairway. Roofs were made of parallel beams covered with branches, straw, and hardened mud (Hendriksen, Mark, 88).

2:5 - "When Jesus saw their faith" - This faith was that of both the paralytic and his friends. Their faith was seen in their works (Stein, Luke, 176).

2:5 - "thy sins be forgiven" - Jewish teaching often associated sickness or calamity with personal sin (cf. John 9:1-3). Some suggest that Jesus' words pointed to sin as the ultimate source of human sickness without indicating the man's condition was the result of personal sin (BKC, 112). While this is possible, it is clear that Jesus did not connect the man's condition with his sin. Jesus was concerned primarily with the man's spiritual condition and thus pronounced his sins forgiven.

2:6 - "scribes" - Scribes were experts in the Mosaic law and are called "lawyers" in the New Testament. They "belonged mainly to the party of the Pharisees, but as a body were distinct from them" (NBD, 1151).

2:7 – “who can forgive sins but God only?” – The scribes were inwardly accusing Jesus of blasphemy for claiming to forgive sins, a divine prerogative. While humans can forgive one another, only God can “remove guilt and . . . declare that it has actually been removed” (Hendriksen, Mark, 90). The scribes rightly perceived that Jesus must either be God or one who falsely claims the “attributes and prerogatives of deity.” They assumed the latter.

2:8 – “perceived in his spirit” – This clearly seems to be more than intuition. The scribes had not voiced their accusation, but by divine omniscience Jesus knew their thoughts and challenged them.

2:9 - "[Which] is easier to say . . . Thy sins be forgiven . . . or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?" - The scribes no doubt considered it easier to say one's sins are forgiven, because it could not be verified as a healing could be. In reality, both "require omnipotent power . . . Jesus decides, however, that if, as the scribes reason, a miracle in the physical sphere is required in order to prove to them his 'authority' (right plus power) in the spiritual realm, then let them see this miracle!" (Hendriksen, Mark, 91).

2:10 - "Son of man" - This was Jesus' favorite self-designation. He often uses it as a synonym for "I," though the background in Daniel 7:13 gives it messianic overtones. Hendriksen (Mark, 91) says it reveals something with reference to him, while "concealing even more, especially to those not thoroughly acquainted with the Old Testament. . . . The term characterizes Jesus as the Sufferer."

2:10-11- "that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins" - "The subsequent healing verified the claim to grant forgiveness. As surely as actual healing followed Jesus' statement 'Get up' (v.11), so actual forgiveness resulted from 'your sins are forgiven'" (NIVBC, 144).

2:12 – “they were all amazed, and glorified God” – This was the general response of the people who were present. The statement does not require that the scribes and Pharisees be included among those who glorified God (cf. vv. 16, 24).

Lesson 3 – Mark 14:53-65; 15:1-3

14:53 – “they led Jesus away to the high priest . . . chief priests and the elders and the scribes” – At this point Jesus had already appeared before Annas for a preliminary hearing (John 18:12-14, 19-23). Annas was the former high priest and the father-in-law of the current high priest, Caiaphas. Now Jesus was brought before Caiaphas and the chief priests, elders, and scribes. These groups made up the Sanhedrin, or “council” (see on 14:55 below).

14:54 – “Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest . . . and warmed himself at the fire” – Peter, along with “another disciple” (John 18:15), followed at some distance in order to watch the proceedings. When Jesus was brought to Caiaphas’s residence, Peter entered the “palace,” or “courtyard” (NIV; NASB). This was an open area, around which the house was built. He warmed himself by a fire beside servants and officers (John 18:18).

14:55 – “the council sought for witness . . . to put him to death” - The council here is the Sanhedrin, the

Jewish council of seventy. They were allowed some jurisdiction in Jewish legal affairs but were not

permitted to carry out death sentences (UBD, 968). “This appears to be a sort of preliminary fact-finding

commission of the Sanhedrin. While they had long ago decided on His death for reasons good and

sufficient to them, they had still to formulate a legal charge, adequate to justify the death penalty” (Cole,

Mark, 225).

14:56 - “their witness agreed not together” - The false witnesses produced by the Sanhedrin did not agree

with one another. The calling of false witnesses demonstrates how desperate the council was to condemn

Jesus. However, to keep up the appearance of legality, they had to have at least two witnesses who gave

consistent evidence (cf. Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15), and their witnesses could not agree.

14:58 - “We heard him say, I will destroy this temple” - The allusion is to Jesus’ words in John 2:19. The

charge of these two false witnesses was that Jesus wanted to destroy the temple. Their accusation was a

misquotation and misinterpretation of what Jesus had said. In the end, their testimony was contradictory (v.

59) and useless to the Sanhedrin’s goal of Jesus’ execution.

14:61 – “he held his peace” – Hendriksen (Mark, 610) notes that Jesus “could have shown that it was both a

misinterpretation and a distortion of what he had said. But he knows very well that the purpose of this trial

is not to vindicate the right, but rather to cause the wrong to triumph.”

14:61 - “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” - Here “Christ” and “Son of the Blessed (God)” are

synonymous. “‘Son of God’ was understood by the Jews of Jesus’ time solely in a messianic sense; and

since the Messiah in Jewish expectations was to be a man, the question of the high priest was about Jesus’

claim to messiahship and had nothing to do with deity” (NIVBC, 196). Some, however, argue that the idea

of deity was in Caiaphas’s mind here (WBC, 980).

14:62 - “ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds” - Jesus

acknowledged openly that he was the Messiah and then spoke of this truth being confirmed by future

events. Jesus was alluding to Daniel 7:13-14 and Psalm 110:1 here. He was looking ahead to the ascension

and his second coming (NIVBC, 196) and thus indicating that “the positions of Jesus and his judges would

eventually be reversed” (WBC, 980).

14:63 - “the high priest rent his clothes” - The tearing of the clothes conveyed great grief or sorrow. Here,

no doubt, the grief over the supposed blasphemy was feigned.

14:64- “condemned him to be guilty of death” - Jesus’ acknowledgment that he was the Messiah was considered blasphemy–“not only the overt and definite reviling of the name of God . . . but also any affront to the majesty and authority of God” (NIVBC, 196). The Sanhedrin agreed that such a blasphemous claim made Jesus worthy of death. There apparently were two exceptions–Joseph of Arimathea (Luke 23:50-51) and Nicodemus (John 19:38).

14:65 – “some began to spit on him, . . . the servants did strike him” – “Some” refers to members of the Sanhedrin. They began the abuse by spitting on Jesus, blindfolding him, and hitting him, while demanding that he prophesy who it was who had hit him (cf. Matt. 26:68). The “servants” (cf. v. 54) were the guards (NIV) or officers (NASB), that is, the temple guards, or police (BKC, 184). They continued the abuse.

15:1 - “the chief priests held a consultation” - “What seems to be spoken of here is not another gathering of

the Sanhedrin but the final stages of the meeting that had begun late the night before” (NIVBC, 197).

15:1 - “delivered him to Pilate” - The Sanhedrin could not carry out a death sentence, so they decided to

turn Jesus over to Pilate, the procurator. Pilate, of course, would not accept blasphemy as punishable by

death, since it was a Jewish religious matter. The accusation brought before Pilate, therefore, was that of

treason against the Roman state (Luke 23:2). Pilate was the procurator, or governor, of Judea appointed by

Emperor Tiberias in A.D. 26 (see UBD, 865).

15:2 - “Art thou the King of the Jews?” - Pilate’s question assumes that the Jewish leaders have already

accused him of treasonous acts against Rome, as they had (Luke 23:2). In view of that accusation, Pilate’s concern was that Jesus was making himself out to be a “king” and political deliverer.

15:2 - “Thou sayest it” - This is an idiomatic but clearly affirmative response (cf. Matt. 26:25; John 18:36-

37). NASB translates, “It is as you say” (cf. NIV). Jesus was conveying the idea that he was a king but not

in the sense that Pilate conceived of a king.

Lesson 4 - Mark 16:1-8, 12-15

16:1 – For a harmony of postresurrection events, see Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord (192-5).

16:1 - "Mary Magdalene, and Mary . . . and Salome" - Also in this group were Joanna and other women (Luke 24:10). The women intended to anoint Jesus’ body with “spices.” This was an act of devotion, as well as a means of covering some of the odor of a decaying body.

16:2 – “at the rising of the sun” – According to John 20:1, they had left for the tomb while it was still dark. By the time they arrived, however, the sun was rising.

16:3 – “Who shall roll . . . away the stone?” – A rock-carved tomb such as this one resembled a cave. The entrance was covered with a large, circular stone (cf. Mark 15:46). “Though relatively easy to put in place since it was usually set in a sloped track, [it] was very difficult to remove once established in place. It would either have to be rolled back up the incline or lifted out of the groove and then removed” (NIVBC, 202).

16:4 - "the stone was rolled away" - The women found that the stone covering the tomb's entrance had been removed from it. According to Matthew 28:2-4, an earthquake had occurred and an angel had rolled the stone back. The guards, who had witnessed this, had apparently fled the scene before the women arrived.

16:5 - "a young man" - This was an angel, as made clear by the parallels in Matthew and Luke. Luke 24:4 says there were two angels. Mark mentions only the one that spoke to the women.

16:6 - "he is risen" - Upon seeing that the stone had been removed from the tomb, Mary Magdalene departed to tell Peter and John (John 2:2-10). She was not present to hear the angel's words that Jesus had risen from the dead.

16:7 - "he goeth . . . into Galilee . . . as he said" - Jesus had promised to meet them in Galilee after his resurrection (Matt. 26:32; Mark 14:28).

16:8 - "neither said they any thing to any man" - The shock and fear engendered by the encounter with the angel rendered the women speechless, but only for a while. Matthew 28:8-9 and Luke 24:9 make it clear they eventually overcame these emotions and reported to the disciples.

16:12 – It is disputed whether verses 9-20 were written by Mark and should be included in his Gospel. The issue is a very complicated textual matter. The various arguments are discussed in most commentaries. While uncertain as to their genuineness, verses 12-15 certainly are accurate and consistent with the other Gospels.

16:12 – “he appeared in another form unto two of them” – This is a reference to the two who encountered the resurrected Lord on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). It is not entirely clear what “in another form” means. The eyes of the two disciples were “prevented from recognizing Him” (Luke 24:16 NASB), but “whether Christ had actually changed his appearance we do not know” (WBC, 1025).

16:13 – “they told it unto the residue” – The two disciples who had met Jesus on the road to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem to report what had happened to the “residue,” that is, the eleven disciples (Luke 24:33).

16:14 – “he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat” – This appearance occurred on the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection, after the two disciples from Emmaus had reported their encounter with the risen Lord. Mark summarizes what appears in Luke 24:36-43 and John 20:19-25. Unique to Mark is the fact that Jesus rebuked the disciples for their reluctance to believe that he had risen from the dead.

16:15 – “preach the gospel to every creature” – This is Mark’s version of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20).

Lesson 5 – Matthew 5:1-16

5:1 - "multitudes . . . disciples" - "The sermon was directed primarily to [the disciples]. However, some of it was heard by the multitudes" (WBC, 936).

5:1 - "mountain" - If the sermon in Luke 6 is an abbreviated version of this same sermon, the "plain" (Luke 6:17) was probably a plateau on the mountainside (cf. NIVBC, 232).

5:3 - "Blessed" – “Blessed” means “happy.” It is a "description of a believer's inner condition. When describing a person in God's will, it is virtually equivalent to 'saved'" (WBC, 937). The blessings specified in each Beatitude is eschatological (related to the end times). They are called Beatitudes, from the Latin word for "blessed" (NIVBC, 22-23).

5:3 - "poor in spirit" - This refers to "those who consciously depend on God, not on themselves; they are 'poor' inwardly, having no ability in themselves to please God" (BKC, 29).

5:3 - "kingdom of heaven" - Many older dispensationalists draw a distinction between Matthew's "kingdom of heaven" and "kingdom of God" (cf. Mark 1:15; Luke 6:20). Most commentators today (including dispensationalists) see the two terms as synonymous (NIVBC, 16). It refers to both the future kingdom of Christ on earth but also to the present spiritual kingdom Christ rules and into which one enters through faith in Christ (cf. Walvoord, Thy Kingdom Come, 30-31).

5:4 - "mourn" - This is probably mourning over sins. "A sense of anguish for sin characterizes the blessed man. But genuine repentance will bring comfort to the believer" (WBC, 937).

5:5 - "meek" - cf. Ps. 37:11. The word speaks of gentleness or a lack of self-interest or self-assertiveness (Vine's, 401). Wiersbe (Meet Your King, 34) says the word was "used by the Greeks to describe a horse that had been broken. It refers to power under control."

5:5 - "inherit the earth" - This refers either to the earthly messianic kingdom (WBC, 937) or the new heavens and new earth (NIVBC, 23).

5:6 - "righteousness" - This is best taken to mean personal righteousness, right living (BKC, 29) or holiness (Robt., 1:41).

5:7 - "merciful . . . shall obtain mercy" - By showing mercy in gratitude for the mercy they have received from the Lord, believers in turn receive from the Lord the "reward of mercy" (Hendriksen, Matthew, 276).

5:8 - "pure in heart . . . shall see God" - The "pure in heart" are those "whose moral being is free from contamination with sin, without divided interests or loyalties" (WBC, 937). They will "see God" now "with the eyes of faith and finally in the dazzling brilliance of the beatific vision" (NIVBC, 24).

5:9 - "peacemakers . . . the children of God" - "Peacemaking will include the promulgation of [the] Gospel. It must also extend to seeking all kinds of reconciliation" (NIVBC, 24). Those who practice this will be recognized as God's children for they reflect his character.

5:10 – “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” – The persecution here is because they “uphold God’s standards of truth, justice and purity, and refuse to compromise with paganism or bow the knee to the idols that men tend to erect as substitutes for God . . . to such Jesus gives the assurance that they are citizens of the only kingdom that abides, the kingdom of heaven” (Tasker, Matthew, 62-63). See 2 Timothy 3:12.

5:12 – “great is your reward in heaven” – Believers can rejoice in their persecution because of the greatness of their future reward. Hendriksen (Matthew, 281-2) notes that there are three reasons to rejoice: (1) Because persecution “indicates the genuine character of their faith.” They are accounted as worthy of the same treatment received by the Old Testament prophets; (2) because their character is “made mature through suffering”; and (3) because their reward in heaven “is in proportion to, yet much greater than, the sacrifice.”

5:13 - "salt of the earth" - Salt was a common food preservative as well as a seasoning. The idea here probably is that, like salt, Jesus' followers are to act as a preservative, restraining the world's corruption (WBC, 937; JFB, 5:29). The emphasis is on the believer's influence or testimony in the world.

5:13 - "lost his savour" - Pure salt cannot lose its "savour," or taste. However, many argue that most of the salt used in Palestine came from the Dead Sea and was mixed with carnallite or gypsum. Such a mixture could, under certain circumstances, lose its flavor and become useless (cf. Morris, Luke, 259; Stein, Luke, 398).

5:14-16- "the light" - Just as Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12), so his followers are lights, illuminating the sin-darkened world with their "good works" and causing others to glorify God.

Lesson 6 – Matthew 6:1-14

6:1 – "alms" - NIV and NASB and most commentators agree the correct reading is "righteousness." NKJV has “charitable deeds.”

6:2 – "hypocrites" – The Greek word used here was an old word for an actor, one who plays a role. Thus the idea is that of one who makes a pretense (Robt. 1:50; Vine's, 316).

6:2 – "sound a trumpet" – This is probably "metaphorical for 'publicize'" (WBC, 939), though some think it refers to trumpets played to announce public fasts (cf. NIVBC, 30). Others have suggested it is a reference to trumpet-shaped receptacles at the temple for receiving contributions (Robt., 1:50). In that case, Jesus was speaking of noisily tossing coins into the receptacle in an attempt to attract attention (Luke 21:1-2).

6:3 – "left hand . . . right hand" - An expression that probably refers to "the fact that as much as possible a person must keep his voluntary contribution a secret not only to others but even to himself; that is, he should forget about it" (Hendriksen, Matthew, 321).

6:4 – "openly" - Most agree this is not genuine (Tasker, Matthew, 73; Robt. 1:51). It is omitted from most modern versions because of a lack of textual evidence (cf. NASB, NIV).

6:5 – “in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men” – It was the usual practice to pray in the synagogue while standing. This is “not denounced. But the intent of one who claims that the hour of prayer caught him in a prominent place and who loves such display is condemned” (WBC, 939).

6:6 – "closet" - The Greek word (tameion) refers to "a store-house, a separate apartment, one's private chamber, closet, or 'den' where he can withdraw from the world and shut the world out and commune with God" (Robt. 1:51). "Public prayer is not pronounced wrong . . . but vain display is" (WBC, 939).

6:6 – “thy Father which is in secret” – NIV translates this “your Father, who is unseen.”

6:6 – "openly" – As in verse 4, this is likely not genuine (Robt. 1:15).

6:7 – "vain repetitions" – This is also translated "babbling" (NIV) or "babble" (NJB). In essence, it is speaking without thinking—empty repetition. He is not "condemning lengthy prayers, . . . He is merely emphasizing that prayer must be a sincere expression of the heart, not mere accumulation of verbiage" (KJV Par., 1894).

6:9 – "Our Father" – Use of this expression to address God apparently began with Jesus (NIVBC, 31). It stresses the familial relationship that only believers have with God.

6:9 – "Hallowed" – The word means to hold in reverence or treat as holy (WBC, 939; cf. Vine's, 287).

6:10 – "Thy kingdom come" – This is a reference to the earthly, messianic kingdom (WBC, 939), though perhaps including a present aspect as well. NIVBC (32) says it means "to ask that God's saving, royal rule be extended now as people bow in submission to him and to cry for the consummation of the kingdom."

6:11 – "daily bread" – "Bread" covers all food and may "further suggest all of our physical human needs" (NIVBC, 32). The Greek word for "daily" (epiousion) is rare and its meaning uncertain (Robt , 1:53; Hendriksen, Matthew, 332-333; TDNT, 2:595-599). Most commentators, however, do not object to the translation "daily."

6:12 – "debts" – “Debts” are "sins viewed as moral and spiritual debts to God's righteousness" (WBC, 940). Cf. Luke 11:4.

6:12 – "as we forgive" - This does not mean that we earn forgiveness by forgiving others. Rather it speaks of the attitude (willingness to forgive) that makes forgiveness possible (NIVBC, 32). Unwillingness to forgive is itself a sin. NASB translates the phrase, “as we have forgiven.” We are to seek forgiveness as we forgive others, not because we forgive others. “We are to seek forgiveness in the same manner as we forgive others. Forgiveness is the evidence of a regenerate heart” (KJV Par., 1896).

6:13 – "Lead us not into temptation" – This does not imply that God sometimes leads us into temptation (cf. Jas. 1:13). Rather it means "'Do not allow us to be led into temptation'" (Robt. 1:54); "'Do not allow us to enter into temptation that could destroy us'" (Stein, Luke, 327), or perhaps, "'Keep us from yielding to temptation'" (Stein, 327). See Hendriksen's paraphrase (Matthew, 336-37). A few take "temptation" here to mean trial or test rather than enticement to sin (Tasker, Matthew, 74; NIVBC, 32).

6:13 – "Deliver" can mean either "'spare us from' or 'deliver us out of'" (NIVBC, 32).

6:13 – "evil" - It may be rendered "the evil one" (i.e. Satan), and many prefer this translation (cf. NIVBC, 33), though it can simply be translated "evil" as in KJV (cf. Robt. 1:55).

6:13 – "For Thine is the kingdom . . . " – It is very doubtful this doxology was part of the original (cf. JFB, 5:41-42). Note how NASB and NIV handle it.

6:14-15 – See on verse 12 above. BKC (32) notes, "Personal fellowship with God is in view in these verses (not salvation from sin). One cannot walk in fellowship with God if he refuses to forgive others."

Lesson 7 – Matthew 13:9-17

13:9 – “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” – Jesus had just begun to speak to the multitude in parables (v. 3) by giving the parable of the sower and the seeds (vv. 3-8). With this statement he was referring to his true disciples and indicating that the parable had a deeper meaning (WBC, 952).

13:11 – "it is given unto you . . . to them it is not given" – In answer to the disciples' question, Jesus explained that the reason for his teaching in parables was the presence of two distinct groups. The parables revealed the "mysteries of the kingdom" to the disciples but hid the truth from the unbelieving multitude. "Jesus' parabolic instruction thus carried with it a judgmental aspect. By using parables in public, Jesus could preach to as many individuals as before, but He could then draw the disciples aside and explain to them fully the meaning of His words" (BKC, 49). WBC (952) notes that "there is grace even here, for they were spared the greater guilt of rejecting the plainest teaching, and there remained the possibility that the intriguing parable might arouse curiosity and bring about a change of heart."

13:11 – "mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" – A "mystery" is something that is known only by revelation (Hendriksen, Matthew, 553). Many dispensationalists make a distinction between "kingdom of heaven" here and "kingdom of God" (cf. Mark 4:11). See, for example BKC (49). "'The secrets . . . of the kingdom' are divine plans or decrees, often passed on in veiled language, known only to the elect and usually relating to events of the end time. For these secrets to be 'given to' the disciples suggests that to them certain eschatological realities are being revealed. . . . Jesus is revealing that the kingdom of God, especially as foreseen in Daniel, has in fact entered the world and is working, although secretly, among humankind" (NIVBC, 65).

13:12 – “whosoever hath, to him shall be given, . . . whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath” – Those who had already responded in faith to Jesus would be given greater revelation. On the other hand, those who had already rejected him would not be given “the bare truths to trample under foot” (WBC, 952). That which is taken away from the unbeliever here may be his “standing as the expected subject of the kingdom (cf. 8:11-12)” (NIVBC, 65), or it may mean that even what he had “previously known would no longer be clear” to him (BKC, 49).

13:13 – "seeing see not" – Jesus' use of parables is related to the obstinate unbelief of the people, as foreseen, at least in part, in Isaiah 6:9-10, which is quoted in verses 14-15. Such people see and hear physically, but they do not comprehend spiritual truth.

13:15 – “This people’s heart is waxed gross” – See NIV for clearer translation. The point of the quotation from Isaiah is that the people of Jesus’ day, like those of Isaiah’s day, were willfully obstinate in their unbelief, and as such God’s judgment on them was a spiritual insensitivity that would not allow them to turn to the Lord.

13:16-17 – “Blessed are your eyes . . . many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see” – In contrast to the people who see without seeing, the disciples are blessed to see the spiritual truths Jesus taught, particularly regarding the mysteries of the kingdom. This was a privilege the Old Testament saints did not enjoy (cf. 1 Pet. 1:8-12).

Lesson 8 – Matthew 18:21-35

18:21 – “how oft shall . . . I forgive him? Till seven times?” – Peter’s question naturally arose from Jesus’ teaching about dealing with a fellow believer who has sinned against you (vv. 15-20). Jesus’ instruction implied a willingness to forgive the repentant sinner (WBC, 962). According to most sources, the rabbis taught that forgiveness should be given three times (cf. Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, 2:125; BKC, 62; WBC, 962). Pentecost (Words and Works of Jesus Christ) claims that forgiveness was required twice and that one who wanted to prove himself magnanimous could forgive three times.

18:22 – “Until seventy times seven” – The obvious meaning of this expression is that one should forgive without ever stopping.

18:23 – “take account of his servants” – Probably what Jesus was picturing in his parable is a king calling on various high officials, probably provincial governors, to deliver to him the taxes they were to have collected (Hendriksen, Matthew, 704).

18:24 – "ten thousand talents" – This was an enormous amount, given that one talent is equal to 6000 denarii, and that one denarius was wages for a day's work (cf. Matt. 20:2; Robt. 1:150; Hendriksen, Matthew, 705).

18:25 – “commanded him to be sold, . . . and payment to be made” – This refers either to selling the man and his family with the proceeds going toward paying his debt or to selling them into indentured servitude. In neither case, of course, could the debt be fully paid. Note that Hendriksen (Matthew, 705) argues that selling someone for payment of debt was common but is not what is mentioned in Old Testament Scriptures such as Exodus 22:3; Leviticus 25:39, etc.

18:26 – “worshipped him” – While the word here (proskuneo) was used of worship (cf. Matt. 2:2, 11), it literally means to prostrate oneself. Here it should be taken in this literal sense as an act of reverence (BAG, 723-4; Vine’s, 686; cf. NKJV; NASB; NIV; NRSV; NJB).

18:27 – “loosed him, and forgave him the debt” – The king compassionately “granted this servant far more than he had asked, completely canceling his huge debt and releasing him from punishment” (Hendriksen, Matthew, 706). As such, he illustrates the forgiveness of God of our sin debt.

18:28 – "hundred pence" – This is literally one hundred denarii, or a hundred days’ wages, a very small sum in comparison to the amount the creditor owed his king (v. 24; Robt. 1:151).

8:29 – “I will pay thee all” – Unlike the man’s own promise (v. 26), this servant’s promise of repayment was something he could possibly fulfill.

8:30 – “cast him into prison” – “Because of the smallness of the debt he was not legally permitted to sell his fellow servant into slavery, but was legally permitted to have him sentenced to prison and forced labor, to work off his debt” (Hendriksen, Matthew, 707).

18:31-32 – “wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, . . . shouldest not thou also have had compass-sion?” – The wickedness of the servant is seen in his failure to forgive a small debt when he himself has been forgiven an enormous debt. This is presented as a “hideous hypothetical situation. As unbelievable as this action would be, that is how unbelievable it would be for a Christian disciple, who has been forgiven a lifetime of sin, to be unforgiving of others. . . . no one forgiven a debt of millions would behave this way, therefore, the intention of the parable is to challenge the genuineness of the disciples’ conversion. A truly saved man would never behave like the man in the story” (KJV Par., 1933).

18:34 – "delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all" – The king now withdraws his mercy because of the servant’s compassionless treatment of a fellow servant. He forgoes selling him and turns him over to the torturers (NIVBC, 87). These are “were officials appointed by the courts to torture those who had committed atrocious crimes” (Hendriksen, Matthew, 708-9). He was to suffer until he had paid his debt, something he could never do.

18:35 – “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you” – This was addressed to Jesus’ disciples and particularly Peter. He indicated there would be severe consequences for one who does not forgive his brother. The question raised here is: What is entailed in this punishment by “tormentors” (v. 34), and does it apply to Christians? WBC (962-963) sees this as indicating that God sends chastening "tormentors" in the form of temporal trials. KJV Par. (1933) suggests this describes condemnation of the lost, who prove their lost condition by their unforgiving spirit. In either case, those who refuse to forgive others “show themselves incapable of receiving forgiveness” (NIVBC, 87; cf. Wiersbe, Meet Your King, 131).

Lesson 9 – Matthew 25:31-46

25:31 – "when the Son of man shall come" – This refers to Jesus' return to earth at the conclusion of the Great Tribulation described in chapter 24. "Son of man" was a messianic title (cf. Dan. 7:13-14; Matt. 26:64-65).

25:32 – "before him shall be gathered all nations" – Many, especially amillennialists, identify this judgment with the Great White Throne judgment of Revelation 20:11-15, a universal judgment that ushers in the eternal state. Premillennialists generally see this as the judgment of living people after Christ's second advent and before the millennial reign of Christ. "Nations" is the word generally used for Gentiles; thus this is viewed by many as particularly a judgment of Gentiles (Walvoord, Thy Kingdom Come, 200-201). Others insist that Jews are also included (cf. Hendriksen, Matthew, 886). The difference is based more on theology than grammar.

25:32 – "all nations . . . separate them" – "Nations" is neuter gender in Greek; "them" is masculine. This indicates that while nations will be gathered before Christ, people will be judged as individuals ("them").

25:33 – "sheep on his right hand . . . goats on the left" – The sheep represent the righteous; goats the unrighteous. "In the countryside sheep and goats mingled during the day. At night they were often separated: sheep tolerated the cool air, but goats had to be herded together for warmth. The right hand is the place of power and honor" (NIVBC, 115).

25:34 – “the king” – Here the Son of man (v. 31) is equated with the “King” (cf. v. 40).

25:34 – “inherit the kingdom” – The righteous who have come out of the tribulation are invited to inherit the earthly millennial kingdom ruled by Christ (Rev. 20:6).

25:35 – "ye gave me meat" – The good works obviously are not the basis for inheritance of the kingdom but the evidence of their faith, which is the basis of salvation (cf. Matt. 7:16-20).

25:40 – "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren" – Jesus equates that done for his “brethren” with that which is done for him personally. This is the evidence of one’s faith, which brings him an inheritance in Christ’s kingdom. "My brethren" has been identified as: (1) suffering people in general (Tasker, Matthew, 238); (2) Jesus' followers (NIVBC, 115); and (3) believing Jews of the tribulation period (BKC, 81; WBC, 976; Wiersbe, Meet Your King, 185), or more specifically the 144,000 Jewish converts (Rev. 7; Pentecost, Things to Come, 418). In support of the latter is the clear distinction between sheep and goats as two groups and "my brethren" as a third group.

25:41 – “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” – The unbelievers (“goats”) are consigned to the everlasting fire. This was not prepared for them but for the devil and his angels. “Neither do men inherit eternal fire (contrast the righteous, v. 34), but go there by refusing God’s grace” (WBC, 976).

25:45 – “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me” – The evidence of unbelief is a lack of concern for God’s persecuted people.

25:46 – "everlasting punishment . . . life eternal" – The same Greek word is translated here "everlasting" and "eternal." "This word refers to life or punishment in the age to come; it is 'everlasting'" (NIVBC, 116).

Lesson 10 – Luke 4:16-24, 28-30

Background - It appears from Luke that immediately following His baptism and temptation, Jesus went to Galilee. In fact, He first spent some time in Judea (cf. John 1—4). There is disagreement over whether this is the same incident described in Mark 6:1-6 and Matthew 13:54-58 (cf. Hendriksen, Mark, 220; Robertson, Harmony of the Gospels, 31-32, 77-78).

4:16 – "stood up" – The implication is that Jesus had been invited to read by the ruler of the synagogue (Stein, Luke, 155). Scripture was read while standing; preaching was done from a seated position (cf. vs. 20).

4:17 – "book (scroll) of . . . Isaiah" – Based on later practice, many commentators assume "the synagogue followed a regular order of readings. Jesus probably took the passage that was usually read on that day" (WBC, 1036; cf. Stein, Luke, 155). Some, however, suggest that He may well have chosen the specific passage He read (Morris, Luke, 116; Marshall, Luke, 182).

4:18-19 – "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me . . ." – Jesus read from Isaiah 61:1-2. This was a messianic prophecy that Jesus proceeded to apply to Himself. It is significant that Jesus ended His reading in the middle of verse 2. He did not read "the day of vengeance of our God" (Isa. 61:2) because this phrase related to His second coming.

4:18 – "anointed" – Perhaps this is a reference to Luke 3:22. Jesus was anointed by the Spirit just as prophets, priests, and kings were commissioned for service in the Old Testament by anointing by oil (cf. Num. 3:3; 1 Sam. 16:12-13).

4:18 – "to heal the brokenhearted" – This phrase is found in Isaiah 61:1 but is omitted in some mss of Luke 4:18 (cf. NASB; NIV).

4:18 – "to preach deliverance . . . recovering of sight . . . set at liberty" – "Deliverance" is a word used elsewhere for forgiveness. It is probably parallel to "set at liberty"; thus both speak metaphorically of spiritual freedom. "Recovering of sight" may point to Jesus' healing of the physically blind or to the healing of those who were "spiritually blind" (cf. Stein, Luke, 156; Marshall, Luke, 183-184).

4:19 – "acceptable year of the Lord" – Most commentators see this as an allusion to the Year of Jubilee (cf. Lev. 25:8-17) in which all debts were forgiven and slaves were freed. If so, Jesus was using it to picture the new messianic era He was introducing (cf. Marshall, Luke, 184; NIVBC, 226). Some, however, do not see an allusion to Jubilee here but rather an expression synonymous with proclaiming "the kingdom of God" (Luke 4:43; Stein, Luke, 157; cf. Morris, Luke, 116-117).

4:21 – “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” – NASB translates, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus was saying that this messianic prophecy was fulfilled with regard to the “subject of the prophecy (Jesus) and the time of God’s gracious work (“today”)” (NIVBC, 226).

4:22 – "wondered at his gracious words" – “Wondered,” or “amazed,” “does not indicate clearly either favor or disfavor (NIVBC, 226). The “gracious words” may be taken as referring to "his attractive way of speaking" (Morris, Luke, 117) or to "words concerning God's grace" (Stein, Luke, 158).

4:22 – "Is not this Joseph's son?" – While the people were amazed by Jesus' teaching, they did not take it to heart. They could not accept Him as more than "Joseph's son." This negative comment leads to Jesus' comment in verse 23.

4:23 – "Physician, heal thyself" – The idea seems to be that Jesus should prove His messiahship by doing in Nazareth what they had heard He had done elsewhere (Robt., 2:60; WBC, 1036). See Mark 6:5.

4:24 – “No prophet is accepted in his own country” – “Country” (patridi) “primarily signifies ‘one’s fatherland, native country, of one’s own town’” (Vine’s, 133). NIV and NASB translate it “hometown.” Jesus apparently was quoting a common proverb that was applicable to himself, just as it was to the prophets.

4:28 – “were filled with wrath” – In verses 25-27 Jesus pointed to Elijah and Elisha as examples of prophets who were not accepted in their own country. They had ministered to Gentiles even as their own people rejected them. “For Jesus these examples demonstrated that Nazareth could not make exclusivistic claims on him; and since Nazareth had in fact rejected him, he would go elsewhere. Nazareth may have rejected him, but others would receive him gladly” (Stein, Luke, 159). The anger of the people arose from the fact that Jesus had counted them unworthy of his miraculous works while suggesting that Gentiles would receive his blessing.

4:29 – "brow of the hill" – See NBD (871) for a description of Nazareth's location. It may have been their intent to stone Jesus after throwing him over the hill (cf. Marshall, Luke, 190).

4:30 – "passing through the midst" – This may indicate a miraculous act, but it is not explained (cf. Morris, Luke, 119; NIVBC, 227).

Lesson 11 – Luke 8:40-56

8:40 – “when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him” – Jesus had returned to Capernaum from the “country of the Gadarenes” (v. 26) on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. As before, the people of Capernaum and Galilee welcomed Jesus (cf. vv. 4, 19).

8:41 – “Jairus, . . . a ruler of the synagogue” – Jairus probably was the lay “official in charge of arrangements for synagogue services or a synagogue board member” (Stein, Luke, 261). As such, he was a prominent and highly regarded person, and possibly was among the elders the centurion had sent to Jesus earlier, appealing for Jesus’ help (Luke 7:1-3; WBC, 1043).

8:42 – “she lay a dying” – Jairus’s only daughter—probably only child—was dying. Jairu’s plea was for Jesus to come to his house (v. 41), but the clear implication is that he wanted Jesus to heal her. What is implicit here is explicit in Mark 5:23 and Matthew 9:18.

8:43 – “Then a woman having an issue of blood” – Jairus had demonstrated faith in Jesus to heal his daughter, but his faith was now tested as Jesus was interrupted by another person in need of healing. This woman had suffered for twelve years with hemorrhaging, probably “a chronic menstrual disorder or a uterine hemorrhage. Her condition made her ritually unclean” (BKC, 124). See Leviticus 15:25.

8:44 – “touched the border of his garment” – Both Matthew 9:21 and Mark 5:28 explain that the woman believed that if she merely touched his garment she would be healed. The “border” may refer to “either the hem or a tassel on the corner of his garment” (Stein, Luke, 261).

8:45 – “Who touched me?” – Though some disagree (cf. Stein, Luke, 261), it seems the question was not asked to learn who had touched him but to bring the woman out into the open (cf. Morris, Luke, 175). Since it is not likely that power could go forth from Jesus (v. 46) with every touch or without his knowing who had received it, the question essentially was, “‘Who touched me meaningfully?’ . . . She had ‘believed with her heart.’ But she had not as yet ‘confessed with her mouth’ (Rom. 10:9). It was in order to bring about this favorable change that Jesus immediately turned around in the crowd and asked [the question]” (Hendriksen, Mark, 208). It is also quite possible that Jesus wanted her healing made known publicly so that she would be “received back into normal religious and social intercourse” (Morris, Luke, 175).

8:46 – “virtue is gone out of me” – “Virtue” is dunamis, which is normally translated “power” (BAG, 206; cf. NIV; NASB; NRSV; NKJV). Miraculous power had gone out of Jesus to bring healing to the woman.

8:48 – “thy faith hath made thee whole” – The idea is not that her faith caused the healing but that her faith “caused her to seek healing from Jesus. Faith, confident trust, derives its value not from the one who expresses it, but from the object in which it rests” (BKC, 125).

8:50 – “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole” – The news that Jairus’s daughter was dead (v. 49) naturally would have caused fear, especially if the messenger’s assumption was correct—that death meant the end of any hope that Jesus could heal her. Jesus assured him that she would yet be “made whole,” or literally, saved. Jairus simply needed to believe. The object of his faith is not stated, but it must have been Jesus himself and his power. It seems Jairus heeded Jesus’ words, for he continued with Jesus to the house.

8:51 – Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother” – These were the only ones Jesus allowed to accompany him into the presence of the dead girl. The miracle Jesus was about to perform was to be a private work, unlike the healing of the woman (v. 56). Peter, James, and John, often called the “inner circle,” were afforded special privileges on other occasions (cf. Matt. 17:1; 26:37).

8:52 – “all wept” – The mourners here must have included family, friends, and even professional mourners (cf. Matt. 9:23).

8:52 – “Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth” – The command in Greek means to cease weeping. The mourners knew the girl was dead (v. 53). Jesus described her condition as sleep because it was temporary (Stein, Luke, 263). He likewise described Lazarus’s death as sleep (John 11:11-14).

8:53 – “they laughed him to scorn” – NASB has “they began laughing at him,” but the verb “signifies derisive laughter” (Vine’s, 354). “They believed [Jesus] was using the term ‘asleep’ in ignorance rather than as a metaphor” (Stein, Luke, 263).

8:55 – “her spirit came again” – “The [spirit] is regarded as surviving death and being separated from the body” (Marshall, Luke, 348). A return to life constitutes the return of the spirit to the girl.

8:55 – “give her meat (food)” – “This proved that she was restored to normal health and not to a long convalescence” (BKC, 228). It also proved that she was not merely a spirit but had been returned to physical life (Marshall, Luke, 348).

8:56 – “tell no man what was done” – Obviously this miracle could not be kept a secret. However, Jesus did not want it publicized either because he was not ready at this time for a public proclamation that he was the Messiah, perhaps because it might be regarded as political (WBC, 944), or because he did not want “multitudes thronging to Him merely for the purpose of physical healing . . . Jesus came primarily for spiritual healing, not physical healing” (BKC, 40). Marshall (Luke, 342), however, suggests that the reason is directly related to the scorn of those mentioned in verse 53: “Such people were not fit recipients for this revelation of his power. The command itself should not be regarded as historically impossible: so long as the parents said nothing, the scornful Jews could persist in believing that the girl had been merely asleep.” This interpretation may explain the difference between the situation here and that of the immediately preceding healing of the woman, where the miracle done in secret was brought out into the open.

Lesson 12 – Luke 10:25-37

10:25 – "lawyer" – This was an "expert in the law" (NIV), a scribe who perhaps had a seat in the Sanhedrin (NBD, 723).

10:25 – "tempted him" – NASB has "put him to the test." The lawyer's question was clearly made with a hostile intent (Robt., 2:151).

10:27 – "Love the Lord thy God . . . and thy neighbour" – In giving his understanding of what the law required for one to inherit eternal life, the lawyer quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.

10:28 – "Thou hast answered right" – "Some see in this a formal commendation of the way of works. If you want a way of salvation by doing, this is it (with the implication that you won't be able to do it). It is perhaps more likely that it is a repudiation of works. It is not what we do, considered as a meritorious work, that matters, but our attitude. If we really love God in the way of which Jesus speaks, then we rely on him, not ourselves" (Morris, Luke, 206). It seems Jesus was saying that yes this will assure you of salvation if you "do" it (the present imperative means keep on doing it). "There was only one trouble with the lawyer's answer. No one ever did or ever can "do" what the law lays down towards God and man always" (Robt., 2:152). "To love God means to accept what God in his grace has done and to trust in him" (Stein, Luke, 319).

10:29 – "willing to justify himself, said . . . who is my neighbour?" – Some see this as the lawyer's justifying his asking the question, a question he already knew the answer to. Thus, he had to ask a follow-up question (an insincere one) in order to show that he was not merely trying to trap Jesus (cf. Robt. 2:152). Others see the lawyer trying to justify the fact that he did not in reality love all people, just those he narrowly defined as his neighbors. "Realizing that he had been caught by his own words, since he had not kept the Law, the lawyer began to quibble over a definition. Strict Jews would not acknowledge that any non-Jew was a neighbor" (WBC, 1047).

10:30 – "went down from Jerusalem to Jericho" – This was a distance of about 17 miles and descended over 3000 feet (BKC, 234; Morris, Luke, 206). It was known as a dangerous area inhabited by thieves.

10:31-32 – "passed by on the other side" – Many suggest that the priest and Levite may have thought the man was dead and they feared defiling themselves through contact with a corpse. The point seems to be their lack of love and concern, however (cf. WBC, 1047; Stein, Luke, 317).

10:32 – "Levite" – The Levites "assisted the priests in various sacrificial duties and policing the temple but could not perform the sacrificial acts" (Stein, Luke, 317).

10:33 – "Samaritan" – Samaritans were generally viewed with contempt by Jews (cf. John 4:9; 8:48) because of their mixed ancestry and religious departures from Judaism (cf. Tenney, New Testament Times, 85-88).

10:34 – "oil and wine" – Wine would have been used to clean the wound; it also acted as an antiseptic. Oil was used to relieve pain (Morris, Luke, 207; Robt., 2:153).

10:35 – "two pence" – This is literally, "two denarii." A denarius was the equivalent of a day's wages for a workingman. As to its buying power, it may have been sufficient to pay for a prolonged stay (WBC, 1047; Morris, Luke, 208).

10:36 – "Which . . . was neighbour to him?" – "The man had asked, 'Who is my neighbour?' but Jesus faced him with the question 'To whom am I neighbour?'" (Morris, Luke, 208). "The lawyer's original question has been deliberately altered so that further argument is avoided. 'One cannot define one's neighbour; one can only be a neighbour'" (Marshall, Luke, 450). Jesus was indicating that "one should worry less about who a neighbor is than about being a good neighbor" (Stein, Luke, 318).

10:37 – "He that shewed mercy" – The more natural answer would have simply been "the Samaritan." It seems the lawyer in his despite for Samaritans was avoiding the use of the very name "Samaritan."

Lesson 13 – Luke 14:7-11, 15-24

Background – Jesus was in the home of a prominent Pharisee on a Sabbath Day for a meal to which he had been invited. He had just healed a man with dropsy, while rebuking the attitudes of the Pharisees and lawyers, who were more concerned about traditions than the suffering of a fellow human being (Luke 14:1-6).

14:7 – “those which were bidden . . . chose out the chief rooms” – Jesus saw that those who were invited (“bidden”) to the feast, including the “lawyers and Pharisees” (v. 3), sought out the “chief rooms” (v. 7), or literally the “first seats.” These were the “places of honor” (NIV), since “precedence in seating was usually based on rank, reputation, or age” (Stein, Luke, 389). Generally people at a banquet were seated on reclining couches arranged in a U-shape around a low table. At the base of the U was the highest position. “The important places were those nearest this head couch position” (NIVBC, 260; cf. Morris, Luke, 253-4).

14:8 – “wedding” – Literally, this is “wedding feast” (cf. NIV; NASB; NKJV), though it may be “an idiomatic term for a banquet” (Stein, Luke, 389).

14:10 – “sit down in the lowest room” – This practical advice for avoiding humiliation at a feast is used to illustrate the spiritual principle in verse 11. “How one should behave among others at a banquet, whether as a guest or as the host, is how one should behave before God” (Stein, Luke, 388).

14:10 – “then shalt thou have worship” – “Worship” here is better translated “honor” (cf. NASB; NIV). The word is doxa, which is usually translated “glory.” Those who take a humble position will receive the honor that is due them.

14:11 – “whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” – Some see this as directly applying to the Pharisees: “The Pharisees, assuming they would have important positions in the kingdom, would be humiliated if they were pushed aside for someone else (14:9). However, if they would humble themselves, then they would perhaps be honored (v. 10)” (BKC, 242). The application is legitimate, but Jesus’ statement seems to be a “general spiritual principle” (WBC, 1052). The passive voice is used to speak of the action of God. He is the one who ultimately exalts or humbles a person, and it is clear that only those who humble themselves will be exalted by God (cf. Matt. 18:4; 23:12; Luke 18:14; 1 Pet. 5:6). This may look forward specifically to the final judgment, as suggested by verse 14 (NIVBC, 260).

14:15 – “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God” – These words were spoken by one who was in attendance at the feast Jesus was at. The person assumed that “he and the other people present would all be present in the kingdom. Jesus took the opportunity to use the feast motif to explain that many of the people there would not be present in God’s kingdom” (BKC, 243).

14:17 – “sent his servant at supper time to say . . . Come” – It was the custom to invite guests prior to the feast so that they could “make reservations.” Then when the feast was ready, a second invitation was given to those who had been invited previously, summoning them to the meal (Stein, Luke, 393).

14:18 – “began to make excuse” – Presumably all those not invited this second time had already accepted the previous invitation. “To refuse an invitation at the last moment was an unpardonable breach of etiquette” (WBC, 1053).

14:18-20 – “I have bought a piece of property . . . I have bought five yoke of oxen . . . I have married” – While it seems incredible that everyone would refuse the invitation, this is a parable, and the refusals serve the purpose of what the parable is teaching (cf. Stein, Luke, 393). On the face of them they were very weak. Who would buy property without seeing it, and who would buy oxen without knowing whether they were useful? And why would marriage excuse one from this social obligation? Nothing is said about the validity of these excuses, however. Jesus simply “used these three excuses to show that just as a host may be snubbed, so God’s gracious invitation may be flouted” (NIVBC, 262).

14:21 – “bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind” – NIV translates, “the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” These are the same ones mentioned in verse 13. These people were generally beggars.

14:23 – “Go . . . into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in” – “Highways” refers to roads outside the city. NIV takes “hedges” as “country lanes.” It probably refers to hedges along the roads. Thus, NASB has “into the highways and along the hedges.” “Compel” does not describe force but persuasion. Marshall (Luke, 590) says “the use of the word implies the situation of oriental courtesy in which an invited guest will at first politely refuse to come until he is pressed to do so” (cf. Vine’s, 117).

14:24 – “None of those . . . bidden shall taste of my supper” – Those who refused the invitation would be excluded from the feast. So it was for those who rejected Christ’s invitation. Stein (Luke, 392) summarizes: “The picture (and reality) parts of the parable flow as follows: a great banquet was given (the messianic banquet/God’s kingdom had now come); the invited guests refused to come (the Pharisees and religious elite of Israel rejected the Messiah and his teachings); the outcasts of society were brought in as guests to the banquet (the least in Israel entered God’s kingdom instead of the religious elite); and even more distant outcasts were brought in as guests (the Gentiles entered God’s kingdom instead of Israel).”

Abbreviations

BAG - Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament

BKC - Bible Knowledge Commentary

JFB - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary on the Whole Bible

KJV Par. – KJV Parallel Bible Commentary

NASB - New American Standard Bible

NBD - New Bible Dictionary

NIV - New International Version

NJB - New Jerusalem Bible

NKJV - New King James Version

NIVBC - NIV Bible Commentary

NRSV - New Revised Standard Version

Robt. - Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament

TDNT - Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

UBD - Unger’s Bible Dictionary

Vine’s - Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

WBC - Wycliffe Bible Commentary