IV.  THE  JOURNEY  TO  JERUSALEM [ From 9:51-18:14. Luke deserts Mark. Assembling material he has found in the Collection (cf. Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels) that served Matthew also, together with information from his own special source, Luke arranges all within the literary framework of a journey to Jerusalem ( 9:53, 57; 10:1, 13:22-33, 17:11; cf.2:38+) suggested to him by Mark 10:1.]

A Samaritan village is inhospitable

Now as the time drew near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, [Lit. 'for his taking up'. This 'assumption' of Jesus. Cf. 2 Kings 2:9-11; Mark 16:19; Acts 1:2,10,11; 1 Timothy 3:16, refers to the last days of his suffering life (Passion, Death) and the beginning of his glory (Resurrection, Ascension) John thinking more theologically, uses the word 'glorify' in connection with the whole of this period, John 7:37, 12:16,23, 13:31f; for him the crucifixion is a 'lifting up,' John 12:32+] he resolutely took the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him.

These set out, and they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for Jesus, but the people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. [ The hatred of the Samaritans for the Jews, John 4:9+, would show itself particularly towards those on pilgrimage to Jerusalem; hence it was usual to bypass this territory, cf. Matthew 10:5. Only Luke and John 4:1-42, mention Christ's presence in this schismatic province, cf. Luke 17:11,16. The early Church was not slow to follow his example, Acts 8:5-25.]

Seeing this, the disciples James and John said, 'Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up? [ Add. 'as Elijah did.' Allusion to 2 Kings 1:10-12. James and John are seen here as 'sons of thunder' indeed, Mark 3:17.] But Jesus turned and rebuked them, [ Add. 'You do not know what spirit you are made of. The Son of Man came not to destroy souls but to save them.'] and they went off to another village.

Hardship of the apostolic calling

As they travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus answered, 'Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.'

Another to whom he said, 'Follow me,' replied, [ Add. 'Lord,' cf. Matthew 8:21.] 'Let me go and bury my father first.' But he answered, 'Leave the dead to bury their dead; [ A play on the two meanings of 'death'; physical and spiritual.] your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.'

Another said, 'I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.' Jesus said to him, 'Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.' - Luke 9:51-62 -

The mission of the seventy-two disciples

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, [ Not, as in 9:52, to arrange for lodgings, etc. but to prepare souls for his coming.] in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. Jesus said to them, [ The collection used by Matthew and Luke included a missionary discourse parallel with that of Mark 6:8-11. Luke has made use of both these sources, but separately - 9:3-5, 10:2-12 - whereas Matthew has joined them together 10:7-16. Cf. Luke 11;39+, 17:22+] 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to the harvest.

Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, "Peace to this house!" And if a man of peace [ Lit. 'son of peace', a Hebraism for those who deserve 'peace' that is, all the spiritual and temporal blessings the word implies. Cf. John 14:27+] lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you.

Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, "The kingdom of God is very near to you." But whenever you enter a town and they do make you welcome, go out into its streets and say, "We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you.

Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near." I tell you, on that day it will not go as hard with Sodom as with that town.

'Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. And still, it will not go as hard with Tyre and Sidon at the Judgement as with you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be exalted high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell.

'Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those who reject me reject the one who sent me.' - Luke 10:1-16 -

True cause for the apostles to rejoice

The seventy-two came back rejoicing. 'Lord,' they said 'even the devils submit to us when we use your name.' Jesus said to them, 'I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.' - Luke 10:17-20 -

The Good News revealed to the simple. The Father and the Son

It was then that, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. [ Add. 'and turning to his disciples he said.'] Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.' - Luke 10:21-22 -

The privilege of the disciples

Then turning to his disciples Jesus spoke to them in private, 'Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.' [ Paul emphasises the fact that the 'mysteries' was long kept hidden: Romans 16:25+. See also 1 Peter 1:11-12.] - Luke 10:23-24 -

The great commandment

There was a lawyer who, to disconcert him, stood up and said to him, 'Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' Jesus said to him, 'What is written in the Law?' What do you read there?' He replied, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.' 'You have answered right,' said Jesus 'do this and life is yours.' - Luke 10:25-28 -

Parable of the good Samaritan

But the man was anxious to justify himself [ for having put the question.] and said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbour?' Jesus replied, 'A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead.

Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan [ An alien and a heretic, John 8:48; cf.Luke 9:53+, from whom one might expect hostility, as opposed to those of Israel who should have been most sensitive to the demands of charity.] traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him.

Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. "Look after him," he said "and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have." Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands' hands?' 'The one who took pity on him' he replied. Jesus said to him, 'Go, and do the same yourself.' - Luke 10:29-37 -

Martha and Mary [ These two sisters reappear, with the same individual characteristics, in the story of the raising of Lazarus, John 11:1-44.]

In the course of their journey Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered: 'Martha, Martha,' Jesus said 'you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. [ Var. 'but only one thing is needed.' 'but only a few things are needed,' readings which make free with the text and deform the sense. In this remark Jesus rises from the material plane ('few things are needed.' that is, for the meal) to the 'one thing necessary,' which is to listen to the word of God.] It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.' - Luke 10:38-42 -

The Lord's prayer

WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE/HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY.

The Lord Jesus Christ, promised to us that our mission on this earth is really and utmost important for our own salvation.

"I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, wife, brothers, parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not be given repayment many times over in this present time, in the world to come, Eternal Life." - Luke 18:28-30 -

'Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?'

"Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He is like a man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built.

But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 -

HOW? AND IN WHAT WAY, WHEN IT COME TO UNDERSTANDING MATTERS: WHAT I WAS ALWAYS BEING TOLD IS: THERE ARE WAYS AND PREFERENCES TO COMPREHEND ALL MATTERS, WHETHER IT IS OF SPIRITUALITY AND OF UNSPIRITUALITY.

FIRSTLY, IN A LITERALLY MANNER: THAT IS, USED FOR EMPHASIS OR TO EXPRESS STRONG FEELING WHILE NOT BEING LITERALLY TRUE.

SECONDLY, IN A HUMANLY MANNER: THAT IS, FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW, IN A HUMANLY MANNER, BY HUMAN MEANS; WITHIN ABILITY; WITH HUMAN FEELING OR KINDNESS.

THIRDLY, IN A SPIRITUALLY MANNER: THAT IS, IN A WAY THAT RELATES TO OR AFFECTS THE HUMAN SPIRIT OR, SOUL AS OPPOSED TO MATERIAL OR PHYSICAL THINGS.

FINALLY, IN AN UNSPIRITUAL MANNER: THAT IS, NOT SPIRITUAL. BUT SECULAR AND WORLDLY.
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Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -