Categoria: Luke

Jesus and his disciples were criticized by the Pharisees for having picked some corn when they were hungry on the Sabbath and Jesus pointed out that David had taken similar measures with consecrated bread centuries earlier. Then Jesus healed a man with a shrivelled hand on a Sabbath and answered criticism asking was it lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath? Then after a night of prayer Jesus designated the following 12 disciples as apostles: 1) Simon Peter. 2) Andrew. 3) James. 4) John. 5) Philip. 6) Bartholomew. 7) Matthew (Levi). 8) Thomas. 9) James son of Alphaeus. 10) Simon the Zealot. 11) Judas son of James. 12) Judas Iscariot. Then Jesus taught an enormous crowd and healed many saying, “blessed are you who are poor… and you who hunger… and weep… for you will laugh, be satisfied and receive the kingdom of God… and when hated… rejoice because great is your reward in heaven… but woe to the rich… and to those that laugh now… and are spoken well of… for you have received your comfort… and will mourn and weep”. Jesus said “love your enemies… bless those who curse you… if someone hits you give the other cheek… do to others what you would have them do to you… lend to your enemies without expecting return… be merciful just as your Father in merciful”. “Don’t judge and you won’t be judged… give and it will be given to you… don’t look at the speck in your brother’s eye and ignore the plank in your own eye… no good tree bears bad fruit… the good man brings out the good stored in his heart”. “Don’t call me Lord if you don’t put my word into practice… he who builds his house on rock survives the storm… but he who builds without foundation is destined to complete destruction”. 

Jesus taught the people from Simon’s borrowed boat, and when he had finished Jesus told Simon to put down the nets in the deep. He shrugged that he would do what was asked, but they’d just worked there all night for nothing! The result was phenomenal with a net-breaking catch which needed extra hands to cope with. Simon Peter fell on his knees saying “Lord, I am a sinful man”. Jesus said “don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men”! So Peter, James and John left everything and followed Jesus. Next Jesus healed a man covered with leprosy. One day when Jesus was teaching some men brought a paralytic on a mat for healing, but they couldn’t get to Jesus owing to the crowd so they went up on the roof and lowered the man in front of Jesus. When the Lord say their faith he forgave the paralytic his sin which angered the Pharisees as it was a prerogative of God. So Jesus proved his authority healing the man too and people were amazed. Jesus then went on to call tax collector Levi (Matthew) to follow him. When there were complaints about Jesus’ friendship and links to publicans Jesus retorted: “It’s not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick”. Jesus was than questioned as to why his disciples didn’t fast. Jesus said that their time for fasting would come, but not whilst they had the bridegroom with them. Things were changing and “new wine must be poured into new wineskins”. 

Following his baptism Jesus was temped by the devil to be sidetracked from his divine mission and initially he suggested that Jesus should change stone in to bread to satisfy his intense hunger, but Jesus fired back Bible at Satan saying: “Man does not live on bread alone”. The devil then showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world from a high vantage point and offered them all to Jesus (without suffering) is he would worship him. Jesus replied: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only”. Finally the devil challenged Jesus to jump off a high spot and trust God! Jesus reacted: “Don’t put the Lord your God to the test!” Jesus then went teaching in the synagogues of Galilee and he read Isaiah 61:1-2 saying the Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach the Gospel… and Jesus said that that day this scripture had been fulfilled. Jesus then clearly pointed to the Gospel being for the gentiles referring to the widow in Zarepath and Naaman the Syrian and this infuriated the people and they wanted to push him from a cliff, but he got away. Jesus then set free a demon possessed man in a synagogue and amazed the people. He than healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law and healed many other people. Then Jesus “kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea”.

John the Baptist “went preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” and Luke quotes Isaiah 40:3-5 linked to this saying “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him”. John called the crowds coming to him: “You brood of vipers… produce fruit in keeping with repentance… every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and burnt”. John told them to share what they have with others… tax collectors do it correctly… soldiers don’t extort money from people. Then John said, “I baptize with water… but one is coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit… and John preached the Gospel”! However John was thrown into jail because he had rebuked Herod for having an affair with his brother’s wife. But prior to this Jesus was baptized and the Holy Spirit came down on him like a dove and God confirmed Jesus as his son in whom he was well pleased, and Jesus commenced his ministry at the age of 30. Finally Luke presents a genealogy of Jesus back through David and Abraham to Adam showing his fully human roots.

Luke starts Luke 1 stating that he had “carefully investigated” matters so that Theophilus could “know the certainty of the things he had been taught”. An angel of the Lord told priest Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth would have a son whom they should name John, who will minister “in the spirit and power of Elijah… to make ready a people prepared for the Lord”. However John doubted this as they were advanced in years and without children, so Zechariah was struck dumb for his unbelief, but his wife did become pregnant. After this the angel Gabriel went to a virgin called Mary and told her that she was going to have a son who should be called Jesus and who will reign over the house of Jacob forever… and all this will be by the power of the Holy Spirit… and he will be the Son of God… for nothing is impossible for God. Mary went and visited her relative Elizabeth and her baby John leapt in her womb and she blessed Mary. Then Mary sang: “My soul praises the Lord… for he has been mindful of my humble state… the Mighty One has done great things for me… he has performed mighty deeds… he has filled the hungry with good things… he has helped his servant Israel”. So Mary stayed for 3 months at Elizabeth’s. Then the time came for John the Baptist to be born whom family members wanted to name after his father, but through Elizabeth’s insistence and Zechariah’s confirmation their son was named John, and immediately his voice returned as he praised God. Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Praise be to the Lord… because he has come and redeemed his people… he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David… to remember his holy covenant… to rescue us… and to enable us to serve him… and you my child will be called a prophet… and you will prepare the way for the Lord… to give the people the knowledge of salvation… to shine on those living in darkness”. And John the Baptist grew, became strong in spirit and lived in the desert”.