On Line Bible Study - For the Week July 4-10, 2011

Lesson 500

Luke 19: ¹¹ While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. ¹² He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

This is a lengthy parable, so I am giving you a link to the passage from Luke 19:11-27. Just click on the passage above.

Luke gives us the notion of "now" and "not yet" with regard to the kingdom of God. On one hand he says it is 'in your midst" (Luke 17:21); but in the passage under consideration today we learn that there is time between "now" and the appearance of the kingdom of God.

While there are some parallels between this passage and a similar story in Matthew 25:14-30, there are some important differences. First, we learn quickly that the people did not like this man and they attempt to influence the greater powers-that-be such that he will not be made a king over them.

Is it just me? Or do we human beings stubbornly resist anyone having authority over us? Many of us have had 'reverse psychology' used on us; and we have probably used it on others. The question is whether or not we will allow Christ to be our 'king' - the one from whom we take orders - or not.

Scholar Darrell Bock points to the ruler traveling to acquire a kingdom as equivalent to Christ rising and ascending - that is, going away for a while - and then returning in the fulness of his power and authority. This stands in contrast to the immediacy of some of his disciple's expectations with regard to his messianic ministry. But the point of the parable is not only to explain the delay of the full expression of the kingdom of God; it is also to teach us that there is important work to do in the meantime.

The third man in the story - the one who hid the money in a piece of cloth - explains his actions by way of fear - I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. Fear does strange things to us. It can make us run and hide; it can also cause us to stand and fight. As we await Christ's return, give life everything you've got!

I have a Facebook Friend who keeps track of each day and what things, practices, professions, etc. are being celebrated that day. Today (July 26) is, according to my friend, "All or Nothing Day". It reminds me of the scene from Star Wars when Luke Skywalker is in a precarious situation with no apparent way out. Master Yoda expresses his exasperation - and finally, Luke gets the point - "Do, or do not. There is no Try!"

Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us that we don't follow Jesus because we like him. We follow him because he is the only one who has the authority to call us. We don't try to believe in Jesus; we do believe, or we don't. There is no try. And if we believe, we have to give him our all.

On Line Bible Study - For the Week June 27-July 3, 2011

Lesson 499

Luke 19: ¹ Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. ⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

With Zacchaeus we have the perfect storm of wealth combined with sin. He is a dreaded tax collector who has gotten rich. As a 'chief' tax collector, Darrell Bock explains Zacchaeus was "an administrator who bid for and organized the collection and took a cut from the labor of his underlings."

The story is full of surprises. First, consider the extent to which this wealthy man - short in stature - went ahead in order to catch a glimpse of Jesus. We don't see him pushing to get close to Jesus (as was the case with the woman who was hemorrhaging - see Mark 5:24ff). Jesus' reputation made him attractive enough for Zacchaeus to simply want to see him.

The second surprise is that Jesus acknowledges him. Seeing one who worked so hard to get a look, perhaps Jesus was moved to seek this man out. I can attest to the fact that, as a teacher, it is much easier to teach students who sincerely want to learn. Perhaps Jesus rightly interpreted in Zacchaeus' actions a deeper willingness.

The third surprise is in Jesus stepping so quickly into an intimate environment with Zacchaeus. As has been the case previously, this will draw the ire of the self-righteous folks in the crowd. Though the text speaks of Jesus as a "guest of a sinner", Jesus has invited himself into Zacchaeus' home.

Perhaps the greatest surprise of all is this: Zacchaeus responds to Jesus with no holds barred. Zacchaeus is an example of how rich people 'get into heaven', so to speak. Whatever the conversation was around that table, Zacchaeus rises ready to give 50% of his wealth away!

This is salvation! Salvation is wrapped up in how willing we are to follow Christ. The story stands in sharp contrast to the episode with the rich ruler in Luke 18:18. Zacchaeus is the example of how the rich person gets through the proverbial eye of the needle.

Jesus came not only to seek, but to save the lost - whatever our economic status may be.

On Line Bible Study - For the Week June 20-26, 2011

Lesson 498

Luke 18: ³⁵ As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. ³⁶ When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. ³⁷ They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

³⁸ He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ³⁹ Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. ⁴² Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” ⁴³ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Jesus healing a blind person is not a 'new' miracle for us. We are aware of the relationship between "spiritual blindness" and physical blindness, and we will explore it in even more depth when we get to the Gospel of St. John.

What might not be immediately obvious to us in this story is the comparison between someone who has everything - that wealthy ruler we read about in verses 18-29, and this person crying out to Jesus for mercy. One wants to know what to do to inherit eternal life; the other wants mercy and his sight. In some ways they are both asking for the same thing. A question to ponder is this: Which of the two are more predisposed to receive what they are asking for?

In a world filled with privileges for some, it may be that not everyone wants to "see". The blind man isn't asking Jesus to take anything away from the wealthy ruler; he just wants to see. In many ways the blind man already does see. And in many ways the rich ruler doesn't want "eternal life" - he is looking for a more enhanced life in the present. He is looking for more intensity in the experience of life because the novelty of his wealth and power are wearing off. They haven't brought him the fulfillment he wants. In fact, he may not actually want "fulfillment"; he may simply want more of the same.

The question Jesus puts to this blind man is important: What do you want me to do for you? Can it be that Jesus gives the man in a physical sense what the man already possesses in a spiritual sense? And can it be that Jesus could not satisfy the rich ruler's request because the ruler wasn't being honest about what he really wanted?

So ... we have some things to ponder:

1. Are you blind?
2. Do you know what you want?
3. Are you being honest with yourself ...
4. ... and with God?
   

Don't let the crowd keep you from Christ. In this story, it may be the title the man uses for Jesus that causes some to want to keep him away (Darrell Bock) - "Son of David" is a tag that carries a lot of theological and political baggage in Jesus' day. Can it be that a blind man knows who Jesus truly is? And maybe Luke tells the story in order to pose the question: Do we?

On Line Bible Study - For the Week June 13-19, 2011

Lesson 497

Luke 18: ³¹ Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. ³² He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; ³³ they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

³⁴ The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

Does it matter where things happen? A match carelessly tossed into a field of dry grass has a much different effect than one tossed into a stream of water. Jesus is going to Jerusalem, and that's not just an insignificant detail; it is a prophetically prescribed destination.

Does it matter if you know ahead of time what is in store for you? Perhaps you have heard yourself say: If I had known then what I know now I would have done things differently! Jesus doesn't go to Jerusalem unaware of what is going to happen. It's not as if, once it is over, he is going to say: If only I had known ...

The disciples do not understand. The disciples were probably aware that Jesus was in danger; what they don't understand is how this could ever be 'God's will'. The promise of the resurrection doesn't seem to make the situation any easier for Jesus - the pain and humility will be every bit as real. It doesn't make it any easier for Jesus' friends, either. Luke states it three times in one verse: they don't understand; the meaning is hidden; they don't know.

I'm not sure if I understand, either. But this much I get - there is no further need to offer sacrifices to any god, real or imagined, in order to appease divine anger or satisfy divine justice. If it was ever needed, it's not needed any more. You are forgiven, whether you think you need to be or not. You are loved, whether you know it or not. If Jesus has physically risen from the dead but you still live under the pall of guilt or in the shadows of fear, then you don't get it.

You are loved and forgiven. I may not comprehend the intricacies of divine plans and purposes; but I'm forgiven, and I'm loved, and so are you.