After the ministry of Malachi (the last book of the Old Testament), Israel experienced pro-phetic silence for approximately four hundred years. However, while we have no recordings of God speaking directly to His people during that time, the history of the world— and the Jew-ish nation— continued to move forward. The Greeks under Alexander the Great replaced the Persians as a world power between 400 and 300 b.c., but they eventually lost control of Palestine to the Romans around 188 b.c.

Rome allowed a Greek group called the Se-leucids to retain a degree of authority in Judea and the surrounding regions. But under the rule of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucids tried to increase the Greek influence in the region. When Antiochus defiled the temple in Jerusa-lem by worshiping Zeus and sacrificing a pig on the altar (167 b.c.), the Jews rebelled under the leadership of the Maccabeans. The Jews defeated the Seleucids and cleansed the tem-ple in 164 b.c. The celebration of that event is known as the “Festival of Lights”— also called “Hanukkah.”

The Jews nurtured a partnership with the Romans for the next century, setting the stage for Matthew and the other Gospel writers to bridge the gap between the Old and New Testaments.

Enter Matthew. Matthew’s Gospel is one of three synoptic Gospels, along with Mark and Luke. The term synoptic means to “see together,” indicating that these three Gospels share a common perspective on the life and ministry of Jesus. Some believe the similarities can be traced to common source documents. For example, the oral traditions of the gospel message had been well circulated in the years following the resurrection of Christ and the establishment of the Christian church. That oral tradition likely served as the backbone for each of the Gospel writers’ work. Then, after

the first Gospel was written, the others used it as a source.

The differences found in the synoptic Gos-pels can be attributed to the purpose of each Gospel and the information available to each writer. Each synoptic writer aimed his message at a different audience. Most scholars believe that Matthew directed his Gospel toward skep-tical Jews who needed to be convinced that Jesus actually was the long- awaited Messiah. The book includes more than fifty quotations of Old Testament prophecies, including several where Matthew specifically demonstrated how Jesus fulfilled Scripture. He used dozens of additional references to Old Testament events and people, along with several phrases and im-ages that would have been familiar to a Jewish audience.

In addition, Matthew placed special empha-sis on both the “kingdom of heaven” (thirty- three references) and the “kingdom of God” (four references). This concept of the kingdom would have fallen in line with Jewish messianic expectations of a King who would come to

MatthewIN SUMMARYFulfilled prophecies and Jesus’ powerful ministry on earth affirm that He is the long- awaited Messiah and Savior.

HOW TO STUDY MATTHEW

STUDY THE BOOK HIGHLIGHTS

God isn’t looking for perfect people (1:1– 6)

Jesus triumphed over temptation (4:1– 11)

Jesus’ power over nature and the spiritual realm (8:1– 34)

Pay attention to the Holy Spirit (12:31, 32)

“Who do you say that I am?” (16:15– 17)

Money isn’t all bad (19:16– 26)

Love God, love people (22:34– 40)

The Lord’s Supper is a sacred practice (26:26– 29)

The Great Commission is our faith map (28:18– 20)

restore David’s throne. Matthew also referred to Jesus as the “Son of David” and opened the narrative with a genealogy that traces Jesus’ line through the Davidic kings all the way to Abraham (1:1– 16). For centuries, Jews had misunderstood the mission of the Messiah, but Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection leave no doubt that He is the King who came to set people free.

For many years, scholars believed that Mat-thew was the first Gospel written. Its initial spot in the Gospel order and its readable style gave it a special place in the eyes of many believers. Recent scholarship has suggested that Mark was the original Gospel, despite its secondary position in the Gospel list. Even if that is the case, Matthew still plays an important role in understanding who Jesus was and what He did during His time on earth.

Like the other Gospels, Matthew does not claim to be a full- scale biography of Christ. Rather, it is a collection of selected stories woven together to meet the needs of the writ-er’s primary audience. It mixes major events— such as Jesus’ birth, calling, anointing, trial, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension— with a series of five major teaching blocks (also

called “discourses”). These blocks include the Sermon on the Mount (5:1— 7:28); an extended teaching for the disciples (10:5— 11:1); parables about the kingdom (13:3– 53); teachings about our relationships with others (18:2— 19:1); and teachings about the last things (24:4— 26:1).

Matthew was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, who later helped take the message of the gos-pel “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He was a tax collector by trade, until Jesus called him to leave his tax booth and follow Him. Matthew is also identified in Scripture as Levi. While the Gospel that bears his name is technically anonymous, Matthew’s authorship of the book is not seriously questioned. Many first- and second- century church leaders and historians attributed the book to him.

Internal evidence (hints from the verses themselves) indicates that the book was writ-ten before the fall of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. Mat-thew referred to the temple as still standing (4:5; 24:1, 2) and discussed Jewish habits that continued until “this day” (27:8; 28:15). Some scholars date the book as early as a.d.  40, while others believe it was written between a.d. 50 and 65.

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The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of

Abraham:2Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot

Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4Ram begot Am-minadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6and Jesse begot David the king.

David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wifea of Uriah. 7Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam

begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.a 8Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10Hez-ekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon,a and Amon begot Josiah. 11Jo-siah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Sheal-tiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel.

1:6 a Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Greek. 1:7 a NU- Text reads Asaph. 1:10 a NU- Text reads Amos.

1:1 genealogy. Jesus’ genealogy is crucial to His claim to be the Messiah, as it traces the lineage of Joseph, His recognized father, back to Abraham through David. It shows that from a legal standpoint, Jesus is qualified to rule from the throne of David.1:3 Tamar. The mention of women in a Jewish genealogy is unusual. But in addition to Mary, four women are listed in this catalogue of names: Tamar , who was involved in a scandal with Judah

(Gen. 38); Rahab, the Canaanite harlot of Jericho (Josh. 2:1 – 21); Ruth, who was not an Israelite, but a Moabite (Ruth 1:4); and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, who committed adultery with David (2 Sam. 11:1 – 5). At the beginning of his Gospel, Matthew shows how God’s grace forgives the darkest of sins and reaches beyond the nation of Israel to the world. He also points out that God can lift the lowest and place them in royal lineage.

Many families have that one person they don’t talk about much. Somewhere along the line, some relative embarrassed everyone else or developed a shady reputation. Well, Jesus surely understood that because His own ge-nealogy included four women of questionable character.

The first was Tamar (Matt. 1:3), who got pregnant with twins by her father- in- law (Gen. 38). The second woman was Rahab (Matt. 1:5), whose occupation was listed as “harlot” (Josh. 2:1). The third woman was Ruth (Matt. 1:5), a foreigner who moved to Israel with her mother- in- law (Ruth 1:16, 17). And the fourth was Bathsheba (Matt. 1:6), the mistress of King David (2  Sam. 11)— Matthew refers to her only as “her who had been the wife of Uriah.”

While it may seem strange to find women with those reputations in Jesus’ family tree, it also serves as a good reminder that God can use anyone who responds to Him and who is willing to be used by Him.

MORE INSIGHTActually, the Bible is filled with people— men and women— who might seem unworthy to serve God at first glance. After all, Noah got drunk (Gen. 9:20), and Abraham was a liar (Gen. 12:10– 13). Moses murdered a man (Ex. 2:11– 15), and Samuel’s kids were rotten (1  Sam. 8:1– 5). James and John had tempers (Luke 9:51– 56), while Peter denied Jesus three times (Matt. 26:69– 75). And that’s just scratching the surface.

Paul, who persecuted Christians before becoming one himself, said that everyone falls short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). That includes you and me. Judged by our own works, every single one of us would be disqualified from serving God. But thanks to God’s grace, forgiveness, and guidance, every person is eligible to be part of God’s good work in the world.

next: Matthew 4:1– 11

STUDY THE BOOKMatthew 1:1– 6God isn’t looking for perfect people

13Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

17So all the generations from Abra-ham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Bab-ylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

Christ Born of Mary18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was

as follows: After His mother Mary was

betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

22So all this was done that it might be fulf illed which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

MATTHEW 1:22 | 1333

1:16 the husband of Mary. Matthew was careful not to identify Jesus as the physical son of Joseph. The Greek pronoun translated “of whom” is feminine and refers to Mary. called Christ. The words “Messiah” (from the Hebrew) and “Christ” (from the Greek) both mean “Anointed One.”1:17 Abraham . . . until the Christ. The genealogy is broken down into three groups of names with 14

generations in each list. A basic covenant is set forth in each period: the Abrahamic covenant, the Davidic covenant, and the new covenant.1:18 betrothed. In Jewish culture, this covenant was made about a year before the marriage. Engage-ment was understood to be as binding as a marriage covenant, therefore a legal divorce was required to withdraw from the agreement.

23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” a which is translated, “God with us.”

24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord com-manded him and took to him his wife, 25and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.a And he called His name Jesus.

Wise Men from the East

2 Now after Jesus was born in Beth-lehem of Judea in the days of Herod

the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of

Judah,Are not the least among the rulers

of Judah;For out of you shall come a RulerWho will shepherd My people

Israel.’ ” a

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him,

bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The Flight into Egypt13Now when they had departed, be-

hold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and de-parted for Egypt, 15and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be ful-filled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” a

Massacre of the Innocents16 Then Herod, when he saw that he

1334 | MATTHEW 1:23

1:23 a Isaiah 7:14. Words in oblique type in the New Testament are quoted from the Old Testament. 1:25 a NU- Text reads a Son. 2:6 a Micah 5:2 2:15 a Hosea 11:1

1:23 Behold  . . . Immanuel. The angel’s message to Joseph indicated that Mary would fulfill the proph-ecy of Isaiah (Is. 7:14). “Jesus,” the Greek form of “Joshua,” means “salvation.”1:25 did not know her till. The clear implication is that Mary was a virgin only until the birth of Jesus. The brothers and sisters of Jesus (13:55 – 56) were probably younger siblings born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus’ birth. Joseph could not have had chil-dren by a previous marriage, as some suppose, for then Jesus would not have been heir to the Davidic throne as the oldest son of Joseph.2:1 wise men from the East. These “wise men” would have been of the same class as the “wise men” of Babylon over whom Daniel was made ruler (Dan. 2:48). to Jerusalem. Contrary to popular belief, the events of chapter two probably took place some months after Jesus’ birth. Herod murdered all the

male children age two and under, going by the time the wise men said the star had appeared (and probably leaving a significant margin for error). In addition, it would have been strange for Mary and Joseph to offer the sacrifice of the poor (see Lev. 12:8; Luke 2:24) if the wise men had just given them rich gifts.2:7 Then Herod. This is Herod the Great, who reigned over Palestine for over thirty years. A crafty ruler and lavish builder, Herod had a reign marked by cruelty and bloodshed.2:15 might be fulfilled. The prophecy quoted here, from Hosea 11:1, refers to the nation of Israel as God’s son coming out of Egypt in the Exodus. Jesus is the genuine Son of God, and, as Israel’s Messiah, is the true Israel (John 15:1); therefore He gives fuller meaning to the prophecy of Hosea.

kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;Make His paths straight.’ ” a

4Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

7But when he saw many of the Phar-isees and Sadducees coming to his bap-tism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is com-ing after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.a 12His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

was deceived by the wise men, was ex-ceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its dis-tricts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jere-miah the prophet, saying:18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,

Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,Refusing to be comforted,Because they are no more.” a

The Home in Nazareth19Now when Herod was dead, be-

hold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Gal-ilee. 23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be ful-filled which was spoken by the proph-ets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness

of Judea, 2and saying, “Repent, for the

MATTHEW 3:12 | 1335

2:18 a Jeremiah 31:15 3:3 a Isaiah 40:3 3:11 a M- Text omits and fire.

2:18 Rachel weeping for her children. This proph-ecy comes from Jeremiah 31:15, in which Rachel, entombed near Bethlehem some 13 centuries before the Babylonian captivity, is seen weeping for her children as they are led away in 586 b.c. In the slaughter of the male infants at the time of Christ’s birth, Rachel is again seen weeping for the violent loss of her sons.2:23 Nazareth. Those who lived in Nazareth were looked down upon (John 1:46). Perhaps God chose this place for His Son to emphasize His humanness.3:2 Repent. The Greek verb translated “repent” indicates a change of attitude. The basic idea is a recognition of sin and a reversal of thinking which changes one’s life.3:3 Prepare the way of the Lord. As roads were smoothed and straightened for the arrival of a king, so John was preparing a spiritual path for the Mes-siah. The quotation is from Isaiah 40:3.3:7 Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees and Sadducees were two prominent groups in Judaism

at the time of Christ. The groups differed consider-ably in their beliefs. The Pharisees based their beliefs not only on the law of Moses, but also on a large body of oral tradition. They were devout and zeal-ous, concerned with outward righteousness. The Sadducees were associated with a priestly caste, and in doctrine they held primarily to the first five books of Moses. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, and did not adhere to all the detailed laws of the Pharisees. Formerly enemies, the two groups seemed to unite against a common enemy: the long awaited Messiah.3:11 baptize. Sometimes fire has connotations of judgment in Scripture, but here the fire of God’s Spirit represents the transforming power of His grace and love. The baptism of all Jesus’ disciples with water is an outward sign of the inward work of the Holy Spirit. It is the symbol of obedience to the command to believe in Christ’s saving work of grace on the cross.

Jesus came to earth as God Incarnate. He was completely God. But He also was completely human. The ultimate proof of His humanity came in the form of His death on a cross, but the temptations He faced from Satan in Matthew 4 also emphasize this truth.

Three temptations came at the end of an extended fast. Jesus had gone without food for forty days— almost six weeks! As you might expect, “afterward He was hun-gry” (v.  2). Jesus’ hunger set the stage for Satan’s first temptation. Satan’s challenge to create bread (v.  3) was an appeal to Jesus’ humanity— His physical appetite and legiti-mate need for sustenance.

Likewise, the second and third tempta-tions also focused on Jesus’ human nature. The idea of jumping off a tower to show people His real identity (vv.  5, 6) encouraged Jesus to show off power. The offer to rule all the kingdoms of the world (vv. 8, 9) represent-ed an appeal to human pride.

Tricky Satan even quoted Scripture, but he misapplied it. Jesus accurately quoted and applied Scripture.

All three temptations required com-promise— something Jesus would not do.

While Satan eventually left Him, he did not stay away. Luke records that Satan “departed from Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). Jesus would face many more challenges from His adversary in the days to come.

MORE INSIGHTJesus’ humanity wasn’t simply a physical vehicle for His birth, life, death, and resur-rection. His human experiences also allowed Him to become “one of us.” The writer of Hebrews said that “in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest.  .  .  . For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb. 2:17, 18). Two chapters later, the writer added that Jesus is a high priest who “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). Jesus knows how we feel and how we struggle against temptation because He has been there. What’s more, He has shown us how to deal with temptation, and He intercedes for us during our trials.

previous: Matthew 1:1– 6next: Matthew 8:1– 34

STUDY THE BOOKMatthew 4:1– 11Jesus triumphed over temptation

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and Hea saw the Spirit of God de-scending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

John Baptizes Jesus13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to

John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

15But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteous-ness.” Then he allowed Him.

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3:16 a Or he

3:15 to fulfill all righteousness. This phrase does not suggest that Jesus came for baptism because He had sinned; the Lord Jesus was without sin (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15). His baptism probably served several pur-poses. By being baptized, He confirmed the ministry of John and fulfilled the Father’s will.3:17 God, the Father of Christ — Most Christians eventually wonder how God may be called the Father of Christ, and Christ the Son of God. First, one must recognize that God is spirit (John 4:24), and Christ was the Son of God before He assumed a human body in Bethlehem (John 3:16; Gal. 4:4). Pas-sages which use terms implying physical origin must be taken in a figurative sense (Heb. 1:5). Second, the

title expresses a sonship relationship, unique from that of His disciples (John 20:17). He was begotten of God unlike anyone else (John 1:14; 3:16). The Nicene council in the fourth century used the phrase “very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father” to describe this unique relationship. Third, the title describes equality with God. When Jesus claimed to be “one” with the Father, He was speaking of a unity of “substance” with the Father and thus equality in all the attributes of deity (John 10:30). The Jews understood this claim, because they took up stones to stone Him, protesting that “You . . . make Yourself God” (John 10:33). Fourth, the title emphasizes Christ’s role as

Bible / Note 3

The Bible Is Our SustenanceMatthew 4:4

What’s the longest you’ve ever been without food? Some have maybe missed no more than a meal or two. Some live for prolonged periods with meager but adequate morsels. And millions of people all over the world have known hunger their entire lives.

Hunger affects you in many ways: you have trouble focusing, you become physically and emotionally depleted, and the long- term effects include torturously poor health.

But food taken into the mouth is not the only kind of food you need; God’s Word is also a foundational food (v.  4; John 4:32). It is just as necessary to your mind, your body, and your soul as the fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins you take in every day.

Jesus, the Word (John 1:1), called Himself “the bread of life” (John 6:35). If we know Him as our daily bread, we must live depending on the Bible to guide us to recognize Him. Moses told the Israelites, “He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3). This is the exact verse Jesus quoted when Satan tempt-ed Him to eat during His forty- day fast (Matt. 4:4).

So we know the Word, we take it in, we allow it to change us from the inside out, and we learn that we can’t function without it. The Bible is meant to be your food: hold on to it for life (Phil. 2:16), depend on it for health (Prov. 4:22), and treasure it more than the food that goes into your mouth (Job 23:12).

previous: Hebrews 4:12next: Proverbs 4:20– 22

Satan Tempts Jesus

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted

by the devil. 2And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

4But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” a

5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’

and,

‘In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” a

7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” a

8Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you,a Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” b

11 Then the devil left Him, and be-hold, angels came and ministered to Him.

MATTHEW 4:11 | 1337

4:4 a Deuteronomy 8:3 4:6 a Psalm 91:11, 12 4:7 a Deuteronomy 6:16 4:10 a M- Text reads Get behind Me. b Deuteronomy 6:13

the revealer of God. He alone possesses the knowl-edge of the Father (John 14:6 – 9; 1 John 1:2), and He is the sole mediator of that knowledge (1 Tim. 2:5). Therefore, no one can know the Father except through the Son (John 14:6).4:1 – 4 It is written. Satan did not lead Jesus into the place of temptation, the Holy Spirit did. Perhaps part of the reason for this was to show us how to deal with temptation. Jesus quoted the Word of God, showing the power of Scripture in battling with the evil one.4:10 Satan. Satan is not dispatched easily by anyone who merely says, “Go.” The only way we can be victo-rious in temptation is through the blood and author-ity of Jesus Christ.

Sin and Temptation / Note 3

Fight Temptations Like Jesus DidMatthew 4:1– 11

Jesus’ temptation experience at the begin-ning of His ministry was a defining test. Satan wanted to destroy. Jesus chose to win.

The Spirit of God led Jesus into the wil-derness to be tempted (v.  1). The way Jesus responded to each of the three temptations from Satan revealed the nature of His mission on earth. Satan wanted to distract Jesus and undermine His effectiveness. But Jesus beat Satan handily.

The first temptation— to turn stones into bread— can be seen as Satan’s way of encouraging Jesus to become a miracle worker who simply took care of the physi-cal needs of people. Jesus demonstrated, using Deuteronomy 8:3, that His ministry was to offer spiritual wholeness that comes only from God.

Second, Satan requested an entertaining miracle. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16,

explaining that He would not tempt or ma-nipulate God.

Finally, Satan offered Jesus opportunity to be a political savior, if He only bowed to Satan. Jesus knew this wouldn’t work. He rebuked Satan and quoted Deuteronomy 6:13, proclaiming His loyalty to God alone.

Jesus’ approach to resisting Satan’s temp-tations provides a roadmap for Christians as they face temptation on a daily basis. First, recognize that Satan will twist God’s Word, of-ten appearing to offer an easy way to achieve God’s will. Second, the Bible is your best defense against temptation. The Bible offers guidance and clarity. Jesus used Scripture to protect Himself during temptation. Finally, temptation doesn’t have to ruin us. Jesus used His temptation to define His mission.

Some temptations test resolve and sharp-en focus. But in most cases, it’s best simply to flee (1 Cor. 10:13). Whatever the case, follow Jesus’ lead by knowing Scripture and using it to counter the lies of Satan.

previous: 2 Samuel 11:1– 27next: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry12Now when Jesus heard that John

had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14that it might be ful-filled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of

Naphtali,By the way of the sea, beyond the

Jordan,Galilee of the Gentiles:

16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,

And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death

Light has dawned.” a

17From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the king-dom of heaven is at hand.”

Four Fishermen Called as Disciples18And Jesus, walking by the Sea of

Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fisher-men. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

21Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zeb-edee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22and im-mediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Jesus Heals a Great Multitude23And Jesus went about all Galilee,

teaching in their synagogues, preach-ing the gospel of the kingdom, and

1338 | MATTHEW 4:12

4:16 a Isaiah 9:1, 2

4:15 – 16 great light. The passage quoted here (Is. 9:1 – 2) foretells the reign of the Messiah in the com-ing kingdom.4:18 – 20 I will make you fishers of men. This allusion

to Jeremiah 16:16 was used to call Peter and Andrew to a life of ministry.4:23 teaching . . . preaching . . . healing. These words summarize Jesus’ early ministry.

Christ Follower / Note 1

Jesus Calls People to Follow HimMatthew 4:18– 22

Early in His earthly ministry, Jesus had one primary calling: “Follow Me,” (v. 19). He called people of all backgrounds, all walks of life, and all skill sets, inviting them to join Him in what He was going to do: reveal God to the world.

And they followed.Not just those Jesus personally invited,

but “great multitudes followed Him” (Matt. 8:1). Why? Because they had heard Him speak, they had watched Him perform mira-cle after miracle, and they had come to know that He was the Son of God.

People from every social and economic class followed Him. Women, men, young, and old followed Him. He didn’t give many details up front. To His fishermen disciples He simply promised, “I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). Rather than bringing in fish, these fishermen would learn what it takes to bring in more people to follow Christ.

People followed Him, learned what He thought, heard what He said, and imitated what He did. As these people began to reflect and reveal Jesus, they in turn brought more followers to Him.

We call ourselves many different terms today: Christian, believer, born- again, evangelical. But we all have the same job description: Christ follower.

next: Luke 9:23

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful,

For they shall obtain mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God.9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.10 Blessed are those who are

persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12Re-joice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were be-fore you.

Believers Are Salt and Light13“You are the salt of the earth; but

if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be

healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon- possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25Great multitudes followed Him— from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

The Beatitudes

5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was

seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,For they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,For they shall inherit the earth.

MATTHEW 5:13 | 1339

5:2 He . . . taught them. The Sermon on the Mount wasn’t given as the way of salvation for the lost, but as the way of life for the children of the kingdom. It was instruction for those who had responded to Jesus’ invitation to repent.5:3 – 12 The Beatitudes — In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ succinctly describes the basic char-acter traits of those who will inherit the kingdom. The word kingdom usually implies someone who is on top, who rules and has authority over others.

They are the privileged. In God’s kingdom the people are not privileged because they are on top but because, by being on the bottom, they are in a better position to receive God’s grace and favor. These characteristics are the reverse of what man generally values in the world. “Blessed” can also be translated as “Happy.” The signs of being blessed aren’t power or material wealth. The sign of being blessed is receiving the benefits of God’s grace.

seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under-foot by men.

14“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid-den. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Christ Fulfills the Law17“Do not think that I came to de-

stroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18For as sured ly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I say to you, that unless your righ-teousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder Begins in the Heart21“You have heard that it was said

to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,a and whoever murders will be in dan-ger of the judgment.’ 22But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a causea shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the

officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Adultery in the Heart27“You have heard that it was said

to those of old,a ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ b 28But I say to you that who-ever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your mem-bers perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Marriage Is Sacred and Binding31“Furthermore it has been said,

‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality a causes her to commit adultery; and who-ever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Jesus Forbids Oaths33“Again you have heard that it was

said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

1340 | MATTHEW 5:14

5:21 a Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17 5:22 a NU- Text omits without a cause. 5:27 a NU- Text and M- Text omit to those of old. b Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18 5:32 a Or fornication

5:16 Let your light so shine. The believer does not have inherent light; rather, we have reflective light. As Christ followers, we must make sure that we do not allow anything to come between us and our Source of light.5:27 adultery. Control of the heart and body begins with control of the eyes. Deeds of shame result from fantasies of shame. Jesus gives the sobering advice

“if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you” (v. 29). It should be clear here that Jesus is not advocating mutilating our bodies, but He is using a strong figure of speech to emphasize removing any temptation for evil, whatever the cost.5:32 sexual immorality. This is a general term that includes premarital sex, extramarital infidelity, homosexuality, and bestiality.

Go the Second Mile38“You have heard that it was said,

‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ a 39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Love Your Enemies43“You have heard that it was said,

‘You shall love your neighbor a and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,a 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brethrena only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectorsb do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Do Good to Please God

6 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be

seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. As sured ly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand

is doing, 4that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.a

The Model Prayer5“And when you pray, you shall not

be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. As sured ly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will re-ward you openly.a 7And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the hea-then do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.Your will be doneOn earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.For Yours is the kingdom and the

power and the glory forever. Amen.a

MATTHEW 6:13 | 1341

5:38 a Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21 5:43 a Compare Leviticus 19:18 5:44 a NU- Text omits three clauses from this verse, leaving, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” 5:47 a M- Text reads friends. b NU- Text reads Gentiles. 6:4 a NU- Text omits openly. 6:6 a NU- Text omits openly. 6:13 a NU- Text omits For Yours through Amen.

5:38 An eye for an eye. This important Old Testament law (Ex. 21:24 – 25; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21), known as the lex talionis (law of retaliation), covered what type of punishment should be meted out to transgres-sors. It limited the retribution the offender would have to bear, preventing the “head for eye, jaw for tooth” vengeance typical of humans.5:41 compels. The Roman government could press anyone to carry a load as far as one mile.5:45 sons of your Father. In other words, “that you be like your heavenly Father who displays His love without discrimination.”

5:48 be perfect. God does not lower the standard to accommodate our sinfulness. He gives us the power to keep this righteousness standard.6:2 they have their reward. The only reward the hyp-ocrites will ever receive is to be honored by man.6:9 In this manner. This does not mean to pray only these words, but to pray in this way, remembering the general topics of worship, request for both phys-ical and spiritual needs, confession, and repentance of sins.

14“For if you forgive men their tres-passes, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their tres passes, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God16“Moreover, when you fast, do not

be like the hypocrites, with a sad coun-tenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fast-ing. As sured ly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.a

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven19“Do not lay up for yourselves trea-

sures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20but lay up for yourselves trea-sures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Lamp of the Body22“The lamp of the body is the eye. If

therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches24“No one can serve two masters; for

either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Do Not Worry25“Therefore I say to you, do not

worry about your life, what you will eat

or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28“So why do you worry about cloth-ing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O  you of little faith?

31“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righ-teousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Do Not Judge

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with what judgment you judge,

you will be judged; and with the mea-sure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5Hyp-ocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

1342 | MATTHEW 6:14

6:18 a NU- Text and M- Text omit openly.

single hour to his life.” It seems that Jesus would bring a smile here; the mental picture either of grow-ing taller, or of stretching time by worrying, helps us to see the futility of it.7:1 – 2 Judge not. The point of this verse is that a Christian must not judge or criticize in a way that they themselves would not want to be judged or criticized. Every judgment that a person makes becomes a basis for his or her own judgment (James 3:1 – 2).

6:19 Do not lay up . . . on earth. In other words, don’t give priority to things that only last on earth, but instead put priority and energy into serving God.6:24 Covetousness — God requires total allegiance and continuous subjection of our wills to Him. He asks for full commitment of our hearts and love for His service. We cannot serve God like that while under the influence of the god of money, urging us to make present, tangible, and worldly things the object of our thoughts and affections.6:27 add one cubit. Some translations say, “add a

Salvation / Note 5

Salvation Will Be Demonstrated by WorksMatthew 7:21

Don’t get this backward.Your works will not bring you salvation.But your salvation will bring about

good works.Yes, those two statements can co-

exist.It’s like a mountain stream and a lake.

The water begins in the mountain stream and ends up at the lake. It can’t go the other way. The water will never flow up the mountain. Similarly, your works will never lead to your salvation. But your salvation will always lead to good works.

Another way to say this is that works don’t define your faith, but rather reveal your faith. Your works reflect what you believe, your closeness to Christ, your commitment, and your obedience.

James put it this way: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18; see also Titus 3:8). Faith that is visible, observable, and lived out is real faith. Faith that stays tied up in our heads or feelings is not.

Paul even went so far as to say that we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). Our salvation is not meant only to avoid sin and hell; God’s purpose for us before He even created us is to love, to work, to help, to share, to testify, to submit, and to be merciful.

We are saved by God. Through that salvation we reflect Him.

previous: Romans 10:5– 13

6“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking7“Ask, and it will be given to you;

seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow Way13“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide

is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14Becausea narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but in-wardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

I Never Knew You21“Not everyone who says to Me,

‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say

MATTHEW 7:22 | 1343

7:14 a NU- Text and M- Text read How . . . !

7:6 dogs . . . swine. These insulting terms refer to people who are enemies of the gospel, as opposed to those who are merely unbelievers.7:15 Beware of false prophets. Deuteronomy 13:1 – 11 and 18:20 – 22 provide information on dis-

cern ing and responding to false prophets. The way to tell a false teacher from teachers of the truth is by their fruits. Fruit does not only refer to deeds, but also to doctrine (16:12; 1 John 4:1 – 3).

to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Build on the Rock24“Therefore whoever hears these

sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25and the rain de-scended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27and the rain de-scended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

28And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

8 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed

Him. 2And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant5Now when Jesus had entered

Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

7And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to an-other, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard it, He mar-veled, and said to those who followed, “As sured ly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Is-rael! 11And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Peter’s Mother- in- Law Healed14Now when Jesus had come into

Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. 15So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.a

Many Healed in the Evening16 When evening had come, they

brought to Him many who were demon- possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

“He Himself took our infirmitiesAnd bore our sicknesses.” a

The Cost of Discipleship18And when Jesus saw great multi-

tudes about Him, He gave a command to

1344 | MATTHEW 7:23

8:15 a NU- Text and M- Text read Him. 8:17 a Isaiah 53:4

makes it clear that just being a physical descendant of Abraham does not guarantee entrance into His kingdom. The true children of Abraham are those who share his faith in God (Gal. 5:6 – 9).8:17 took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. This verse quotes Isaiah 53:4. Jesus healed because He had compassion on the people.

8:4 show yourself to the priest. This was no small undertaking. The sacrifice required was long and involved (Lev. 14:4 – 32). In obeying the law of Moses, the leper also would be a powerful testimony to the religious authorities in Jerusalem that the Messiah had arrived.8:10 I have not found . . . not even in Israel. Jesus

Throughout his Gospel, Matthew emphasizes Jesus’ power. Discourses like the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5– 7) reveal Jesus’ authority as a teacher. But Matthew 8 shows Jesus’ divine lordship over both nature and the spiritual realm.

In the early verses of the chapter, Jesus healed three different individuals: a leper (vv.  1– 4), the servant of a Roman centurion (vv.  5– 13), and Peter’s mother- in- law (vv.  14, 15). To explain this incredible power over illnesses, Matthew took readers back to a messianic prophecy from Isaiah: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses” (v. 17).

But Jesus’ power wasn’t just reserved for physical illnesses. He also displayed author-ity over even weather patterns by calming a storm (vv.  23– 27). Perhaps His greatest dis-play of power came in His interactions with demons. In verses 28– 34, Jesus commanded a crowd of demons to leave two men and gave the evil spirits permission to possess a herd of nearby pigs. The demons were forced to obey Jesus’ demands and needed His approval before entering the swine.

Jesus’ power over nature and the spirit

world reminds us that He is Lord of all. We can rest in the truth that the One in us is greater than the one in the world (1 John 4:4).

MORE INSIGHTIn addition to illnesses, storms, and demons, Matthew emphasized that Jesus alone holds the power over sin. He is the One who died for our sins, the One who can forgive sins, and the One who can give us power over sin. In Matthew 9:1– 8, a group of men brought a paralyzed friend to Jesus. The other synop-tic writers tell us that the men couldn’t get to Jesus at first, so they tore a hole in the roof and lowered him down into the crowd (Mark 2:1– 12; Luke 5:17– 26). But Jesus didn’t initially focus on the man’s physical condi-tion. He first forgave his sins. Only after the religious leaders questioned His authority to forgive sin did Jesus tell the man to rise and walk. Jesus had the power to make the man physically whole, but He had just as much authority to make him spiritually whole.

previous: Matthew 4:1– 11next: Matthew 12:31, 32

STUDY THE BOOKMatthew 8:1– 34

Jesus’ power over nature and the spiritual realm

depart to the other side. 19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”

20And Jesus said to him, “ Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

22But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus23Now when He got into a boat, His

disciples followed Him. 24And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples

came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

26But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O  you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Two Demon- Possessed Men Healed28 When He had come to the other

side, to the country of the Gergesenes,a there met Him two demon- possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceed-ingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29And suddenly they cried out,

MATTHEW 8:29 | 1345

8:28 a NU- Text reads Gadarenes.

8:28 – 29 demon-possessed. We learn several things about demons in this passage. They recognize the deity of Christ, they are limited in their knowledge, they know they will ultimately be judged by Christ

(25:41; James 2:19; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7 – 17), and they cannot act without the permission of higher authority.

saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

30Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away a into the herd of swine.”

32And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and per-ished in the water.

33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon- possessed men. 34And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

9 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. 2 Then be-

hold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

3And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

4But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are for given you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”— then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7And he arose and departed to his house.

8Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveleda and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

Matthew the Tax Collector9As Jesus passed on from there, He

saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

10Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ a For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” b

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting14 Then the disciples of John came to

Him, saying, “Why do we and the Phar-isees fast often,a but Your disciples do not fast?”

15And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wine-skins, and both are preserved.”

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and wor-shiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

20And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His

1346 | MATTHEW 8:30

8:31 a NU- Text reads send us. 9:8 a NU- Text reads were afraid. 9:13 a Hosea 6:6  b NU- Text omits to repentance. 9:14 a NU- Text brackets often as disputed.

9:2 their faith. This refers to the faith of the paralytic as well as that of the men who were carrying him.9:10 tax collectors. Publicans or tax collectors were often despised not only because they were seen as traitors, working for the hated Roman government, but also because they generally collected more than necessary and pocketed the difference.

9:12 – 13 Those who are well. Jesus refers ironically to the Pharisees as “the righteous.” They were not righteous; that was only how they perceived them-selves because of their pious and scrupulous law keeping (Phil. 3:6). But God is more interested in a person’s loyal love than the observance of external rituals.

garment. 21For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26And the report of this went out into all that land.

Two Blind Men Healed27 When Jesus departed from there,

two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”29 Then He touched their eyes, say-

ing, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

A Mute Man Speaks32As they went out, behold, they

brought to Him a man, mute and demon- possessed. 33And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the mul-titudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”

34But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

The Compassion of Jesus35 Then Jesus went about all the cit-

ies and villages, teaching in their syn-agogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.a 36But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them,

because they were weary a and scat-tered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labor-ers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

The Twelve Apostles

10 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave

them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname wasa Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Cananite,a and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

Sending Out the Twelve5 These twelve Jesus sent out and

commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead,a cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9Provide nei-ther gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

11“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12And when you go into a household, greet it. 13If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let

MATTHEW 10:13 | 1347

9:35 a NU- Text omits among the people. 9:36 a NU- Text and M- Text read harassed. 10:3 a NU- Text omits Lebbaeus, whose surname was. 10:4 a NU- Text reads Cananaean. 10:8 a NU- Text reads raise the dead, cleanse the lepers; M- Text omits raise the dead.

9:30 See that no one knows it. Jesus may have wanted to discourage the masses from coming to Him for physical healing alone, because His primary purpose was spiritual healing.9:37 harvest. The harvest will mark the beginning of

the kingdom age. For the lost it will mean doom, but for the saved it will mean blessing.10:2 the twelve. The twelve are called disciples in verse 1; here they are called apostles. The word “apos-tle” emphasizes delegated authority (1 Thess. 2:6).

your peace return to you. 14And who-ever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Go-morrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

Persecutions Are Coming16“Behold, I send you out as sheep in

the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought be-fore governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gen-tiles. 19But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

21“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against par-ents and cause them to be put to death. 22And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they perse-cute you in this city, flee to another. For as sured ly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub,a how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

Jesus Teaches the Fear of God27“Whatever I tell you in the dark,

speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confess Christ Before Men32“Therefore whoever con fesses Me

before men, him I will also confess be-fore My Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Christ Brings Division34“Do not think that I came to bring

peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter- in- law against her mother- in- law’ ; 36and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ a 37He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daugh-ter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

A Cup of Cold Water40“He who receives you receives

Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who

1348 | MATTHEW 10:14

10:25 a NU- Text and M- Text read Beelzebul. 10:36 a Micah 7:6

10:15 more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah. This verse, together with 11:22 – 24, implies that there will be different degrees of judg-ment and torment for those who reject Christ.10:18 for My sake. God would use Jewish rejection and persecution of the messengers to bring the gos-pel message to the Gentiles.10:25 Persecution — Believers must know that what the world has called our Lord, it will call us. The world has hated Jesus without cause, and they will hate those who bear His name in the same way.

10:32 whoever confesses. Every act of our lives will be evaluated at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). To refuse to speak up for Christ because of intimidation or persecution will result in the believ-er’s loss of reward and consequent loss of glory in the kingdom (Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12).10:38 does not take his cross. “Taking up a cross” stands for commitment to the extent of being will-ing to die for something.

receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righ-teous man’s reward. 42And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, as sured ly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus

11 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve

disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

2And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two ofa his disciples 3and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

7As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilder-ness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10For this is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.’ a

11“As sured ly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the king-dom of heaven suffers violence, and

the violent take it by force. 13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

16“But to what shall I liken this gen-eration? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their com-panions, 17and saying:

‘We played the flute for you,And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,And you did not lament.’

18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eat-ing and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” a

Woe to the Impenitent Cities20 Then He began to rebuke the cit-

ies in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not re-pent: 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have re-pented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I say to you, it will be more tol-erable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will bea brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sod om, it would have remained until this day. 24But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judg-ment than for you.”

Jesus Gives True Rest25At that time Jesus answered and

said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of

MATTHEW 11:25 | 1349

11:2 a NU- Text reads by for two of. 11:10 a Malachi 3:1 11:19 a NU- Text reads works. 11:23 a NU- Text reads will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be.

11:3 do we look. John probably expected the Mes-siah to immediately judge Israel and establish His kingdom (3:2 – 12). Jesus’ failure to do what John anticipated may have planted seeds of doubt in John’s mind about whether Jesus was the Messiah. But doubt that inquires and does not weaken faith is not evil. John went to the right person for answers, and Jesus reassured him by pointing out the fulfill-ment of prophecy.

11:12 violent take it by force. This probably means that violent people forcibly oppose the kingdom with their hostility (23:13).11:21 Woe. Jesus pronounced a direct judgment on Israel. They would be judged for seeing the Messiah and then rejecting Him.11:23 Capernaum. Capernaum, which is on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, was called “His own city” (9:1).

heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. 26Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath.

And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”

3But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hun-gry, he and those who were with him: 4how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple pro-fane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. 7But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ a you would not have condemned the guilt-less. 8For the Son of Man is Lord evena of the Sabbath.”

Healing on the Sabbath9Now when He had departed from

there, He went into their synagogue. 10And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”— that they might accuse Him.

11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 14 Then the Phar-isees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Behold, My Servant15But when Jesus knew it, He with-

drew from there. And great multitudesa followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have

chosen,My Beloved in whom My soul is well

pleased!I will put My Spirit upon Him,And He will declare justice to the

Gentiles.19 He will not quarrel nor cry out,

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed He will not break,And smoking flax He will not

quench,Till He sends forth justice to

victory;21 And in His name Gentiles will

trust.” a

A House Divided Cannot Stand22 Then one was brought to Him who

was demon- possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind anda mute man both spoke and saw. 23And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

1350 | MATTHEW 11:26

12:7 a Hosea 6:6 12:8 a NU- Text and M- Text omit even. 12:15 a NU- Text brackets multitudes as disputed. 12:21 a Isaiah 42:1– 4 12:22 a NU- Text omits blind and.

12:2 is not lawful. To desecrate the Sabbath was flagrant disobedience to the law of Moses (Num. 15:30 – 36). The Pharisees were trying to make Jesus into a lawbreaker and accuse Him of wrongdoing.12:14 how they might destroy Him. Because of Jesus’ view of the Sabbath, the Pharisees concluded that He was trying to overthrow the entire Mosaic

system, and therefore had to be destroyed. Their antagonism toward Jesus was growing.12:17 – 21 spoken by Isaiah the prophet. This quo-tation of Isaiah 42:1 – 4 shows that the Messiah’s gentleness was just as had been prophesied, and also that the Gentiles would be included in His blessing.

Matthew's Gospel emphasizes Jesus’ ability and willingness to forgive sin. So is it possible to commit a sin that even He can’t forgive? That’s the question raised when we talk about what has been called the “unpardonable sin.”

Jesus said that the only sin that can’t be forgiven is a stubborn refusal to acknowl-edge and accept God’s gracious offer of forgiveness, to turn our backs on God. The Holy Spirit works to convict us of our sin and to move us toward a saving relationship with God through Jesus’ death on the cross. Those who close their hearts and minds to Him will die in their sins and miss the chance to know His forgiveness.

In Jesus’ day many religious leaders walked this dangerous path. Their opposition to Jesus closed their minds to the evidence He presented through His preaching and His miracles. At one point they even attributed the work of God to Satan (Matt. 12:22– 24).

Jesus warned them that they were very close to crossing a line that would expose them to God’s judgment for eternity.

MORE INSIGHTIn Matthew 12:31, Jesus described the un-pardonable sin as “blasphemy against the Spirit.” In biblical terms, blasphemy means to speak out with harm against something or someone. Blasphemy against God is rooted in an inherent disrespect for Him and represents an attack against His nature and character. The law prohibited blasphemy (Lev. 24:14– 16), considering it a capital offense. Jesus was accused of blasphemy because He claimed to be God. But the real blasphemers were those who refused to see Him for who He really was.

previous: Matthew 8:1– 34next: Matthew 16:15– 17

STUDY THE BOOKMatthew 12:31, 32Pay attention to the Holy Spirit

24Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub,a the ruler of the demons.”

25But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom di-vided against itself is brought to deso-lation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plun-der his house. 30He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

The Unpardonable Sin31“Therefore I say to you, every sin

and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

A Tree Known by Its Fruit33“Either make the tree good and its

fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35A good man out of the good treasure of his hearta brings forth good

MATTHEW 12:35 | 1351

12:24 a NU- Text and M- Text read Beelzebul. 12:35 a NU- Text and M- Text omit of his heart.

12:31 – 32 blasphemy. The sin that shall not be forgiven is the stubborn refusal to heed the Holy Spirit’s conviction and accept the salvation that Christ offers. Particularly in reference to the leaders of Israel, Jesus had offered them all the proof that could be expected, such as the ministry of John, the

testimony of the Father, the prophecies of the Old Testament, His own testimony, and the substantia-tion of the Holy Spirit. Because the leaders rejected all proofs regarding Jesus as Messiah, nothing else would be given.

things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Scribes and Pharisees Ask for a Sign

38 Then some of the scribes and Phar-isees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

39But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and in-deed a greater than Solomon is here.

An Unclean Spirit Returns43“When an unclean spirit goes out

of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him

46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and

brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”

48But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49And He stretched out His hand toward His dis-ciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

The Parable of the Sower

13 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2And

great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Purpose of Parables10And the disciples came and said

to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

11He answered and said to them, “Be-cause it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12For who ever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but who-ever does not have, even what he has

1352 | MATTHEW 12:36

12:39 the sign of the prophet Jonah. The demand for signs was evidence of unbelief. The “sign of the prophet Jonah” is explained in verse 40 as the res-urrection.12:41 – 42 The men of Nineveh . . . The queen of the South. These terms represent Gentiles who come to faith because of the words of God’s prophets and kings, lesser messengers than God’s only Son.12:43 an unclean spirit. This analogy seems to be describing the moral reformation that took place in

Israel as a result of the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus. The reformation, however, was not genu-ine, and therefore Israel’s unbelief and hardness of heart was worse than before. In the same way, a per-son who decides to try religion without being born again, and then decides “it’s not for me,” is worse off than if they had never tried, because their hearts are hardened to God’s voice.13:11 it has been given to you. The purpose of this parable was to both reveal and conceal the truth.

will be taken away from him. 13 There-fore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,

And seeing you will see and not perceive;

15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.

Their ears are hard of hearing,And their eyes they have closed,Lest they should see with their eyes

and hear with their ears,Lest they should understand with

their hearts and turn,So that I should a heal them.’ b

16But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17for as-sured ly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

The Parable of the Sower Explained18“Therefore hear the parable of the

sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not under-stand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately re-ceives it with joy; 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23But he who received seed on the good

ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

24Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed31Another parable He put forth to

them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

The Parable of the Leaven33Another parable He spoke to

them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in

MATTHEW 13:33 | 1353

13:15 a NU- Text and M- Text read would. b Isaiah 6:9, 10

This hiding of the truth was a judgment for unbelief, as happened during Isaiah’s ministry (Is. 6:9 – 10).13:14 – 15 Spiritual Death — Genesis 3 teaches us that, through sin, man died spiritually. Here, Christ quotes from Isaiah 6 to detail the meaning of spiritual death: Our ability to perceive spiritual reality is absent. Key spiritual senses don’t work as they were originally designed to work. We can’t see the implications of spiritual events. We can’t understand the meaning of spiritual words. It is as if our senses are dead. In order to have our spiritual senses restored, we need some-one to heal us. Only Christ can provide the necessary healing to open our spiritual eyes and ears.

13:25 his enemy came and sowed tares. Tares are weeds which closely resemble wheat, but which do not produce good food. They are indistinguishable from the real wheat until the fruit appears. Just like the tares among the wheat, genuine believers and counterfeits will be allowed to remain together.13:31 like a mustard seed. The parable of the mus-tard seed shows that the number of people who will inherit the kingdom will be very small at first, but it will grow to be completely out of proportion to its initial size.13:33 like leaven. Although leaven is sometimes used in Scripture to symbolize evil, here the kingdom

three measuresa of meal till it was all leavened.”

Prophecy and the Parables34All these things Jesus spoke to the

multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

“I will open My mouth in parables;I will utter things kept secret from

the foundation of the world.” a

The Parable of the Tares Explained36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away

and went into the house. And His disci-ples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

37He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 There-fore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure44“Again, the kingdom of heaven is

like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Dragnet47“Again, the kingdom of heaven

is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, 48which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, 50and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

51 Jesus said to them,a “Have you understood all these things?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” b52 Then He said to them, “Therefore

every scribe instructed concerninga the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth53Now it came to pass, when Jesus

had finished these parables, that He de-parted from there. 54 When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were as-tonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses,a Simon, and

1354 | MATTHEW 13:34

13:33 a Greek sata, approximately two pecks in all 13:35 a Psalm 78:2 13:51 a NU- Text omits Jesus said to them. b NU- Text omits Lord. 13:52 a Or for 13:55 a NU- Text reads Joseph.

of heaven is being compared to the dynamic charac-ter of yeast. When yeast is mixed with the dough, it expands from within, causing the dough to grow. Rather than being powered by outward armies or organizations, the kingdom of God will grow by the internal power of the Holy Spirit.13:42 Hell — This verse describes the separation that comes between the righteous and the wicked at the end of the age. The place of their eternal dwelling is described as a “furnace of fire,” perhaps because fire is one of man’s most vivid concepts of suffer-ing. Some think that there is no real, actual hell of fire, and that instead the wicked simply cease to exist, but this is difficult to support. The Scriptures

consistently speak of hell as a real place of torment and anguish for all who do not receive the salvation that Jesus offers.13:44 like treasure. The main point here is the immense value of the kingdom, which far outweighs any sacrifice or inconvenience one might encounter on earth.13:47 of every kind. The responsibility of the disci-ples would be to catch as many “fish” of every kind as possible. The work of judging or sorting out the false catch, however, is a job that disciples are nei-ther called nor equipped to do. That work is assigned to angels at Christ’s return.

Judas? 56And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” 57So they were offended at Him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” 58Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

John the Baptist Beheaded

14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus 2and

said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” 3For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. 4Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

6But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. 7 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

8So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

9And the king was sorry; never-theless, because of the oaths and be-cause of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. 10So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. 11And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Feeding the Five Thousand13 When Jesus heard it, He departed

from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 15 When it was eve-ning, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is

already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”

16But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

18He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19 Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and look-ing up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. 20So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. 21Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus Walks on the Sea22Immediately Jesus made His disci-

ples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the mul-titudes away. 23And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24But the boat was now in the middle of the sea,a tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

25Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were trou-bled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

28And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

29So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,a he was afraid; and begin-ning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

MATTHEW 14:30 | 1355

14:24 a NU- Text reads many furlongs away from the land. 14:30 a NU- Text brackets that and boisterous as disputed.

14:3 for the sake of Herodias. Herod had gone to Rome, where he met Herodias, the wife of his half brother Philip. After seducing Herodias, Herod divorced his own wife and married his sister-in-law.

John had rebuked the king for his moral transgres-sions.14:25 the fourth watch. This would be between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m.

31And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

33 Then those who were in the boat came anda worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Many Touch Him and Are Made Well34 When they had crossed over, they

came to the land ofa Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that sur-rounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, 36and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

Defilement Comes from Within

15 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to

Jesus, saying, 2“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the com-mandment of God because of your tra-dition? 4For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; a and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ b 5But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have re-ceived from me is a gift to God”— 6then he need not honor his father or mother.’ a Thus you have made the command-mentb of God of no effect by your tra-dition. 7Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:8 ‘These people draw near to Me with

their mouth,And a honor Me with their lips,But their heart is far from Me.

9 And in vain they worship Me,Teaching as doctrines the

commandments of men.’ ” a

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Phari-sees were offended when they heard this saying?”

13But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

16So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

A Gentile Shows Her Faith21 Then Jesus went out from there

and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a woman of Ca-naan came from that region and cried

1356 | MATTHEW 14:31

14:33 a NU- Text omits came and. 14:34 a NU- Text reads came to land at. 15:4 a Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16 b Exodus 21:17 15:6 a NU- Text omits or mother. b NU- Text reads word. 15:8 a NU- Text omits draw near to Me with their mouth, And. 15:9 a Isaiah 29:13

15:2 the tradition of the elders. This was not the law of Moses, but oral tradition, based on interpretations of the law.15:3 tradition. The scribes and Pharisees were plac-ing their own views above the revelation of God, and yet claimed to be following Him.15:7 Hypocrites. The Pharisees had laid down many rigid and inflexible laws concerning diet, Sabbath day activities, ceremonial washings, and many other traditions. Not only did this reduce spiritual service to a harsh system of dos and don’ts, it also caused everyone, Pharisees included, to look for loopholes of escape from the burden of so many laws and rules.

The ultimate outcome was religious hypocrisy. Christ came both to fulfill the law (5:17 – 18) and also to free us from its penalty (Gal. 3:13).15:18 come from the heart. As we think in our hearts, or inner beings, so we are. The raw material of our actions is what we take into our minds and allow to settle in our hearts. David put it this way: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119:11). The other side is seen in Psalm 101:3 “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.” Paul says the believer must bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O  Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon- possessed.”

23But He answered her not a word.And His disciples came and urged

Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”

24But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

26But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

27And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daugh-ter was healed from that very hour.

Jesus Heals Great Multitudes29 Jesus departed from there, skirted

the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 Then great multitudes came to Him, hav-ing with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. 31So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Feeding the Four Thousand32Now Jesus called His disciples to

Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”

33 Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?”

34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”

And they said, “Seven, and a few lit-tle fish.”

35So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36And He took

the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. 37So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large bas-kets full of the fragments that were left. 38Now those who ate were four thou-sand men, besides women and children. 39And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.a

The Pharisees and Sadducees Seek a Sign

16 Then the Pharisees and Saddu-cees came, and testing Him asked

that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threaten-ing.’ Hypocrites!a You know how to dis-cern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the propheta Jonah.” And He left them and departed.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

5Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

7And they reasoned among them-selves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”

8But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? a 9Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? 10Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? 11How is it you do not understand

MATTHEW 16:11 | 1357

15:39 a NU- Text reads Magadan. 16:3 a NU- Text omits Hypocrites. 16:4 a NU- Text omits the prophet. 16:8 a NU- Text reads you have no bread.

15:22 Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David. The woman was a Gentile who would have had no natu-ral claim on the Jewish Messiah.

15:31 glorified the God of Israel. The Gentiles believed and glorified Israel’s God, while many in Is-rael remained blind to their Messiah.

Jesus drew crowds throughout His ministry. Some in the mix were genuine followers, while others had less noble motives. But along with the crowds came much bad information. The messianic expectation that dominated Jewish religious life in the first century led to misunderstandings of Jesus’ plan and pur-pose. And His conversation with His disciples in Matthew 16 underscored that fact.

First, Jesus asked what the world at large was saying about Him. The responses were mixed but positive: people said that perhaps He was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other great prophets (Matt. 16:14).

But as nice as these comparisons were, they also were off the mark. That’s what made Jesus’ follow- up question so important: “Who do you say that I am?” (v. 15).

Speaking for the group, Peter nailed the response. They understood that Jesus was

the Messiah. They might not have understood exactly what that meant or the implications for their lives down the road, but they were following Him because they believed in Him. They would learn more as time went on, but for now, they were on the right track.

MORE INSIGHTPeter’s response also led to Jesus’ first rev-elation about the church (Matt. 16:18). While scholars disagree on exactly what Jesus meant by founding the church upon “this rock,” He made it clear that the forces of evil would not be able to overpower the church. So any predictions today in the vein that the days of the church are numbered do not align with Jesus’ teaching about His body.

previous: Matthew 12:31, 32next: Matthew 19:16– 26

STUDY THE BOOKMatthew 16:15– 17“Who do you say that I am?”

that I did not speak to you concerning bread?— but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ13 When Jesus came into the region

of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His dis-ciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

14So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jere-miah or one of the prophets.”

15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16Simon Peter answered and said,

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar- Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be looseda in heaven.”

20 Then He commanded His disciples

1358 | MATTHEW 16:12

16:19 a Or will have been bound . . . will have been loosed

16:11 – 12 leaven. In Scripture, leaven is often used as a symbol of evil. The doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees was hypocrisy and legalism, political opportunism, and spiritual hardness.16:16 Church — Peter’s confession “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” is the foundation on which the church is built. Never mind how small the apostolic band may be, the church is indestruc-tible, and with unsurpassed power overcomes Satan and cannot be overcome. The power comes from God, the Creator of the universe, Owner and Master of the church. All the church has is derived from and dependent on the Almighty Son of God.

16:18 The Origin of the Church — The church was a mystery (not clearly revealed) in the Old Testa-ment. Christ prophesied in these words spoken to Peter, “on this rock I will build My church.” There is a play here on the word rock, which also happens to be Peter’s name. Jesus said, “you are Peter” (mas-culine, petros) and “on this rock” (feminine, petra) “I will build My church.” The Holy Spirit came upon the church on the Day of Pentecost in response to Peter’s sermon when “three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41). This group, along with the original disciples, became “the church.”

that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

21From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jeru-salem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

23But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an of-fense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If

anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Jesus Transfigured on the Mount

17 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his

brother, led them up on a high moun-tain by themselves; 2and He was trans-figured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let usa make here

three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, be-hold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

9Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, say-ing, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”

10And His disciples asked Him, say-ing, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming firsta and will restore all things. 12But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him what ever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

A Boy Is Healed14And when they had come to the

multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptica and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

17 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus

MATTHEW 17:19 | 1359

17:4 a NU- Text reads I will. 17:11 a NU- Text omits first. 17:15 a Literally moonstruck

16:28 not taste death. In the transfiguration, Peter, James, and John saw a preview of the kingdom. Jesus was explaining that very soon those three dis-ciples would see Him glorified as He will be in the kingdom.17:3 Moses and Elijah. This amazing experience was not only to show the disciples that Jesus was God’s Son, but also to show them that He supersedes the law and the prophets and that they were subordinate

to Him. It also explained that what Jesus was doing was no mystery to the Old Testament. The Old Testa-ment people had been long looking forward to the Messiah and His kingdom.17:11 – 13 Elijah. Jesus indicates that the prophecies concerning Elijah had their fulfillment in John the Baptist, yet because the restoration is not complete, many conclude that the role of Elijah will be taken up by one of the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3 – 6.

privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

20So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief;a for as sured ly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21However, this kind does not go out ex-cept by prayer and fasting.” a

Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection

22Now while they were stayinga in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.

Peter and His Master Pay Their Taxes

24 When they had come to Caper-naum,a those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”

25He said, “Yes.”And when he had come into the

house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”

26Peter said to Him, “From stran gers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons

are free. 27Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money;a take that and give it to them for Me and you.”

Who Is the Greatest?

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is great-

est in the kingdom of heaven?”2 Then Jesus called a little child to

Him, set him in the midst of them, 3and said, “As sured ly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the

kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Jesus Warns of Offenses6“Whoever causes one of these little

ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For of-fenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

8“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlast-ing fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep10“Take heed that you do not despise

one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.a

12“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety- nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13And if he should find it, as sured ly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety- nine that did not go astray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

1360 | MATTHEW 17:20

17:20 a NU- Text reads little faith. 17:21 a NU- Text omits this verse. 17:22 a NU- Text reads gathering together. 17:24 a NU- Text reads Capharnaum (here and elsewhere). 17:27 a Greek stater, the exact amount to pay the temple tax (didrachma) for two 18:11 a NU- Text omits this verse.

17:24 temple tax. This was a tax given annually by every adult Jewish male over 20 years of age for main-taining the temple. It was based on Exodus 30:13, and amounted to two days’ wages for a common laborer.17:25 strangers. Most likely this means the king taxed the common people and not the imperial family.

18:3 converted. To be “converted” means to turn around, to take a different course (Luke 22:32).18:10 their angels. This verse seems to imply that angels watch over and serve His followers on earth (Heb. 1:14).

Dealing with a Sinning Brother15“Moreover if your brother sins

against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be es-tablished.’ a 17And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he re-fuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

18“As sured ly, I say to you, what-ever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19“Again I say a to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to sev-enty times seven. 23 Therefore the king-dom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25But as he was not able to pay, his mas-ter commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The ser-vant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

28“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29So his fellow servant fell down at his feeta and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ b 30And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their mas-ter all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33Should you not also have had com-passion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34And his master was angry, and delivered him to the tortur-ers until he should pay all that was due to him.

35“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” a

Marriage and Divorce

19 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that

He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.

3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

4And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who madea them at the beginning ‘made them male

MATTHEW 19:4 | 1361

18:16 a Deuteronomy 19:15 18:19 a NU- Text and M- Text read Again, assuredly, I say. 18:29 a NU- Text omits at his feet. b NU- Text and M- Text omit all. 18:35 a NU- Text omits his trespasses. 19:4 a NU- Text reads created.

18:16 two or three witnesses. The principle of wit-nesses is taken from Deuteronomy 19:15. Evidently, in this case they are to witness that the offended brother is acting in good faith and the right spirit in attempting to work towards reconciliation. They would also be witnesses to any agreement.18:17 church. Unfortunately “discipline” has some-times been reduced to a merely negative concept. To be sure, discipline includes the notion of punish-ment and correction, but church discipline in this context clearly has the restoration of the offender in view. Severe measures may sometimes need to be

taken with an erring brother or sister, but restoration and reconciliation should always be the goal.18:22 seventy times seven. Some translations say “seventy-seven times.” Whichever number is used, the point is the same: be ready to forgive over and over again, past counting. This verse does not only apply to forgiveness for seventy times seven differ-ent sins. Sometimes, we may have to consciously decide to forgive and let go of an old hurt again and again, “seventy times seven.”18:35 forgive. This verse is a serious warning (1 John 4:20).

In Jewish culture, wealth often was associ-ated with God’s blessing. Those who had accumulated wealth had supposedly earned the favor of God. That’s an important part of the context when we look at Jesus’ exchange with the rich, young ruler.

First, we need to realize that the young man’s problem was not really a money issue. It was a heart issue. While the man claimed to have honored all of God’s commandments, Jesus recognized a deeper form of idolatry. Instead of complete dedication to God, a large part of his heart was dedicated to his wealth. And that was a piece of his heart he would not— or could not— relinquish.

When Jesus later told His disciples that it was “hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven,” they were shocked (Matt. 19:23). (Remember paragraph one of this note?) But Jesus didn’t say it was impossible. It just takes a humble heart and a proper perspec-tive on the good things God provides. Jesus never said it was wrong for us to own nice possessions. He just knew that it’s wrong when our nice possessions own us.

MORE INSIGHTSome individuals will use Jesus’ command to sell everything as proof that Christians should avoid anything to do with accumulating mon-ey. However, a quick look at the entirety of Scripture indicates this was only appropriate for one particular case, not a general rule. In fact, many of the most faithful people in the Bible were also incredibly wealthy. For example, Abraham was a man of great wealth (Gen. 13:2), yet God never condemned him for it. Likewise, Job may have been the rich-est man of his era. After he lost everything, God didn’t just replace it— He multiplied it (Job 42:12). In the New Testament, a rich disciple named Joseph of Arimathea buried Jesus in his own tomb (Matt. 27:57– 60). The Bible makes it clear that God doesn’t see wealth as inherently evil, but He does look at the heart. As Paul told Timothy, the “love of money”— not money itself— leads to all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10).

previous: Matthew 16:15– 17next: Matthew 22:34– 40

STUDY THE BOOKMatthew 19:16– 26Money isn’t all bad

and female,’ b 5and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’ ? a 6So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. There-fore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

7 They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

8He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality,a and marries an-other, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”

10His disciples said to Him, “If such

is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

Jesus Teaches on Celibacy11But He said to them, “All cannot

accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: 12For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eu-nuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children13 Then little children were brought

1362 | MATTHEW 19:5

19:4 b Genesis 1:27; 5:2 19:5 a Genesis 2:24 19:9 a Or fornication

19:9 divorces his wife. When the Pharisees asked Jesus if divorce could ever be considered lawful, He did not fall into their trap. He took them back to Gen-esis and God’s original intent in marriage, one man and one woman for life (vv. 4 – 5; Gen. 1:27; 2:24). In

spite of the “exception clause,” one thing is surely clear: God hates divorce (Mal. 2:15 – 16). Marriage is a divine arrangement that is intended to be perma-nent and inviolable. Straying from God’s path always has tragic consequences.

to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples re-buked them. 14But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 15And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler16Now behold, one came and said to

Him, “Gooda Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”

17So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good?a No one is good but One, that is, God.b But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

18He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “ ‘You shall not murder,’

‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19‘Honor your father and your mother,’ a and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” b

20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth.a What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

With God All Things Are Possible23 Then Jesus said to His disciples,

“As sured ly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When His disciples heard it, they

MATTHEW 19:25 | 1363

19:16 a NU- Text omits Good. 19:17 a NU- Text reads Why do you ask Me about what is good? b NU- Text reads There is One who is good. 19:19 a Exodus 20:12– 16; Deuteronomy 5:16– 20 b Leviticus 19:18 19:20 a NU- Text omits from my youth.

19:12 eunuchs. The term eunuch refers to a cas-trated man, whether by surgery, accident, or birth. In the ancient world, eunuchs were put in charge of harems, because they had the physical strength and endurance of a man, but would not be a sexual threat to the women of the harem.19:21 sell what you have. This verse does not teach salvation by works (Rom. 3:23 – 24; Eph. 2:8 – 9). Rather, Jesus was proving that the rich young man could not have truly fulfilled all of the law of Moses. If

he really loved his neighbor as the law required (Lev. 19:18), he would not have had any difficulty in giving away his wealth to the poor.19:23 – 24 it is hard for a rich man to enter the king-dom. The point of this seems to be that fear of losing one’s wealth can hold a person back to the extent that they will never become saved at all. One of the things that goes with being saved is saying, “God’s way, not my way.”

Salvation / Note 1

You Can’t Save YourselfMatthew 19:25

What is it, actually, that you need to be saved from?

So much. In the Old Testament, fol-lowers of God needed to be saved from their enemies (Num. 10:9; 2  Sam. 22:4), from lions (Dan. 6:22), and more. God often saved His people physically (Heb. 11), but He also planned to save them completely and perfectly.

In the Old Testament, the New Testament, and today we need to be saved from the perversity of our genera-tion (Acts 2:40).

But there is something so much more pressing than any of those things from which we need salvation: sin and death, both earthly death and eternal wrath (Rom. 6:23; 5:9). We need to be saved from sin, not just so that we don’t create pain now, but so that we don’t suffer for our sins eternally.

But there is a problem: we’re prone to sin. We like the allure of at least some sins. Our natural, human self is sinful.

And even if you get a sudden urge to quit sinning, you simply can’t get it right. Look at the rich young ruler in Matthew 19: he believed he had defeated sin. He had obeyed the Ten Commandments and by all accounts had led a good life. He asked Jesus, “What do I still lack?” (Matt. 19:20). Jesus’ answer: get rid of everything; then come follow Me.

There is no reason to go away “sor-rowful” (Matt. 19:22) like this young man. There is a solution to your need for sal-vation: “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26).

next: John 3:16, 17

were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

26But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”

28So Jesus said to them, “As sured ly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judg-ing the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or broth-ers or sisters or father or mother or wifea or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out

early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6And about the elev-enth hour he went out and found others standing idle,a and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’ a

8“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his stew-ard, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise

received each a denarius. 11And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.” a

Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection

17Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will con-demn Him to death, 19and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”

Greatness Is Serving20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons

came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.

21And He said to her, “What do you wish?”

She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”

22But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” a

1364 | MATTHEW 19:26

19:29 a NU- Text omits or wife. 20:6 a NU- Text omits idle. 20:7 a NU- Text omits the last clause of this verse. 20:16 a NU- Text omits the last sentence of this verse. 20:22 a NU- Text omits and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with.

20:3 third hour. This was about 9:00 a.m.20:5 the sixth and the ninth hour. This was about noon and about 3:00 p.m.20:6 the eleventh hour. This was about 5:00 p.m. There would be only an hour or so left in the work-ing day.

20:16 the last will be first. The workers who were col-lected without an agreement represent the Gentiles who are made equal with the Jewish people when salvation became available to all through Jesus Christ (Rom. 11:15; Eph. 2:13 – 15; 3:6).

They said to Him, “We are able.”23So He said to them, “You will in-

deed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with;a but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”

24And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise au-thority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight29Now as they went out of Jericho, a

great multitude followed Him. 30And be-hold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

32So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

The Triumphal Entry

21 Now when they drew near Jerusa-lem, and came to Bethphage,a at

the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need

of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

4Alla this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,

‘Behold, your King is coming to you,Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” a

6So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Hima on them. 8And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who fol-lowed cried out, saying:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!‘Blessed is He who comes in the

name of the Lord!’ aHosanna in the highest!”10And when He had come into Jeru-

salem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

11So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple12 Then Jesus went into the temple

of Goda and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and over-turned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ a but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” b

14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that

MATTHEW 21:15 | 1365

20:23 a NU- Text omits and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. 21:1 a M- Text reads Bethsphage. 21:4 a NU- Text omits All. 21:5 a Zechariah 9:9 21:7 a NU- Text reads and He sat. 21:9 a Psalm 118:26 21:12 a NU- Text omits of God. 21:13 a Isaiah 56:7 b Jeremiah 7:11

20:26 – 27 whosoever desires to become great. The measure of greatness is not position, power, or pres-tige. It is service.21:2 a donkey tied. This was prophesied in Zechariah 9:9.

21:9 Hosanna. Hosanna literally means “save now.” The people were using it as an exclamation of joyous praise, but also they expected the Messiah to save them from the oppression of the Romans.

believe him?’ 26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 27So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”

And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons28“But what do you think? A man

had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the sec-ond and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”

They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “As sured ly, I say

to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots be-lieved him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

33“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vine-yard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34Now when vintage- time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his in-heritance.’ 39So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”

And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read,

‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have perfected praise’ ?” a

17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

The Fig Tree Withered18Now in the morning, as He re-

turned to the city, He was hungry. 19And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.

The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree20And when the disciples saw it, they

marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”

21So Jesus answered and said to them, “As sured ly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Jesus’ Authority Questioned23Now when He came into the tem-

ple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

24But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of John— where was it from? From heaven or from men?”

And they reasoned among them-selves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not

1366 | MATTHEW 21:16

21:16 a Psalm 8:2

will be rewarded. Answers are always given, even to the feeblest prayers of faith.21:33 planted a vineyard. The owner of the vineyard was God; the vinedressers were the people of Israel. The servants represent God’s messengers, and the son is Jesus the Messiah.

21:19 Immediately. This does not necessarily mean instantly; it may have the idea of “very soon” as in Luke 19:11. (The account of this miracle in Mark 11:12 – 14,20 – 21 indicates some time passing.)21:21 faith. Few if any besides our Savior will reach this kind of faith in its fullness. However, as each believer approaches such faith in prayer, his effort

Purpose / Note 5

God’s Purpose Requires ResponseMatthew 21:28– 32

We cannot go through life passively if we want to live in accord with God’s purpos-es. If we are passive, opportunities to join in the work of God will pass us by.

Now that you know your purpose is designed and given by God, it’s time you become active by living according to it. Quite simply, His purpose is that you obey Him. If it’s in the Bible, it’s part of God’s purpose. Acknowledging God’s purpose and yielding to it is not simply mental. It requires your mouth, your heart, and your feet.

In Matthew 21:28– 32 Jesus explained the requirement for active responses. The point of His story is clear: while it’s great to say the right thing, in the end it’s more important that you actually follow through. Doing the will of God means just that— going beyond words and actually doing what He says.

The Bible’s emphasis on words and actions, belief and works, points to the fact that our relationship with God involves our entire being. He doesn’t just want us to think true thoughts about Him. And He doesn’t just want people mindlessly or soullessly going through the motions of good works. No, we were created by God as complex creatures, with bodies and minds and the spiritual capacity for a relationship with God Himself. And in that relationship, God calls forth active responses.

Paul explained this powerful life prin-ciple by saying we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God pre-pared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). He also said we are to “glorify God in  .  .  . body and in  .  .  . spirit” (1 Cor. 6:20).

previous: James 3:17

40“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.This was the Lord’s doing,And it is marvelous in our eyes’ ? a

43“Therefore I say to you, the king-dom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

45Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they per-ceived that He was speaking of them. 46But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, be-cause they took Him for a prophet.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

22 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and

said: 2“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wed-ding; and they were not willing to come. 4Again, he sent out other servants, say-ing, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ 5But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those mur-derers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the high-ways, and as many as you find, invite to

MATTHEW 22:9 | 1367

21:42 a Psalm 118:22, 23

21:42 cornerstone. The rejected stone was the Mes-siah, who became the head cornerstone, the one holding the whole building together (Ps. 118:22 – 23).

If a friend asked you to summarize the Christian life in a single sentence, how would you respond? In a sense, that’s what the Pharisees— a group of religious leaders who often opposed Jesus— wanted to know in Matthew 22. But their motives weren’t pure. In an attempt to trap Jesus in His own words, they had one of their brightest experts ask Jesus a thorny question: “Which is the great commandment in the law?” (v. 36).

Quoting Deuteronomy 6:4, 5, Jesus said that the most important thing they needed to do was love God with everything they had. But He didn’t leave it there. Pointing them back to Leviticus 19:18, He added the next most important thing: to love others as much as we love ourselves. We can’t love God without showing love to people.

Loving God and loving people: that’s a pretty good formula for approaching life. That’s why Jesus said, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:40).

MORE INSIGHTWhen Jesus said that all of the Law and Prophets depended on loving God and loving others, He pointed out something God had been emphasizing for centuries. Exodus 20 records the Ten Commandments, and those serve as a general summary of the Law. They also challenged the Hebrews to love God and love others. The first four commandments (Ex. 20:3– 11) all relate to a person’s relationship with God. They include warnings against worshiping anyone or anything but God, creating our own god, misusing God’s name, and dishonoring the Sabbath. The final six commandments (Ex. 20:12– 17) all relate to a person’s relationship with other people. They include commands against dishonoring parents, murder, adultery, theft, lying, and coveting. All the commands are summarized within the principles of loving God and loving others.

previous: Matthew 19:16– 26next: Matthew 26:26– 29

STUDY THE BOOKMatthew 22:34– 40Love God, love people

how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

18But Jesus perceived their wicked-ness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19Show Me the tax money.”

So they brought Him a denarius.20And He said to them, “Whose

image and inscription is this?”21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”And He said to them, “Render there-

fore to Caesar the things that are Cae-sar’s, and to God the things that are

the wedding.’ 10So those servants went out into the highways and gathered to-gether all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, anda cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted

1368 | MATTHEW 22:10

22:13 a NU- Text omits take him away, and.

us through His death. To refuse to put it on would mean a refusal of Christ’s sacrifice.22:14 many are called, but few are chosen. All Is-rael has been invited, but only a few will accept and follow Jesus. Not all those invited will be among the chosen of God, for not all will believe.22:21 things that are Caesar’s. When one subjects

22:11 did not have on a wedding garment. Like the others, this visitor had been invited to the wedding, but he failed to prepare himself for it. In Revelation, the garment of fine linen worn by the bride of the Lamb is said to be the righteous deeds of the saints (Rev. 19:8). In this parable the garment may refer to the righteousness of Christ, graciously provided for

Trinity / Note 3

God’s Triune AuthorityMatthew 22:37– 40

Our world is full of mandates and commands. Corporations, churches, and sports organi-zations all have commanding statements that guide and direct the way people behave and act. Such statements are intended to create focus and alleviate misdirection.

The triune God has given two commands upon which all other reliable mandates are built: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind’  .  .  . And  .  .  . ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:37– 39).

Fascinatingly, God had been command-ing these two action sets long before Jesus visited earth. In Leviticus 19:18 we read: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

And in Deuteronomy 6:5 we read: “Love

the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

Same God.Same trustworthy commands.Same foundational purpose.What makes this mission and purpose

statement so powerful is the authority behind it. God created life and people, so He knows what makes us most contented and centered.

Just as God offers all of Himself, the challenge for us is to offer all of ourselves to the mission of Jesus. This may seem radical, but it is actually normal and life giving. To walk with Jesus and align with His mandate means we join the triune God in His work. The entire biblical story reveals that God is pouring all of Himself into the redemption of humankind, and He is inviting us to be part of His work.

previous: Deuteronomy 6:4next: John 16:12– 15

angels of Goda in heaven. 31But con-cerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ ? a God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33And when the multitudes heard this, they were aston-ished at His teaching.

The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

34But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ a 38 This is the first and great com-mandment. 39And the second is like it:

God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

23 The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. 26Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. 27Last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.”

29 Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like

MATTHEW 22:39 | 1369

22:30 a NU- Text omits of God. 22:32 a Exodus 3:6, 15 22:37 a Deuteronomy 6:5

reaches far deeper than obedience to the state. Man has a duty to give himself to God, with all he is and all that he has.

oneself to the state and accepts its protection and benefits, one is obligated to support it and obey its laws until it becomes sinful to do so (Rom. 13:1 – 7; 1 Pet. 2:13 – 17). But giving back to God what is His

People / Note 3

We Obey God Only When We Show Love to PeopleMatthew 22:36– 40

God chooses a one- on- one relationship with each of His people. But that’s just part of it. While we are one- on- one with God, we walk the earth in a sea of people. And our interaction with people is central to our honoring (or dishonoring) God.

You can look back to the Ten Com-mandments: six of the ten teach how to relate to other people (Ex. 20:12– 17). Honoring your parents and choosing not to lie, murder, steal, commit adultery, and covet are all parts of obeying God. Many would like to believe that our relationship with God has nothing to do with our relationship with people. They would be totally wrong.

God interacts with people. We interact with people. God created us to live in community. We glorify God most evi-dently when we show real love for people. Jesus Himself said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

When a lawyer asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, Jesus’ answer reflected the first of the Ten Commandments: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matt. 22:37). Though the lawyer didn’t ask for a second command, Jesus added, “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:39).

How is the first like the second? They are intertwined. We love God when we love people. We love people because we love God. God loves people, and we love God, so we also love people.

John the apostle goes as far as to say, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar,” and “he who loves God must love his brother also” (1  John 4:20, 21). The command to love other peo-ple is not just a suggestion for extroverts. It’s a command straight from the mouth of Jesus, and a requirement for loving God.

previous: John 3:16– 21next: Ephesians 4:25– 32

‘You shall love your neighbor as your-self.’ a 40On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”

They said to Him, “The Son of David.”

43He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,Till I make Your enemies Your

footstool” ’ ? a

45If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” 46And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees

23 Then Jesus spoke to the multi-tudes and to His disciples, 2say-

ing: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe,a that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and en-large the borders of their garments.

1370 | MATTHEW 22:40

22:39 a Leviticus 19:18 22:44 a Psalm 110:1 23:3 a NU- Text omits to observe.

22:42 – 45 Christ . . . Whose Son is He? The Old Tes-tament foretold that the Messiah would come from David’s royal line (2 Sam. 7:12 – 16; Ps. 89:3 – 4,34 – 36; Is. 9:7; 16:5; 55:3 – 4).22:44 The Lord said to my Lord. The Hebrew text of Psalm 110:1 uses two different Hebrew words for “Lord.” The first, translated “Lord,” is the name Yah-weh, the proper name of Israel’s God. The second “Lord” means “master.” David, the great king of Is-rael, calls one of his offspring “Lord” or “master.” The implication is that Jesus, the Son of David, is divine.23:5 phylacteries. Phylacteries were small boxes containing specific Scripture passages, in fulfillment of Deuteronomy 6:8 (Ex. 13:9,16; Prov. 3:3; 6:21; 7:3). They were worn on the forehead or arm. In order to be seen as especially righteous, some Pharisees wore conspicuously large phylacteries.

mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self- indulgence.a 26Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27“Woe to you, scribes and Phari-sees, hypocrites! For you are like white-washed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all unclean-ness. 28Even so you also outwardly ap-pear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29“Woe to you, scribes and Phari-sees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fa-thers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

31“Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32Fill up, then, the measure of your fa-thers’ guilt. 33Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35that on you may come all the righ-teous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the

6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ,a and you are all brethren. 9Do not call anyone on earth your fa-ther; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10And do not be called teach-ers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

13“But woe to you, scribes and Phar-isees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.a

15“Woe to you, scribes and Phari-sees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to per-form it.’ 17Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifiesa the gold? 18And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ 19Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwellsa in it. 22And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

23“Woe to you, scribes and Phari-sees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of

MATTHEW 23:35 | 1371

23:8 a NU- Text omits the Christ. 23:14 a NU- Text omits this verse. 23:17 a NU- Text reads sanctified. 23:21 a M- Text reads dwelt. 23:25 a M- Text reads unrighteousness.

11:41 – 43, but they swallowed “a camel” by neglect-ing mercy, justice, and faith.23:25 – 26 but inside. The inside of the cup rep-resents a person’s character. Sometimes those who most loudly protest the sins of others are secretly guilty of those or worse sins themselves.23:35 Abel . . . Zechariah. Abel was the first person murdered in the Old Testament (Gen. 4:8); Zechariah was the last. His death is recorded in 2 Chronicles 24:20 – 22, the last book of the Hebrew canon.

23:7 Rabbi. The title “rabbi” means “teacher.”23:10 do not be called teachers. This verse is a warning against the human tendency to replace a personal relationship with God with following an earthly leader. No matter how dynamic or even how godly such a leader is, as soon as people start looking to that person rather than to God, they have created an idol.23:24 swallow a camel. The Pharisees would literally “strain out a gnat” in order not to violate Leviticus

saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will de-ceive many. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for alla these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,a and earth-quakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The Great Tribulation15“Therefore when you see the

‘abomination of desolation,’ a spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16“then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let him

altar. 36As sured ly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Jesus Laments over Jerusalem37“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one

who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” a

Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple

24 Then Jesus went out and de-parted from the temple, and His

disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? As sured ly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

3Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him pri-vately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name,

1372 | MATTHEW 23:36

23:39 a Psalm 118:26 24:6 a NU- Text omits all. 24:7 a NU- Text omits pestilences. 24:15 a Daniel 11:31; 12:11

are more fully described in Revelation 6:1 – 8; 8:5 – 23; 9:13 – 21; and 16:2 – 21.24:10 Apostasy — Satan is a subtle adversary who works as an angel of light through false religious teachers (2 Cor. 11:14 – 15), and many will be mis-led. Apostasy is also the result of persecution. Jesus speaks of temporary faith, and says that a falling away often occurs when “tribulation or persecution arises because of the word” (13:21). Perseverance in faith and in the accompanying results of faith are positive evidence of a genuine Christian profession.24:15 abomination of desolation. The abomination of desolation literally means “the abomination that makes desolate.” This prophecy comes from Daniel, specifically Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. Many believe that Daniel 11:31 refers to Antiochus IV, who dese-crated the temple by sacrificing a pig on its altar and setting up an idol to Zeus in it. His actions were cer-tainly a prelude to what the ultimate “man of sin” will do. In a.d. 70, Titus destroyed Jerusalem, burned the temple, and set up an idol to mock the Jews. Signifi-cantly, Paul speaks of the Antichrist at the end times also setting himself up as a god (2 Thess. 2:3 – 4; Rev. 13:14 – 15).24:16 flee. At the time of the war ending in the destruction of the temple in a.d. 70, many of the

24:1 temple. The first temple, built by Solomon, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 b.c. The second temple, built under the encouragement of Haggai and Zechariah, and the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua (Hag. 1:1), was completed after consider-able delay in 516 b.c. This second temple was lavishly restored by Herod the Great, but not completed until a.d. 64. It stood completed for only six years before it was reduced to rubble by the Romans. The dev-astation in a.d. 70 was so complete that the precise location is still unknown today.24:4 Take heed that no one deceives you. Jesus’ warning about being deceived was especially appro-priate for the disciples. The destruction of Jerusalem did not necessarily mean the nearness of the end of the age. This principle was a point of confusion for them (Luke 19:11 – 27; Acts 1:6 – 7).24:6 must come to pass. This indicates a divine or logical necessity. Such things will happen because of the people’s sin. False messiahs had existed before (Acts 5:36 – 38) and false preachers would come in the future (Acts 20:29; 2 Cor. 11:13 – 15). Verses 4 – 6 may describe the first part of Daniel’s seventieth week (Dan. 9:25 – 27), but possibly they present a general picture of the present age.24:7 famines . . . and earthquakes. These disasters

they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The Parable of the Fig Tree32“Now learn this parable from the

fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So you also, when you see all these things, know that ita is near— at the doors! 34As sured ly, I say to you, this genera-tion will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

No One Knows the Day or Hour36“But of that day and hour no one

knows, not even the angels of heaven,a but My Father only. 37But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in mar-riage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour a your Lord is coming. 43But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

23“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25See, I have told you beforehand.

26“Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

The Coming of the Son of Man29“Immediately after the tribulation

of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and

MATTHEW 24:44 | 1373

24:33 a Or He 24:36 a NU- Text adds nor the Son. 24:42 a NU- Text reads day.

24:34 this generation. “Generation” may mean “race,” indicating that Israel as a people will not cease to exist before God fulfills His promises to them. Another possibility is that the word describes a particular era in which people will see the end times. That is, the events will occur so rapidly that all will happen within one generation. Perhaps both interpretations are true.24:36 that day and hour no one knows. Mark 13:32 indicates that even Jesus Himself did not know the exact time of His return. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He voluntarily limited His use of His divine attributes (John 17:4 – 5; Phil. 2:5 – 8). There-fore He became hungry, thirsty, and tired. In this instance, Jesus surrendered the use of His divine omniscience.

Christians did flee, hiding in the clefts of Petra. Some believe that the final fulfillment of this prophecy will occur in the future desecration of the temple (Dan. 9:27) and the subsequent setting up of an image of the “man of sin” in the Most Holy Place.24:24 signs and wonders. Miracles by themselves do not prove that something is of God (7:21 – 23; 2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 13:13 – 15). The teaching of those who perform signs and wonders must be tested against correct doctrine (Deut. 13:1 – 5; 1 John 4:1 – 3), and by the witness of God’s Spirit (John 10:3 – 5,27).24:29 Immediately after. This verse moves chrono-logically to the close of the tribulation, a period that will be marked by monumental cosmic disturbances (Is. 13:10; 34:4; Ezek. 32:7 – 8; Joel 2:30 – 31; 3:15; Hag. 2:6; Zech. 14:6; Rev. 6:12 – 14).

13“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour a in which the Son of Man is coming.

The Parable of the Talents14“For the kingdom of heaven is like

a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to an-other one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19After a long time the lord of those ser-vants came and settled accounts with them.

20“So he who had received five tal-ents came and brought five other tal-ents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faith-ful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faith-ful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant

45“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ a 49and begins to beat his fel-low servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50the master of that ser-vant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins

who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming;a go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those vir-gins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise answered, say-ing, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12But he answered and said, ‘As sured ly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

1374 | MATTHEW 24:45

24:48 a NU- Text omits his coming. 25:6 a NU- Text omits is coming. 25:13 a NU- Text omits the rest of this verse.

25:23 I will make you ruler over many things. The first two servants received the same reward, based on their faithfulness, not on the size of their respon-sibilities. The smallest task in God’s work may receive a great reward if we are faithful in performing it (10:42).

25:10 the bridegroom came. Christ’s return is often compared to a wedding (22:1 – 14; Rev. 19:7 – 8).25:14 delivered his goods to them. The parable of the talents illustrates the faith required of God’s servants.25:15 talents. A talent was a large sum of money, about six thousand denarii.

Evil / Note 3

How God Defines EvilMatthew 25:32– 46

God’s treatment of the evildoer often reveals His will to save. Judgment awaits all of us— but until that final day, opportu-nities for grace and repentance abound.

Through steadily teaching us about good and evil, God gives every one of us time to change our ways. He gives grace to those who call themselves His enemies. Instead of exacting vengeful retribution, God gives the evildoer every opportunity to turn from wicked ways.

Interestingly, we often aren’t good at gauging who is good and who is evil. Good and evil are not determined by how much time we spend in church, how good we are at sounding religious, or how subtly we show our selfishness. Good and evil are integrally tied to how we treat people (Matt 25:37). And evil is sometimes a matter of what you don’t do. Matthew 25:44, 45 explains this:

“‘Lord when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’”

This is a story about end of life judgment, the kind that comes to both believers and unbelievers alike, when Jesus comes back to earth to assess our actions. He will separate us based on how we treated people.

previous: Psalm 37next: Mark 7:20– 23

cursed, into the ever last ing fire pre-pared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe

26“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations

31“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy a angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32All the nations will be gath-ered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35for I was hun-gry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you vis-ited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40And the King will answer and say to them, ‘As sured ly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you

MATTHEW 25:43 | 1375

25:31 a NU- Text omits holy.

works of love which reflect a life redeemed by the saving work of Christ through the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:6). Love for God is demonstrated by love for man (1 John 4:20).

25:32 – 40 Judgment — The Final Judgment will be according to the evidence, not according to what was professed but what was practiced. It will be not according to what was said, but what was done. These works cannot earn salvation, but they are

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus14 Then one of the twelve, called

Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16So from that time he sought op-portunity to betray Him.

Jesus Celebrates Passover with His Disciples

17Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”

18And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ”

19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

20 When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. 21Now as they were eating, He said, “As sured ly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

22And they were exceedingly sor-rowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?”

23He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?”

He said to him, “You have said it.”

Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper26And as they were eating, Jesus

took bread, blesseda and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44“Then they also will answer Him,a saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hun-gry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, say-ing, ‘As sured ly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46And these will go away into everlasting pun-ishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

26 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings,

that He said to His disciples, 2“You know that after two days is the Pass-over, and the Son of Man will be deliv-ered up to be crucified.”

3 Then the chief priests, the scribes,a and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. 5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

The Anointing at Bethany6And when Jesus was in Bethany at

the house of Simon the leper, 7a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8But when His disciples saw it, they were in-dignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”

10But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. 12For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13As-suredly, I say to you, wherever this gos-pel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

1376 | MATTHEW 25:44

25:44 a NU- Text and M- Text omit Him. 26:3 a NU- Text omits the scribes. 26:26 a M- Text reads gave thanks for.

26:26 – 28 My body . . . My blood. The Lord Jesus, at this last meal with His disciples before He went to the cross, instituted this ordinance for His church throughout this age. It is called “the Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor. 11:20). Using common everyday items, the bread and wine that could be found on any table, no matter how poor, He gave us a “remembrance” so that we would never forget that His broken body and shed blood bought salvation for us.

26:14 one of the twelve. The enormity of Judas’ sin is seen in these words: Jesus was betrayed by one of His own best friends.26:15 thirty pieces of silver. Thirty pieces of silver was the price of a slave (Ex. 21:32). Zechariah proph-esied this sum (Zech. 11:12 – 13).26:21 one of you will betray Me. This statement indicates the Lord’s omniscience. Repeatedly, Christ unveiled evidence of His deity to His disciples.

Every Sunday around the world, huge num-bers of Christians observe the Lord’s Supper. The bread and the wine is shared as believ-ers reflect on the life and sacrifice of Jesus. That’s exactly what Jesus called us to do.

The bread symbolizes His body, while the cup is a picture of His blood. We need to keep this awareness of Christ’s broken body and shed blood before us all the time. As Luke, another Gospel writer told us, Jesus com-manded His disciples to observe the Lord’s Supper “in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

MORE INSIGHTWhile the Lord’s Supper can feel like a ritual for many believers, the apostle Paul warned

the believers in Corinth about abusing the ordinance (1  Cor. 11:17– 34). The Corinthians’ observance apparently resembled a contem-porary potluck where people would come together for a fellowship meal. But during the festivities some members received a lot while others received nothing. Paul challenged them to return to the original meaning of the Lord’s Supper— or face the consequences. He told them that some people had gotten sick because they had taken the meal “in an unworthy manner” (1  Cor. 11:27, 29). Some had even died (1 Cor. 11:30).

previous: Matthew 22:34– 40next: Matthew 28:18– 20

STUDY THE BOOKMatthew 26:26– 29The Lord’s Supper is a sacred practice

Covenant / Note 5

Jesus Is the New CovenantMatthew 26:26– 30

Every covenant pointed to Jesus. God’s cov-enant with Noah revealed He loved humanity and did not want them to perish. God’s cov-enant with Abraham showed He wanted a people to call His own. God’s covenant with David showed He had a long- term plan.

And everything was fulfilled in Jesus. He gave us eternal life. He allows people to belong to God. He is the “yes” to all the promises of God (2  Cor. 1:20). He lived per-fectly at every level, in mind, body, mouth, and spirit. When He chose to die in our place, He completely and permanently fulfilled the requirement of every covenant.

The new covenant isn’t a document; it’s a Word. The Word that became flesh (John 1:14). No longer do we wonder if we’ve lived obediently enough to abide by the covenant; Jesus is the new covenant, and our lives are wrapped up in His. If He declares us righteous, we are righteous. If He declares us redeemed, we are redeemed. He is the mediator of the new covenant (Heb. 12:24), and He alone declares us worthy of God.

And not only are we recipients of that new covenant, but we are also ministers of it (2 Cor. 3:4– 18). It’s our job to explain this new covenant to our friends, family, acquaintanc-es, and neighbors. It’s our joy and privilege to acknowledge Him as our covenant, and through the Spirit we glorify Him.

previous: Jeremiah 31:31– 40

30And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you

will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:

27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28For this is My blood of the new a cov en ant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

MATTHEW 26:31 | 1377

26:28 a NU- Text omits new.

(Jer. 31:31 – 34; 32:37 – 44; Ezek. 34:25 – 31; 37:26 – 28). 26:28 My blood of the new covenant. This refers to the new covenant promised in the Old Testa ment

46Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane47And while He was still speaking,

behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

48Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” 49Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

50But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?”

Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

52But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perisha by the sword. 53Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54How then could the Scriptures be ful-filled, that it must happen thus?”

55In that hour Jesus said to the mul-titudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin57And those who had laid hold of

Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58But Peter fol-lowed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

‘I will strike the Shepherd,And the sheep of the flock will be

scattered.’ a

32But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

33Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”

34 Jesus said to him, “As sured ly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

35Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”

And so said all the disciples.

The Prayer in the Garden36 Then Jesus came with them to a

place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zeb-edee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrow-ful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

39He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unlessa I drink it, Your will be done.” 43And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.

44So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

1378 | MATTHEW 26:32

26:31 a Zechariah 13:7 26:42 a NU- Text reads if this may not pass away unless. 26:52 a M- Text reads die.

26:53 twelve legions of angels. A legion in the Roman army was about six thousand men. When one considers the power of one angel (Ex. 32:23; 2 Sam. 24:15 – 17; 2 Kin. 19:35) the power of more than 72,000 angels is beyond comprehension. Jesus had all of heaven’s power at His disposal, yet He refused to use it. His Father’s will was for Him to go to the cross.

26:36 Gethsemane. The name “Gethsemane” means “oil press.” This garden was east of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. In the place where olives were crushed and ground, the Anointed One was crushed.26:51 one of those. John 18:10 informs us that the impetuous swordsman was Peter. This action was performed with one of the two swords that the dis-ciples had (Luke 22:38).

God the Son / Note 6

Jesus Is Coming BackMatthew 26:64

Many Old Testament passages offer ex-pectant glimpses of the One known as the Messiah, the Anointed One of God. We know Him today as Jesus Christ. Some of the prophecies speak to the fact that He would come as a servant and a poor man; others explain that He would be a triumphant warrior and mighty king.

What was not clear to the scholars and scribes at the time of Jesus is that the proph-ecies are not all about a singular appearance of the Messiah; there will actually be two appearances. Looking back through the lens of the New Testament, we come to know this truth: the Messiah came once to die for sins and become our king; He will come again as a warrior and His reign will never end.

The Old Testament prophecies combined with Jesus’ words do not leave any doubt: He is coming again “on the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64).

He is coming back to claim His own as His own, to overthrow every last shred of evil, and to rule forever. Even so, Jesus’ return is shrouded in mystery: no one knows when it will happen except the Father (Matt. 24:36).

Since no one knows the day or hour, we should learn to live with the constant expec-tation of the second coming of Christ. When He returns, He will judge, separating those who are His from those who are not; may we learn to live lives that reflect God’s love, showing that we are indeed God’s children (Matt. 25:31– 46).

previous: 1 Corinthians 1:30next: Colossians 1:9– 18

59Now the chief priests, the elders,a and all the council sought false tes-timony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.a But at last two false witnessesb came forward 61and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”

62And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

65 Then the high priest tore his

clothes, saying, “He has spoken blas-phemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?”

They answered and said, “He is de-serving of death.”

67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, 68saying, “Proph-esy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”

Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly

69Now Peter sat outside in the court-yard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”

MATTHEW 26:69 | 1379

26:59 a NU- Text omits the elders. 26:60 a NU- Text puts a comma after but found none, does not capitalize Even, and omits they found none. b NU- Text omits false witnesses.

His second coming. The final word spoken by Christ to the Jews was about the certainty of His future return. About His first coming Jesus said, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world” (John 3:17). But the time will come when all the world will see Him enthroned at the right hand of God and given all power and majesty as the judge of the ages.

26:62 Do You answer nothing? In maintaining His silence, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7.26:64 Second Coming — Throughout His ministry, Jesus had applied to Himself the Old Testament prophecies that were acknowledged as messianic by the Jewish teachers. Here, Jesus answers Caiaphas the high priest by combining two well-known mes-sianic prophecies from Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13. The first describes His enthronement and the other

value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.” a

Jesus Faces Pilate11Now Jesus stood before the gover-

nor. And the governor asked Him, say-ing, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” 12And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He an-swered nothing.

13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14But He answered him not one word, so that the governor mar-veled greatly.

Taking the Place of Barabbas15Now at the feast the governor was

accustomed to releasing to the multi-tude one prisoner whom they wished. 16And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.a 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

19 While he was sitting on the judg-ment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

20But the chief priests and elders per-suaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”

They said, “Barabbas!”22Pilate said to them, “What then

shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

23 Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?”

70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”

71And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”

73And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.”

74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. 75And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate

27 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the

people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontiusa Pilate the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing

that He had been condemned, was re-morseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4saying, “I have sinned by be-traying innocent blood.”

And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”

5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

6But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7And they consulted together and bought with them the pot-ter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 There-fore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the

1380 | MATTHEW 26:70

27:2 a NU- Text omits Pontius. 27:10 a Jeremiah 32:6– 9 27:16 a NU- Text reads Jesus Barabbas.

whereas Mark, which is believed to be based on Peter’s memories, would include more exact details.27:2 Pilate. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea from a.d. 26 to 36. Because the Jews did not have authority to execute Jesus, they brought Him to Pilate.

26:74 Immediately a rooster crowed. Some have detected a contradiction between this passage and the account in Mark 14:72. Others believe that seeing a contradiction is a forced reading of the text. Mat-thew, Luke, and John make the simple statement that a rooster would crow (Luke 22:61; John 18:27),

“They divided My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.” b

36Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:

THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

39And those who passed by blas-phemed Him, wagging their heads 40and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

41Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders,a said, 42“He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel,a let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.b 43He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

44Even the robbers who were cru-cified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

Jesus Dies on the Cross45Now from the sixth hour until the

ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46And about the ninth hour

But they cried out all the more, say-ing, “Let Him be crucified!”

24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.a You see to it.”

25And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus27 Then the soldiers of the governor

took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. 28And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

The King on a Cross32Now as they came out, they found

a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 33And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34they gave Him sour a wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

35 Then they crucified Him, and di-vided His garments, casting lots,a that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:

MATTHEW 27:46 | 1381

27:24 a NU- Text omits just. 27:34 a NU- Text omits sour. 27:35 a NU- Text and M- Text omit the rest of this verse. b Psalm 22:18 27:41 a M- Text reads with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders. 27:42 a NU- Text reads He is the King of Israel! b NU- Text and M- Text read we will believe in Him.

27:32 Simon by name. Simon probably was (or later became) a follower of Christ; it is unlikely that he would be referred to by name if he were a stranger to the Christian community (Mark 15:21).27:34 sour wine mingled with gall. It is believed that this mixture was meant to dull the victim’s pain. The prophetic words of Psalm 69:21 were fulfilled here.27:35 casting lots. The soldiers fulfilled the pro-phetic words of Psalm 22:18.27:38 two robbers. This is the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12, “He was numbered with the transgressors.” Psalm 22:6 predicted the insults that would be directed at the Messiah.27:45 the sixth hour. This would have been noon. The first hour began at sunrise (approximately 6:00 a.m.). darkness. The darkness could not have

27:25 His blood be on us and on our children. The sins of the fathers are visited on their children for those who hate God. But if anyone turns to Jesus and repents, He never fails to show His lovingkindness.27:27 the Praetorium. This was the official residence of the governor when he was in Jerusalem.27:31 crucified. Crucifixion, a practice proba-bly adopted from Persia, was considered by the Romans to be the cruelest form of execution. This punishment was reserved for the worst criminals. The offender usually died after two or three days of agonizing suffering, enduring not only incompre-hensible pain, but also hunger, thirst, and exposure. The offender’s arms were nailed to a beam that was hoisted up and fixed to a post, to which his feet were nailed.

taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

Pilate Sets a Guard62On the next day, which followed

the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that de-ceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by nighta and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last decep-tion will be worse than the first.”

65Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

He Is Risen

28 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to

dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2And be-hold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door,a and sat on it. 3His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4And the guards shook for fear of him, and be-came like dead men.

Jesus cried out with a loud voice, say-ing, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You for-saken Me?” a

47Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and ap-peared to many.

54So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, say-ing, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

55And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses,a and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb57Now when evening had come,

there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had

1382 | MATTHEW 27:47

27:46 a Psalm 22:1 27:56 a NU- Text reads Joseph. 27:64 a NU- Text omits by night. 28:2 a NU- Text omits from the door.

27:51 the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The temple had two veils or curtains, one in front of the holy place and the other separating the holy place from the Most Holy Place. These cur-tains were heavy and very strong and thick. It was the second of these that was torn, demonstrating that through the death of Jesus, there was now open access to God. Jesus’ blood covered our sins from God’s sight.27:57 a rich man of Arimathea. Joseph’s actions ful-filled the prophecy of Isaiah, “they made His grave with the wicked — but with the rich at His death” (Is. 53:9).28:2 rolled back the stone. The tomb was not opened to allow Christ to come out; it was opened to allow others to go in and see for themselves that it was empty.

been due to a natural cause, such as an eclipse of the sun, since the Passover occurred during a full moon. This was a supernatural occurrence.27:46 – 50 Atonement — Because God cannot tol-erate sin, as Jesus took upon Himself the sin of the whole human race, God had to turn away. Jesus felt this separation, and many believe it was as much for the dread of this as for the physical pain that Jesus wept in the garden. Jesus’ cry to God is a quote from Psalm 22:1, a messianic verse that the Jews should have understood.27:50 cried out again with a loud voice. The cry referred to here by Matthew was, “It is finished” (John 19:30). This was not a cry of exhaustion, but a cry of victory. The purpose for which Jesus came into the world had been accomplished. Redemption from sin had been purchased for all mankind.

If you have a job, you probably have a job description of some kind. You have a doc-ument that explains what you are respon-sible to accomplish and who can help you make that happen. Otherwise, with no clear direction, you could never be effective or productive.

In a sense, Matthew 28:18– 20 (also called the “Great Commission”) is a Christian’s job description. But it includes more than just a command to go and make disciples. It also helps believers understand the resources God provides to make that happen.

Think of it as a ministry sandwich. In the middle (v.  19), you have the meat of the message. That’s Jesus’ command to make disciples wherever we happen to be. But there are also two pieces of “bread” that hold the meat in place. The first is Jesus’ power (v.  18). He promised that He would pass all His authority to Christians so they could accomplish this God- sized task. The second is Jesus’ presence (v.  20). He promised to be with us no matter what.

Our mission to spread the gospel can only be accomplished effectively through Jesus’ power and Jesus’ presence.

MORE INSIGHTSome form of the Great Commission shows up at the end of every Gospel account. It also shows up at the beginning of the Book of Acts. But that account provides something the Gospel versions don’t: an outline for the church’s growth. Jesus said that the disciples would be witnesses for Him “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). That’s also how the content of Acts flows as the church stretches from its home base in Jerusalem (Acts 1– 7) to Judea and Samaria (Acts 8– 12) and eventually to foreign lands (Acts 13– 28). Acts ends with Paul in Rome, the empire’s capital. In less than a generation, the gospel had stretched across the Roman Empire and made a difference everywhere it landed.

previous: Matthew 26:26– 29

STUDY THE BOOKMatthew 28:18– 20The Great Commission is our faith map

The Soldiers Are Bribed11Now while they were going, be-

hold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

The Great Commission16 Then the eleven disciples went

5But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was cru-cified. 6He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

8So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

The Women Worship the Risen Lord9And as they went to tell His disci-

ples,a behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

MATTHEW 28:16 | 1383

28:9 a NU- Text omits the first clause of this verse.

28:7 go quickly and tell. This is always the divine order: to tell others the good news that Jesus is alive (v. 19).

28:6 He is risen, as He said. Jesus predicted His res-urrection to His disciples, even though they did not understand Him (12:40; 16:21; 17:9,23; 26:32).

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.a

away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19Go thereforea and make disciples of all the

God’s Will / Note 5

God Wills That We Share the Good NewsMatthew 28:18– 20

As discussed in the concept note at John 21:15– 17, there are some things that all be-lievers have in common as God’s will for their lives: Love. Work. Share. Give. Learn. Serve. Go. Include. Forgive. Solve. Encourage. Love God. Show God’s kind of love to people. When we do these things, we’re contributing to the main goal of God’s people on earth: to bring more people into the family of God.

The Great Commission is Jesus’ final instruction to His disciples, given as He left earth to ascend to heaven: make disciples, baptize, and teach (Matt. 28:19, 20).

Jesus gave this command with “all authority” (v. 18). The full weight of God’s

holy will is behind this divine requirement. And He also promised He would be with us (v.  20). The task is monumental, but we’re not in it alone. Through the Spirit’s presence and gifts, God’s people are empowered to accomplish anything that’s required to grow Jesus’ kingdom.

We’re like a great army— many members, many people, many feet on the ground, and many hands ready for battle. But we have one united goal: Be a living, breathing witness of Christlikeness everywhere we go. Live in the image of God (Gen. 1:26).

You can be sure that God’s will for your life will harmonize with His will for all of us. Our goal is the same as everyone who has ever believed in God through faith. Make Him known!

previous: John 21:15– 17next: Luke 22:31– 34

1384 | MATTHEW 28:17

28:19 a M- Text omits therefore. 28:20 a NU- Text omits Amen.

4. Because this is God’s chosen method: He could use angels, but He only uses redeemed sinners to tell lost sinners about Christ (Rom. 10:14 – 17; 1 Tim. 1:15).

5. Because God desires to save all people (Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9).

6. Because faith grows best when each genera-tion conscientiously strives to pass it on to the next.

28:20 I am with you always. Jesus is the true Imman-uel, “God with us” (1:23; Heb. 13:5 – 6; Rev. 21:3).

28:19 Why Share Our Faith — There are at least six compelling reasons for sharing our faith in Christ with those who have not experienced new life in Christ: 1. Because God has commanded us to do so (Acts

1:8). 2. Because it demonstrates our love for God. If we

truly love Him we will keep His commandments (John 14:15).

3. Because all are lost without Christ (Rom. 3:10,23).

Mark’s Gospel is one of a kind. There is no genealogy like the ones found in Matthew and Luke. There are no details about Jesus’ birth like Matthew and Luke incorporate. Mark’s Gospel hits the ground running— with the be-ginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry— and never slows. Mark shows readers the action in Jesus’ ministry: He casts out demons, He heals dis-eases, and He changes lives. Jesus the Suf-fering Servant pivots history. And all that in the shortest of the four Gospels.

Although the book does not name its author, many early church documents and general his-torical documents point to Mark as the author. The author knew the region of Palestine, es-pecially Jerusalem, very well. He was familiar with Aramaic, the language of Palestine. The author also had a good grasp of Jewish cus-toms. John Mark fits these criteria. He lived in Jerusalem and was the cousin of Barnabas. His Jewish name was John, and his Roman name was Mark.

Mark used the present tense freely in his writing, so the narrative has the feel of an eye-witness news account of the events in Jesus’ life. Look for words Mark used to move the reader from one event to the next, such as “im-mediately” and “then.” These words help give the writing its fast- paced feel. With energetic writing, Mark focuses more on what Jesus did than on the words He spoke.

Mark described nineteen of Jesus’ mir-acles, but only four of the spoken parables. Although Mark covered most of the same events in Jesus’ life as Matthew and Luke, he added some lively details about Jesus— such as how He looked at the disciples, how He walked ahead of the disciples when traveling to Jerusalem, or even when He was angry. Bible scholars suspect that Mark gathered these details by talking with Peter near the end of Peter’s life, with Peter providing much

of the information to Mark for writing this Gospel.

Scholars believe that Mark’s audience was Gentile Christians and Romans. They sug-gest this because Mark’s writing assumes the reader has basic knowledge of the Christian faith, but does not assume that the reader is familiar with Jewish Scriptures (Old Testa-ment passages), Jewish customs, or Jewish geography.

Mark’s Gentile readers were experiencing persecution, so he provided encouragement to endure their suffering. By telling the story of Jesus’ life, Mark ensured that the Gentile Christians would find comfort not only in the fact that Jesus had suffered too, but that He was victorious over suffering and even over death.

Mark traveled with Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey. Paul lost some confidence in Mark, because he left them before the journey was complete. Later Mark did travel with Barnabas on a missionary trip to Cyprus. Paul later complimented Mark’s work, suggest-ing that he had regained confidence in Mark. Paul called Mark a “fellow laborer” (Philem. v. 24). Peter called Mark “my son,” (1 Pet. 5:13).

Mark’s mother, Mary, provided her home as a gathering place for the church in Jerusalem. When he was confined in Rome, Paul sent for

MarkIN SUMMARYMark is a book about Jesus’ ministry on earth, showing the power- filled Savior moving and work-ing among people.

HOW TO STUDY MARK

STUDY THE BOOK HIGHLIGHTS

A voice in the wilderness (1:2– 8)

Jesus reveals the heart of the Law (2:13– 28)

Miracles show God’s kingdom on earth (6:32– 44)

Jesus came to serve (10:45)

Was it Mark? (14:50– 52)

Mark doesn’t end with fear (16:9– 20)

Mark to come and help him. All this suggests that Mark was a faithful missionary and worker in the early church.

Most New Testament scholars believe Mark’s Gospel was the first Gospel written. However, the date it was written is uncertain. Some Bible scholars date Mark’s writing after Peter’s death in a.d. 64 or 65, but before the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. Although the exact year is uncertain, it seems likely that

Mark’s Gospel was written just three or four decades after the actual events took place.

As you read Mark, look for Jesus at work and on the move, doing His Father’s business. Mark focuses on the action in Jesus’ ministry. See how lives were changed— people made well, bodies and minds strengthened, hungry people fed, and hearts transformed as they en-countered the Messiah come to earth.

1386 | MARK INTRODUCTION

whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8I indeed bap-tized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John Baptizes Jesus9It came to pass in those days that

Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And immediately, coming up froma the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Satan Tempts Jesus12Immediately the Spirit drove Him

into the wilderness. 13And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2As it is writ-

ten in the Prophets:a

“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.” b

3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;Make His paths straight.’ ” a

4John came baptizing in the wilder-ness and preaching a baptism of repen-tance for the remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I,

1:2 a NU- Text reads Isaiah the prophet. b Malachi 3:1 1:3 a Isaiah 40:3 1:10 a NU- Text reads out of.

baptized by John, he or she would admit to his or her individual sin and need for the Messiah.1:7 And he preached, saying. The tense of these verbs indicates continuous action in past time. John’s characteristic message was to promote expectancy and acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ.1:8 I indeed baptized you with water. The water is a physical representation of the future life in the Spirit that people who followed the Messiah would have.1:9 Jesus . . . was baptized by John. Because He had no sins to repent of, Jesus’ baptism was unique. It showed His identity with John’s work and with the sinner for whom He would die. It also foreshadowed His own death, burial, and resurrection for sinners.1:11 a voice came from heaven. Three times during Christ’s earthly ministry a voice came from heaven. Here it was the Father’s testimony to Christ’s unique and divine Sonship. The other two confirming inci-dents were at the transfiguration (9:7) and on the day of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem (John 12:28).1:13 angels ministered to Him. Mark is the only Gos-pel that mentions these angels.

1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Writing three decades after the resurrection of Christ, Mark starts his narrative with a simple decla-ration of the good news about God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel refers to the basic story of the good news to be found in Christ’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection.1:2 – 3 As it is written. Other than by quoting Jesus, Mark makes only one reference to the Old Testament.1:4 John came baptizing. The mention of John with-out any introduction presupposes some knowledge of the Christian faith on the part of Mark’s readers. the remission of sins. This phrase does not mean that one is baptized in order to receive forgiveness of sins. The Greek preposition translated “of” in English probably means “with a view to,” signifying that baptism looks to the forgiveness that God gives through the gift of repentance.1:5 were all baptized by him. John’s baptizing was a recurring popular event that attracted large crowds. Mark vividly portrays the continuous stream of fol-lowers who flocked to John. As each person was

Mark opened his Gospel with the Old Testament prophecy that describes John the Baptist as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (v.  3), preparing the way for the coming Savior.

Mark officially introduced John in the fourth verse of his book with the words, “John came baptizing.” This strikingly brief introduction reveals that Mark probably as-sumed his readers were already familiar with John the Baptist.

Like the other three Gospels, Mark described John as living in the wilderness (the wasteland area near the Dead Sea) and “clothed with camel’s hair” (v.  6). John was “baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance” (v.  4). This baptism is not the same as Christian baptism following a person’s decision to accept Christ. John’s baptism prepared people to receive the mes-sage of Christ. Those who accepted John’s baptism showed they were turning away from their sins. By calling for a radical change in

behavior, John was preparing the people of Israel to meet the Savior.

John preached that someone was coming— Jesus— “whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose” (v.  7). Removing another person’s sandals was a task for slaves. John communicated his teachability and humility as he prepared the way for the coming Savior.

MORE INSIGHT ■ Mark described Jesus’ public ministry

as beginning at the point that John the Baptist was put in prison (Mark 1:14). He later tells of John’s death at the hands of King Herod in Mark 6:14– 29.

■ In Matthew’s Gospel, we find these words of Jesus speaking about John: “Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist” (Matt. 11:11).

next: Mark 2:13– 28

STUDY THE BOOKMark 1:2– 8A voice in the wilderness

19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. 20And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit21 Then they went into Capernaum,

and immediately on the Sabbath He en-tered the synagogue and taught. 22And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having au-thority, and not as the scribes.

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry14Now after John was put in prison,

Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdoma of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Four Fishermen Called as Disciples16And as He walked by the Sea of

Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 They im-mediately left their nets and followed Him.

MARK 1:22 | 1387

1:14 a NU- Text omits of the kingdom.

1:21 Capernaum. This city is now in ruins, and sits beside the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee. It is mentioned 22 times in the Gospels. By contrast, only one recorded event during Christ’s ministry occurred at Nazareth (Luke 4:16).1:22 they were astonished at His teaching. Christ’s teaching differed from that of scribes and Pharisees because He did not lean on the wisdom of other teachers and rabbis. His authority came from Him-self.

1:15 kingdom of God. The kingdom was the subject of much Old Testament prophecy, and the theme was familiar to Jesus’ listeners. Repent, and believe. These are both acts of faith. When a person accepts the only true and worthy object of faith, that person readily turns from inferior substitutes.1:19 James . . . John. The scenes of verses 16 – 20 are very colorful. Simon and Andrew are fishing when we encounter them. James and John are mending their nets. Such details indicate the testimony of an eyewitness, probably Peter.

Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”

38But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”

39And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper40Now a leper came to Him, implor-

ing Him, kneeling down to Him and say-ing to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

41 Then Jesus, moved with compas-sion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleans-ing those things which Moses com-manded, as a testimony to them.”

45However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

2 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard

that He was in the house. 2Immedi-ately a many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4And when they could not come near Him because

23Now there was a man in their syn-agogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Naz-areth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are— the Holy One of God!”

25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with author-ity a He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28And im-mediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

Peter’s Mother- in- Law Healed29Now as soon as they had come

out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset32At evening, when the sun had set,

they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon- possessed. 33And the whole city was gathered to-gether at the door. 34 Then He healed many who were sick with various dis-eases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Preaching in Galilee35Now in the morning, having risen

a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. 36And Simon and those who were with Him searched for

1388 | MARK 1:23

1:27 a NU- Text reads What is this? A new doctrine with authority. 2:2 a NU- Text omits Immediately.

1:44 say nothing to anyone. Jesus’ demand has sev-eral plausible explanations: (1) The report of Jesus’ healing the man may have prejudiced the priest who needed to pronounce him clean; (2) Jesus did not want to be known primarily as a miracle worker, so He often commanded those who received His healing to remain quiet; and (3) the man’s testimony would possibly have hastened the confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders.

1:28 His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. Mark notes the extent of recognition this great miracle brought Jesus. He also creates sus-pense by contrasting the people who received Christ with the Pharisees and rulers who worked to bring about His death.1:35 there He prayed. The verb tense indicates Jesus prayed continuously. Jesus’ prayer life was success-ful because it was planned, private, and prolonged. He got up early enough, got far enough away, and stayed at it long enough.

Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” a

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting18 The disciples of John and of the

Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

19And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old gar-ment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath23Now it happened that He went

through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 24And the Phar-isees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are for-given you.”

6And some of the scribes were sit-ting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7“Why does this Man speak blasphe-mies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8But immediately, when Jesus per-ceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are for given you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”— He said to the para-lytic, 11“I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12Immedi-ately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, say-ing, “We never saw anything like this!”

Matthew the Tax Collector13 Then He went out again by the sea;

and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. 14As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Fol-low Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

15Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collec-tors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16And when the scribes anda Pharisees saw

MARK 2:24 | 1389

2:16 a NU- Text reads of the. 2:17 a NU- Text omits to repentance.

Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:16 – 18). Here, the Pharisees’ fasting, perhaps twice each week (Luke 18:12), is contrasted with Jesus’ feasting probably at Levi’s house.2:21 – 22 No one sews . . . no one puts. Mark records only four of Jesus’ parables — two of which he includes here. The comparison implies that the new-ness of His message, and of the new covenant to fol-low, cannot fit into the old molds of Judaism. The Old Testament was preparation for the New Testament (Gal. 3:19 – 25).2:24 what is not lawful on the Sabbath. The point to the Pharisees’ accusation against Jesus and His disciples was that they had performed work on the Sabbath, but their charge was dubious. The act of plucking grain should not be confused with Sabbath work condemned by the law (Ex. 31:15). This incident is further proof of rising opposition to Jesus’ ministry.

2:5 saw their faith. Not only did the four men have faith, but the paralytic himself had it too. When Jesus announced to him, “your sins are forgiven you,” He was implicitly acknowledging the paralytic’s trust that He was the Messiah.2:6 – 7 some of the scribes. Mark notes the opposi-tion of the scribes, who under their breath accused Jesus of blasphemy. In Christ’s day the scribes were commonly called lawyers.2:11 arise, take up your bed, and go to your house. By healing the paralytic, Jesus made His pronounce-ment of forgiveness far more credible.2:13 He taught them. Jesus regularly taught the mul-titudes in retreat settings. This is indicated by the continuous tense of the verbs used here. They kept on coming and Jesus kept on teaching.2:18 fast. Jesus was not against fasting, if properly observed. He gave guidelines for fasting in the

In chapter 2, Mark gives snapshots of Jesus’ encounters with the religious leaders. These guardians of the Jewish faith— Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees— were leaders, teachers, and priests who possessed a great zeal for the Law. However, many role- played a false outward righteousness while their hearts were far from God. These religious leaders strongly criticized Jesus for His “fail-ure” to keep the laws they insisted were so important.

■ The Law can’t make people righteous. After Jesus called “Follow me” (v. 14) to Levi (also known as Matthew), He visited Levi’s house. Jesus willingly spent time with the community’s outcasts, which angered the religious leaders (v. 16). Jesus responded, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repen-tance” (v. 17). Note Jesus’ use of the word righteous, perhaps calling out the religious leaders’ confidence in their own ability to keep the Law. Tellingly, their hearts were hardened against Jesus, the very author of righteousness.

■ Fasting nurtures faith, but doesn’t create righteousness. When the Pharisees questioned why Jesus’ disciples did not maintain the Pharisees’ strict habits of fasting, Jesus responded with three stories— about a wedding groom, an old cloth, and old wineskins. Jesus was not against fasting. At other times, He even taught how to fast (Matt. 6:16– 18). But for the Pharisees, fasting had become just another ritual that made them feel confident in their ability to be pure.

Jesus would not put His disciples into bondage to self- righteousness.

■ The Law, formerly a burden, becomes a source of blessing in Christ. Jesus and His hungry disciples plucked grain while walking through a field on the Sabbath. The Pharisees announced that, because it was work, plucking grain was “not law-ful on the Sabbath” (Mark 2:24). Actually, the rule it broke was the Pharisees’ own invented rule that extended the original command. Jesus recalled how David and his men ate the showbread from the tabernacle, which only the priests should eat. Then Jesus reminded them that the “Son of Man” is “Lord of the Sabbath” (v. 28). As God’s Son, He had the author-ity to decide what was permissible on the Sabbath. And according to Him, “the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (v. 27).

MORE INSIGHTAs Christians, we are not obligated to keep the Sabbath (Saturday), the Jewish day of rest and worship. As Christ followers, we observe Sunday, the first day of the week, as our day of rest and worship. Because Christ arose on the first day of the week, New Testament Christians chose Sunday as their time for worship and rest.

previous: Mark 1:2– 8next: Mark 6:32– 44

STUDY THE BOOKMark 2:13– 28Jesus reveals the heart of the Law

Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

Healing on the Sabbath

3 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had

a withered hand. 2So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.”

25But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: 26how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?”

27And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the

1390 | MARK 2:25

He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; 18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thad daeus, Simon the Cananite; 19and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

A House Divided Cannot Stand20 Then the multitude came together

again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”

22And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelze-bub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”

23So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if Satan has risen up against him-self, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. 27No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, un-less he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

The Unpardonable Sin28“As sured ly, I say to you, all sins

will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has for-giveness, but is subject to eternal

4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept si-lent. 5And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.a 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

A Great Multitude Follows Jesus7But Jesus withdrew with His disci-

ples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea 8and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. 9So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. 10For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. 11And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” 12But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

The Twelve Apostles13And He went up on the mountain

and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 14 Then He appointed twelve,a that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15and to have power to heal sicknesses anda to cast out de-mons: 16Simon,a to whom He gave the name Peter; 17James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom

MARK 3:29 | 1391

3:5 a NU- Text omits as whole as the other. 3:14 a NU- Text adds whom He also named apostles. 3:15 a NU- Text omits to heal sicknesses and. 3:16 a NU- Text reads and He appointed the twelve: Simon . . . .

not make Him known. Jesus rebuked the demons who proclaimed, “You are the Son of God.” This was not because the demons incorrectly identified Jesus, but because their testimony was untrustworthy.3:16 – 19 gave the name Peter. Jesus gave Peter a new name because it was the Jewish custom to rename someone who had experienced a life-changing event. This renaming of the disciples has similarities to the renaming of Abram (Gen. 17:3 – 5) and of Saul (Acts 9).3:27 strong man. Whoever defeats Satan must be stronger than he. Jesus implies that He Himself has come to enter the house of the strong man, Satan, to seize his goods (1 John 3:8).3:28 – 30 he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit. This person places himself or herself outside the

3:5 when He had looked around at them with anger. It is possible, as Paul exhorts, to be angry and not sin (Eph. 4:26). Jesus demonstrated this righteous anger. He was grieved with sin but did not sin Himself by retaliating or losing control of His emotions.3:6 Herodians. The Pharisees were religious experts who should have led the people in righteousness. Instead they plotted Jesus’ death with the Herodi-ans, their bitter enemies. They were willing to set aside differences to destroy a common foe. The Herodians were Jews who supported Rome and the Herods in particular. Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great, ruled Galilee during the same time that Pilate served as Roman governor over Judea and Samaria.3:11 – 12 He sternly warned them that they should

sprang up, increased and produced: some thirty fold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

9And He said to them,a “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Purpose of Parables10But when He was alone, those

around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12so that

‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,

And hearing they may hear and not understand;

Lest they should turn,And their sins be forgiven

them.’ ” a

The Parable of the Sower Explained

13And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with glad-ness; 17and they have no root in them-selves, and so endure only for a time.

condemnation”— 30because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him

31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothersa are outside seeking You.”

33But He answered them, say ing, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 34And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

The Parable of the Sower

4 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gath-

ered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

3“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air a came and de-voured it. 5Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6But when the sun was up it was scorched, and be-cause it had no root it withered away. 7And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that

1392 | MARK 3:30

3:32 a NU- Text and M- Text add and Your sisters. 4:4 a NU- Text and M- Text omit of the air. 4:9 a NU- Text and M- Text omit to them. 4:12 a Isaiah 6:9, 10

4:3 – 8 a sower went out to sow. The point of the parable is that the condition of the soil determines the potential for growth. The principle is true for Christians and non-Christians alike. Those who have become complacent and lackadaisical are not likely to receive the Word with benefit (James 1:2 – 25).4:11 To you it has been given to know the mystery. In Scripture, a mystery is a truth God has revealed or will reveal at the proper time (Rom. 16:25 – 26). Jesus apparently used parables for several reasons. First, they are interesting and grab the listener’s attention. Second, such stories are easily remem-bered. Third, they reveal truth to those who are ready spiritually to receive it. Fourth, they conceal truth from those who oppose Christ’s message. Frequently Jesus’ opponents failed to understand the lessons because of their own spiritual blindness (Matt. 21:45 – 46).

redeeming grace of God. It is apparently not a sin-gle act of defiant behavior, but a continued state of opposition entered into willingly. The tense of “they said” indicates a continued action, not a one-time event. The words and works of Christ were spoken and performed by the power of the Holy Spirit. To attribute them to Satan is to call the work of heaven a work of hell. For such perverse belief there is no remedy. How someone can commit this sin today is a difficult question to answer, but those who persist in denigrating Christ by insulting His work or by attrib-uting it to Satan may drive themselves past a point of no return (Matt. 12:31 – 32).3:31 His brothers and His mother. Opposition arose from Jesus’ own immediate family. We are not told precisely what they wanted to say, but it likely involved a concern for Jesus’ safety or reputation, since He was becoming widely known as a preaching prophet and a worker of miracles.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed30 Then He said, “To what shall we

liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

Jesus’ Use of Parables33And with many such parables He

spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus35On the same day, when evening

had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” a 41And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Afterward, when tribulation or perse-cution arises for the word’s sake, imme-diately they stumble. 18Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it be-comes unfruitful. 20But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Light Under a Basket21Also He said to them, “Is a lamp

brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lamp-stand? 22For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has any-thing been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

The Parable of the Growing Seed26And He said, “The kingdom of God

is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28For the earth yields crops by it-self: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

MARK 4:41 | 1393

4:40 a NU- Text reads Have you still no faith?

4:35 cross over to the other side. The Sea of Galilee is about eight miles wide and twelve miles long. Its unique geography produces a greatly varying cli-mate. It is 700 feet below sea level with mountains that rise 3,000 – 4,000 feet around it. It is not unusual for sudden windstorms to appear during the eve-ning hours. The warm tropical air from the lake’s sur-face rises and meets the colder air from the nearby hills. The resulting turbulences and winds can be treacherous.4:41 Who can this be. Mark uses the disciples’ ques-tion to evoke a similar response in the minds of his readers. Mark relates the works and words of the one he calls “Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (1:1).

4:20 hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit. Only one soil produces fruit. Such a person recognizes God’s call, determines to follow it, and experiences a profound transformation.4:21 – 23 a lamp. These were small clay vessels that burned a wick set in olive oil. Like the lamp, Jesus’ teachings reveal the motives of the human heart.4:26 – 29 The kingdom of God is as if. Plants develop in a complex, intricate process that humans still do not fully understand even two thousand years after Jesus spoke these words. Yet plants grow and bear fruit and seeds just the same. God’s kingdom like-wise is growing, although we do not understand all that is happening. This parable, which appears only in Mark’s Gospel, presents God’s kingdom in brief, from first sowing to final reaping.

happened to him who had been demon- possessed, and about the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

18And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon- possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19How-ever, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

21Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. 22And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 23and begged Him ear-nestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” 24So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

25Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26and had suffered many things from many phy-sicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

29Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the afflic-tion. 30And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of

A Demon- Possessed Man Healed

5 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the

Gadarenes.a 2And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him,a not even with chains, 4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

8For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?”

And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

11Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 12So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” 13And at once Jesusa gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

14So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. 15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon- possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16And those who saw it told them how it

1394 | MARK 5:1

5:1 a NU- Text reads Gerasenes. 5:3 a NU- Text adds anymore. 5:13 a NU- Text reads And He gave.

Greek-speaking area was an important strategic link in Rome’s military defense.5:22 one of the rulers of the synagogue. Jairus was a lay leader charged with supervising services at the synagogue.5:26 suffered many things from many physicians. Mark is not complimentary toward the physicians who had treated this woman.5:29 – 30 Immediately. This word is used twice in this context. Both the woman and Jesus simultaneously

5:1 the country of the Gadarenes. This area is on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The form of the name varies (Matt. 8:28; Luke 8:26,37).5:17 – 20 they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. Jesus was not well received in this region. His presence had cost financial loss to some, although it meant liberation to the demoniac. Jesus could have healed and saved in that region, but He was turned away by its fearful citizens. Decapolis. This literally means “ten cities.” This largely Gentile,

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

6 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His

disciples followed Him. 2And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

4But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6And He marveled be-cause of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

Sending Out the Twelve7And He called the twelve to Himself,

and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spir-its. 8He commanded them to take noth-ing for the journey except a staff— no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— 9but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

10Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. 11And who-ever a will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.b As sured ly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

31But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

32And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33But the woman, fearing and trembling, know-ing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

40And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 43But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

MARK 6:11 | 1395

6:11 a NU- Text reads whatever place. b NU- Text omits the rest of this verse.

Him. Faith itself does not heal — it is the proper object of that faith, Jesus, who heals.5:43 He commanded them strictly. The command to keep the miracle a secret was a temporary measure, for certainly the girl’s appearance could not be hid-den very long. Such orders would, however, allow Jesus to exit quietly. Jesus did not want to be known primarily as a miracle worker, lest people seek Him for the wrong reasons.6:4 A prophet is not without honor except in his own country. This maxim is still repeated and is still true today. Perhaps others were jealous of Jesus’ popu-larity and huge following. Their envy even took the form of violence against Christ (Luke 4:29).

knew what had happened. Who touched My clothes? Jesus turned when He was touched and confronted the woman before she disappeared. He wanted to correct any mistaken notion she may have had about her healing. It was not any magical quality of His clothing but His divine will that had made her well.5:33 told Him the whole truth. Jesus’ kind manner and tender words must have eased the fear this woman had of being revealed. Naturally, the time that Jesus took to care for the woman must have worried the already tense disciples.5:34 Daughter. Jesus used this tender word to address this woman, and He noted that her faith made the difference, for it was correctly placed in

want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

26And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and be-cause of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent an executioner and com-manded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

Feeding the Five Thousand30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus

and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. 31And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

33But the multitudesa saw them de-parting, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. 34And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. 35 When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. 36Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread;a for they have nothing to eat.”

37But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

12So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

John the Baptist Beheaded14Now King Herod heard of Him, for

His name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

15Others said, “It is Elijah.”And others said, “It is the Prophet,

or a like one of the prophets.”16But when Herod heard, he said,

“This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!” 17For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. 18Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

19 Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; 20for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

21 Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. 22And when Hero-dias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 23He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

24So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”

And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”

25Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I

1396 | MARK 6:12

6:15 a NU- Text and M- Text omit or. 6:33 a NU- Text and M- Text read they. 6:36 a NU- Text reads something to eat and omits the rest of this verse.

stern words about divorce (10:11 – 12) or on Leviticus 20:21, which prohibits a man from taking his broth-er’s wife.6:23 up to half my kingdom. This is an expression meaning a large amount but with some limits.6:34 moved with compassion. The Gospels record several times that when Jesus saw a need He responded compassionately (1:41). That compassion led to action, despite an obvious lack of food in this instance.6:36 – 37 Send them away. The disciples sought to avoid responsibility for the hungry multitude.

6:14 King Herod. This is Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the Great, the king who tried to kill the baby Jesus (Matt. 2:1 – 18). After Herod the Great’s death in 4 b.c. his kingdom was divided between Archelaus, who received Judea and Samaria; Philip, who ruled Iturea and Trachonitis, north and east of Galilee; and Antipas, who controlled Galilee and Perea from 4 b.c. to a.d. 39. Jesus ministered largely in the territory ruled by Antipas.6:18 not lawful. John’s message to Herod was that his divorce was not lawful as grounds for remar-riage. John’s declaration could be based on Jesus’

With Mark’s focus on the activity of Jesus’ ministry, it’s no surprise he paid attention to the miracles. Mark devoted more of his account to Jesus’ miracles than any other Gospel writer. These miracles are sprinkled throughout the text from chapter 1 through chapter 11.

Jesus’ miracles were never intended as a circus sideshow or to attract attention to Him as some kind of celebrity. Instead, through the miracles, Jesus showed the presence of God’s kingdom (Matt. 12:28). And Jesus showed He was indeed God because only God can do miracles.

Here is a sampling of Jesus’ miracles and their significance throughout the Book of Mark:

■ Sometimes Jesus cast out demons or unclean spirits to show His power over the forces of evil (1:23– 28; 5:1– 20; 7:24– 30; 9:14– 29).

■ Other times He healed physical ailments— including leprosy, paralysis, blood hemorrhaging, deafness, and blindness— to show His power over sickness and physical infirmities (1:40– 45; 5:25– 34; 7:31– 37; 8:22– 26; 10:46– 52).

■ Jesus brought a girl to life, demonstrating His power over death (5:21– 24, 35– 43).

■ Jesus fed thousands of hungry people with a single small meal to show His power to provide for physical needs (6:30– 44; 8:1– 10).

■ Jesus calmed storms and withered a fig tree to show His power over nature (4:35– 41; 11:12– 14, 20– 24).

The reactions to these miracles varied. Some crowds pressed close, bringing more sick people to Jesus and hoping to see the next miracle. Some were amazed and praised God for what they had seen. Some did not understand what the miracles meant. The Pharisees questioned Jesus’ authority in doing the miracles and quietly began to plot to bring about His downfall.

MORE INSIGHTBible writers used several words to describe miracles. Sign described a miracle with a deeper revelation (Is. 7:11, 14; John 2:11). Wonders described miracles that caused awe or terror (Joel 2:30; Mark 13:22). Matthew used work to describe the activity of Jesus (Matt. 11:2). Mark used power to empha-size the strength displayed in the miracles (Mark 6:7).

previous: Mark 2:13– 28next: Mark 10:45

STUDY THE BOOKMark 6:32– 44Miracles show God’s kingdom on earth

and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. 42So they all ate and were filled. 43And they took up twelve baskets full of frag-ments and of the fish. 44Now those who had eaten the loaves were abouta five thousand men.

Jesus Walks on the Sea45Immediately He made His disciples

And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred de narii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”

38But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”

And when they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.”

39 Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. 40So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. 41And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed

MARK 6:45 | 1397

6:44 a NU- Text and M- Text omit about.

6:43 twelve baskets full of fragments. These were small baskets commonly carried by travelers. It is possible to conclude that the leftovers gave each disciple enough food for his own use.

6:39 – 40 in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. Details such as sitting on the green grass, which is possible only in late winter and early spring, and the fact that the groups were counted are indications that an eyewitness, probably Peter, recounted this story to Mark.

whena they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with un-washed hands, they found fault. 3For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”

6He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypo-crites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.7 And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ a

8For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of mena — the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

9He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; a and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ b 11But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”— ’ (that is, a gift to God), 12then you no

get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. 46And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. 47Now when evening came, the boat was in the mid-dle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. 48 Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. 49And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52For they had not under-stood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

Many Touch Him and Are Made Well53 When they had crossed over, they

came to the land of Gennesaret and an-chored there. 54And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. 56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

Defilement Comes from Within

7 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him,

having come from Jerusalem. 2Now

1398 | MARK 6:46

7:2 a NU- Text omits when and they found fault. 7:7 a Isaiah 29:13 7:8 a NU- Text omits the rest of this verse. 7:10 a Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16 b Exodus 21:17

series of rules meant to bolster the ceremonial law of the Jews. Its authority was not supported by Scrip-ture. The question indirectly challenged Jesus, for as the disciples’ teacher He was judged responsible for their actions.7:6 – 7 hypocrites. The term originally referred to actors who wore masks on stage as they played dif-ferent characters. Thus the Pharisees were not gen-uinely religious; they were merely playing a part for all to see.7:11 – 13 But you say. This shows the absolute con-trast between God’s will and man’s empty tradition. Corban. This was evidently a pious-sounding eva-sion of the requirement of honoring one’s parents by supporting them financially.

6:51 He went up into the boat to them. Three mira-cles are contained in this brief account (vv. 47 – 51): (1) In the darkness Jesus saw the disciples out in the storm miles away, (2) Jesus walked on the water, and (3) Jesus showed complete control over His creation when the wind ceased.6:56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country. Mark summarizes Jesus’ healing minis-try, noting how widespread it was.7:3 – 4 For the Pharisees. These two verses explain the tradition of handwashing and various kinds of ceremonial uncleanness. Mark’s intended readers in Rome likely needed more background on the Jewish faith to understand this controversy.7:5 the tradition of the elders. This phrase refers to a

Evil / Note 4

Evil’s Source Is WithinMark 7:20– 23

Jesus proclaimed, “From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (vv. 21– 23).

Evil is born within our hearts, and ultimately it destroys us (see James 1:14, 15).

Do we have any choice in the matter? Definitely. We can take evil thoughts cap-tive and replace them with good thoughts before they bear evil actions (2  Cor. 10:5; Phil. 4:8). We can know that all of us are prone toward evil and take steps to guard against the sins we tend to gravitate toward. We choose. God’s Spirit guides and enables us.

But that requires self- awareness and proper definitions of evil (see the concept note at Matthew 25:32– 46, “How God Defines Evil”).

God will help us know ourselves and recognize evil. Jesus knows our hearts (John 2:25). He knows our inclination to be evil. His response is to redeem us personally and change our hearts. Jesus sought to fulfill what the prophet Ezekiel prophesied: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezek. 36:26).

While it is easy to point at other peo-ple and see their flaws, Jesus asks us to look at our own hearts. The first step toward combating evil is recognizing that the problem is within us. Once we recognize the source of evil in our hearts, it is much easier to refuse evil and em-brace goodness.

previous: Matthew 25:32– 46next: Revelation 20:10

longer let him do anything for his fa-ther or his mother, 13making the word of God of no effect through your tradi-tion which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

14 When He had called all the multi-tude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15 There is nothing that enters a man from out-side which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. 16If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” a

17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not per-ceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” a 20And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, for-nications, murders, 22thefts, covetous-ness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

A Gentile Shows Her Faith24From there He arose and went to

the region of Tyre and Sidon.a And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro- Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

MARK 7:27 | 1399

7:16 a NU- Text omits this verse. 7:19 a NU- Text ends quotation with eliminated, setting off the final clause as Mark’s comment that Jesus has declared all foods clean. 7:24 a NU- Text omits and Sidon.

7:24 the region of Tyre. This city is the farthest Jesus traveled from Israel during His public ministry.7:27 to the little dogs. Jesus is not attempting to insult the woman by using this metaphor. In fact, He is testing her faith. Matthew records Jesus’ reaction to her reply, “O woman, great is your faith” (Matt. 15:28).

4 Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”

5He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

And they said, “Seven.”6So He commanded the multitude

to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them be-fore the multitude. 7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. 8So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover frag-ments. 9Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, 10immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the re-gion of Dalmanutha.

The Pharisees Seek a Sign11 Then the Pharisees came out and

began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 12But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this gen-eration seek a sign? As sured ly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”

Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

13And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. 14Now the disciplesa had forgot-ten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

16And they reasoned among them-selves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.”

28And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”

29 Then He said to her, “For this say-ing go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”

30And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

Jesus Heals a Deaf- Mute31Again, departing from the region

of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an im-pediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, look-ing up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”

35Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Feeding the Four Thousand

8 In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to

eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, 2“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”

1400 | MARK 7:28

8:14 a NU- Text and M- Text read they.

8:10 Dalmanutha. This was probably on the western side of the Sea of Galilee, about three miles north of modern Tiberias and about five miles southwest of Capernaum. This is the only time it is mentioned in the New Testament.8:11 the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him. The Pharisees’ testing of Jesus was crafty and devious. Obviously these men did not heed the many signs and wonders that Jesus had already per-formed. John 20:30 – 31 indicates that the signs were meant to produce faith. It is doubtful that the Phar-isees would have changed their minds even if they had seen another miracle.

7:28 And she answered. The woman understood Jesus’ test and persistently replied that even during the meal the dogs consume the children’s crumbs that fall from the table.7:32 – 35 one who was deaf. The healing of this deaf man (who also had a speech impediment) is one of the two miracles recorded by Mark only. (The other is the healing of the blind man in 8:22 – 26.)8:8 seven large baskets. There was one basket for each original loaf. These baskets were much larger than the 12 small personal baskets mentioned in 6:43. It was the kind of larger basket that was used to lower Paul over the wall of Damascus (Acts 9:25).

29He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, say-ing, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him34 When He had called the people

to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35For who-ever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful gen-eration, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

9 And He said to them, “As sured ly, I say to you that there are some

standing here who will not taste death

17But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart stilla hardened? 18Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thou-sand, how many baskets full of frag-ments did you take up?”

They said to Him, “Twelve.”20“Also, when I broke the seven for

the four thousand, how many large bas-kets full of fragments did you take up?”

And they said, “Seven.”21So He said to them, “How is it you

do not understand?”

A Blind Man Healed at Bethsaida22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and

they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

24And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”

25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.” a

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ27Now Jesus and His disciples went

out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”

28So they answered, “John the Bap-tist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

MARK 9:1 | 1401

8:17 a NU- Text omits still. 8:26 a NU- Text reads “Do not even go into the town.”

wants His disciples to grasp firmly His true identity before He reveals to them the necessity of His com-ing death and resurrection. In Mark’s Gospel, only the disciples come to understand who Jesus is.8:30 tell no one about Him. Jesus’ warning may seem strange. Its explanation lies in the fact that the Jews expected the Messiah to be a political liberator. Jesus’ first coming was meant to accomplish another kind of liberation — release from sin. Hence Jesus was careful not to use the name Messiah publicly, for it was misunderstood by the Jewish people, their leaders, and the Roman authorities.8:38 when He comes in the glory. This is the first glimpse of the fulfillment of all history (1  Cor. 15:24 – 28). Those who will reign with Christ invest their lives in that which will last (v. 35). Those who are

8:17 – 21 How is it you do not understand? The disciples continued to show a lack of spiritual dis-cernment despite the miracles they had witnessed. Jesus’ rebuke was intended to make them recall what God had done for them.8:27 Caesarea Philippi. This city is about 25 miles north of Bethsaida and the Sea of Galilee. It stands on the southern edge of Mount Hermon. One of the sources of the Jordan River springs forth from under a large rocky cliff that rises a hundred or more feet above the village. The name Philippi distinguishes this town from Caesarea by the sea.8:29 But who do you say that I am? Jesus em pha ti-cally asks His disciples for their understanding. you. Prominent in Jesus’ question is the word “you.” You are the Christ. Peter answers for the group. Jesus

running to Him, greeted Him. 16And He asked the scribes, “What are you dis-cussing with them?”

17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18And wher-ever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”

19He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” 20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wal-lowed, foaming at the mouth.

21So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

And he said, “From childhood. 22And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have com-passion on us and help us.”

23 Jesus said to him, “If you can be-lieve,a all things are possible to him who believes.”

24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief !”

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” 26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

28And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him pri-vately, “Why could we not cast it out?”

29So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” a

till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”

Jesus Transfigured on the Mount2Now after six days Jesus took Peter,

James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.

7And a cloud came and overshad-owed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one any-more, but only Jesus with themselves.

9Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the ris-ing from the dead meant.

11And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

12 Then He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and re-stores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is writ-ten of him.”

A Boy Is Healed14And when He came to the disci-

ples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and

1402 | MARK 9:2

9:23 a NU- Text reads “ ‘If You can!’ All things . . . .” 9:29 a NU- Text omits and fasting.

while Elijah was the first of the great prophets. Their presence confirmed the reality that Jesus is the Mes-siah of Peter’s confession.9:24 I believe; help my unbelief. These words express the dilemma that even those who believe can be nagged by doubt and hopelessness. This man took the correct course by appealing to Jesus for help.

willing to confess Him today will be rewarded before the Father in heaven (Matt. 5:10 – 12; 2 Tim. 2:11 – 13; Rev. 2:26 – 28).9:4 Elijah. Elijah is mentioned in Malachi 4:5 – 6 in connection with the future coming of Christ. This is why people asked John the Baptist if he were Elijah (John 1:21). Moses was the lawgiver and liberator,

hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— 44where

‘Their worm does not dieAnd the fire is not quenched.’ a

45And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— 46where

‘Their worm does not dieAnd the fire is not quenched.’ a

47And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire— 48where

‘Their worm does not dieAnd the fire is not quenched.’ a

Tasteless Salt Is Worthless49“For everyone will be seasoned

with fire,a and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”

Marriage and Divorce

10 Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the

other side of the Jordan. And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.

2 The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him.

3And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”

4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”

Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection

30 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. 31For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” 32But they did not understand this say-ing, and were afraid to ask Him.

Who Is the Greatest?33 Then He came to Capernaum. And

when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone de-sires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37“Who ever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

Jesus Forbids Sectarianism38Now John answered Him, saying,

“Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”

39But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40For he who is not against us is on our a side. 41For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, be-cause you belong to Christ, as sured ly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

Jesus Warns of Offenses42“But whoever causes one of these

little ones who believe in Me to stum-ble, it would be better for him if a mill-stone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. 43If your

MARK 10:4 | 1403

9:40 a M- Text reads against you is on your side. 9:44 a NU- Text omits this verse. 9:46 a NU- Text omits the last clause of verse 45 and all of verse 46. 9:48 a Isaiah 66:24 9:49 a NU- Text omits the rest of this verse.

phrase may refer to the trials and judgments that all will face — believers with trials that purify faith, unbelievers with the eternal fire of God’s judgment.10:4 a certificate of divorce. This was a document signed before witnesses. Its intent was to limit frivo-lous divorces. In Jesus’ day, the interpretation of this

9:40 For he who is not against us is on our side. Jesus is not endorsing all who claim to follow Him. Rather, this statement was meant to remind the disciples that God’s work was not necessarily restricted to their small group.9:49 For everyone will be seasoned with fire. This

false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” a

20And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”

21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

22But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

With God All Things Are Possible23 Then Jesus looked around and said

to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” 24And the disciples were aston-ished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in richesa to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is eas-ier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

26And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”

27But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

28 Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

29So Jesus answered and said, “As-sured ly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wifea or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s,

5And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ a 7‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8and the two shall become one flesh’ ; a so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

10In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same mat-ter. 11So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 12And if a woman divorces her husband and mar-ries another, she commits adultery.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children13 Then they brought little children

to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the king-dom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” 16And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler

17Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eter-nal life?”

18So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the command-ments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear

1404 | MARK 10:5

10:6 a Genesis 1:27; 5:2 10:8 a Genesis 2:24 10:19 a Exodus 20:12– 16; Deuteronomy 5:16– 20 10:24 a NU- Text omits for those who trust in riches. 10:29 a NU- Text omits or wife.

Eighth, Ninth, and Fifth Commandments. Do not defraud. Jesus inserts this phrase just before the Fifth Commandment. All of these commands con-cern the fair and ethical treatment of other people (Ex. 20:12 – 17).10:25 – 27 It is easier. This comparison of a camel go ing through a needle is a literal one. In human terms, it is not just difficult, but totally impossible, for a rich man to be saved. But it is also impossible for anyone at all to be saved apart from God’s grace and power. God provides the means of salvation, enlight-ens the sinner’s understanding, and regenerates the believing soul.

custom varied widely. The disciples of Hillel allowed divorce for almost any reason, but the followers of Shammai permitted divorce only for sexual impu-rity.10:11 Whosoever divorces his wife. Mark includes no exception to Christ’s prohibition of divorce, nor is any exception listed in Luke 16:18, Romans 7:1 – 2, or 1 Corinthians 7:10 – 11. Compare Matthew 5:32 where the exception is made.10:18 No one is good but One, that is, God. This reply is a claim to deity, which Jesus asks the young ruler to recognize.10:19 Do not. Jesus recounts the Seventh, Sixth,

drink the cup that I drink, and be bap-tized with the baptism that I am bap-tized with?”

39 They said to Him, “We are able.”So Jesus said to them, “You will in-

deed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”

41And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rul-ers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus46Now they came to Jericho. As He

went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Barti-maeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “ Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

30who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time— houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions— and in the age to come, eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection

32Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 33“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will con-demn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

Greatness Is Serving35 Then James and John, the sons

of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us what-ever we ask.”

36And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”

38But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to

MARK 10:48 | 1405

5:24). It is no wonder that, in light of these reali-ties, Paul speaks of Christ as “our great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13).

2. He is High Priest. The high priest brought the people before God on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:32 – 33). Jesus is eminently qualified to be our High Priest: appointed by God (Heb. 5:5), eternal (Heb. 7:24 – 25), sinless (Heb. 7:26), His offering was final (Heb. 9:28), and His medi-ation is effective (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1). As the only qualified High Priest for men and women, Jesus Christ thus constitutes the only way to God (1 Tim. 2:5).

3. He is King. King implies sovereign authority and rule over all. This right belongs only to Jesus Christ who is called “Lord of lords and King of kings” (Rev. 17:14; 19:16). He is destined to rule as king and every knee must ultimately bow and acknowledge His authority (Phil. 2:10). Those who acknowledge Christ as King and Lord in this life will reign with Him; those who do not will be judged by Him (Rev. 20:11 – 15).

10:30 in this time. This is the time between Christ’s first and second comings. Mark alone mentions that persecutions will follow as well — a point his Roman readers may have already known.10:37 one on Your right hand and the other on Your left. To be seated at a king’s right hand was to take the position of the most prominence; the person seated at the left hand ranked just below that (Luke 22:24 – 30). Jesus had to remind the disciples again about the price of greatness in God’s kingdom.10:38 drink the cup that I drink . . . be baptized with the baptism. These phrases are references to the suffering and death that awaited Jesus (14:36). Jesus wanted His disciples to understand the mocking, scourging, beating, and torture He would have to endure.10:45 The Ministry of Christ — 1. He is Savior. Sinful men to be saved (1 Tim.

1:15); Christ’s qualifications to be Savior (John 10:18 – 38); His humiliating death (John 19:18); bodily resurrection to guarantee our salvation (1 Cor. 15:13 – 22); and results of salvation (John

Mark introduced Jesus as the “Son of God” in the first verse of his Gospel and referred to Jesus as God’s Son throughout the book. Mark also focused on Jesus as the obedient, humble, Suffering Servant. Mark showed Jesus tending to the physical and spiritual needs of the people He encountered during His short but power- filled ministry.

Mark 10:45, a key verse in Mark’s Gospel, provides the gospel message in a nutshell. Here Mark identified Jesus as “Son of Man,” a name Jesus often used to describe Himself. Jesus is both fully God and fully human, and this name reminds us of that humanity. More than any other Gospel, the Book of Mark shows readers the human side of Jesus, de-scribing His sorrow (14:34), disappointment (8:12), anger (11:15– 17), and fatigue (4:38).

Mark said Jesus “did not come to be served, but to serve” (10:45)— and the verse goes on to say that Jesus came to “give His life a ransom for many.” This verse divides

Mark’s Gospel: the first half of the book focuses on Jesus in His role as Servant and the last half provides the details of His death and resurrection.

MORE INSIGHTMark 10:45 appears immediately following a conversation between James and John, two of Jesus’ disciples. They were asking to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in glory— in other words, they were seeking positions of power and authority. Jesus had to remind them that true greatness was not measured in that way. According to God’s way of looking at things, true greatness is attained in taking on the role of a servant.

previous: Mark 6:32– 44next: Mark 14:50– 52

STUDY THE BOOKMark 10:45Jesus came to serve

says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and imme-diately he will send it here.”

4So they went their way, and found thea colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 5But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?”

6And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 8And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

“Hosanna!‘Blessed is He who comes in the

name of the Lord!’ a

49So Jesus stood still and com-manded him to be called.

Then they called the blind man, say-ing to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”

50And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

51So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

The blind man said to Him, “Rab-boni, that I may receive my sight.”

52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

The Triumphal Entry

11 Now when they drew near Jeru-salem, to Bethphagea and Beth-

any, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 2and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 3And if anyone

1406 | MARK 10:49

11:1 a M- Text reads Bethsphage. 11:4 a NU- Text and M- Text read a. 11:9 a Psalm 118:26

next day (v. 12), He and the twelve may have camped outside this night.

11:8 – 11 Bethany. Jesus retired there each night, perhaps staying in a friend’s home. But in view of the fact that Jesus appears to have had no breakfast the

said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

22So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23For as-sured ly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have what ever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, what-ever things you ask when you pray, be-lieve that you receive them, and you will have them.

Forgiveness and Prayer25“And whenever you stand praying,

if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” a

Jesus’ Authority Questioned27 Then they came again to Jerusa-

lem. And as He was walking in the tem-ple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 28And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this au-thority to do these things?”

29But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30 The baptism of John— was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

31And they reasoned among them-selves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘From men’ ”— they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 33So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.”

10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David

That comes in the name of the Lord! a

Hosanna in the highest!”11And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was al-ready late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

The Fig Tree Withered12Now the next day, when they had

come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13And seeing from afar a fig tree hav-ing leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14In re-sponse Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”

And His disciples heard it.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple15So they came to Jerusalem. Then

Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the ta-bles of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’ ? a But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” b

18And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might de-stroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. 19 When evening had come, He went out of the city.

The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree20Now in the morning, as they passed

by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21And Peter, remembering,

MARK 11:33 | 1407

11:10 a NU- Text omits in the name of the Lord. 11:17 a Isaiah 56:7 b Jeremiah 7:11 11:26 a NU- Text omits this verse.

away. The passage emphasizes the power of true faith. Some have suggested that the fig tree repre-sented Israel, which bore no fruit and would soon face the judgment of God.11:29 – 30 answer Me. The intent of Jesus’ ques-tion was to expose once again the insincerity of His detractors. baptism of John. This refers to the authority of John’s baptism. from heaven. Was it ordained by God and worthy of obedience? from men. Or was it of human contrivance and void of any spiritual authority and reality?

11:13 it was not the season for figs. Passover always comes in March or April, and fig season is not until May or June. However, fig trees generally produce a number of buds in March, leaves in April, and ripe fruit later on. Jesus was looking for the edible buds, the lack of which indicated that the tree would be fruitless that year.11:17 den of thieves. Jesus was referring to the prac-tice of cheating people, both Israelites and those of other nations, either through a crooked exchange of money or by selling inferior products.11:21 The fig tree which You cursed has withered

He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

13 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14 When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the per-son of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”

But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” 16So they brought it.

And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

17And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

And they marveled at Him.

The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19“Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

12 Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a

vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedress-ers and went into a far country. 2Now at vintage- time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. 3And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty- handed. 4Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones,a wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. 6 Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

9“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. 10Have you not even read this Scripture:

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.11 This was the Lord’s doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?” a

12And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew

1408 | MARK 12:1

12:4 a NU- Text omits and at him they threw stones. 12:11 a Psalm 118:22, 23

question, however, was a lose-lose proposition: a yes answer would alienate Jews who opposed Rome, while a no answer could be taken as treason against the state.12:18 Sadducees were an elite group of religious leaders who denied the existence of angels, the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection. They rejected the oral traditions and accepted only the validity of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament.12:19 – 22 Moses wrote to us. The custom of mar-rying the widow of one’s brother was supported by Deuteronomy 25:5 – 6, but it was not absolutely binding (Deut. 25:7 – 10).

12:1 He began to speak to them in parables. Parables usually get across a significant truth, but the details are not meant to correspond exactly with partic-ular spiritual realities. In this parable, the owner of the vineyard represents God, but God Himself was never so mistaken as to assume they would respect His Son. God is omniscient, whereas the vineyard owner in the parable is not. This story illustrates the immense patience God had with Israel.12:12 they sought to lay hands on Him. Only as the final points of the parable were made did these evil men realize that Jesus was speaking of them.12:14 You are true, and care about no one. This com-ment was intended as a compliment. The teachers recognized that Jesus was partial to no one. The

oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34Now when Jesus saw that he an-swered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

But after that no one dared question Him.

Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?

35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,“Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ a

37 Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’ ; how is He then his Son?”

And the common people heard Him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes38 Then He said to them in His teach-

ing, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greet-ings in the marketplaces, 39the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Two Mites41Now Jesus sat opposite the trea-

sury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one

likewise. 22So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”

24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, be-cause you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ ?a 27He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”

The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceivinga that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O  Is-rael, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ a This is the first command-ment.b 31And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as your-self.’ a There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understand-ing, with all the soul,a and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as

MARK 12:42 | 1409

12:26 a Exodus 3:6, 15 12:28 a NU- Text reads seeing. 12:30 a Deuteronomy 6:4, 5 b NU- Text omits this sentence. 12:31 a Leviticus 19:18 12:33 a NU- Text omits with all the soul. 12:36 a Psalm 110:1

the cross. There, we understand His love for us and are constantly motivated to seek to love Him bet-ter because of what He has done. We can only be thankful at the comprehensiveness of His love. Even though we sin every day of our lives, He forgives. We just need to keep coming to Him for that forgive-ness.12:35 in the temple. This does not refer to the sanc-tuary itself, where only the priests were allowed to minister. The temple environs included a number of porticos and courts. One was designated especially for women, another for men. Gentiles could view the temple from an outer area.

12:26 – 27 I am the God of Abraham . .  . Isaac .  .  . Jacob. Jesus quotes from the law — the Book of Exo-dus — to make His point. God said I am the God of the three patriarchs mentioned, not “I was their God, but now they are dead.” He still is their God because they are still alive. Their souls not only live after death, but their bodies will be raised anew as well.12:29 Hear, O Israel. In Judaism, these words (quoted from Deut. 6:4 – 5) are known as the Shema. It is described by Jews as the most important words a Jew can know. Jesus quotes these words at the beginning of answering the question, “Which is the first commandment of all?” We should be driven to

and troubles.a These are the beginnings of sorrows.

9“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the syna-gogues. You will be broughta before rulers and kings for My sake, for a tes-timony to them. 10And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11But when they arrest you and de-liver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditatea what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

The Great Tribulation14“So when you see the ‘abomination

of desolation,’ a spoken of by Daniel the prophet,b standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the moun-tains. 15Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing

poor widow came and threw in two mites,a which make a quadrans. 43So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “As sured ly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her pov-erty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple

13 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him,

“Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”

2And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

3Now as He sat on the Mount of Ol-ives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”

5And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in var-ious places, and there will be famines

1410 | MARK 12:43

12:42 a Greek lepta, very small copper coins worth a fraction of a penny 13:8 a NU- Text omits and troubles. 13:9 a NU- Text and M- Text read will stand. 13:11 a NU- Text omits or premeditate. 13:14 a Daniel 11:31; 12:11 b NU- Text omits spoken of by Daniel the prophet.

13:11 – 12 the Holy Spirit. The promise given that the Holy Spirit will guide one’s speech in the hour of trial applies first to the twelve and only secondarily to others who will experience persecution. But this promise does not assure escape from persecution or even freedom from being put to death.13:13 he who endures to the end shall be saved. This is not referring to regeneration or justification but to physical deliverance from affliction (vv. 19 – 20). The ones who physically endure will be delivered into Christ’s messianic kingdom.13:14 standing where it ought not. This phrase refers to the presence of an idol standing in the temple. Daniel’s prediction primarily referred to placement of sacrifices to Zeus on the temple’s altar by Antio-chus Epiphanes. Some believe that the destruction of the Herodian temple in a.d. 70 fulfilled Jesus’ pre-diction. Others still await its fulfillment in the blas-phemous actions of the antichrist in the last days (2 Thess. 2:3 – 4).

12:43 – 44 this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury. Jesus’ com-parison of the percentages contributed by the rich and the poor reminds us that God measures not how much we give, but how much we retain. Those with greater income have an obligation to return a larger percentage of it to God’s work.13:1 – 2 what manner of stones and what buildings are here. The disciples’ excitement over the temple’s tremendous construction was a natural reaction to splendid and majestic architecture; each stone weighed several tons. Josephus described its mag-nificence. There was nothing like it in all the world. Begun by Herod the Great in 20 b.c., the temple was later completed by Herod’s descendants some time before a.d. 66. Its beautiful white marble stones with gold ornamentation reached 100 feet high. Sur-rounding it were colonnaded walkways, courtyards, and stairways that filled 20 acres of the most promi-nent landscape in all Jerusalem.

knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming— in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36lest, coming sud-denly, he find you sleeping. 37And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

14 After two days it was the Pass-over and the Feast of Unleavened

Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. 2But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.”

The Anointing at Bethany3And being in Bethany at the house

of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabas-ter flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 4But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.

6But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 8She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to

babies in those days! 18And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the begin-ning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

21“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. 22For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

The Coming of the Son of Man24“But in those days, after that trib-

ulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

The Parable of the Fig Tree28“Now learn this parable from the

fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So you also, when you see these things happen-ing, know that ita is near— at the doors! 30Assuredly, I say to you, this genera-tion will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

No One Knows the Day or Hour32“But of that day and hour no one

MARK 14:8 | 1411

13:29 a Or He

13:34 – 36 like a man going to a far country. Jesus’ parable of the absent master of the house is unique to Mark. The point of the parable is that the master could return at any time so all servants must be vigi-lant and watchful (Luke 19:11 – 27).14:3 alabaster. Alabaster is a translucent stone still used to make ornamented jewelry boxes and other items of value. spikenard. Spikenard was a precious perfume imported from India, made from plants that grow in the high elevations of the Himalayas. This perfume is mentioned in the Song of Solomon (1:12; 4:13 – 14).14:7 For you have the poor with you always. Jesus’ statement does not show callousness towards the

13:28 – 29 when you see these things happening. Jesus likened the signs of His second coming to the sprouts of growth and leaves on a fig tree. Both point to the glories to come — the full flowering of the earth and return of Christ.13:32 But of that day and hour no one knows. As one who was fully God and at the same time fully man, Jesus possessed all the attributes of deity, including omnipotence and omniscience. He knew what was in people’s hearts (2:8), and He could still the waves (4:39). When Jesus became a man, however, He vol-untarily placed certain knowledge in the hands of the Father. Of course today, glorified in heaven, Jesus now knows the day and hour of His return.

20He answered and said to them, “It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. 21 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is be-trayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”

Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper22And as they were eating, Jesus

took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat;a this is My body.”

23 Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new a cov en ant, which is shed for many. 25Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

26And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you

will be made to stumble because of Me this night,a for it is written:

‘I will strike the Shepherd,And the sheep will be scattered.’ b

28“But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

29Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.”

30 Jesus said to him, “As sured ly, I say to you that today, even this night,

anoint My body for burial. 9Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the

twelve, went to the chief priests to be-tray Him to them. 11And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

Jesus Celebrates the Passover with His Disciples

12Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?”

13And He sent out two of His disci-ples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. 14 Wher-ever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Pass-over with My disciples?” ’ 15 Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.”

16So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.

17In the evening He came with the twelve. 18Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, “As sured ly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.”

19And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?” a

1412 | MARK 14:9

14:19 a NU- Text omits this sentence. 14:22 a NU- Text omits eat. 14:24 a NU- Text omits new. 14:27 a NU- Text omits because of Me this night. b Zechariah 13:7

question that implies a negative answer. The phrase means “It is not I, is it?” Matthew and John both iden-tify the culprit as Judas, even though Mark does not (Matt. 26:25; John 13:26).14:24 This is My blood. This means that the contents of this cup represented Jesus’ blood that would be shed for our sins. The sprinkling of blood was required to institute the Mosaic covenant in Exodus 29:12 (Heb. 9:18 – 22). In the same way, Jesus’ blood shed on the cross initiated the new covenant. His blood was shed for many. He died on the cross in the place of many sinners from every nation. He paid the price for all of their sins. All those who believe in Him will receive eternal life.14:26 And when they had sung a hymn. What they sang was no doubt from the Psalms. Frequently Psalms 113 – 118 were used in connection with the Passover.

poor (Deut. 15:7 – 11). His compassion for those overwhelmed by sickness and poverty appears fre-quently in the Gospels, and He encouraged others to meet their needs (10:21). But He also wanted people to give freely and of their own volition. No one can coerce a gift from another; no one should criticize another’s gift; and no one can read the heart of a giver. A giver’s motive is known only to God.14:14 – 15 a large upper room. There is reason to suspect that the master of the house may have been Mark’s father. Mark himself may have been the young man of verses 51 and 52. Acts 12:12 indi-cates that this house was later used as a gathering place for many believers who prayed together. Tra-dition has it that this was also the “upper room” of Acts 1:13 where over 100 believers met on Pente-cost.14:19 Is it I? In Greek this is actually a negative

come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane43And immediately, while He was

still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44Now His betrayer had given them a signal, say-ing, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.”

45As soon as he had come, immedi-ately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him. 47And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? 49I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”

50 Then they all forsook Him and fled.

A Young Man Flees Naked51Now a certain young man fol-

lowed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, 52and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”

31But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”

And they all said likewise.

The Prayer in the Garden32 Then they came to a place which

was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrow-ful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”

35He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

39Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.

41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has

MARK 14:52 | 1413

(Rom. 7:15 – 25). He possesses a new nature empow-ered by the Holy Spirit. The solution to the urges of the flesh lies in acknowledging that the power of sin was nullified by Jesus’ death (Rom. 6:11) and in living under the control of the Spirit’s power (Gal. 5:16). The latter is a moment-by-moment depen-dence in faith on the Spirit’s power. The believer must choose by an act of his will to benefit from the Spirit’s enablement.14:39 – 41 Again He went away. The three apostles were exhorted to watch and pray several times, and no doubt truly desired to uphold their Lord in His deepest hour of need. Yet physical fatigue overcame spiritual alertness.14:43 with a great multitude. Judas came with a detachment of troops (John 18:3). It was one-tenth of a Roman legion or roughly 600 men.14:50 – 52 young man. Only Mark tells of this inci-dent and many believe that this young man was Mark himself. How else would he have known this story, and why else should he have included it? If it was Mark, and if the Last Supper was at his home that evening, he could easily have risen from bed, pulled on a linen sheet, and followed the disciples.

14:30 before the rooster crows twice. Only Mark mentions Christ’s prediction of Peter’s denial. The incident would have remained vivid in Peter’s mind when he related the story to Mark.14:34 My soul is exceedingly sorrowful. The crushing realization of having to bear the sin of the world and to lose, even temporarily, the fellowship of God the Father was nearly more than Jesus’ soul could bear.14:35 the hour might pass from Him. This is a refer-ence to the time Jesus would bear the punishment for the sin of the world in His own body, becoming, as it were, sin for all.14:38 Temptation by the Flesh — Flesh in the Bible often means something other than the substance of the human body. It is used constantly to refer to the carnal, sinful principle within man that is opposed to God (Rom. 8:7). The actions produced by the flesh are given in detail in Galatians 5:19 – 21. Among these are all types of sexual immorality, impurity, hatred, anger, envy, and drunkenness. A person whose life is characterized by these sins cannot be a true Christian and is under the wrath of God (Gal. 5:21; Eph. 2:3). Though the flesh is not eradicated for the Christian, he does have the power to deny it

When Mark told the story of Judas betraying Jesus to the chief priests and elders, he add-ed an interesting sidenote. Mark described how many of Jesus’ followers ran away to hide. And then in verse 51 he mentions “a certain young man” who was naked except for wearing a linen cloth. This young man followed Jesus as He was taken away. When the men in the crowd tried to grab the young man, “he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.” Many scholars believe this young man was Mark himself. This part of the story is told only in Mark’s Gospel, and if he is writing about himself, it indicates Mark’s admirable humility.

MORE INSIGHTAt this moment of great need, Jesus was alone, with the disciples scattering out of fear. In John’s Gospel, Jesus predicted this moment: “The hour is coming . . . that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (John 16:32).

previous: Mark 10:45next: Mark 16:9– 20

STUDY THE BOOKMark 14:50– 52Was it Mark?

hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?”

And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.

65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.a

Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps66Now as Peter was below in the

courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. 67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”

68But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are say-ing.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.

69And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin53And they led Jesus away to the

high priest; and with him were assem-bled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes. 54But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the ser-vants and warmed himself at the fire.

55Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. 56For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, 58“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this tem-ple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ” 59But not even then did their testimony agree.

60And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 61But He kept si-lent and answered nothing.

Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”

62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right

1414 | MARK 14:53

14:65 a NU- Text reads received Him with slaps.

in this context means laying claim to deity. Naturally, this is the boast of a liar or a lunatic — unless He is the Almighty God in human flesh, as Jesus was (Phil. 2:5 – 8; 1 John 1:1 – 3).

14:61 He kept silent. Jesus remained silent before Pilate and Herod Antipas. Finally they could find nothing substantial with which to charge Him. the Christ, the Son of the Blessed. The trial was over, and Jesus stood falsely condemned for blasphemy, which

10For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.

11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

13So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”

14 Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”

But they cried out all the more, “Cru-cify Him!”

15So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus16 Then the soldiers led Him away

into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. 17And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, 18and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. 20And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

The King on a Cross21 Then they compelled a certain

man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was com-ing out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. 22And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23 Then they

stood by, “This is one of them.” 70But he denied it again.

And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.” a

71 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”

72A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.

Jesus Faces Pilate

15 Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation

with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pi-late. 2 Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.”

3And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered noth-ing. 4 Then Pilate asked Him again, say-ing, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” a 5But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.

Taking the Place of Barabbas6Now at the feast he was accus-

tomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 7And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 Then the multitude, crying aloud,a began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. 9But Pilate an-swered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

MARK 15:23 | 1415

14:70 a NU- Text omits and your speech shows it. 15:4 a NU- Text reads of which they accuse You. 15:8 a NU- Text reads going up.

This crime was punishable in the Roman Empire by death. Pilate must have concluded that the charges against Jesus were groundless, for Mark tells us he desired to release Him.15:15 after he had scourged Him. This word, used only twice in the New Testament (Matt. 27:26 and here), describes a punishment more severe than flogging or beating. The prisoner was beaten with a whip fashioned of numerous strips of leather attached to a handle. To the leather strips were tied sharp pieces of bone and metal, which could rip and tear one’s skin to shreds.15:22 Golgotha is an Aramaic word. The hill may

14:71 – 72 the rooster crowed. We are not told that Peter thought at all about Jesus’ words. If he did, maybe he tried to conceal his identity more care-fully, but to no avail. Each of the other Gospel writ-ers tells us that the cock crowed immediately upon Peter’s final denial (Matt. 26:74; Luke 22:60; John 18:27). This time he thought about it, and he wept.15:1 – 3 held a consultation. Rather than murder-ing Jesus privately, the Jewish politicians decided to seek Pilate’s approval so they could execute the “blasphemer” legally. Their charges included many things but apparently centered on treason. Jesus claimed to be a king, thus defying Caesar (Luke 23:2).

put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”

37And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.

38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last,a he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”

40 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, 41who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb42Now when evening had come, be-

cause it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. 45So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against

gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. 24And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.

25Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. 26And the inscription of His accusation was written above:

THE KING OF THE JEWS.27 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. 28So the Scripture was ful-filleda which says, “And He was num-bered with the transgressors.” b

29And those who passed by blas-phemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the tem-ple and build it in three days, 30save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”

31Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. 32Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” a

Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.

Jesus Dies on the Cross33Now when the sixth hour had come,

there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” a

35Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is call-ing for Elijah!” 36 Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine,

1416 | MARK 15:24

15:28 a Isaiah 53:12 b NU- Text omits this verse. 15:32 a M- Text reads believe Him. 15:34 a Psalm 22:1 15:39 a NU- Text reads that He thus breathed His last.

longer through priests and the blood of bulls and goats do we approach God, but through the torn veil, which also symbolizes Jesus’ broken and torn body (Heb. 10:20).15:40 – 41 There were also women looking on. These women were true disciples of Christ. They had ministered to Jesus’ needs and would be the first witnesses of His resurrection. Mark does not name Jesus’ mother here but includes other prominent women. Three Marys were present along with many other women and Salome. She was the mother of the disciples James and John (Matt. 27:56).15:43 Joseph of Arimathea. He is identified as a prominent member of the Sanhedrin. To ask Pilate for the body of Jesus was not just a gesture of kind-ness. It was an act of bravery, which placed Joseph in opposition to the Sanhedrin and identified him as a follower of Jesus.

have resembled the bony features of a skull or was called this because it was a place of death. The name Calvary comes from the Latin word for skull.15:25 the third hour. This was 9 a.m., using a com-mon Jewish system of marking the day. Jesus suf-fered on the cross until at least 3 p.m., the ninth hour of verse 34.15:32 Let the Christ. Jesus was mockingly called the Christ or Messiah by the chief priests and scribes. Their offer to believe in Christ if He would descend from the cross was not believable.15:37 Jesus cried out with a loud voice. Frequently, crucifixion produced a coma or unconsciousness prior to death, but Jesus was in control of all His fac-ulties until the moment when He voluntarily gave up His life (John 10:17 – 18).15:38 the veil of the temple. The significance of this event is that access to God is now open to all. No

The Book of Mark ends at verse 20 in chap-ter 16, with the account of the ascension of Jesus into heaven. Some believe the book actually ended with verse 8, with the words “for they were afraid,” which described Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome when they visited the empty tomb. The two oldest manuscripts of the Greek New Testament conclude with verse 8.

Bible scholars question whether verses 9– 20 are authentic or if they were tacked on to the manuscript later. Those scholars who argue for verses 9– 20 being included in the Book of Mark note that it seems unlikely Mark would end his book with a comment about fear (16:8). They argue that the final section could have been lost or that perhaps it was left unfinished because of Mark’s death.

So even though verses 9– 20 seem to have been added later, these scholars suggest that it is entirely appropriate to have the added material because the verse 8 ending was not Mark’s intended ending of the book.

MORE INSIGHTJesus gave His disciples what we call “the Great Commission” on the evening before He returned to heaven. According to Mark’s phrasing of this command, Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to ev-ery creature” (16:15). All four Gospels include this Great Commission (Matt. 28:19, 20; Luke 24:47; John 20:21).

previous: Mark 14:50– 52

STUDY THE BOOKMark 16:9– 20Mark doesn’t end with fear

who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7But go, tell His disciples— and Peter— that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

8So they went out quickly a and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

9Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 11And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

the door of the tomb. 47And Mary Mag-dalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

He Is Risen

16 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the

mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away— for it was very large. 5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

6But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth,

MARK 16:11 | 1417

16:8 a NU- Text and M- Text omit quickly.

verses. Others believe that they should be included because even these two manuscripts leave space for all or some of these verses, indicating that their copyists knew of their existence. The difficulty is in knowing whether the space is for this longer version of Mark’s ending or for one of the alternate endings found in the manuscripts. Important early church fathers endorsed this passage, and it does not seem likely that Mark would end his story on a note of fear (v. 8).

16:5 – 6 a young man . . . sitting on the right side. Mark does not identify the young man with the robe as an angel, but he is there to explain the mystery that confronts the women. He is risen. In the passive voice, this indicates that an act of God accomplished the raising up of Jesus.16:9 – 20 Now when He rose. The authenticity of these last twelve verses has been disputed. Those who doubt Mark’s authorship of this passage point to two fourth-century manuscripts that omit these

will speak with new tongues; 18they a will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Christ Ascends to God’s Right Hand19So then, after the Lord had spoken

to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20And they went out and preached ev-erywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.a

Jesus Appears to Two Disciples12After that, He appeared in another

form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

The Great Commission14Later He appeared to the eleven

as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they

1418 | MARK 16:12

16:18 a NU- Text reads and in their hands they will. 16:20 a Verses 9– 20 are bracketed in NU- Text as not original. They are lacking in Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, although nearly all other manuscripts of Mark contain them.

He pronounced a blessing on “those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).16:19 He was received up into heaven. This was the final sign that Jesus was the Son of God.

16:14 to the eleven. After Judas’ demise (Matt. 27:3 – 5; Acts 1:16 – 18), the disciples were known for a while as the eleven. Jesus upbraided these disciples for not believing the accounts of eyewitnesses, but

The Gospel of Luke is unique, because Luke is the only Gentile (non- Jew) among the writers of the New Testament. Commentators have spec-ulated that this may explain Luke’s emphasis on the reality that salvation through Jesus is available to everyone. Peppered throughout his Gospel are Jesus’ encounters with people from all walks of life: Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, tax collectors and beggars, even the hated- by- Jews Samaritans.

Much speculation has been made as to the identity of Theophilus, the person to whom Luke addressed both his Gospel and the Book of Acts. The way in which Luke addresses him in Luke 1:3 as “most excellent Theophilus” may imply that he was a nobleman of some sort. That said, since it is clear that Luke’s purpose is to tell the story of Jesus as it relates to all people, readers do well to avoid unnecessary speculation on this topic.

Other unique features of this Gospel include Luke’s in- depth description of the birth of John the Baptist; none of the other Gospel accounts spend as much time there. Also, Luke fre-quently highlights the role of women in Jesus’ ministry. Women, such as Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna, play a primary role at the beginning of the account. This theme carries throughout this book, including episodes involving Peter’s mother- in- law (4:38, 39), a mourning widow (7:11– 16), a sinful woman (7:36– 50), and women who worked to support Jesus’ ministry (8:2, 3). Finally, although Jesus’ parables are recorded in other Gospel accounts, they seem to have special significance in Luke.

As you examine Luke’s account, read it like you would a story. Continue by reading through Acts afterward. Take to heart Luke’s purpose for writing his Gospel to Theophilus: “That you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed” (1:4). Allow your heart to be filled anew with the assurance that these

accounts are trustworthy and true depictions of the man called Jesus of Nazareth.

Three non- Lukan passages in the Bible teach us about Luke: Colossians 4:14 reveals that Luke was a doctor. Second Timothy 4:11 mentions that Luke was the only friend at Paul’s side during his last Roman imprison-ment. Verse 24 of Philemon portrays Luke as a part of Paul’s ministry team.

Luke’s own writings reveal even more about him. After reading his two sizeable works— Luke and Acts— we begin to feel more like a friend and less like a stranger. For example, it doesn’t take long to recognize that Luke was a meticulous researcher. Unlike Matthew and John, Luke was not one of the twelve apostles. Some say Luke called Antioch home; others say Philippi. Either way, it is highly probable that Luke never saw Jesus in person. Luke likely gathered his information from a variety of sources. Scholars disagree, but some suppose that Matthew and Luke both used Mark as a source, along with other sources that explain

LukeIN SUMMARYLuke details the history of Jesus’ life and ministry with the specificity of a doctor educating a patient and the simplicity of a man sharing with a friend.

HOW TO STUDY LUKE

STUDY THE BOOK HIGHLIGHTS

The faithfulness of Simeon and Anna (2:25– 38)

Satan’s sneaky tactics (4:1– 13)

Jesus elevates people (6:20– 38)

Jesus looks at our hearts (8:4– 15)

The Samaritan is a true neighbor (10:25– 37)

God our Father waits with open arms (15:1– 32)

Jesus foreshadows His death and resurrec-tion (19:28– 48)

Jesus showed grace even in the face of death (23:1– 49)

Jesus walks in our midst (24:13– 32)

passages shared in Matthew and Luke that do not appear in Mark. Due to his close rela-tionship with Paul and the extended amount of time they spent together during Paul’s last imprisonment, many speculate that Paul was a helpful source for Luke’s research. Luke men-tions other “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word” who had shared Jesus’ story with him and with others (Luke 1:2).

It is likely that Luke joined Paul in the midst of his second missionary journey, somewhere around the region of Macedonia. One clue is Luke’s shift in pronoun usage in Acts. Prior to Acts 16, Luke used the third- person pronouns

“he” or “they”; then he shifted to “we” and “us.” This veiled reference to his involvement reveals something about his character. Luke never mentions his own name. He simply tells the story clearly, without drawing much atten-tion to himself.

Regardless of where and how Luke ac-quired his information, he accomplishes his stated goal: to write “an orderly account” (Luke 1:3) of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection. And in so doing, he provided for the church a reliable rendition of the Person, events, and teachings that stand at the foun-dation of our faith.

1420 | LUKE INTRODUCTION

they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well ad-vanced in years.

8So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14And you will have joy and glad-ness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15For he will be great in the sight of the

Dedication to Theophilus

1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of

those things which have been fulfilleda among us, 2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and minis-ters of the word delivered them to us, 3it seemed good to me also, having had per-fect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly ac-count, most excellent Theophilus, 4that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7But 1:1 a Or are most surely believed

been wondering what he as a Gentile was doing in a movement which was originally Jewish.1:5 Herod. He was appointed by the Roman emperor and reigned over Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Perea, and Syria from 37 to 4 b.c.1:7 Elizabeth was barren. Being childless was a grave disappointment in ancient Israel (1 Sam. 1). The Scrip-tures record a number of times when God blessed a barren woman by giving her a son (Gen. 18:11; 21:2).1:8 – 9 the custom of the priesthood. Zacharias served for one week twice a year at the temple, one of perhaps 18,000 priests who served in a year.1:13 Do not be afraid. Angels often calmed the fears of those to whom they appeared (v. 30; 2:10; Gen. 15:1; Dan. 10:12; Matt. 1:20; Acts 18:9; Rev. 1:17).1:14 joy and gladness. Joy is a major theme through-out the writings of Luke (vv. 44,47,58; 2:10; 10:20; 13:17; 15:5 – 7; Acts 5:41).

1:1 many have taken in hand to set in order. Luke makes it clear that he was not the first to write a nar-rative of the ministry of Jesus.1:2 eyewitnesses. These verses suggest that Luke was not an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ min-istry, but that he had access to statements of those who were.1:3 orderly account. Luke gave his narrative a basic structure. Not every part is in chronological sequence, but the broad sequence is Christ’s minis-try in Galilee, His travel to Jerusalem, and His strug-gles in Jerusalem. The order of events shows how Jesus gradually revealed Himself and how opposi-tion to Him grew.1:4 the certainty. Theophilus was likely a young Gentile believer. He not only needed to know the truth and accuracy of what the church taught, but he also needed to be reassured. He might well have

Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Jo-seph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly fa-vored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” a

29But when she saw him,a she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will con-ceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

35And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also con-ceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37For with God nothing will be impossible.”

38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maid-servant of the Lord! Let it be to me ac-cording to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ a and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

19And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

21And the people waited for Zacha-rias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

23So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he de-parted to his own house. 24Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary26Now in the sixth month the angel

LUKE 1:38 | 1421

1:17 a Malachi 4:5, 6 1:28 a NU- Text omits blessed are you among women. 1:29 a NU- Text omits when she saw him.

for mercifully blessing her even as He moved His plan for all of human history forward.1:32 the Highest. This phrase is another way of refer-ring to the majesty of God. David. Jesus fulfilled God’s promise to David concerning an unending dynasty.1:34 How can this be. Mary did not ask for a sign, so this remark does not reflect unbelief. She accepts her role without question in verse 38, and thus is a model of faith, even though she does not fully understand everything. The work of God in Mary introduces something unknown before or after; the birth into the human race of One who is both God and man.1:35 The Holy Spirit will come upon you. This is a direct declaration of Jesus’ divine conception. The child’s conception means He is uniquely set apart.1:38 maidservant. This term suggests humility

1:15 shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. As with Samuel and Samson, a vow was imposed on the child that indicated his special consecration to the Lord. filled with the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit means being directed by Him and obedi-ent to Him (Eph. 5:18).1:17 in the spirit and power of Elijah. John was the forerunner of the Messiah. This description recalls Matthew 3:1 – 6. John’s ministry paralleled Elijah, for both prophets called Israel to repentance (1 Kin. 17:18).1:19 Gabriel. Two angels are named in the Bible who function as messengers. Michael is the other one (Dan. 8:16; 9:21; 10:13,21; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7).1:25 my reproach. In ancient Israel barrenness was seen as a cause for shame. The “opening of the womb” indicated God’s grace (Gen. 21:6; 30:23; 1 Sam. 1:2). In this verse, Elizabeth praises the Lord

54 He has helped His servant Israel,In remembrance of His mercy,

55 As He spoke to our fathers,To Abraham and to his seed

forever.”56And Mary remained with her

about three months, and returned to her house.

Birth of John the Baptist57Now Elizabeth’s full time came

for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.

Circumcision of John the Baptist59So it was, on the eighth day, that

they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. 60His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”

61But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62So they made signs to his father— what he would have him called.

63And he asked for a writing tab-let, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. 64Imme-diately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. 65 Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zacharias’ Prophecy67Now his father Zacharias was

filled with the Holy Spirit, and proph-esied, saying:

Mary Visits Elizabeth39Now Mary arose in those days and

went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

The Song of Mary46And Mary said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God

my Savior.48 For He has regarded the lowly state

of His maidservant;For behold, henceforth all

generations will call me blessed.49 For He who is mighty has done

great things for me,And holy is His name.

50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him

From generation to generation.51 He has shown strength with His

arm;He has scattered the proud in the

imagination of their hearts.52 He has put down the mighty from

their thrones,And exalted the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things,

And the rich He has sent away empty.

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concept of God’s loyal, gracious, faithful love (Ps. 103).1:51 – 53 He has put down the mighty. These verses portray a “reversal” in the end times, when those who have abused power will be judged and those who have suffered persecution will be exalted.1:67 Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied. The presence of the Holy Spirit enabled Zacharias to announce God’s promise. Zacharias’s hymn is called the “Benedictus” from its first word in the Latin Vulgate translation. There are three types of prophecy in the Bible: foretelling future events,

before the Lord and a readiness for faithful and obedient service, which should characterize every believer. Paul uses the masculine form of this word to describe himself (Rom. 1:1).1:46 My soul magnifies the Lord. The following hymn gets its name, the “Magnificat,” from the Latin word for magnifies. Mary’s hymn is a recital of what God had done for her and for others in the past.1:48 all generations will call me blessed. Mary went from being a poor unknown Hebrew girl to the most honored woman in the history of the world.1:50 mercy. This term expresses the Old Testament

till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

Christ Born of Mary

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar

Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Qui rinius was governing Syria. 3So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,a who was with child. 6So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest8Now there were in the same coun-

try shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And behold,a an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,For He has visited and redeemed

His people,69 And has raised up a horn of

salvation for usIn the house of His servant David,

70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,

Who have been since the world began,

71 That we should be saved from our enemies

And from the hand of all who hate us,

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers

And to remember His holy cov en ant,

73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:

74 To grant us that we,Being delivered from the hand of

our enemies,Might serve Him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;

For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,

77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people

By the remission of their sins,78 Through the tender mercy of our

God,With which the Dayspring from on

high has visiteda us;79 To give light to those who sit in

darkness and the shadow of death,To guide our feet into the way of

peace.”80So the child grew and became

strong in spirit, and was in the de serts

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1:78 a NU- Text reads shall visit. 2:5 a NU- Text omits wife. 2:9 a NU- Text omits behold.

2:3 – 4 to be registered. The registration, following Jewish custom, took place at a person’s ancestral home (2 Sam. 24). The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 90 miles, at least a three-day trip.2:9 glory. This word refers to evidence of God’s majestic presence, later associated with Jesus (Acts 7:55). In this scene, the glory is the appearance of light in the midst of darkness.2:11 Savior, who is Christ the Lord. These three titles together summarize the saving work of Jesus and His sovereign position. What God was called in 1:47, Jesus is called here. The word Christ means “Anointed,” referring to Jesus’ royal, messianic posi-tion. The word Lord was the title of a ruler.

forth-telling the Word of God, and praising God. Zacharias’s prophecy includes all three.1:69 horn of salvation. The horn of an ox is a symbol of power (Deut. 33:17; 1 Sam. 2:10; 2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 75:4 – 5,10; 132:17; Ezek. 29:21).1:77 knowledge of salvation. John’s task was to prepare the people by informing them of their need to repent (3:1 – 14) and of the One who was coming (3:15 – 18).1:78 the Dayspring from on high has visited us. This phrase is a reference to the coming of Messiah (Num. 24:17; Mal. 4:2).2:1 – 2 Augustus. This was the Roman emperor from 31 b.c. to a.d. 14. Quirinius. Quirinius was the gover-nor or administrator of a major census organized to facilitate the collection of taxes.

Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, wait-ing for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:29 “Lord, now You are letting Your

servant depart in peace,According to Your word;

30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.”33And Joseph and His mother a mar-

veled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Anna Bears Witness to the Redeemer

36Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Pha-nuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a hus-band seven years from her virginity; 37and this woman was a widow of about

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” a

15So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17Now when they had seen Him, they made widely a known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorify-ing and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Circumcision of Jesus21And when eight days were com-

pleted for the circumcision of the Child,a His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was con-ceived in the womb.

Jesus Presented in the Temple22Now when the days of her purifi-

cation according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to pre sent Him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord” ),a 24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” a

Simeon Sees God’s Salvation25And behold, there was a man in

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2:14 a NU- Text reads toward men of goodwill. 2:17 a NU- Text omits widely. 2:21 a NU- Text reads for His circumcision. 2:23 a Exodus 13:2, 12, 15 2:24 a Leviticus 12:8 2:33 a NU- Text reads And His father and mother.

is the first explicit statement in Luke that includes both Jew and Gentile. Salvation is portrayed as light (1:79). It would be a revelation to Gentiles because they would be able to participate in God’s blessing with a fullness that had not been revealed in the Old Testament (Eph. 2:11 — 3:7).2:36 there was one, Anna, a prophetess. Anna’s work as a prophetess in the temple court suggests that she addressed all who would listen to her, as did Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4), and Huldah (2 Kin. 22:14).

2:14 peace, goodwill toward men. Peace is not for everyone, but for those who please God.2:21 when eight days. According to the law, a Jewish boy was to be circumcised on his eighth day (Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3).2:25 Consolation of Israel. Simeon was waiting for the comforter of Israel, a hope that parallels the hope of national deliverance expressed in the two hymns of chapter one. This deliverance would involve the work of Messiah, as verse 26 suggests.2:32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles. This

The year 2015 saw two astonishing discover-ies in the world of art. A collector in England thought he had purchased two paintings by French Impressionist Claude Monet the year prior. Upon closer inspection, he found a third Monet painting taped to the back of one of the others. The three paintings combined were later valued at over $2 million. Similarly, a man in Scotland found a rolled- up painting by Pablo Picasso that had likely been in his mother’s attic for half a century. Its worth was estimated to be over $170 million. Now, before you leave to rummage through your old boxes, let’s learn one important lesson: we can easily overlook priceless treasures.

Our attention is naturally drawn to the main characters of the story of Jesus’ birth: Mary, Joseph, the wise men, and the shepherds. However, don’t read right past two gems of Scripture named Simeon and Anna.

What can we learn from them? Both had grown in age and devotion to the Lord. Many believers with decades of experience let their spiritual fervor grow cold. Many drop out of serving altogether. Not these two; they were faithful until the end.

Also, they were looking for the Messiah. So many of their contemporaries completely missed out on Jesus’ arrival, but Simeon and Anna were tuned into the Holy Spirit and acted in obedience.

Finally, both thanked God for giving them Jesus. They had waited decades for Him. The people had waited centuries. Now He was here and they were overjoyed!

MORE INSIGHTWomen played significant and surprising roles in the biblical narrative. Jesus elevat-ed and honored women far beyond what was typical in the culture. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba were mentioned in His genealogy (Matt. 1). Anna appeared on the scene shortly after His birth (Luke 2:36). Mary Magdalene was the first to tell of His resurrection (Matt. 28:8– 10). Galatians 3:28 reminds us that woman are not second- class citizens in God’s kingdom. They are loved and honored equally.

next: Luke 4:1– 13

STUDY THE BOOKLuke 2:25– 38The faithfulness of Simeon and Anna

they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother a did not know it; 44but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were astonished at His

eighty- four years,a who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord,a and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

The Family Returns to Nazareth39So when they had performed all

things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40And the Child grew and became strong in spirit,a filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

The Boy Jesus Amazes the Scholars41His parents went to Jerusalem

every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when He was twelve years old,

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2:37 a NU- Text reads a widow until she was eighty- four. 2:38 a NU- Text reads to God. 2:40 a NU- Text omits in spirit. 2:43 a NU- Text reads And His parents.

pilgrimages for the men each year: Passover, Pen-tecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Ex. 23:14 – 17; Deut. 16:16).

2:41 to Jerusalem every year. The annual pilgrim-age to Jerusalem was customary for many who lived outside the city. The laws commanded three

The crooked places shall be made straight

And the rough ways smooth;6 And all flesh shall see the salvation

of God.’ ” a

John Preaches to the People7 Then he said to the multitudes that

came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”

11He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

14Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

So he said to them, “Do not intimi-date anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

15Now as the people were in expec-tation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16John answered, saying to all, “I

understanding and answers. 48So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”

49And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

Jesus Advances in Wisdom and Favor

51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus in-creased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius

Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trach onitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2while Annas and Ca i aphas were high priests,a the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preach-ing a baptism of repentance for the re-mission of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;Make His paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filledAnd every mountain and hill

brought low;

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3:2 a NU- Text and M- Text read in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas. 3:6 a Isaiah 40:3– 5

preparation for the arrival of a king typically meant that a road was prepared for his journey. This is what Isaiah compares to the arrival of God’s salvation.3:8 Therefore bear fruits. John the Baptist warned that the fruits of repentance are necessary, not the claim of an ancestral connection to Abraham. Exter-nal genealogical connections would not change one’s attitude to God.3:11 two tunics. One was an undergarment, and the other was an outer garment. A person did not need two when another person had none.3:12 tax collectors. These men were Jewish agents employed by those who had purchased the right to collect taxes for the Roman state. They often added interest to cover their own expenses and to pad their income. They were disliked both for their business practices and for their support of the occupying state.

2:49 I must be about My Father’s business. This is the first indication in Luke’s Gospel that Jesus knew He had a unique mission and a unique relationship to the Father.3:1 – 2 Tiberius Caesar . . . Pontius Pilate . . . Herod . . . Annas . . . Caiaphas. The various rulers that Luke lists show the complexity of the historical and political situation in Israel during Jesus’ day. A first-century Israelite had to deal with the edicts of the Roman emperor, the regulations of the governor over Israel, and the judgments of the religious leaders of Israel.3:4 – 6 Prepare the way of the Lord. This citation from Isaiah 40:3 – 5 declares the coming of God’s deliver-ance. Luke cites the text more fully than Matthew or Mark. He carries the passage through to its men-tion of salvation being seen by all flesh (v. 6), thus highlighting that the gospel is for all people. The

son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, 29the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, 31the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abra-ham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Satan Tempts Jesus

4 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jor-

dan and was led by the Spirit intoa the wilderness, 2being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose san-dal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

18And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him con-cerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,a and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

John Baptizes Jesus21 When all the people were baptized,

it came to pass that Jesus also was bap-tized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22And the Holy Spirit de-scended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ23Now Jesus Himself began His min-

istry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24the son of Matthat,a the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, 25the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, 27the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28the son of Melchi, the

LUKE 4:2 | 1427

3:19 a NU- Text reads his brother’s wife. 3:24 a This and several other names in the genealogy are spelled somewhat differently in the NU- Text. Since the New King James Version uses the Old Testament spelling for persons mentioned in the New Testament, these variations, which come from the Greek, have not been footnoted. 4:1 a NU- Text reads in.

about God’s chosen King. The idea of pleasure comes from the image of the Servant in Isaiah 42:1. The fact that Jesus is both King and Servant is fundamental to Jesus’ identity.4:1 – 13 Temptation of Christ — Hebrews 2:18 makes the point that, because Christ was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. We can see two examples of this quite plainly. The temp-tations are about security and power. In becoming man, Jesus gave up both (Phil. 2:5 – 11). Jesus didn’t cling to any of what was by nature and identity rightfully His. In doing so, He had to trust fully in the Father for His life and very being. He can truly identify with our temptations. His experience wasn’t just like ours are. No one ever gave up more power. No one of greater stature has ever been in such an insecure position. He can be there for us because He has been there before us.

3:16 – 17 the Holy Spirit and fire. These two facets of Christ’s work relate to His first and second com-ings. As a result of Christ’s work at His first coming, believers are placed into one family (1 Cor. 12:13) and commended to the care of the Holy Spirit. When Christ comes a second time, He will come with the fire of judgment. winnowing fan. This tool was a wooden forklike shovel that lifted the grain in the air so that the wind could separate it from the chaff.3:19 – 20 all the evils which Herod had done. Herod had divorced his wife to marry his own niece Hero-dias, who already had been the wife of his brother Philip. Not only was the divorce a problem, so was marrying such a close relative (Lev. 18:16; 20:21).3:22 You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased. This statement combines two ideas. The idea of God’s Son comes from Psalm 2:7, a psalm

In His stand against Satan’s temptations, Jesus demonstrated effective ways to resist the temptations we ourselves deal with. His ordeal also demonstrated that Jesus faced everything that we face (Heb. 4:15). Knowing that He was tempted just like we are gives us confidence to approach Him for help (Heb. 4:16).

Although Jesus’ temptation in this pas-sage seems brief, we must not overlook its intensity. Also, we should not ignore Satan’s tactics, for they have been the same since the beginning. Satan used little words to make a big difference. Satan twisted God’s own com-mands in the garden of Eden to deceive Adam and Eve; and he now used the same tactic in the wilderness with Jesus. See 1  John 2:16 for these three kinds of temptation:

■ The lust of the flesh: Satan tempted Adam and Jesus with food that would satisfy temporarily. Adam chose temporary gratification; Jesus chose what would satisfy eternally. Also, Satan began by saying, “If you are the Son of God.” That “if” cast doubt on the fact that Jesus is God the Son (Luke 4:3).

■ The lust of the eyes: Satan offered Adam and Jesus something that looked

appealing but couldn’t satisfy. Adam took the bait and was tricked; Jesus saw through Satan’s scheme and rejected earthly power in order to take hold of eternal power. Satan said he would give Jesus authority (v. 6). But Jesus already had authority.

■ The pride of life: Adam was duped into thinking he could be like God. Jesus was God, yet recognized that God should not be put to the test. Satan used Bible quotes from Psalm 91:11, but not for their intended purpose (Luke 4:10). Jesus countered with accurate use of Scripture (v. 12).

MORE INSIGHTExamine Jesus’ responses in Luke chapter 4, verses 4, 8, and 12. Even though He was fully God, Jesus relied on Scripture in order to withstand Satan’s attacks. Christians must realize that God has provided His Word in order to equip Christians to avoid the snares that Adam and so many others have fallen into.

previous: Luke 2:25– 38next: Luke 6:20– 38

STUDY THE BOOKLuke 4:1– 13Satan’s sneaky tactics

7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”

8And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan!a Forb it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” c

9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem,

3And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

4But Jesus answered him, say-ing,a “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ” b

5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Hima all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

1428 | LUKE 4:3

4:4 a Deuteronomy 8:3 b NU- Text omits but by every word of God. 4:5 a NU- Text reads And taking Him up, he showed Him. 4:8 a NU- Text omits Get behind Me, Satan. b NU- Text and M- Text omit For.  c Deuteronomy 6:13

led Him into the wilderness to prepare Him for His ministry, so eating at Satan’s instruction would have shown a lack of dependence on the Father.4:5 all the kingdoms of the world. This temptation was an attempt to offer Jesus power by the wrong means. Satan’s method involved a detour around the cross, an inducement to “take the easy way” to power.

4:3 If You are the Son of God. This is a conditional statement. In other words, Satan was saying: “Let’s assume for the sake of argument that You are the Son of God.” In fact, Satan was challenging Jesus’ identity and authority.4:4 It is written. Jesus responded to Satan’s temp-tation by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. Jesus refused to operate independently of God. The Spirit had

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” a

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the syn-agogue were fixed on Him. 21And He began to say to them, “Today this Scrip-ture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

23He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself ! What ever we have heard done in Capernaum,a do also here in Your country.’ ” 24 Then He said, “As sured ly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. 25But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; 26but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zar e phath,a in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

28So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might

set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you,’11and,

‘In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” a

12And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” a

13Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry14 Then Jesus returned in the power

of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15And He taught in their syna-gogues, being glorified by all.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth16So He came to Nazareth, where He

had been brought up. And as His cus-tom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed MeTo preach the gospel to the poor;He has sent Me to heal the

brokenhearted,aTo proclaim liberty to the captivesAnd recovery of sight to the blind,

LUKE 4:29 | 1429

4:11 a Psalm 91:11, 12 4:12 a Deuteronomy 6:16 4:18 a NU- Text omits to heal the brokenhearted. 4:19 a Isaiah 61:1, 2 4:23 a Here and elsewhere the NU- Text spelling is Capharnaum. 4:26 a Greek Sarepta

4:18 – 19 He has sent Me. By citing Isaiah 61, Jesus was claiming to be a royal figure and to have a prophetic mission (v. 24). liberty to the captives. In the Old Testament, captivity refers to Israel’s exile (1:68 – 74); here captivity refers to sin (1:77; 7:47; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; 26:18). those who are oppressed. This was originally the call of Israel, but the nation had failed in its assignment (Is. 58:6). the acceptable year of the Lord. This phrase is an allusion to the year of Jubilee when every 50th year all debt was forgiven and slaves were given their freedom (Lev. 25:10).4:20 He closed the book. Jesus closed the book in the middle of the sentence. He did not continue because the next phrase — “the day of vengeance of our God” — was not being fulfilled then.

4:10 – 11 He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you. Satan cited Psalm 91:11 – 12, reminding Jesus of God’s promise of protection. However, the mere use of biblical words does not always reveal God’s will, particularly if they are placed in the wrong context.4:12 You shall not tempt the Lord your God. In response to Satan’s third temptation, Jesus cited Deuteronomy 6:16. God is to be trusted, not tested. The Deuteronomy passage refers to Israel’s attempt to test God at Meribah (Ex. 17:1 – 7). Jesus would not repeat the nation’s error of unfaithfulness to God.4:16 – 17 stood up to read. Most synagogue services had a reading from the Law and one from the Proph-ets, with an exposition that tied the texts together. Jesus expounded Isaiah 61.

allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee42Now when it was day, He departed

and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; 43but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” 44And He was preach-ing in the synagogues of Galilee.a

Four Fishermen Called as Disciples

5 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of

God, that He stood by the Lake of Gen-nesaret, 2and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

5But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

9For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish

throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit31 Then He went down to Capernaum,

a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. 32And they were aston-ished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. 33Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, 34saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Naza-reth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are— the Holy One of God!”

35But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. 36 Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” 37And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

Peter’s Mother- in- Law Healed38Now He arose from the synagogue

and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concern-ing her. 39So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.

Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset40 When the sun was setting, all those

who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. 41And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ,a the Son of God!”

And He, rebuking them, did not

1430 | LUKE 4:30

4:41 a NU- Text omits the Christ. 4:44 a NU- Text reads Judea.

dealing with sin (24:47), in distributing the Spirit as He mediates blessing from God’s side (24:49), and in reigning with His followers according to the Old Tes-tament promise (Ps. 2:7 – 12; Acts 3:18 – 22).5:1 Gennesaret. This is another name for the Sea of Galilee or the Sea of Tiberias.5:5 at Your word I will let down the net. This is Peter’s statement of faith. The fisherman noted that he and his companions had just failed to make a catch at the best time for fishing, the evening. The circumstances were not good for a catch at the time of Jesus’ com-mand, but Peter chose to obey His word and let down his nets anyway.

4:34 What have we to do with You. The demon knew that Jesus possessed divine authority, and he wanted nothing to do with Him.4:35 – 36 rebuked. This term in Aramaic was a tech-nical term for calling evil into submission. Jesus’ authority over evil forces is clear.4:41 You are the Christ, the Son of God. This confes-sion, unique to the Gospel of Luke, shows the close connection Luke makes between Jesus’ sonship and messiahship.4:43 kingdom of God. In Luke, the kingdom is referred to thirty times and six times in Acts. Jesus announced the rule of God through His person, in

Obedience / Note 4

Obey Even When You Don’t Want ToLuke 5:1– 11

“Go talk to her.”“Make a meal for them or mow their lawn.”“Volunteer to teach that class.”“Call her and tell her the truth.”Sometimes we hear God’s voice and

we know precisely what He is calling us to do— but we simply do not want to do it. We’d rather do almost anything than what He has told us to do.

We might say, “Please, Lord, just let me serve on a committee or teach Sunday school or go on a mission trip. I cannot do this thing You’ve asked me to.”

And this is where our love for God is test-ed: when we don’t want to obey.

Sometimes it’s not even a matter of sin. You aren’t wondering if you’re disobeying a commandment; you are sure you are living in God’s will. It’s a choice between permissible and wise. He gave you a special assignment and He expects you to do it.

Simon and some other fishermen had been fishing all night when Jesus got into Simon’s boat and proceeded to teach. We can assume Simon was probably a little tired and hungry after a long night of manual labor. And then Jesus gave another command: “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (v.  4). This man Jesus, who was not a fisherman, was telling Simon how to fish.

Simon’s response shows both his frustration and his obedience: “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; never theless at Your word I will let down the net” (v. 5).

Simon may not have wanted to obey. He may have thought it was a bad idea. But Simon did what Jesus asked. And when they miraculously caught an unprecedented number of fish, Simon saw that he was in the presence of holiness (v. 8).

Weary Simon’s act of reluctant obedience was the good and right thing to do. And through it he saw Jesus even more clearly.

previous: Joshua 24:1– 25next: 1 John 5:2, 3

priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.”

15However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. 16So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic17Now it happened on a certain day,

as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sit-ting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.a 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed,

which they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, the sons of Zeb-edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and fol-lowed Him.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper12And it happened when He was in

a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. 14And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the

LUKE 5:18 | 1431

5:17 a NU- Text reads present with Him to heal.

5:14 show yourself to the priest. Jesus commanded that the regulation of Leviticus 14 be followed in silencing the healed leper. Jesus sought to avoid drawing excessive attention to His healing ministry.

5:12 leprosy. This term was used broadly in the ancient world. It included psoriasis, lupus, and ring-worm. Lepers were isolated from the rest of society (Lev. 13:45 – 46), but could be restored to the com-munity when they recovered (Lev. 14).

scribes and the Phariseesa complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting33 Then they said to Him, “Why doa

the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

34And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35But the days will come when the bride-groom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

36 Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new gar-ment on an old one;a otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.a 39And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately a desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ” b

whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19And when they could not find how they might bring him in, be-cause of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can for-give sins but God alone?”

22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”— He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

25Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”

Matthew the Tax Collector27After these things He went out and

saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and oth-ers who sat down with them. 30And their

1432 | LUKE 5:19

5:30 a NU- Text reads But the Pharisees and their scribes. 5:33 a NU- Text omits Why do, making the verse a statement. 5:36 a NU- Text reads No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old one. 5:38 a NU- Text omits and both are preserved. 5:39 a NU- Text omits immediately. b NU- Text reads good.

5:29 with them. In ancient Israel the table was a place where spiritual points were taught and where fellowship occurred.5:33 fast. The Pharisees fasted twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays (18:12), as well as on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29). They also fasted as an act of penitence (Is. 58:1 – 9) and to recall four times a year the destruction of Jerusalem (Zech. 7:3,5; 8:19). The goal of fasting was to dedicate oneself to prayer and to focus on God. John led an ascetic life, which his followers also imitated (7:24 – 28; Matt. 11:1 – 19).5:35 the days will come. The image of the removal of the bridegroom is the first hint in Jesus’ ministry of His fast-approaching death.5:37 puts new wine into old wineskins. This would not work because as the new wine fermented, it would stretch the old skin and break it, ruining the wineskin and wasting the wine.

5:21 blasphemies. The charge of the scribes and the Pharisees was that Jesus’ claim dishonored God. This was a serious charge; the conviction of blasphemy would eventually lead to Jesus’ death (22:70 – 71).5:23 Which is easier. Jesus posed a riddle to His audi-ence. From an external point of view, it would seem easier to declare sins forgiven than to actually heal a person. In reality, however, one has to possess more authority to forgive sin. Jesus linked the healing to what it represented, the forgiveness of sin. Jesus forgave the man’s sins and healed him at the same time.5:24 Son of Man. This is an Aramaic idiom that refers to a human being, meaning “someone” or “I.” Jesus used this idiom as a title, taken from Daniel 7:13. In the Book of Daniel, the phrase “Son of Man” describes a figure who shares authority with the Ancient of Days.

that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: 14Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also be-came a traitor.

Jesus Heals a Great Multitude17And He came down with them and

stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, 18as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. 19And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

The Beatitudes20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward

His disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you poor,For yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are you who hunger now,For you shall be filled.

Blessed are you who weep now,For you shall laugh.

22 Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

6 Now it happened on the second Sab-bath after the firsta that He went

through the grainfields. And His dis-ciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. 2And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”

3But Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?” 5And He said to them, “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

Healing on the Sabbath6Now it happened on another Sab-

bath, also, that He entered the syna-gogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accu-sation against Him. 8But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” a 10And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man,a “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.b 11But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Twelve Apostles12Now it came to pass in those days

LUKE 6:22 | 1433

6:1 a NU- Text reads on a Sabbath. 6:9 a M- Text reads to kill. 6:10 a NU- Text and M- Text read to him. b NU- Text omits as whole as the other.

authority here is similar to His claim of authority to forgive sins in 5:21, 24.6:11 rage. The term here means irrational or mind-less anger. The parallels in Matthew 12:14 and Mark 3:6 make it clear that the Pharisees started to plot against Jesus in earnest after this confrontation.6:17 level place. This probably refers to a plateau on a mountain. The setting and the contents of the sermon that follows suggest that Luke is provid-ing a shorter version of the Sermon on the Mount, omitting those portions that have to do with the law.6:20 Blessed are you. Blessed means “happy,” refer-ring to the special joy and favor that comes upon those who experience God’s grace.

6:1 plucked . . . ate . . . rubbing. According to Jew-ish tradition, the disciples were reaping, threshing, and preparing food, and so were violating the com-mandment not to work on the Sabbath. It is clear that at this point the Pharisees were watching Jesus carefully (v. 7).6:3 – 4 showbread. This was bread that was taken from the twelve loaves placed on a table in the holy place and changed once a week (Ex. 25:30; 39:36; Lev. 24:5 – 9). Jesus pointed out that if David and his men could violate the law to satisfy their hunger, His disciples could do the same.6:5 also Lord of the Sabbath. Regardless of the laws and customs that the Pharisees cited, Jesus has authority over the Sabbath. Jesus’ claim of divine

Jesus elevates people. That’s one reason His teachings have appealed to so many over the last twenty centuries. In Luke 6:20– 38 we find what many refer to as the Sermon on the Plain. These teachings are strikingly similar to parts of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5– 7. Portions of the Sermon on the Mount also appear in Luke 11 and 12, giving rise to the idea that Jesus may have delivered similar messages during His ministry or that the Gospel writers uniquely organized Jesus’ teachings.

In Luke’s account, Jesus offers hope to those who hurt:

■ To the hated, reviled, and cast out because they will have reason to rejoice eternally and because they are in good company with God’s finest servants (Luke 6:22, 23).

■ To the poor (called “poor in spirit” in Matt. 5:3) because they know their need to learn from God (Luke 6:20; see 12:31).

■ To the hungry because they will be filled (Luke 6:21; see 12:24).

Jesus is not saying that His followers should be ecstatic about their poverty, hunger, suffering, or persecution. Instead, He offers encouragement and hope in the midst of each trial. Jesus sees, hears, knows, and cares.

MORE INSIGHTWhen Moses encountered God at the burning bush, he got a glimpse into God’s heart. God said, “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land” (Ex. 3:7, 8).

previous: Luke 4:1– 13next: Luke 8:4– 15

STUDY THE BOOKLuke 6:20– 38Jesus elevates people

For so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Love Your Enemies27“But I say to you who hear: Love

your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not with-hold your tunic either. 30Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,

For the Son of Man’s sake.23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in heaven,

For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

Jesus Pronounces Woes24 “But woe to you who are rich,

For you have received your consolation.

25 Woe to you who are full,For you shall hunger.

Woe to you who laugh now,For you shall mourn and weep.

26 Woe to youa when allb men speak well of you,

1434 | LUKE 6:23

6:26 a NU- Text and M- Text omit to you. b M- Text omits all.

blessings and woes apply to believers today when their works are evaluated (1 Cor. 3:12 – 15; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 John 2:28; Rev. 22:12).6:27 – 28 Love your enemies. The threat of religious persecution was very real when Jesus presented His command for extraordinary love. The reference to a cursing enemy suggests a context of religious per-secution.6:30 do not ask them back. The commands of verses 29 and 30 are expressed in such absolute terms that

6:22 For the Son of Man’s sake. Identification with Jesus usually leads to rejection and hardship, but the disciple who has left all to follow Jesus understands what placing Jesus first means. He or she also recog-nizes that God is aware of all suffering.6:24 woe. A woe is a cry of pain that results from misfortune. Just as God presented blessings for obe-dience and curses for disobedience in Deuteronomy 28, Jesus presented blessings and woes to His disci-ples who were anticipating the kingdom. The same

own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his hearta brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Build on the Rock46“But why do you call Me ‘Lord,

Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehe-mently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.a 49But he who heard and did noth-ing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.a And the ruin of that house was great.”

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant

7 Now when He concluded all His say-ings in the hearing of the people, He

entered Capernaum. 2And a certain cen-turion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. 4And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, 5“for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”

6 Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him,

32“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sin-ners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Do Not Judge37“Judge not, and you shall not be

judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

39And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 41And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit43“For a good tree does not bear bad

fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44For every tree is known by its

LUKE 7:6 | 1435

6:45 a NU- Text omits treasure of his heart. 6:48 a NU- Text reads for it was well built. 6:49 a NU- Text reads collapsed.

6:46 Lord, Lord. Jesus pointed out that those who called Him by this title of respect acknowledged sub-mission to Him. However when these same people ignored His teaching, they were guilty of hypocrisy.7:1 Capernaum. This city was on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was an important town in northern Galilee with an economy centered on fishing and agriculture. Heavily Jewish, it was the center for Jesus’ Galilean ministry (4:31 – 44).7:5 built us a synagogue. The Roman government regarded synagogues as valuable because their moral emphasis helped maintain order.

they force the listener to reflect on them by contrast-ing them with the normal responses people would have to such injustices.6:35 He is kind to the unthankful and evil. The prac-tice of loving one’s enemies is modeled by God Him-self.6:38 good measure. This illustration comes from the marketplace where grain was poured out, shaken down, and then filled to overflowing so the buyer received the full amount purchased. Such is the full measure that will be returned to one who has been generous.

19And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus,a saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

20 When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ” 21And that very hour He cured many of infir-mities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.

22 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

24 When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.’ a

28For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist;a but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30But the Pharisees

saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I also am a man placed under authority, having sol-diers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” 10And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.a

Jesus Raises the Son of the Widow of Nain

11Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. 12And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had com-passion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He pre-sented him to his mother.

16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” 17And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus

18 Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.

1436 | LUKE 7:7

7:10 a NU- Text omits who had been sick. 7:19 a NU- Text reads the Lord. 7:27 a Malachi 3:1 7:28 a NU- Text reads there is none greater than John.

concerning John. The questions that Jesus asked were designed to emphasize that John the Baptist played a special role in God’s plan. The crowds did not go out to the wilderness to see scenery or a man dressed in special clothes, but to see a prophet.7:28 he who is least in the kingdom of God. Jesus emphasizes the contrast between the old and new eras. John was the greatest prophet ever born. But the lowest person in the new era of God’s kingdom is higher than the greatest prophet of the old era.

7:9 not even in Israel. The centurion’s example of faith came from outside the nation of Israel. This is one of only two cases where Jesus “marveled” (Mark 6:6).7:12 a dead man . . . carried out. This was a funeral procession. The cemetery was located outside the city gates. Funerals were normally held the day of death because keeping a body overnight rendered a house unclean.7:24 – 26 He began to speak to the multitudes

Salvation / Note 3

You Are Saved by Grace through FaithLuke 7:50

Quick review: You cannot save your-self. You must believe Jesus in order to be saved.

So just how does that work?Two main realities: grace and faith.Faith, “the substance of things hoped

for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1), is trusting not only in who Jesus is and what He did but also that He alone can truly save you. Faith means being certain of our hope because we are certain of our God and His faithfulness. We believe He will come through because we trust Him. Our faith is supported by meditating on God’s faithful relationships with people since the beginning of time. One step forward while trusting fully in God, followed by another step, and then another. That’s faith.

Grace, the undeserved favor of God, is the context for our faith, from begin-ning to end. We cannot do anything to force God to give us His favor. We can never be good enough to earn it. We certainly can’t do something to make Him feel He owes us. He just gives it. And this gift frees us to start again, to love God thoroughly, and to live the freedom He designed for us to live (Eph. 2:8– 10). Like giving a treehouse to a six- year- old with no money and no way to buy a gift in return, God gives us salvation as a gift directly from His heart.

In Luke 7:36– 50, a sinful woman came shamelessly before Jesus in a social setting. She brought a flask of fragrant oil, washed His feet with her tears, wiped His feet with her hair, kissed His feet, and anointed them with oil. Beautiful expres-sions of one deeply indebted to the only One who could save her. Jesus did not credit those outward expressions toward her salvation; instead, He said, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Luke 7:50).

previous: John 3:16, 17next: Romans 10:5– 13

and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

31And the Lord said,a “To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:

‘We played the flute for you,And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,And you did not weep.’

33For John the Baptist came neither eat-ing bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35But wisdom is justified by all her children.”

A Sinful Woman Forgiven36 Then one of the Pharisees asked

Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet

LUKE 7:38 | 1437

7:31 a NU- Text and M- Text omit And the Lord said.

7:31 – 34 To what then shall I liken. Jesus made a comparison between children playing a game in the marketplace and the present generation of Is-rael, referring especially to the Jewish religious leaders. The leaders were like the children in that they complained no matter what tune was played. John the Baptist refused to eat bread or drink wine, and the religious leaders dismissed him as demon- possessed. In contrast, Jesus, the Son of Man was accused of living loosely and associating with sin-ners. No matter what the style of God’s messenger was, the religious leaders complained and rejected him.7:36 one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. This event is not the same as the one in Matthew 26:6 – 13; Mark 14:3 – 9; and John 12:1 – 8. The event described in those passages occurred in the house of a leper, a place where no Pharisee would ever have gone.7:37 alabaster flask. This was made of soft stone to preserve the quality of the precious and expensive perfume. There is humility and devotion in the wom-an’s act of service, as well as a great deal of courage, as she performed the deed in front of a crowd that knew her as a sinner.

spirits and infirmities— Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, 3and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Hima from their substance.

The Parable of the Sower4And when a great multitude had

gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a para-ble: 5“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the way-side; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Purpose of Parables9 Then His disciples asked Him, say-

ing, “What does this parable mean?”10And He said, “To you it has been

given to know the mysteries of the king-dom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

‘Seeing they may not see,And hearing they may not

understand.’ a

The Parable of the Sower Explained11“Now the parable is this: The seed

is the word of God. 12 Those by the way-side are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should be-lieve and be saved. 13But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, re-ceive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14Now the

and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39Now when the Pharisee who had in-vited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

40And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”41“There was a certain creditor who

had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, there-fore, which of them will love him more?”

43Simon answered and said, “I sup-pose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Many Women Minister to Jesus

8 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and vil-

lage, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2and certain women who had been healed of evil

1438 | LUKE 7:39

8:3 a NU- Text and M- Text read them. 8:10 a Isaiah 6:9

8:10 kingdom . . . parables. Jesus’ parables both concealed and revealed truths. The disciples were privileged to learn the truths of parables. For other listeners, the parables served as judgments that con-cealed truth, as the reference to Isaiah 6:9 indicates. On occasion, a parable was understood by an out-sider but was not accepted, thus still functioning as a message of judgment (20:9 – 19).8:13 who believe for a while . . . fall away. Brief and

7:44 – 46 Do you see this woman? Jesus contrasted the actions of the woman with the actions of the Pharisee Simon, implying that the woman knew more about forgiveness than Simon (v. 47).8:1 – 3 Mary called Magdalene. Because she is intro-duced here, it is unlikely that she was the sinful woman of 7:36 – 50. Joanna. This is an example of how some women of means used their wealth to benefit the work of God.

Challenging passages in the Bible must be approached with the full context— looking at the verses before and after as well as the whole of the Bible message. For example, if a person read Luke 8:10 alone, it might appear that Jesus wanted to keep certain people from understanding His parable of the soils. The Bible is clear that this isn’t true (2 Pet. 3:9). When we consider the context of this passage, we get a clearer understanding of what Jesus was teaching.

First, recognize the setting. The scene begins by saying “a great multitude had gathered” (Luke 8:4). The Gospels revealed that Jesus was unimpressed by large crowds. For example, in Luke 9:12– 17 Jesus miraculously fed over five thousand men (not counting women and children). His popularity was soaring. So what was His response? He preached a message so challenging that “from that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). His methods even confused His closest followers (John 6:60).

Knowing this, we see that Jesus’ desire is for authentic faith rather than superficial claims. In His parable the seed goes into many types of soil, but only produces fruit in those who have “a noble and good heart,”

who “keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).

The parable following this one clarified that Jesus wanted everyone to see and follow His light (Luke 8:16– 18). However, Jesus knows what is really in each person’s heart (John 2:24, 25; Acts 1:24). Those whose hearts are hard and will not repent choose only the surface meaning of the message. But those who have tender hearts and are willing to listen— they receive the fullness of what Christ has to offer.

MORE INSIGHTJesus said that parables were useful— both to hide His teachings about the kingdom and to reveal those same truths (Matt. 13:12– 15)! How could that be? The key here is to realize that Jesus’ parables weren’t intellectually challenging. They were simple teachings that made spiritual truths accessible— and sometimes those spiritual truths weren’t easy to face. Those who were open to Jesus were enlightened by the parables. But those who resisted Jesus found His parables offensive and difficult.

previous: Luke 6:20– 38next: Luke 10:25– 37

STUDY THE BOOKLuke 8:4– 15Jesus looks at our hearts

17For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Come to Him

19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. 20And it

ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and plea-sures of life, and bring no fruit to matu-rity. 15But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

The Parable of the Revealed Light16“No one, when he has lit a lamp,

covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.

LUKE 8:20 | 1439

to spiritual fruitfulness. The concerns of life can squelch spiritual growth. This type of “soil” is viewed as tragically unsuccessful (2 Tim. 2:4; 4:10).8:19 – 20 Then his mother and brothers came to Him. Jesus’ family was concerned about the direc-tion of His ministry (Mark 3:31 – 35). Though some have suggested that the brothers here were sons of

superficial encounters with the Word of God will not stand times of testing. A person needs to meditate on the truths in Scripture and establish them as prin-ciples for living in order to withstand the trials and temptations that will inevitably come.8:14 cares, riches, and pleasures of life. According to this parable, these three are the great obstacles

And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31And they begged Him that He would not com-mand them to go out into the abyss.

32Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.

34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon- possessed was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadare-nesa asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.

38Now the man from whom the de-mons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39“Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

40So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. 41And behold, there came a man named Jairus,

was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.”

21But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus22Now it happened, on a certain day,

that He got into a boat with His disci-ples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. 23But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. 24And they came to Him and awoke Him, say-ing, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. 25But He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”

A Demon- Possessed Man Healed26 Then they sailed to the country of

the Gadarenes,a which is opposite Gal-ilee. 27And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes,a nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not tor-ment me!” 29For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.

30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?”

1440 | LUKE 8:21

8:26 a NU- Text reads Gerasenes. 8:27 a NU- Text reads who had demons and for a long time wore no clothes. 8:37 a NU- Text reads Gerasenes.

8:25 Where is your faith? Jesus’ question was a rebuke of His disciples. Because God was aware of their situa-tion, they could trust in His protection, for He was powerful enough to control the winds and waves.8:28 Son of the Most High God. The demon’s con-fession recalls the angel’s announcement to Mary in 1:31 – 32 and the demonic confessions of 4:34, 41.8:30 Legion. This name reflects the fact that the man was possessed by multiple demons. A legion was a Roman military unit of about 6,000 soldiers.8:31 the abyss. This is an allusion to the underworld and the destruction of judgment (Rom. 10:7).

Joseph by a previous marriage or cousins of Jesus, most likely they were the sons of Joseph and Mary. Joseph’s absence here may mean that he had died by this time.8:23 a windstorm. The calming of the wind is the first of four miracles in verses 22 – 56 that dem-onstrate Jesus’ authority over a variety of phenom-ena — nature, demons, disease, and death. This miracle took place on the Sea of Galilee. Cool air rushing down the ravines and hills of the area col-lides with warm air from the Sea of Galilee, causing sudden and strong storms.

astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Sending Out the Twelve

9 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and

authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.

4“Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5And who-ever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

6So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Herod Seeks to See Jesus7Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all

that was done by Him; and he was per-plexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. 9Herod said, “John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?” So he sought to see Him.

Feeding the Five Thousand10And the apostles, when they had re-

turned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside pri-vately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.

and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physi-cians and could not be healed by any, 44came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immedi-ately her flow of blood stopped.

45And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”When all denied it, Peter and those

with hima said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” b

46But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she de-clared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

48And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer;a your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

49 While He was still speaking, some-one came from the ruler of the syna-gogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” a

50But when Jesus heard it, He an-swered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go ina except Peter, James, and John,b and the father and mother of the girl. 52Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.

54But He put them all outside,a took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit re-turned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given some-thing to eat. 56And her parents were

LUKE 9:11 | 1441

8:45 a NU- Text omits and those with him. b NU- Text omits and You say, ‘ Who touched Me?’ 8:48 a NU- Text omits be of good cheer. 8:49 a NU- Text adds anymore. 8:51 a NU- Text adds with Him. b NU- Text and M- Text read Peter, John, and James. 8:54 a NU- Text omits put them all outside.

9:2 to preach . . . to heal the sick. The entire nation of Israel needed to see the evidence of the kingdom of God and make a decision concerning the King. Jesus commissioned His disciples to spread the word about God’s kingdom through preaching and healing.9:11 spoke . . . healing. Jesus had the same two-pronged ministry that the twelve disciples had:

8:44 her flow of blood stopped. This condition not only would have been embarrassing, it would have made the woman unclean (Lev. 15:25 – 31). It took great courage for her to seek out Jesus. Note that her action was not criticized, but commended (v. 48).8:52 but sleeping. Sleeping was a common meta-phor for death. Here it indicates that the girl’s death was not permanent.

many things, and be rejected by the el-ders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him23 Then He said to them all, “If any-

one desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,a and follow Me. 24For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is him-self destroyed or lost? 26For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. 27But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

Jesus Transfigured on the Mount28Now it came to pass, about eight

days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glis-tening. 30And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to ac-complish at Jerusalem. 32But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. 33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to

12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”

13But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.” 14For there were about five thousand men.

Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.” 15And they did so, and made them all sit down.

16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ18And it happened, as He was alone

praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

19So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”

20He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

21And He strictly warned and com-manded them to tell this to no one, 22saying, “The Son of Man must suffer

1442 | LUKE 9:12

9:23 a M- Text omits daily.

His explanation of the Scriptures to them did they begin to understand (24:25 – 27,44 – 49).9:23 take up his cross daily. Although Jesus offered salvation as a free gift (John 1:12; 3:16 – 18), He also warned that following Him would entail suffering and hardship (Matt. 5:10 – 12; Rom. 8:17; 2 Thess. 1:5).9:24 – 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world. It makes no sense to attempt to save our lives on earth only to lose everything when our lives quickly and inevitably pass away. The wise course is to invest our earthly resources — our time, talents, and wealth — in what is eternal.9:31 spoke of His decease. This important allusion to the central Old Testament event of salvation is unique to Luke’s account of the transfiguration. The comparison is made between Jesus’ death and the journey to salvation that the nation of Israel experi-enced under Moses.

preaching and healing (v. 2). The topic of Jesus’ preaching was always the kingdom of God.9:13 – 17 about five thousand men. This is the only miracle of Jesus’ ministry that appears in all four Gospels. The feeding of the 5,000 demonstrated Jesus’ ability to provide.9:20 The Christ of God. The emphasis here is on the messianic role of Jesus. He is the Promised One who was ushering in a new era. However, Jesus would soon reveal to the disciples that His messiahship would have elements of suffering that the disciples did not expect (vv. 22 – 23).9:22 must suffer . . . be rejected . . . be killed . . . be raised. This is the first of several predictions in Luke of Jesus’ suffering and vindication (v. 44; 12:50; 13:31 – 33; 17:25; 18:31 – 33). The disciples struggled to understand what Jesus was saying (v. 45; 18:34). They could not comprehend how Jesus’ predictions fit into God’s plan. Only after Jesus’ resurrection and

Christ Follower / Note 2

Following Jesus Is DeliberateLuke 9:23

A few years after the beginning of His earthly ministry, many people followed Jesus. By this time He had turned water into wine, multiplied fish and loaves to feed thousands, cured people of diseases, taught heavenly truths, and raised the dead. Who wouldn’t want to see such a show?

But then Jesus began to expound on the heart of His message and His ministry. He didn’t come to heal. He didn’t come to teach. He came to seek and to save (Luke 19:10).

Jesus explained what it meant to follow Him: “He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For

whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it’” (Luke 9:23, 24).

Cross? What? For twenty- first- century Americans, a modern equivalent might sound like this: Take up your personal electric chair and follow me. A cross was not a symbol of hope and faith during the life of Jesus. It was a symbol of agonizing death.

So why in the world did the One who came to bring abundant life (John 10:10) want us to choose death? Because He was looking for followers who would die to sin. He called us to die to selfishness, die to pride, die to ourselves. Each day, we choose to kill every-thing in us that is not Christ.

Still want to be a Christ follower?

previous: Matthew 4:18– 22next: Ephesians 2:1– 10

41 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.

Jesus Again Predicts His Death43And they were all amazed at the

majesty of God.But while everyone marveled at all

the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, 44“Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” 45But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

be here; and let us make three taberna-cles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— not knowing what he said.

34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. 35And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son.a Hear Him!” 36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

A Boy Is Healed37Now it happened on the next day,

when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him. 38Suddenly a man from the multi-tude cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. 39And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him. 40So I implored Your dis-ciples to cast it out, but they could not.”

LUKE 9:45 | 1443

9:35 a NU- Text reads This is My Son, the Chosen One.

shows that they understood something about what Jesus said, but they did not understand how and why Jesus could say such things about Himself, since He was the Messiah. The suffering of the Messiah was something the disciples did not yet understand. They would continue to be confused in their under-standing of how such suffering fit into God’s plan until Jesus’ death and resurrection (24:25 – 26,43 – 49).

9:34 cloud. This is an allusion to the presence of God (Ex. 40:35).9:41 O faithless and perverse generation. This rebuke suggests that the disciples lacked the faith to cast out the spirit described in verses 38 – 40. There is also a hint of a competitive spirit among the disciples (v. 46).9:45 they were afraid to ask. The indication here is that the disciples still had much to learn. Their fear

Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”

58And Jesus said to him, “ Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”

But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

61And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”

62But Jesus said to him, “No one, hav-ing put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The Seventy Sent Out

10 After these things the Lord ap-pointed seventy others also,a

and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. 7And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give,

Who Is the Greatest?46 Then a dispute arose among them

as to which of them would be greatest. 47And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, 48and said to them, “Who-ever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”

Jesus Forbids Sectarianism49Now John answered and said,

“Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”

50But Jesus said to him, “Do not for-bid him, for he who is not against usa is on our b side.”

A Samaritan Village Rejects the Savior

51Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Je-rusalem, 52and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and con-sume them, just as Elijah did?” a

55But He turned and rebuked them,a and said, “You do not know what man-ner of spirit you are of. 56For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” a And they went to an-other village.

The Cost of Discipleship57Now it happened as they jour-

neyed on the road, that someone said to

1444 | LUKE 9:46

9:50 a NU- Text reads you. b NU- Text reads your. 9:54 a NU- Text omits just as Elijah did. 9:55 a NU- Text omits the rest of this verse. 9:56 a NU- Text omits the first sentence of this verse. 10:1 a NU- Text reads seventy- two others.

villages that refused to respond to His message, just as Elijah had done in 2 Kings 1:9 – 16. Their demand for judgment was antithetical to Jesus’ loving response (v. 56).9:59 let me first go and bury my father. This aspiring disciple placed family responsibilities ahead of fol-lowing Jesus. The concerns of home were this man’s stumbling block.9:62 fit for the kingdom. This remark of Jesus dem-onstrates the seriousness of commitment to Him.10:2 The harvest truly is great. The picture of a great harvest suggests that a positive response awaited the laborers, even in the face of much rejection.10:3 lambs among wolves. This image from Isaiah 40:11 was a popular one in Judaism.

9:51 He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. This is the first indication that Jesus’ attention was turning toward His final suffering in Jerusalem (v. 53; 13:22; 17:11; 18:31; 19:11,28,41). Luke’s Gospel uniquely emphasizes this journey to Jerusalem.9:52 Samaritans. These people were the descen-dants of Jews who had married Gentiles after the fall of the northern kingdom, Israel. The Samaritans eventually developed their own religious rites which they practiced on Mount Gerizim instead of at the temple in Jerusalem. Though there was deep hostil-ity between Jews and Samaritans, Jesus ministered to both groups.9:54 command fire to come down. James and John wanted Jesus to bring judgment upon the Samaritan

Relationships / Note 5

Build Wise Relationships with UnbelieversLuke 10:1– 37

We believers need one another to help us live for Jesus and honor Him. We learn from other believers how to work well, love well, rest well, and manage time well. We absolutely need to invest time in these relationships (Heb. 10:24, 25).

But we are also called to go and make disciples. We must make friends with those who’ve not yet become believers (see the concept note at 2  Corinthians 6:14, “Let Your Closest Relationships Be with Christ Followers”). We teach them about Jesus, and when they accept Jesus we help these new believers know what Scripture means and how to live according to it (Matt. 28:19, 20).

These relationships are typically best when a man witnesses to a man and a woman to a woman. Evangelistic dating is unwise and dangerous. It’s also often wise to go about the work of making disciples in partnership with at least one other believer. Jesus sent out His apostles “into every city and place where He Himself was about to go,” (Luke 10:1). Jesus would walk into those

cities, but His apostles would go first and prepare the hearts and minds of the citizens.

It’s not your job to know everything and it’s not your job to save anyone; that’s the Holy Spirit’s role. But you are called to relate well to people who do not know Christ, to give a picture of how Christ followers act, and to make God’s transformation intensely appealing.

“The harvest truly is great, but the labor-ers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (v.  2). You are called to labor. To work. To gather those who need to hear His voice and let them know He loves them and wants a relationship.

How? By eating with them, by working in harmony with them, by getting to know them (v. 7), by talking to them and by caring about them simply because they matter and not so you can have a notch on your witnessing belt. Form relationships. Let others see Jesus in your mind and your mouth and your heart. By meeting the needs even of those you don’t yet know (vv. 25– 37).

We are called to be light bearers in a dark world (Phil. 2:12– 18).

previous: Ephesians 6:1– 9

which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have re-pented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.a 16He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

The Seventy Return with Joy17 Then the seventy a returned with

for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 What-ever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘The very dust of your city which clings to usa we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ 12Buta I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

Woe to the Impenitent Cities13“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to

you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works

LUKE 10:17 | 1445

10:11 a NU- Text reads our feet. 10:12 a NU- Text and M- Text omit But. 10:15 a NU- Text reads will you be exalted to heaven? You will be thrust down to Hades! 10:17 a NU- Text reads seventy- two.

messenger is the same as hearing the One who sent him. Authority resides not in the messenger, but in the person the messenger represents, the source of the message.

10:13 if the mighty works . . . had been done. Jesus’ remark was meant to wake the people up to what their rejection of Him signified.10:16 He who hears you hears Me. Hearing the

Similar to the parable of the soils in Luke 8:4– 15, context is critical to understanding the parable of the Good Samaritan. The scene began when a lawyer approached Jesus with the intent to test Him (Luke 10:25). We must remember that Jesus was not responding to someone who was genuinely seeking truth but who was intent on justifying himself (v. 29).

Hoping to challenge Jesus, the lawyer found himself having to answer his own question. On the topic of the greatest com-mandment, the lawyer recited Deuteronomy 6:5. Known as the “Shema” (Hebrew for “hear”), this was a portion of Scripture that many Jews recited two times each day.

However, the discussion about loving your neighbor (Lev. 19:18) prompted the parable. It is apparent that the lawyer wanted to nar-row the scope of who exactly he had to love. Evidently he did not want to do more than was necessary to fulfill the Law’s requirements. Jesus, on the other hand, demonstrated that in His kingdom love meets needs.

Culturally, we struggle to appreciate how

much this story would have galled those lis-tening. We hear the term “Good Samaritan” with a happy heart; Jews saw it as the ulti-mate oxymoron. Jews despised Samaritans, to the point that many would walk miles out of their way to avoid walking on Samaritan soil. Through this shocking parable, Jesus pointed out that loving one’s neighbor is not a box to be checked on a spiritual checklist, but a limitless habit of seeing and meeting needs.

MORE INSIGHT ■ A denarius was the equivalent of a day’s

wage for a common laborer.

■ A night’s stay in an inn usually cost one- twelfth of a denarius.

■ By paying two denarii, not only was the Samaritan paying two days’ wages, but he was also paying for about three weeks’ worth of accommodations.

previous: Luke 8:4– 15next: Luke 15:1– 32

STUDY THE BOOKLuke 10:25– 37The Samaritan is a true neighbor

hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 22Alla things have been de-livered 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 the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; 24for I tell you that many prophets and kings have

joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

18And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19Be-hold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20Never-theless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather a rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus Rejoices in the Spirit21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the

Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have

1446 | LUKE 10:18

10:20 a NU- Text and M- Text omit rather. 10:22 a M- Text reads And turning to the disciples He said, “All . . . .

immediate circle of disciples. It should be noted that similar power was not given beyond that circle of disciples.10:22 All things have been delivered to Me. This is Jesus’ declaration of total authority as the Son of God (John 10:18; 17:2). Jesus declares His unique relationship with God the Father. The Lord reveals Himself only through Jesus. To know God, one must know His Son, Jesus.

10:18 I saw Satan. This verse provides a commentary on what the disciples’ healing ministry meant. The reversal of the effects of sin and death, which Satan introduced through his deception in Genesis 3 is portrayed graphically as Satan falling from heaven. Jesus’ ministry and what grows out of it represents the defeat of Satan, sin, and death.10:19 – 20 I give you the authority. This passage records the transmission of Jesus’ power to His

‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

37And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Mary and Martha Worship and Serve

38Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a cer-tain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39And she had a sis-ter called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ a feet and heard His word. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

41And Jesusa answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42But one thing is needed, and Mary has cho-sen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

The Model Prayer

11 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when

He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan25And behold, a certain lawyer stood

up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

26He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

27So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ a and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” b

28And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

29But he, wanting to justify him-self, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32Likewise a Le vite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Sa-maritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own an-imal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35On the next day, when he departed,a he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him,

LUKE 11:1 | 1447

10:27 a Deuteronomy 6:5 b Leviticus 19:18 10:35 a NU- Text omits when he departed. 10:39 a NU- Text reads the Lord’s. 10:41 a NU- Text reads the Lord.

not. The lawyer was looking for minimal obedience while Jesus was looking for absolute obedience.10:30 Jerusalem to Jericho. This was a 17-mile jour-ney on a road known to harbor many robbers.10:31 – 33 priest . . . Levite . . . Samaritan. Part of the beauty of the story of the Good Samaritan is the rever-sal of stereotypes. The priest and Levite traditionally would have been the “good guys.” The Samaritan would have been a “bad guy,” a person who compro-mised in religious matters. However, the Samaritan knew how to treat his neighbor. The neighbor here was not someone the Samaritan knew or even some-one of the same race, just someone in need.10:36 which . . . was neighbor. The central issue is not determining who one’s neighbor is, but being a good neighbor to all.11:1 Lord, teach us to pray. The Lord’s Prayer illus-trates the variety of requests that one can and should make to God, as well as displaying the hum-ble attitude that should accompany prayer. The use

10:25 – 26 what shall I do to inherit eternal life. The question posed by the lawyer is really a challenge, since the verse speaks of the testing of Jesus. This is a similar, though probably distinct, event from Matthew 22:34 – 40 and Mark 12:28 – 34. To inherit something is to receive it. In other words, the man was asking, “What must I do to share in the reward at the resurrection of the righteous at the end?”10:27 love the Lord  . . . your neighbor. The lawyer responded to Jesus’ question by quoting Deuteron-omy 6:5, a text that was recited twice a day by every faithful Jew. This text summarized the central ethical standard of the law.10:28 do this and you will live. Jesus was not saying that righteousness is the result of works. Rather He was saying that love for and obedience to God will be a natural result of placing one’s faith in the Lord.10:29 who is my neighbor. This question was an attempt to limit the demands of the law by suggest-ing that some people are neighbors while others are

instead of a fish? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

A House Divided Cannot Stand14And He was casting out a demon,

and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. 15But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub,a the ruler of the demons.”

16Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. 17But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. 18If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. 19And if I cast out demons by Beelze-bub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20But if I cast out demons with the fin-ger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own pal-ace, his goods are in peace. 22But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and

2So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,aHallowed be Your name.Your kingdom come.bYour will be doneOn earth as it is in heaven.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.4 And forgive us our sins,

For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.” a

A Friend Comes at Midnight5And He said to them, “Which of you

shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I can-not rise and give to you’? 8I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking9“So I say to you, ask, and it will be

given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11If a son asks for breada from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent

1448 | LUKE 11:2

11:2 a NU- Text omits Our and in heaven. b NU- Text omits the rest of this verse. 11:4 a NU- Text omits But deliver us from the evil one. 11:11 a NU- Text omits the words from bread through for in the next sentence. 11:15 a NU- Text and M- Text read Beelzebul.

11:17 – 18 you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. The attribution of Jesus’ miracles to Satan was not only blasphemous, it was illogical. If Satan had cast out the demon (v. 14), he would have been destroy-ing the result of his own work.11:20 the finger of God. This phrase is an allusion to God’s power, like that demonstrated in the Exodus (Ex. 8:19; Deut. 9:10; Ps. 8:3). the kingdom of God has come upon you. Jesus’ miracles represented the arrival of God’s power and promise — in short, His rule. That rule comes in and through Jesus. The miracles of Jesus demonstrated God’s victory over the forces of evil. The kingdom program, depicted as drawing near, will be consummated at the return of Jesus when this rule is manifested over every creature.11:22 when a stronger than he. Jesus portrays Him-self as someone stronger than Satan who overruns Satan’s house and gives the spoils of victory to those who are His (Eph. 4:8 – 9).

of the plural pronoun “us” throughout the prayer shows that it is not just the prayer of one person for his or her own personal needs, but a community prayer.11:2 Your kingdom come. The reference here is to God’s program and promise. This is more affirmation than request, highlighting the petitioner’s submis-sion to God’s will and the desire to see God’s work come to pass.11:4 we also forgive. The petitioner recognizes that if mercy is to be sought from God, then mercy must be shown to others. We need to adopt the same standard that we expect others to follow. do not lead us into temptation. This remark is often misun-derstood as suggesting that perhaps God can lead us into sin. The point is that if one is to avoid sin, one must follow where God leads. In short, the petitioner asks God for the spiritual protection necessary to avoid falling into sin.

The Lamp of the Body33“No one, when he has lit a lamp,

puts it in a secret place or under a bas-ket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. 36If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers37And as He spoke, a certain Phari-

see asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. 38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. 40Fool-ish ones! Did not He who made the out-side make the inside also? 41But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

42“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greet-ings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! a For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

divides his spoils. 23He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

An Unclean Spirit Returns24“When an unclean spirit goes out

of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

Keeping the Word27And it happened, as He spoke these

things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”

28But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Seeking a Sign29And while the crowds were thickly

gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.a 30For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this genera-tion and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

LUKE 11:44 | 1449

11:29 a NU- Text omits the prophet. 11:44 a NU- Text omits scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.

11:39 make the outside . . . clean. These condemna-tions by Jesus are similar to those in Matthew 23. The Pharisees washed the outside of cups, making sure that the cups had not become unclean through con-tact with a dead insect (Lev. 11:31 – 38). Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees concerned themselves with outward appearances and ritual cleanness, while what was inside, what really counts, was full of self-ishness and evil.11:42 tithe mint and rue. Some Pharisees took the strictest interpretation and counted almost any-thing, including spices. However, they neglected two basic things that the prophets also had warned about: love and justice (Mic. 6:8; Zech. 7:8 – 10).

11:23 He who is not with Me. Jesus’ ministry forces everyone to make a choice. Neutrality is not an option. Either Jesus comes from God or He does not. Not to align with Jesus is to be against Him.11:26 the last state. Jesus’ point is that experienc-ing God’s blessing and then ignoring it leaves one callous towards the work of God and exposed to the control of demonic forces.11:29 the sign of Jonah. This refers to his prophetic call to repentance rather than to the resurrection foreshadowed by Jonah’s return from the belly of the great fish.11:36 your whole body is full of light. A person can become like light, a living picture of what God’s Word teaches, by concentrating on the light of the truth.

of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be pro-claimed on the housetops.

Jesus Teaches the Fear of God4“And I say to you, My friends, do not

be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

6“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?a And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confess Christ Before Men8“Also I say to you, whoever con-

fesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

10“And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be for-given him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

45 Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.”

46And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fin-gers. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fa-thers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ 50that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

52“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

53And as He said these things to them,a the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross- examine Him about many things, 54lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.a

Beware of Hypocrisy

12 In the meantime, when an innu-merable multitude of people had

gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His dis-ciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven

1450 | LUKE 11:45

11:53 a NU- Text reads And when He left there. 11:54 a NU- Text omits and seeking and that they might accuse Him. 12:6 a Greek assarion, a coin of very small value

12:1 – 2 leaven. This represents the presence of cor-ruption. Unleavened bread is what the Jews ate at Passover (Ex. 12:14 – 20). The corruption in view here is hypocrisy. Practicing hypocrisy is senseless because eventually all deeds — both good and evil — will be exposed.12:4 do not be afraid of those who kill the body. This verse anticipates the presence of severe religious persecution in response to Jesus’ remarks in Luke 11:39 – 54.12:5 Fear Him. Even in the context of physical per-secution, the only One believers should fear is God, who sees how we live and judges us. Jesus was not guaranteeing physical preservation in this life, but was opening the prospect of deliverance in the next life.12:6 two copper coins. These were the smallest coins in circulation, worth about one-sixteenth of a basic day’s wages.

11:46 burdens. This term refers to a ship’s cargo. The idea is that a heavy strain was being imposed on the people and yet, in the end, this burden did not bring them close to God. Here Jesus rebuked the tradition that had grown up around the law of Moses.11:47 – 48 you build the tombs of the prophets. Jesus made a biting, ironic comparison between the cur-rent generation of Israel and the generations of the past. Jesus was saying that the current generation finished the job of slaying the prophets that the pre-vious generation had started. The building and care of tombs was supposed to be an act of honoring the prophets, but Jesus pointed out that something else was really going on.11:52 Woe to you lawyers. Jesus charged the lawyers with doing the opposite of what they claimed their calling to be. Rather than bringing people nearer to God, they had removed the possibility of their enter-ing into that knowledge, and had prevented others from understanding it as well.

and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25And which of you by worry ing can add one cubit to his stature? 26If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31But seek the kingdom of God, and all these thingsa shall be added to you.

32“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant

35“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. As-sured ly, I say to you that he will gird

11“Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and au-thorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool13 Then one from the crowd said to

Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness,a for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

21“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry22 Then He said to His disciples,

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn;

LUKE 12:37 | 1451

12:15 a NU- Text reads all covetousness. 12:31 a NU- Text reads His kingdom, and these things.

Why should we worry if God takes such care of even the smallest blade of grass? The Lord knows our problems and will provide us with what we need.12:33 Sell what you have. In contrast to the world’s hoarding of possessions, the disciple must be gener-ous with what God gives. By serving God and others, you can invest in your eternal future. You cannot take possessions with you in the next life, but you can store up an eternal treasure by giving to others (Phil. 4:17).12:34 where your treasure is. What people consider valuable is where their energy will be spent. Know-ing God and investing in His purposes should be the treasure we seek.

12:14 who made Me a judge. Jesus refuses to enter into a dispute over money, which is clearly dividing a family. Such disputes over money destroy relation-ships, so Jesus tells a parable that explains the dan-ger of focusing on wealth.12:18 – 19 I will do this. Including verse 17, the word “I” appears six times, showing the selfish focus this man has as a result of his fortune. His plan is to store his abundant resources for himself, as though the assets were his alone and should be hoarded. This focus on the self is what Jesus is condemning.12:27 – 29 God so clothes the grass. This illustration indicates that God cares enough to provide beauty for the parts of His creation that have a short life.

Last Things / Note 3

Any Day NowLuke 12:35– 40

Across the spectrum of genuine Christian faith, good Christians differ on many ne-gotiable issues. The details surrounding the return of Jesus represent a common sticking point. Many Christians sincerely disagree on the signs leading up to Jesus’ return and the timeline of events, such as a rapture of the saints, a tribula-tion period, or a millennial reign of Christ.

Despite these differences, Christians are essentially unanimous in the belief that Jesus is coming back.

Scripture is clear that Jesus will re-turn. Jesus Himself promised He would return (John 14:1– 4), and biblical writers such as Paul (1  Thess. 4:13– 18) and Peter (2 Pet. 3:10) agreed. But while we are confident in His return, we don’t know when He will return. Jesus told us that no one except the Father knows the time of Jesus’ return: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matt. 24:36).

Over the years, many have claimed special knowledge about the time, but all have come up short. That’s because Jesus didn’t just say that we did not know—His words indicate that we cannot know. Instead, we must be prepared for His coming and live like it could be today. Theologians call this the “imminence” of Christ’s return. In Matthew 25:1– 13 Jesus told a parable about ten virgins who waited for a wedding. Five were prepared with the right amount of oil for their lamps. Five others were not and were left outside when they missed the beginning of the ceremony.

Likewise, Jesus encourages us to be ready because “the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40).

previous: 1 Corinthians 15:26next: Revelation 19:16

himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched anda not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”

42And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43Blessed is that ser-vant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his com-ing,’ and begins to beat the male and fe-male servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not look-ing for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbe-lievers. 47And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall

1452 | LUKE 12:38

12:39 a NU- Text reads he would not have allowed.

12:38 if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch. This verse speaks of a return at an unusually late hour. The exact time referred to depends on which system of time was used. In the Roman system the second and third watch would be 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. By the Jewish method it would be 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.12:41 only to us, or to all. Peter asked if Jesus’ teaching was for the disciples only or for all people. Jesus did not answer the question directly. Instead He described a variety of categories of servants. Servants are those who belong to the Master and have their stewardship evaluated (19:11 – 27). Several responses, from faithfulness to blatant disobedi-ence, are described in verses 42 – 48. The issue is who lives life in a way that looks for, and takes seriously, the return of Jesus (1 John 2:28).12:45 begins to beat the male and female servants. This servant is depicted as consciously doing the opposite of caring for others, and of treating the Master’s return as irrelevant.12:46 will cut him in two. The image of being slain indicates the severity of this judgment, especially in contrast to the whippings of verses 47 and 48.

from there till you have paid the very last mite.”

Repent or Perish

13 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Gal-

ileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2And Jesus an-swered and said to them, “Do you sup-pose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, be-cause they suffered such things? 3I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree6He also spoke this parable: “A cer-

tain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8But he an-swered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after thata you can cut it down.’ ”

A Spirit of Infirmity10Now He was teaching in one of

the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise

be beaten with many stripes. 48But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Christ Brings Division49“I came to send fire on the earth,

and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! 51Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother- in- law against her daughter- in- law and daughter- in- law against her mother- in- law.”

Discern the Time54 Then He also said to the multi-

tudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

Make Peace with Your Adversary57“Yes, and why, even of yourselves,

do you not judge what is right? 58 When you go with your adversary to the mag-istrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59I tell you, you shall not depart

LUKE 13:11 | 1453

13:9 a NU- Text reads And if it bears fruit after that, well. But if not, you can cut it down.

Tabernacles, when Galileans most likely would have been at the temple.13:5 unless you repent. The manner in which a per-son dies is not a measure of righteousness; what is important is not to die outside of God’s grace and care. The way to avoid such a fate is to repent, to come to God through the care of the Physician Jesus (5:32).13:6 a fig tree. This tree often represents God’s bless-ing, or a people who have a special relationship with God (Mic. 7:1 – 2). The man in this parable represents God; the fig tree represents Israel.13:7 for three years. A fig tree was often given some time to bear good fruit since its root structure was complex and took time to develop. Three years would have been enough for the tree to yield some fruit.

12:49 I came to send fire on the earth. Fire is an image associated with God’s judgment (Jer. 5:14; 23:29). Jesus’ coming brings judgment on those who refuse to accept Him and divides the believers from the faithless.12:54 – 55 a cloud rising out of the west. In Palestine, a western breeze meant moisture coming from the Mediterranean Sea. A south wind meant hot air com-ing from the desert.12:56 Hypocrites. Jesus rebuked His audience for being able to discern the weather but not what God was doing through Him.13:1 Pilate. Pilate was known for his insensitivity to the Jewish people early in his rule. The event prob-ably occurred during the Feast of the Passover or

The Narrow Way22And He went through the cities

and villages, teaching, and journey-ing toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”

And He said to them, 24“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 30And in-deed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

31On that very day a some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and de-part from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”

32And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’

herself up. 12But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your in-firmity.” 13And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

14But the ruler of the synagogue an-swered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”

15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite!a Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound— think of it— for eigh-teen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed18 Then He said, “What is the king-

dom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a largea tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

The Parable of the Leaven20And again He said, “To what shall

I liken the kingdom of God? 21It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measuresa of meal till it was all leavened.”

1454 | LUKE 13:12

13:15 a NU- Text and M- Text read Hypocrites. 13:19 a NU- Text omits large. 13:21 a Greek sata, approximately two pecks in all 13:31 a NU- Text reads In that very hour.

with God, one must embrace Jesus and come to know Him.13:29 east . . . west . . . north . . . south. People would come from all corners of the earth for entrance into God’s kingdom. This passage alludes to the inclusion of Gentiles.13:30 there are last who will be first. There will be many surprises in God’s kingdom. Those who are despised on earth — some Gentiles, for exam-ple — will be greatly honored in the kingdom. Con-versely, those who are considered influential and powerful on earth — the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ day, for example — will be excluded from the kingdom.13:32 Go, tell that fox. Herod is portrayed as more curious than hostile. The reference here is to Herod’s cunning. Jesus’ reply seems to take the Pharisees’ warning at face value.

13:15 Hypocrite. When the ruler of the synagogue became indignant regarding Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath (vv. 10 – 14), Jesus pointed out that basic compassion was shown to animals on the Sabbath, so how much more compassion should be shown to a suffering woman (v. 16)?13:18 – 19 mustard. A tree of the mustard family would grow to about twelve feet. The image of birds nesting in the trees is found frequently in the Old Testament (Ps. 104:12; Ezek. 17:22 – 24; Dan. 4:10 – 12).13:26 We ate and drank . . . You taught. The appeal here is by people who experience Jesus’ presence. The passage primarily involves those Jews who witnessed Jesus’ ministry. They were trying to gain entry into God’s presence based simply on the fact that they had observed Jesus. Jesus refused them, pointing out that it was not enough for them to have been close to Him. In order to have a relationship

‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11For whoever exalts himself will be hum-bled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 Then He also said to him who in-vited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neigh-bors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrec-tion of the just.”

The Parable of the Great Supper15Now when one of those who sat at

the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat breada in the kingdom of God!”

16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and there-fore I cannot come.’ 21So that servant

33Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

Jesus Laments over Jerusalem34“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one

who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 35See! Your house is left to you desolate; and as-sured ly,a I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” b

A Man with Dropsy Healed on the Sabbath

14 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of

the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sab-bath, that they watched Him closely. 2And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” a

4But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey a or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not im-mediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

Take the Lowly Place7So He told a parable to those who

were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: 8“When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9and he who in-vited you and him come and say to you,

LUKE 14:21 | 1455

13:35 a NU- Text and M- Text omit assuredly.  b Psalm 118:26 14:3 a NU- Text adds or not. 14:5 a NU- Text and M- Text read son. 14:15 a M- Text reads dinner.

14:7 they chose the best places. In ancient times the best seats at a meal were those next to the host.14:17 those who were invited. In the ancient world, invitations to a feast were sent out well in advance of the meal. Then on the day of the feast, servants would announce the start of the meal. This parable is similar to the one in Matthew 22:1 – 4, but was proba-bly spoken on a different occasion.14:20 I have married a wife. While the Old Testa-ment exempted a man from military duty because of marriage (Deut. 20:7; 24:5), marriage was not an excuse for avoiding social duties. The general point

13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem. The double address indicates Jesus’ deep sorrow (2  Sam. 18:33; Jer. 22:29). The city had executed many of God’s messen-gers. Stephen makes a similar point about the nation of Israel in Acts 7:51 – 53.13:35 Blessed is He. This is a citation of Psalm 118:26. The people of Israel would not see the Messiah again until they were ready to receive Him and recognize that He was sent from God. Psalm 118 reflects the greeting of a priest to a group entering the temple. Jesus used the language of this psalm to illustrate God’s greeting to Him.

Tasteless Salt Is Worthless34“Salt is good; but if the salt has

lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear

Him. 2And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

4“What man of you, having a hun-dred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety- nine in the wil-derness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, re-joicing. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety- nine just per-sons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin8“Or what woman, having ten sil-

ver coins,a if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, say-ing, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found

came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ 22And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”

Leaving All to Follow Christ25Now great multitudes went with

Him. And He turned and said to them, 26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My dis-ciple. 27And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thou-sand? 32Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

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15:8 a Greek drachma, a valuable coin often worn in a ten- piece garland by married women

15:1 tax collectors . . . sinners. The three parables of chapter 15 explain why Jesus associated with the despised groups while the Pharisees and scribes did not. The parables in this chapter are found only in Luke.15:4 a hundred sheep. This was a medium-sized flock. The average herd ran from 20 to 200 head, while a flock of 300 or more was considered large.15:7 persons who need no repentance. This phrase is a rhetorical way of describing the scribes and Phari-sees. A similar description is found in 5:31, where it is said that some do not need a physician. The scribes and Pharisees believed that they did not need to repent because they were not lost.15:8 ten silver coins. A drachma was a silver coin equal to a day’s wage for a basic laborer. The woman needed a lamp because she lived in a windowless house. Her broom for sweeping would have been made of palm twigs.

here is that the man regarded his own affairs as more important than the feast.14:21 the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind. This list matches that of verse 13. The maimed were excluded from full participation in Jewish worship (Lev. 21:17 – 23). The master’s second invitation extended the scope of the offer to those who were rejected by society.14:23 Go out into the highways. The master’s second invitation extended beyond the city limits, encour-aging even more people to come to the feast. This may picture the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s sal-vation (Is. 49:6). The instruction to compel them to come in does not mean to force people in, but to urge them.14:34 Salt is good. In the ancient world, salt was often used as a catalyst for burning fuel such as cat-tle dung. The salt of the time was impure and could lose its strength over time, becoming useless. Jesus’ point is that the same is true of a “saltless” disciple.

We can learn this much from the Pharisees: don’t assume you have a corner on under-standing God.

It seems like the Pharisees just wouldn’t listen. Each time they questioned Jesus or tried to trap Him, they were the ones walking away looking foolish. In Luke 15, we find three of Jesus’ most famous parables; their fame may have something to do with the fact that they all drive home the same point.

Again, the context is critical. This time the Pharisees didn’t try to challenge Jesus publicly. Instead they simply marveled at the company Jesus kept: “This Man receives sin-ners and eats with them” (v. 2). In response to their being appalled that “all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him” (v. 1), Jesus shared three parables.

The first two are relatively straightforward. A man had a hundred sheep, lost one, and went in search of it (vv.  4– 7). Next, a woman had ten coins, lost one, and went in search of it (vv.  8– 10). In both parables, the main char-acter called on friends and neighbors to join in rejoicing that what was once lost had been found. The point of each parable: Jesus came

to seek and save the lost. Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents. Often the obviously sinful company Jesus kept was more respon-sive to God than the self- righteous religious leaders.

Jesus then told the parable of the lost son. Many refer to this as the story of the Prodigal Son. However, the hero of the story is not the wayward son but the waiting father. While the son was off squandering all that his father had given him, the father stood watching and waiting for his son to return. When he did, the father threw aside all dignity and ran to his lost- but- now- found child.

MORE INSIGHTDo not overlook Jesus’ emphasis on the other brother in this parable. He does not rejoice in his brother’s return. He also needed to accept his father’s love. His irritation is an obvious connection to the initial complaint of the Pharisees and scribes in Luke 15:1, 2.

previous: Luke 10:25– 37next: Luke 19:28– 48

STUDY THE BOOKLuke 15:1– 32God our Father waits with open arms

country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

17“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

20“And he arose and came to his fa-ther. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compas-sion, and ran and fell on his neck and

the piece which I lost!’ 10Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Lost Son11 Then He said: “A certain man had

two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his pos-sessions with prodigal living. 14But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that

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parable causes people to miss the more impor tant point, namely, the importance of the father’s wel-coming role. Still others think it could even be called the Parable of the Elder Brother. Interestingly, both brothers underestimate their father’s love and grace.

15:15 to feed swine. Feeding swine was an insulting job for a Jewish person, since pigs were unclean according to the law of Moses.15:20 his father saw him and had compassion. Many scholars feel that the emphasis on the son in this

The Parable of the Unjust Steward

16 He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man

who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

3“Then the steward said within him-self, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’

5“So he called every one of his mas-ter’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6And he said, ‘A hundred measuresa of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hun-dred measuresa of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon,

kissed him. 21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bringa out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and san-dals on his feet. 23And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

25“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

28“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

31“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

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15:22 a NU- Text reads Quickly bring. 16:6 a Greek batos, eight or nine gallons each (Old Testament bath) 16:7 a Greek koros, ten or twelve bushels each (Old Testament kor)

reason to celebrate. It is also the reason Jesus chose to associate with the lost.15:28 he was angry. The elder brother’s unhappi-ness over a fatted calf (v. 27) being killed to celebrate the return of his undisciplined brother illustrates the response of the Pharisees and scribes at the pros-pect of sinners becoming acceptable to God.16:1 a steward. This was a servant who supervised and administered an estate. The charge brought against this steward is incompetence.16:8 So the master commended the unjust steward. The master recognized the foresight in the steward’s generosity. It is debatable whether the steward was dishonest and robbed the master by such reductions or was shrewd in using his authority to discount the goods (vv. 6 – 7). The fact that the master com-mended the steward may suggest that the master was not robbed and that the steward’s reduction was the result of either an adherence to the law or a lowering of the steward’s own commission.16:9 unrighteous mammon. This is money and should be used generously to build works that last.

The younger brother is slow to realize the extent and permanence of his father’s love. The elder brother has trouble understanding that the restored rela-tionship with the younger son is vital to the life of the father. What makes the dramatic conversion possible is the younger son’s knowledge that he will be accepted when he returns. While there are con-sequences to his behavior (his money is gone), he is welcomed to be a part of the family again. In many ways the welcome is even more than he could have hoped for. What is amazing about grace is that it is always more than we expect or deserve.15:21 no longer worthy to be called your son. Despite his awareness of being accepted by his father, the son continued his confession of his sin. He then asked to become one of his father’s servants. Similarly, a sinner realizes that he or she brings noth-ing to and deserves nothing from God, but must rely completely on God’s mercy.15:24 dead . . . alive again . . . lost . . . found. The total transformation of the prodigal son is summarized in these two contrasts. Such a transformation is a

crumbs which fella from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22So it was that the beg-gar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23And being in tor-ments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25But Abra-ham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tor-mented. 26And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

27“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28for I have five broth-ers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30And he said, ‘No, father Abra-ham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

Jesus Warns of Offenses

17 Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses

should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2It would be better

that when you fail,a they may receive you into an ever lasting home. 10He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the un-righteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

13“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

The Law, the Prophets, and the Kingdom

14Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16“The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. 17And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

18“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

The Rich Man and Lazarus19“There was a certain rich man

who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21desiring to be fed with the

LUKE 17:2 | 1459

16:9 a NU- Text reads it fails. 16:21 a NU- Text reads with what fell.

desired relief from his suffering. The image of thirst for the experience of judgment is common (Is. 5:13; 65:13; Hos. 2:3).16:29 They have Moses and the prophets. Abraham made it clear that the rich man’s brothers should have known what to do, since they had the message of God in the ancient writings. The point here is that generosity with money and care for the poor were taught in the Old Testament (Deut. 14:28 – 29; Is. 3:14 – 15; Mic. 6:10 – 11).17:1 – 2 woe to him. Jesus warned that judgment awaits those who cause others to stumble. The severe form of the warning suggests that false teaching, or leading someone into apostasy, is in view here. a mill-stone. This was a heavy stone used in a grinding mill.

Money is called unrighteous because it often man-ifests unrighteousness and selfishness in people (1 Tim. 6:6 – 10,17 – 19; James 1:9 – 11; 5:1 – 6).16:19 clothed in purple. Purple clothes were extremely expensive because they were made with a special dye extracted from a kind of snail.16:20 – 21 licked his sores. To have his sores licked by dogs threatened Lazarus with infection as well as ritual uncleanness, since dogs fed on garbage, including dead animals.16:22 Abraham’s bosom. This was the blessed place of the dead. Angelic escorts for the dead were also known in Judaism. This verse indicates that the dead know their fate immediately.16:24 I am tormented in this flame. The rich man

15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

17So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God ex-cept this foreigner?” 19And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

The Coming of the Kingdom20Now when He was asked by the

Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ a For in-deed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

22 Then He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ a Do not go after them or follow them. 24For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. 25But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28Like-wise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they

for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to your-selves. If your brother sins against you,a rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you,a saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Faith and Duty5And the apostles said to the Lord,

“Increase our faith.”6So the Lord said, “If you have faith

as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8But will he not rather say to him, ‘Pre-pare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9Does he thank that ser-vant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.a 10So like-wise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”

Ten Lepers Cleansed11Now it happened as He went to

Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13And they lifted up their voices and said, “ Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

1460 | LUKE 17:3

17:3 a NU- Text omits against you. 17:4 a M- Text omits to you. 17:9 a NU- Text ends verse with commanded; M- Text omits him. 17:21 a NU- Text reverses here and there. 17:23 a NU- Text reverses here and there.

beginning of His kingdom on earth, God first pre-pares a King to rule; then He gathers a people for Him to rule over; then He gives the Ruler a realm in which to reign. The kingdom of God is not the same as the church, though the church is a part of the kingdom. The kingdom now is the presence of God alongside earthly kingdoms. One day, however, Jesus will rule over all, and He will share that rule with His people (Rev. 2:26 – 27; 5:9 – 10; 20:4 – 6).17:26 in the days of Noah. At that time people paid little attention to God and faced judgment as a result (Gen. 6:5 – 13). The same will be the case at Jesus’ return.

17:20 kingdom of God. In ancient Israel there was an expectation that the kingdom of God would come with cosmic signs (Joel 2:28 – 32). Jesus’ concept of the kingdom of God, however, was broader than the time of the final consummation.17:21 within you. This verse indicates that there was an aspect of kingdom promise involved in Jesus’ first coming. The kingdom of God is among earthly kingdoms today; but one day the kingdom of God will swallow up all rival kingdoms (Rev. 11:15). In verses 22 – 37, Jesus makes it clear that the kingdom has two phases — one now and one to come. In the

6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He real ly find faith on the earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men— extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I pos-sess.’ 13And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, say-ing, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children15 Then they also brought infants

to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such

sold, they planted, they built; 29but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

31“In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. 32Re-member Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. 36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.” a

37And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?”

So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gath-ered together.”

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray

and not lose heart, 2saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my ad-versary.’ 4And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her contin-ual coming she weary me.’ ”

LUKE 18:16 | 1461

17:36 a NU- Text and M- Text omit verse 36.

a counterexample to the judge. God does not begrudge answering prayer. Jesus’ point is that, if an insensitive judge will respond to the continual requests of a widow, God will certainly respond to the continual prayers of believers.18:11 – 12 God, I thank You. The tone of the prayer reveals the Pharisee’s problem. He uses the pronoun “I” five times in two verses. The Pharisee’s attitude seems to be that God should be grateful to him for his commitment. The man obviously looked down on other people and was proud of his fasting and tithing.18:13 God, be merciful to me a sinner. This is an example of the humble spirit of repentance that Jesus commends. The tax collector knew that he could not say or bring anything to enhance his standing with God. He knew that only God’s mercy and grace, and not his own works, could deliver him.18:16 But Jesus called them. Jesus used the thought-lessness of his disciples to make two points: (1) all people, even little children, are important to God;

17:32 Lot’s wife. This woman represents those who are attached to earthly things, those whose hearts are still in this world. Like Lot’s wife, such people will perish (Gen. 19:26).17:34 – 37 one will be taken. This phrase suggests judgment such as when the soldiers took Jesus to crucify Him. Verse 37 makes it clear that those who are taken are taken to final judgment. The vultures will be gathered. When judgment comes, it will be final and terrible, with the stench of death and the presence of vultures everywhere. No one will need to look for the place of judgment; the presence of the birds will reveal where the carcasses are.18:2 a judge. The Romans allowed the Jews to man-age most of their own affairs. This judge did not fear God, and was therefore probably a secular judge, not a religious one. The dishonest judge represents corrupted power.18:5 this widow troubles me. The persistence of the widow is the lesson of the parable. God is

house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection

31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are writ-ten by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. 33 They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

34But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

A Blind Man Receives His Sight35 Then it happened, as He was com-

ing near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. 36And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. 37So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38And he cried out, saying, “ Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40So Jesus stood still and com-manded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, 41saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

is the kingdom of God. 17Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler

18Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

19So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 20 You know the command-ments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” a

21And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”

22So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

23But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

With God All Things Are Possible24And when Jesus saw that he be-

came very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25For it is eas-ier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

26And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”

27But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

28 Then Peter said, “See, we have left alla and followed You.”

29So He said to them, “As sured ly, I say to you, there is no one who has left

1462 | LUKE 18:17

18:20 a Exodus 20:12– 16; Deuteronomy 5:16– 20 18:28 a NU- Text reads our own.

believed that wealth was evidence of God’s blessing, Jesus’ statements would have been shocking to His audience.18:34 they understood none of these things. The disciples may have understood something of what Jesus said, but they could not understand why God’s Chosen One would have to face such suffering. For those who were expecting the Promised One to be an exalted figure who would deliver God’s people, it would be very difficult to reconcile such an expecta-tion with such terrible suffering.18:38 Son of David. Note the irony in this verse. The blind man recognized who Jesus was more clearly than many people who were blessed with physical sight. The blind man’s cry for mercy demonstrated his belief that Jesus had the power to heal him.

and (2) the kingdom of God consists of those who respond to Him with the trust that a little child gives to a parent.18:22 Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor. This was a radical test of the ruler’s concern for others (12:33 – 34). Jesus was determining whether the ruler’s treasure (Matt. 6:19 – 21) lay with God or money (16:13). Jesus was not establishing a new requirement for being saved. He was examining the ruler’s orientation to God by directly confront-ing him with the very thing that was hindering him — namely, his wealth.18:24 – 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Jesus used this figure of speech to emphasize the difficulty of turning from wealth to find salvation. Because many Jewish people

servants, delivered to them ten minas,a and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ 14But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’

15“And so it was that when he re-turned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16 Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ 17And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very lit-tle, have authority over ten cities.’ 18And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ 19Like-wise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’

20“Then another came, saying, ‘Mas-ter, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. 21For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not de-posit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked ser-vant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’

24“And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’ 25(But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’) 26‘For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 27But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not

42 Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Jesus Comes to Zacchaeus’ House

19 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2Now behold,

there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him,a and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7But when they saw it, they all com-plained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusa-tion, I restore fourfold.”

9And Jesus said to him, “Today sal-vation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The Parable of the Minas11Now as they heard these things,

He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would ap-pear immediately. 12 Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13So he called ten of his

LUKE 19:27 | 1463

19:5 a NU- Text omits and saw him. 19:13 a The mina (Greek mna, Hebrew minah) was worth about three months’ salary.

was designed to dispel this misconception. Note that the disciples raised the same question in Acts 1:6.19:13 ten minas. Each servant received one mina or about three months’ wages for the average worker. The master, symbolizing Jesus Himself, wants to see fruit, or dividends from his investment. Did his ser-vants put the money they received to good use?19:20 – 23 I feared you. The unfaithful servant’s excuse for failure reflects a negative view of the nobleman. If the servant had really feared the mas-ter, he would have done something with the money. Even putting the money in the bank would have yielded interest.

19:2 Zacchaeus. This was the chief tax collector, which meant he most likely bid for the right to col-lect taxes and then hired another tax collector to actually gather the money.19:7 they all complained. The crowd was not happy with Jesus’ choice of who to honor with His fellow-ship. In the crowd’s opinion, Zacchaeus was a sinner. Tax collectors often took for themselves a high per-centage of what they demanded. They were hated and despised in ancient Israel.19:11 they thought. Evidently the disciples believed that Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem would signal the arrival of the kingdom of God. Jesus’ parable in verses 12 – 27

We have all experienced a much- anticipated day: a birth, a graduation, a wedding, the day you leave on a trip, the day you come home, or the day you present the product. These ex-citing moments fill our lives and in many ways become our greatest memories. Plans are made for months. To- do lists are written and rewritten. The anticipation builds as the date approaches, and the anticipation becomes almost as memorable as the actual event.

There are other days that are equally antic-ipated but for unhappy reasons: a surgery, a difficult conversation, a court date, a funeral (Eccl. 3:1– 8). Arrangements are still made well in advance, but excitement is replaced by tension and stress.

As we examine the first day of Jesus’ final week on earth, we see both of these realities (anticipation and tension) casting dueling shadows wherever Jesus and His disciples went.

The tremors could be felt as He rode tri-umphantly into Jerusalem amidst the praise of the people (Luke 19:37). The mood quickly

turned as He entered the temple only to find it filled with greed and devoid of prayer (v. 45). To save humankind, Jesus would have to en-dure the ugliness of humanity’s sin. He would suffer and die before rising from death.

MORE INSIGHTTension builds early and steadily in Luke’s Gospel. In Luke 9:51, we see that “when the time had come for Him to be received up  .  .  . He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” The subsequent chapters in Luke reveal that while Jesus did not head straight to Jerusalem, His focus was certainly on what would occur there. As His final week approached, Jesus began to prepare His dis-ciples for exactly what was going to happen in Jerusalem (18:31– 34). Clearly, though, they did not understand until after the events had unfolded (24:44, 45). How could they?

previous: Luke 15:1– 32next: Luke 23:1– 49

STUDY THE BOOKLuke 19:28– 48

Jesus foreshadows His death and resurrection

34And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road.

37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38saying:

“‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ a

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39And some of the Pharisees called

want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’ ”

The Triumphal Entry28 When He had said this, He went

on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphagea and Bethany, at the moun-tain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30saying, “Go into the vil-lage opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ”

32So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?”

1464 | LUKE 19:28

19:29 a M- Text reads Bethsphage. 19:38 a Psalm 118:26

the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, festivals that commemorated the great act of God’s deliverance of the nation. Such feasts were often cel-ebrated at this time with the hope that God’s deci-sive deliverance would come.

19:31 – 34 the Lord has need of it. Such borrowing of an animal was not as strange as it may appear. There was an ancient custom by which a political or reli-gious leader could commandeer property for short-term use. Jesus was entering Jerusalem to celebrate

together with the elders, confronted Him 2and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”

3But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and an-swer Me: 4 The baptism of John— was it from heaven or from men?”

5And they reasoned among them-selves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why thena did you not be-lieve him?’ 6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

8And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10Now at vintage- time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty- handed. 11Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty- handed. 12And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.

to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, re-buke Your disciples.”

40But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep si-lent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem41Now as He drew near, He saw the

city and wept over it, 42saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, be-cause you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple45 Then He went into the temple and

began to drive out those who bought and sold in it,a 46saying to them, “It is writ-ten, ‘My house is a a house of prayer,’ b but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”c

47And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, 48and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

Jesus’ Authority Questioned

20 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in

the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes,

LUKE 20:12 | 1465

19:45 a NU- Text reads those who were selling. 19:46 a NU- Text reads shall be. b Isaiah 56:7 c Jeremiah 7:11 20:5 a NU- Text and M- Text omit then.

same as this one in Luke. Since John places the event early in Jesus’ ministry, Jesus might have cleansed the temple twice.20:4 The baptism of John — was it from heaven or from men? Here as throughout the Gospel of Luke, the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus are linked. Jesus’ question presented the Pharisees with a dilemma. If they recognized John’s ministry as coming from heaven, they would be recognizing the same divine origin of Jesus’ similar “independent” Spirit-directed ministry. But if the Pharisees denied that John was sent by God they risked angering the majority of the people, who believed that John’s ministry was divinely directed (vv. 5 – 6).20:9 A certain man planted a vineyard. The imagery of the vineyard recalls the subject of Jesus’ parable in 13:6 – 9. This parable is also found in Matthew 21:33 – 44 and Mark 12:1 – 12, with some slight varia-tions of detail in each account.

19:41 wept over it. Jesus knew that so many of the people of Israel had rejected Him that the nation would suffer judgment, in the form of the terrible destruction that came on Jerusalem in a.d. 70.19:43 build an embankment around you. This is a prediction of Rome’s successful siege of Jerusalem under Titus. The details reflect a divine judgment for covenant unfaithfulness, similar to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. (Is. 29:1 – 4; Jer. 6:6 – 21; Ezek. 4:1 – 3).19:45 He went into the temple. Jesus cleansed the temple in anger after seeing that the place of prayer had become an excuse for corrupt commerce. Mer-chants were selling sacrificial animals in the outer court of the temple (the Court of the Gentiles) at exorbitant prices. Money changers were making an excessive profit exchanging currencies for the tem-ple shekel. John records a temple cleansing in John 2:13 – 22, but it is not clear whether that event is the

teach rightly, and You do not show per-sonal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me? a 24Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”

They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”25And He said to them, “Render

therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

26But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 28saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up off-spring for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. 30And the seconda took her as wife, and he died childless. 31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children,a and died. 32Last

13“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ 14But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the in-heritance may be ours.’ 15So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.”

And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”

17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone’ ? a

18 Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

19And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the peoplea— for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

20So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and

1466 | LUKE 20:13

20:17 a Psalm 118:22 20:19 a M- Text reads but they were afraid. 20:23 a NU- Text omits Why do you test Me? 20:30 a NU- Text ends verse 30 here. 20:31 a NU- Text and M- Text read the seven also left no children.

question concerned the poll tax to Rome, which was different from the taxes collected by the tax collec-tors. The poll tax was a citizenship tax paid directly to Rome, as an indication that Israel was subject to that Gentile nation. The Pharisees’ query was a trick question. If Jesus answered yes, the people would be angry because He respected a foreign power. If He answered no, He could be charged with sedition.20:24 Whose image and inscription does it have? Jesus’ reply was clever. He had the Pharisees pull out a coin, indicating that they already recognized Roman sovereignty by using Roman coins them-selves. A penny was a silver coin that had a picture of the emperor Tiberius on it.20:27 Sadducees. The Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes were three major divisions in first- century Judaism. The Sadducees rejected the oral traditions that the Pharisees too stringently obeyed. Instead they based their teaching only on the first five books of the Old Testament. They also denied that there could be a resurrection.

20:14 This is the heir. The vinedressers hoped that with the son gone, the inheritance would fall to those who worked the property, a transfer that was possible in the ancient world. The details of this par-able do not represent the thinking of those who cru-cified Jesus. The leaders of Israel thought they were stopping someone who was dangerous to Judaism, not that they were going to inherit Jesus’ kingdom.20:17 The stone which the builders rejected. This passage, taken from Psalm 118:22, pictures the exaltation of the Righteous One, Jesus, after His rejection. Opposition will not stop God from mak-ing the One who is rejected the center of His work of salvation.20:18 Whoever falls on that stone. Jesus is the stone. Anyone who goes against the stone will be destroyed. Jesus’ statement is similar to a late Jew-ish proverb: “If the stone falls on the pot, alas for the pot; If the pot falls on the stone, alas for the pot.” The imagery for the stone is also found in 1 Peter 2:4 – 8.20:22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar. This

market places, the best seats in the syn-agogues, and the best places at feasts, 47who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Two Mites

21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the

treasury, 2and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 3So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God,a but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple

5 Then, as some spoke of the tem-ple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6“These things which you see— the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

7So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”

8And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Thereforea do

of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”

34 Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37But even Moses showed in the burning bush pas-sage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ a 38For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”

39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” 40But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?

41And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? 42Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,“Sit at My right hand,

43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ a

44 Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

Beware of the Scribes45 Then, in the hearing of all the peo-

ple, He said to His disciples, 46“Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the

LUKE 21:8 | 1467

20:37 a Exodus 3:6, 15 20:43 a Psalm 110:1 21:4 a NU- Text omits for God. 21:8 a NU- Text omits Therefore.

21:2 two mites. These were the smallest currency available.21:5 donations. These were gift offerings for the decoration of the temple and included gold and silver-plated gates, grapevine clusters, and Bab-ylonian linen tapestries which hung from the temple veil. Even Tacitus, the Roman historian, called it an “immensely opulent temple.”21:6 not one stone shall be left upon another. Jesus noted that the beautiful place of worship was tem-porary and would be destroyed. He was referring to the fall of Jerusalem in a.d. 70, which itself was a pic-ture of the destruction of the last days.21:8 Take heed that you not be deceived. The first century and early second century were times of great messianic fervor in Judaism, as the Israelites sought freedom from Roman rule. Many people claimed to be the Messiah. Jesus warned His disci-ples not to be fooled by such claims.

20:36 they are equal to the angels. The everlasting life of a resurrected person makes that person some-thing like an angel. Paul explains further that in the resurrection we will be given resurrection bodies similar to Christ’s (1 Cor. 15:25 – 58). This will be a new experience that will not necessarily parallel experi-ences on this earth, such as marriage.20:41 – 42 How can they say. Here Jesus takes His turn at raising a theological issue. The dilemma He poses is how the Messiah could be called the Son of David, when David himself gave Him the title Lord, my Lord. This is a citation from Psalm 110:1. The Mes-siah was David’s descendant and yet David gave Him the respect due to a superior, the reverse of what normally occurred in ancient times. Jesus was not denying the title Son of David to the Messiah, He was simply noting that the title Lord, meaning “Master,” is more central. Even David one day will bow at the Messiah’s feet and confess that He is Lord (Phil. 2:10).

written may be fulfilled. 23But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gen-tiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man25“And there will be signs in the sun,

in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with per-plexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

The Parable of the Fig Tree29 Then He spoke to them a parable:

“Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that sum-mer is now near. 31So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32As-suredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

not go after them. 9But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”

10 Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. 13But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. 18But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19By your patience possess your souls.

The Destruction of Jerusalem20“But when you see Jerusalem sur-

rounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the coun-try enter her. 22For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are

1468 | LUKE 21:9

covenant and the Old Testament prophets’ warnings of coming judgment (Deut. 28:49 – 57; 32:35; Jer. 6:1 – 8; 26:1 – 9; Hos. 9:7).21:27 the Son of Man coming in a cloud. The ref-erence here is to the authoritative return of Jesus. The allusion to the cloud and the figure comes from Daniel 7:13 – 14, with its picture of One who receives authority from the Ancient of Days. Jesus viewed this text in terms of an apocalyptic deliverance. The image of the cloud is important, since God is iden-tified as riding the clouds in the Old Testament (Ex. 34:5; Ps. 104:3). The Son of Man has divine authority to judge the world.21:29 – 30 When they are already budding. The tender buds that appear every spring on trees show that sum-mer is approaching; the appearance of the signs Jesus describes will warn of the coming of the end times.21:33 will by no means pass away. The disciples had the assurance that Jesus’ promises concerning the end times were more certain than creation itself. God made an unconditional and unilateral covenant, and He will keep it (Gen. 12:1 – 3; 15:18 – 21; Ps. 89).

21:12 synagogues and prisons . . . kings and rulers. These references indicate that all nations would share responsibility for the massacre of the disciples.21:15 I will give you a mouth and wisdom. Jesus promises the disciples that the Holy Spirit will assist them in giving testimony (12:11 – 12). The initial ful-fillment of this promise is found in Acts 4:8 – 14; 7:54; and 26:24 – 30.21:16 You will be betrayed. The persecution of the dis-ciples would be painful and severe. Identifying with Jesus often means risking the rejection and denunci-ation of family, and in some cases martyrdom.21:20 its desolation. This passage compared the des-ecration of the temple to what occurred in 167 b.c., when Antiochus Epiphanes erected an altar to Zeus in the temple. A similar desecration of the temple site occurred during the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70.21:22 days of vengeance. Jerusalem had become an object of divine judgment because of its unfaithful-ness. Jesus warned of this consequence throughout His ministry (13:9,34 – 35; 19:41 – 44). The premise for such judgment goes back to the curses of the Mosaic

10And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disci-ples?” ’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”

13So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper14 When the hour had come, He sat

down, and the twelvea apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18for I say to you,a I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, say-ing, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

20Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new cov en ant in My blood, which is shed for you. 21But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. 22And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

23 Then they began to question among

The Importance of Watching34“But take heed to yourselves, lest

your hearts be weighed down with ca-rousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unex-pectedly. 35For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy a to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37And in the daytime He was teach-ing in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. 38 Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

22 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called

Passover. 2And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.

3 Then Satan entered Judas, sur-named Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. 4So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Jesus and His Disciples Prepare the Passover

7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”

9So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”

LUKE 22:23 | 1469

21:36 a NU- Text reads may have strength. 22:14 a NU- Text omits twelve. 22:18 a NU- Text adds from now on.

Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Such a room would con-tain couches for guests at the feasts to recline for the meal. Access to the room was probably gained by stairs on the outside of the house.22:19 My body . . . do this in remembrance. Jesus instituted a new meal which is not only a memorial of His death, but also a fellowship meal of unity. It is a proclamation and a symbol of the believer’s antic-ipation of Jesus’ return, when all God’s promises will be fulfilled (1 Cor. 10:16 – 17; 11:23 – 26).22:20 This cup is the new covenant. The wine of the Lord’s Supper depicts the giving of life, a sacrifice of blood, which inaugurated the new covenant for those who respond to Jesus’ offer of salvation (Heb. 8:8,13; 9:11 – 28).

21:34 take heed to yourselves. Though the events of the end times may not come to pass for a long time, believers should continue to look for their arrival. The day of Jesus’ return should not take us by sur-prise. We should live as if it is imminent.22:1 the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This feast took place immediately following Passover (Ex. 12:1 – 20; Deut. 16:1 – 8). The two feasts were often consid-ered as one. Passover commemorated the night of the tenth plague in Egypt. The Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrated the Exodus.22:4 captains. These were Levites who were mem-bers of the temple guard. They were the ones who could make the arrest.22:11 – 12 guest room. Such rooms were often made available to the thousands of pilgrims who came to

God’s Will / Note 6

God Gives Individualized PlansLuke 22:31– 34

Imagine that I live in Tennessee, you live in California, and we both have the goal of getting to the Grand Canyon. Same goal, different steps. I’m going to get on a plane and fly west. You’re going to get in a car and drive east. We started in different places, we’ll go at different speeds, we’ll see different sights, but we both still have our eyes on one goal. We’ll both get there. But the journey will be different.

Every Christian has the same ultimate goal: share Christ.

But we won’t all take the same exact steps.

Jeremiah was called to be a prophet to the nations (Jer. 1:5). Samson was called to deliver God’s people from the Philistines (Judg. 13:5). Daniel and Joseph were given the task of interpreting dreams. Abraham was told to leave his home and family (Gen. 12:1– 3). Different steps, different journeys, same goal.

When Jesus and His disciples were having their Last Supper, Jesus dem-onstrated this very truth. He revealed that Satan would sift all the apostles— but Jesus had prayed specifically for Peter. Jesus had prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail despite wavering, and that he would strengthen his brothers when he returned to Christ (Luke 22:31, 32). God’s will for Peter was different from the oth-ers. And Peter returned to obeying God after painfully denying Him on the night of His betrayal.

We each have different gifts (Eph. 4:7– 16), different paths, and different steps. Your goal may be the same as your neighbor’s, but that doesn’t mean your path will be the same.

previous: Matthew 28:18– 20

themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.

The Disciples Argue About Greatness

24Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. 25And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ 26But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. 27For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.

28“But you are those who have con-tinued with Me in My trials. 29And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial31And the Lord said,a “Simon, Simon!

Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

33But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”

34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day be-fore you will deny three times that you know Me.”

Supplies for the Road35And He said to them, “When I sent

you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”

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22:31 a NU- Text omits And the Lord said.

22:30 eat and drink . . . sit on thrones judging. This is a promise of future blessing and authority. The disciples were promised a seat at the banquet of vic-tory and the right to help Jesus rule over Israel on His return (Matt. 19:28; 2 Tim. 2:12).22:32 I have prayed for you . . . you have returned. The Greek word for you here is singular, referring specifically to Peter. In effect, Jesus restored Peter even before his fall (vv. 54 – 62), and He instructed the disciple to shepherd the saints by strengthening them.

50And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

51But Jesus answered and said, “Per-mit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53 When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly

54Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. 55Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”

57But he denied Him,a saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”

58And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.”

But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”59 Then after about an hour had

passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”

60But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!”

Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster a crowed. 61And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows,a you will deny Me three times.” 62So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

So they said, “Nothing.”36 Then He said to them, “But now, he

who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37For I say to you that this which is written must still be accom-plished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ a For the things concerning Me have an end.”

38So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”

And He said to them, “It is enough.”

The Prayer in the Garden39Coming out, He went to the Mount

of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

41And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.a

45 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46 Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane47And while He was still speaking,

behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went be-fore them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. 48But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”

LUKE 22:62 | 1471

22:37 a Isaiah 53:12 22:44 a NU- Text brackets verses 43 and 44 as not in the original text. 22:57 a NU- Text reads denied it. 22:60 a NU- Text and M- Text read a rooster. 22:61 a NU- Text adds today.

by eliminating trials; sometimes He answers by strengthening us in the midst of them.22:52 as against a robber. The Greek term for robber was used of both highway bandits and revolution-aries. Jesus rebuked His captors for treating Him as though He were a dangerous lawbreaker.22:59 for he is a Galilean. According to Mark 14:70, Peter’s accent gave him away as being from the same region as Jesus.

22:37 this which is written. Jesus cited Isaiah 53:12, which describes a righteous one who suffers as a criminal. Jesus noted that His death would fulfill Isa-iah’s prediction.22:42 this cup. This is a figure of speech for wrath (Ps. 11:6; 75:7 – 8; Jer. 25:15 – 16; Ezek. 23:31 – 34).22:43 strengthening Him. God’s answer to Jesus’ prayer did not allow His Son to avoid suffering. How-ever, God did provide angelic help for Jesus to face what was coming. Sometimes God answers prayer

and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.”

5But they were the more fierce, say-ing, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”

Jesus Faces Herod6 When Pilate heard of Galilee,a he

asked if the Man were a Galilean. 7And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. 8Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, be-cause he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. 9 Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. 10And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. 11 Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.

Taking the Place of Barabbas13 Then Pilate, when he had called to-

gether the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have

Jesus Mocked and Beaten63Now the men who held Jesus

mocked Him and beat Him. 64And hav-ing blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him,a saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?” 65And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin66As soon as it was day, the elders

of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, 67“If You are the Christ, tell us.”

But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe. 68And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.a 69Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.”

70 Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?”

So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.”

71And they said, “What further testi-mony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”

Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate

23 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. 2And

they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting thea nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

3 Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

4So Pilate said to the chief priests

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22:64 a NU- Text reads And having blindfolded Him, they asked Him. 22:68 a NU- Text omits also and Me or let Me go. 23:2 a NU- Text reads our. 23:6 a NU- Text omits of Galilee.

claim to be the Judge of Jewish people, with God’s authority.23:2 began to accuse. Three charges were lodged against Jesus: (1) perverting the nation, (2) forbid-ding payment of taxes to Rome, and (3) claiming to be the Christ. The first charge, which was a general complaint, involved disturbing the peace. The other two charges could have been construed as chal-lenges to Rome. The second charge was a blatant lie (20:20 – 26). The third charge was true, but not in the threatening sense that the prosecutors suggested. A three-part Roman procedure was followed at the trial; charges, examination, and verdict.23:5 they were the more fierce. By mentioning the charge that Jesus stirred up the people, the leaders suggested that Pilate risked being found derelict in his duty if he let Jesus go.23:7 Herod’s jurisdiction. Herod was responsible for

22:66 the elders of the people . . . came together. The description here is of a major morning trial that involved all the Jewish religious leaders, the entire council or Sanhedrin. This trial violated various Jew-ish legal rules given in later sources: meeting on the morning of a feast; meeting at Caiaphas’s home; try-ing a defendant without defense; and reaching the verdict in one day instead of the two days that were required for capital cases.22:69 on the right hand of the power of God. Jesus’ reply here alludes to the regal enthronement image of Psalm 110:1. This reply is what convicted Him. Apparently what offended Jesus’ audience was His claim to sit in God’s presence and to exer-cise divine authority. In effect, His answer to their question about being the Christ was more than they expected. It was not blasphemous to claim to be Messiah. What was blasphemous was the

Jesus’ death was terrible in every way. Roman crucifixion remains one of the cruelest forms of punishment humankind has ever devised. Its brutality can be understood simply by ob-serving that civilized societies do not practice this type of execution anymore. Not only was Jesus crucified, but He was scourged with a whip lined with bits of glass as a part of the process. Luke tells us that prior to the multi-faceted trials, Jesus was also “mocked  .  .  . beat[en]  .  .  . blindfolded  .  .  . struck  .  .  . blas-phemously spoke[n] against” (Luke 22:63– 65). On top of the mental and physical torture He endured, Jesus also endured the spiritual punishment of taking the sin of all humankind upon Himself (2 Cor. 5:21).

Jesus responded with grace. He was mocked, but He did not retaliate (Luke 22:63). He was tried unjustly, but He did not complain (Luke 23:9). He was abandoned by His own people, but He asked for them to be forgiven (v.  34). While on the cross, He was cursed by one criminal, and asked to be remembered

by another. Jesus offered forgiveness to the second (v.  43). The way Jesus died impressed the centurion in verse 47. Jesus’ righteous-ness was evident even in His darkest hour.

MORE INSIGHTLuke 23 offers several details about Jesus’ crucifixion that are not included in the other Gospel accounts. Here are a few:

■ A multitude followed Jesus to Golgotha (v. 27).

■ Jesus’ asked the Father to forgive His executioners (v. 34).

■ Soldiers mocked Jesus at the cross (vv. 36, 37).

■ Jesus spoke with and reassured one of the criminals (vv. 40– 43).

■ Jesus committed His spirit to the Father (v. 46).

previous: Luke 19:28– 48next: Luke 24:13– 32

STUDY THE BOOKLuke 23:1– 49

Jesus showed grace even in the face of death

23But they were insistent, demand-ing with loud voices that He be cruci-fied. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.a 24So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. 25And he released to thema the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

The King on a Cross26Now as they led Him away, they

laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; 15no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him;a and indeed nothing de-serving of death has been done by Him. 16I will therefore chastise Him and re-lease Him” 17(for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).a

18And they all cried out at once, say-ing, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.

20Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. 21But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

22 Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.”

LUKE 23:26 | 1473

23:15 a NU- Text reads for he sent Him back to us. 23:17 a NU- Text omits verse 17. 23:23 a NU- Text omits and of the chief priests. 23:25 a NU- Text and M- Text omit to them.

23:18 – 19 Away with this Man. The entire crowd is portrayed as wanting Jesus to die. Luke makes it clear that Jesus’ death was not only instigated by Jewish officials but approved by the Jewish people.23:26 Simon a Cyrenian was recruited to carry Jesus’ cross. He was from a leading city of Libya.

Galilee, so Pilate “passed the buck” for the ruling and showed political courtesy at the same time.23:16 chastise Him and release Him. Pilate hoped that a public whipping might satisfy the crowd and tame Jesus, avoiding the need to resort to the death penalty.

receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,a re-member me when You come into Your kingdom.”

43And Jesus said to him, “As sured ly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Jesus Dies on the Cross44Now it wasa about the sixth hour,

and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened,a and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I com-mit My spirit.’ ” a Having said this, He breathed His last.

47So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”

48And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and re-turned. 49But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb50Now behold, there was a man

named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51He had not con-sented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waitinga for the

27And a great multitude of the peo-ple followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 28But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your chil-dren. 29For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’ a 31For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”

32 There were also two others, crim-inals, led with Him to be put to death. 33And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” a

And they divided His garments and cast lots. 35And the people stood look-ing on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

38And an inscription also was writ-ten over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:a

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.39 Then one of the criminals who

were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ,a save Yourself and us.”

40But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condem-nation? 41And we indeed justly, for we

1474 | LUKE 23:27

23:30 a Hosea 10:8 23:34 a NU- Text brackets the first sentence as a later addition. 23:38 a NU- Text omits written and in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. 23:39 a NU- Text reads Are You not the Christ? 23:42 a NU- Text reads And he said, “Jesus, remember me. 23:44 a NU- Text adds already. 23:45 a NU- Text reads obscured. 23:46 a Psalm 31:5 23:51 a NU- Text reads who was waiting.

the name referred to a geographical feature of the locale, something that resembled a skull.23:36 sour wine. The drink referred to here was probably wine vinegar, which was inexpensive and quenched thirst better than water. It was a drink of the poor.23:44 sixth hour . . . ninth hour. The first hour was sunrise, so the time was 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. During these three hours, signs of creation revealed that the hour was not one of light but of darkness (22:53).23:47 Certainly this was a righteous Man. If Jesus was righteous and innocent, then He is who He claimed to be. Thus a second figure besides the thief on the cross had insight into Jesus’ death.

23:28 do not weep for Me. Though He was dying, Jesus pointed out that their weeping should be for Jerusalem and its inhabitants, since judgment was going to fall on the city (19:41 – 44). Jerusalem here represents the entire nation of Israel.23:31 what will be done in the dry. The idea here seems to be “If this is what is done to a live tree, what will happen to the dead one?” In other words, “If Jesus, the living tree, has not been spared, how much more will dead wood not be spared.” This is Jesus’ final lament over the nation of Israel.23:33 the place called Calvary. The name of the place in Aramaic is Golgotha, which means “skull.” Calvary is the Latin name for Golgotha. Possibly

tales, and they did not believe them. 12But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lyinga by themselves; and he de-parted, marveling to himself at what had happened.

The Road to Emmaus13Now behold, two of them were trav-

eling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven milesa from Jerusalem. 14And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

17And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” a

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

19And He said to them, “What things?”

So they said to Him, “The things con-cerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and cru-cified Him. 21But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Is-rael. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things hap-pened. 22 Yes, and certain women of our

kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. 54 That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

55And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath accord-ing to the commandment.

He Is Risen

24 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they,

and certain other women with them,a came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4And it happened, as they were greatly a per-plexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be cruci-fied, and the third day rise again.’ ”

8And they remembered His words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11And their words seemed to them like idle

LUKE 24:22 | 1475

24:1 a NU- Text omits and certain other women with them. 24:4 a NU- Text omits greatly. 24:12 a NU- Text omits lying. 24:13 a Literally sixty stadia 24:17 a NU- Text reads as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad.

24:11 they did not believe them. Skepticism reigned among the disciples. It is clear that they did not expect a resurrection. The disciples thought the women’s story was nonsense.24:12 Peter arose and ran. Having already experi-enced a fulfilled prediction of the Lord (22:54 – 62), Peter hurried to the tomb to check out the wom-en’s story. It is hard to say whether Peter believed in the resurrection when he left the tomb. At that point he was probably more amazed than anything else.24:19 – 21 Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet. These disciples on the road to Emmaus regarded Jesus as the Revealer of God’s way and the Doer of His work.

23:52 the body of Jesus. There is no doubt that Jesus died. Efforts to explain the resurrection as some-thing like a return from a coma are more impossible than the idea of the resurrection itself.23:54 That day was the Preparation. Jesus was buried late on Friday, on the day called Preparation when everything was made ready for the Sabbath, the day when no labor could take place.24:2 they found the stone rolled away. Matthew 28:2 mentions that an earthquake moved the stone, which would have fit in a channel in front of the entrance to the tomb. Moving the stone would have been possible, though difficult, for a group of peo-ple. The earthquake settles the question of how the stone was moved.

A good summary never hurt anyone. Yes, it is important that readers challenge themselves with complex reading material. But there is a reason why your local bookstore has an entire section devoted to study material that helps with summarizing everything from classic novels to college courses.

In his writings, Luke provides stunning summaries. One of the best appears in Luke 24:13– 32. Two downtrodden sojourners plod their way along the road to Emmaus, talking about the events leading up to and following Jesus’ resurrection. Then Jesus, in the form of a stranger, joins them and inquires what they are talking about. The reader can almost see Cleopas stop in his tracks, befuddled that anyone might possibly not know about Jesus of Nazareth. In verses 19– 24, the two friends collectively outline for the stranger, in a few sentences, what Luke has till now taken entire chapters to describe:

■ Jesus was a prophet from God, and it showed in His life, miracles, and teach-ings (v. 19).

■ He fit the description for the Messiah that had been promised (v. 21).

■ However, the religious authorities had Jesus crucified (v. 20).

■ Now rumors were swirling that He was actually alive (vv. 22– 24).

Perhaps the best summary of all is the one Luke didn’t record in detail. As they walked along the road, the resurrected Jesus started with Moses and explained how the Old Testament pointed to Himself (though without revealing His identity to His travel companions).

When Jesus later met with the rest of the disciples, Luke records that He “opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45).

MORE INSIGHTIf you ever want to brush up on the Old Testament, just read Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7:1– 53. In a matter of a few pages, Stephen takes his audience from Abraham to Solomon with a startling combination of clarity, insight, and brevity.

previous: Luke 23:1– 49

STUDY THE BOOKLuke 24:13– 32Jesus walks in our midst

The Disciples’ Eyes Opened28 Then they drew near to the village

where they were going, and He indi-cated that He would have gone farther. 29But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.

30Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

32And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He

company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

1476 | LUKE 24:23

His companions and reminded them of the things that the prophets taught.24:27 And beginning at Moses. Going from the books of Moses to the Prophets, Jesus provided an overview of God’s plan in the Scriptures. This plan is present throughout the entire Old Testament (Acts 3:22 – 26; 10:43).

24:23 He was alive. The women reported that there was no body found in Jesus’ tomb, and that angels had announced to them that Jesus lives. The fact that the men were still sad indicates that they did not believe the report.24:25 slow of heart to believe. Jesus, who at this time was still not known to the travelers, rebuked

be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to risea from the dead the third day, 47and that re-pentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48And you are witnesses of these things. 49Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalema until you are endued with power from on high.”

The Ascension50And He led them out as far as Beth-

any, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the tem-ple praising anda blessing God. Amen.b

opened the Scriptures to us?” 33So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples36Now as they said these things,

Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.a 41But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 42So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honey-comb.a 43And He took it and ate in their presence.

The Scriptures Opened44 Then He said to them, “These are

the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must

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24:40 a Some printed New Testaments omit this verse. It is found in nearly all Greek manuscripts. 24:42 a NU- Text omits and some honeycomb. 24:46 a NU- Text reads written, that the Christ should suffer and rise. 24:49 a NU- Text omits of Jerusalem. 24:53 a NU- Text omits praising and. b NU- Text omits Amen.

Testament texts that predict these events are Psalm 22 and Psalm 118:22.24:49 the Promise of My Father. This is a reference to the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:4). It was promised in Jeremiah 31:31 – 33, and in Joel 2:28. Peter called this coming of the Spirit “the beginning” (Acts 11:15) because the real ful-fillment of God’s promise of salvation would start in those people united by the Spirit to establish the church.

24:39 flesh and bones. Jesus pointed out that a raised body is not a disembodied spirit. The pres-ence of His body indicates that Jesus had been raised and that He was not a hallucination. He was raised in the same physical body in which He had been put to death. The difference was that His resurrected body is not corruptible and not subject to death.24:46 Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead. Two parts of God’s plan had been fulfilled. Jesus had been crucified and raised from the dead. Old

John emphasized belief. He used some form of the word “believe” approximately one hundred times in the book. This aligns with John’s em-phasis in his other writings, especially his first epistle (1 John).

John, the apostle of Jesus, wrote this Gos-pel that bears his name. John, along with his brother James and father Zebedee, worked as a fisherman (Mark 1:19, 20). John’s mother was Salome, and she followed Jesus faithfully, as evidenced by her presence at the crucifixion (Mark 15:40) and her presence at the empty tomb after the resurrection (Mark 16:1). John’s brother James was the first of Jesus’ apostles to die as a martyr (Acts 12:1, 2). From the cross, Jesus directed John to take care of His mother, Mary (John 19:25– 27)— a sign of the special re-lationship John shared with the Messiah.

John called himself the disciple “whom Jesus loved” four times in his Gospel (13:23; 19:26; 20:2; and 21:7). Many early church lead-ers (who lived less than a hundred years after John’s ministry) affirmed John’s authorship of the Gospel. In addition, internal evidence related to the Last Supper allows scholars to deduce that John was the beloved disciple. At the Passover observance, the beloved disciple leaned on Jesus (13:23), which indi-cates that the writer was one of the apostles and likely one of Jesus’ “inner circle” (Peter, James, and John). Peter is referenced in sev-eral other places in the account, including the foot washing event (13:6– 9), the revelation of the betrayer (13:24), and Jesus’ prediction of his denial (13:36– 38). Also, James was mar-tyred long before the book was written, leaving John as the most likely candidate.

John’s family likely had some wealth and influence. Zebedee had hired servants who worked in his fishing business (Mark 1:19, 20). Also, on the night of Jesus’ trial, John was al-

lowed to enter the courtyard of the high priest, a sign of family prominence (John 18:15).

John, along with Peter, played an impor-tant role in founding the early church in Jeru-salem. He was with Jesus’ other disciples in the upper room (Acts 1:13) leading up to Pen-tecost, and he was with Peter for the healing of a lame man in the temple courtyard (Acts 3:1– 10). That event led to their arrest (Acts 4:1– 3) and their bold stand for Christ in the face of pressure from the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:13– 22). As persecution increased, the disciples began to spread across Palestine. Church leaders sent Peter and John to help the work in Samaria (Acts 8:14, 15). That was the last time John was mentioned in Acts as being active, but Paul said he met with him and other leaders during his early days in the faith (Gal. 2:8– 9).

Church tradition states that John eventu-ally led the church in Ephesus before being persecuted and exiled to the island of Pat-mos. During those years of ministry in Ephe-sus, he wrote the three letters that bear his name— 1  John, 2 John, 3 John— and he wrote Revelation while on Patmos.

In literary form, John is a Gospel; as such, it recounts biographical information about

JohnIN SUMMARYJohn’s purpose for this Gospel is to demonstrate to his readers that Jesus really is God, with the hope that this knowledge will lead to personal belief and salvation.

HOW TO STUDY JOHN

STUDY THE BOOK HIGHLIGHTS

Jesus: fully God and fully human (1:1– 14)

Jesus tears down walls (4:1– 26)

Jesus is the Bread of Life (6:22– 37)

Jesus is the resurrection and the life (11:1– 45)

Jesus washes twenty- four feet (13:1– 20)

We must abide in the Vine (15:1– 11)

Jesus is the truth (18:28– 38)

John tells Jesus’ whole story (20:30, 31)

the life and ministry of Jesus. While the other three Gospels (called the Synoptics— Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are narrative in nature, John is more theological. That is, John primarily used theology to explain history, while the Synop-tics primarily used historical narrative to teach theology.

John divides into two main sections. Chap-ters 1– 12 include information about Jesus’ ministry up to His triumphal entry in Jerusa-lem. Chapters 13– 21 recount the last night before His crucifixion, along with His crucifix-ion, resurrection, and several detailed post- resurrection appearances.

The book’s prologue (1:1– 18) serves as an example of John’s emphasis on theology. John spotlighted the divine nature and work of Christ. Passages such as the “I am” state-ments scattered throughout the book, various messianic signs (miracles), and parts of His final teaching the night before His crucifixion (chs. 13– 17), also show that Jesus is God and point to Jesus’ unique relationship with the

Father. John also emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit. In addition, Jesus’ own reference to Himself as “the Son” underscored His place in the Godhead.

John’s Gospel was the last of the four Gos-pels to be written— possibly three or four de-cades later than the others. Some theologians have tried to date John in the mid- to late- second century, but their theories have been disproved by archaeological research. Most conservative scholars date the book in the late first century, around a.d. 85– 95.

While Matthew, Mark, and Luke focused on accurately transferring oral tradition into written form, John also addressed early her-esies that had developed since the circulation of the synoptic Gospels. While many heretics of his day proclaimed false teachings about the nature and work of Christ, John set them straight by highlighting the Incarnation— Jesus’ coming to earth as God in flesh— along with His complete humanity and complete deity in one Person.

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for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might be-lieve. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.a

10He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11He came to His own,a and His ownb did not receive Him.

The Eternal Word

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word

was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehenda it.

John’s Witness: The True Light6 There was a man sent from God,

whose name was John. 7 This man came

1:5 a Or overcome 1:9 a Or That was the true Light which, coming into the world, gives light to every man. 1:11 a That is, His own things or domain b That is, His own people

1:5 light shines in the darkness. Although Satan and his forces resist the light, they cannot thwart its power. In short, Jesus is life and light; those who accept Him are “sons of light” (12:35 – 36). As the creation of light was the beginning of the original creation, so, when believers receive the light, they become part of the new creation (2 Cor. 4:3 – 6).1:7 for a witness. This phrase means “to testify” or “to declare.” John uses the word translated witness 33 times as a verb and 14 times as a noun in his Gos-pel. The term is particularly important to his pur-pose, which is to record adequate witnesses to Jesus as the Messiah so that individuals might believe Him (20:30 – 31). believe. This word means “to trust.” John uses this verb almost 100 times in his Gospel to express what must take place for a person to receive the gift of eternal life.1:11 receive. This means “to receive with favor” and

1:1 In the beginning. Genesis 1:1 starts with the moment of creation and moves forward to the cre-ation of humanity. John 1:1 starts with creation and contemplates eternity past. the Word was with God. This suggests a face-to-face relationship. In the ancient world, it was important that persons of equal station be on the same level when seated across from one another.1:3 All things were made through Him. God the Father created the world (Gen. 1:1) through God the Son (Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2). All creation was made through Him. Thus, He is the Creator God.1:4 light of men. This image conveys the concept of revelation. As the light, Jesus Christ reveals both sin and God to humans (Ps. 36:9). Later in this Gospel, Christ declares Himself to be both the life (11:25) and the light (8:12). Death and darkness flee when the life and light enter.

John identified Jesus as “the Word” who was with God and is God and was in the beginning with God. John highlighted three truths that affirm Jesus’ deity.

■ First, Jesus was preexistent. From the beginning the Word “was” and served as a witness to everything that happened as the human story unfolded.

■ Second, Jesus was “with God.” The fact is that Jesus stood on equal footing with the Father before creation. This face- to- face “peer relationship” would have been an important concept for ancient people.

■ Finally, John clearly stated that Jesus “was God.” The Greek wording specif-ically equates the Son with the Father, not relegating Jesus to a less prominent place among other gods.

John also affirmed Jesus’ humanity. The Word “became flesh,” making Himself known in the person of Jesus Christ (v.  14). So, from the opening words of his work, John taught that Jesus was completely God and com-pletely human— completely working with the Father since eternity past and completely able to minister to us through the end of the age.

John’s prologue identified Jesus as God from the beginning and set the stage for the deep Christology that John would inject in the rest of his Gospel.

MORE INSIGHTThe “Word” (translated from the Greek logos) had specific significance in first- century re-ligion and philosophy. Both the Greeks and the Jews were familiar with the Greek word logos but their definitions were different. For Greeks, the Word referred to the logical and rational force that governed the affairs of humanity and nature. For the Jews, the Word referred to the one true God— the Creator and Sustainer of all things. John, in referring to Jesus as “the Word,” affirmed the rightful place of Jesus by showing the connection between God and the Son. He revealed Jesus as an active participant in creation with the Father (vv.  2, 3). Paul later told the Colossians that Jesus still serves as the One who sus-tains His creation (Col. 1:17).

next: John 4:1– 26

STUDY THE BOOKJohn 1:1– 14Jesus: fully God and fully human

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

15John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is pre-ferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

16Anda of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given through Moses, but grace

12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Becomes Flesh14And the Word became flesh and

dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,

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1:16 a NU- Text reads For.

the essential nature of deity was lost in this event; we might rephrase became as “took to Himself.” John uses the word flesh to refer to the physical nature of humans, not to our sinful disposition. dwelt among us. The Greek word for tent or dwelling was also used in the Greek Old Testament for the tabernacle, where the presence of God dwelt. only begotten. This means unique, one of a kind.1:16 grace for grace. The background of this dou-bled term, as well as the use of the term in verse 17, is found in Exodus 32 – 34. Moses and the people had received grace, but they were in tremendous need of more grace (Ex. 33:13).

implies “welcome.” Instead of a welcome mat, Jesus had a door slammed in His face. The themes of rejec-tion and reception (v. 12) introduced in the prologue (1:1 – 18) appear repeatedly throughout the Gospel of John.1:12 He gave the right. This phrase refers to the legit-imate entitlement to the position of children of God. By believing, undeserving sinners can become full members of God’s family.1:14 the Word became flesh. The Son of God who was from eternity became human, with limitations in time and space (Phil. 2:5 – 8). This is the doctrine of the incarnation: God became human. Nothing of

The Lamb of God29 The next day John saw Jesus com-

ing toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

32And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit de-scending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

The First Disciples35Again, the next day, John stood

with two of his disciples. 36And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”

They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

39He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was stay-ing, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

40One of the two who heard John

and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son,a who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

A Voice in the Wilderness19Now this is the testimony of John,

when the Jews sent priests and Le vites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

21And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”“Are you the Prophet?”And he answered, “No.”22 Then they said to him, “Who are

you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

23He said: “I am

‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

“Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ a

as the prophet Isaiah said.”24Now those who were sent were

from the Pharisees. 25And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

28 These things were done in Bethabaraa beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

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1:18 a NU- Text reads only begotten God. 1:23 a Isaiah 40:3 1:28 a NU- Text and M- Text read Bethany.

sect that numbered about 6,000. As strict interpret-ers of the law in Israel, they were extremely zealous for ritual and tradition.1:27 whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. Undoing the shoe strap was the job of a slave. The Jewish Talmud says, “Everything that a servant will do for his master, a scholar shall perform for his teacher, except the menial task of loosing his sandal thong.” Thus, John was saying that “Jesus Christ is the living Lord and I am the voice, His servant and slave. Actually, I’m not even worthy to be His slave.”1:29 The Lamb of God. Jesus Christ is the Lamb that God would give as a sacrifice not only for Israel, but for the whole world (Is. 52:13 — 53:12).1:33 this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Seven times, the New Testament mentions this min-istry of Jesus. Five are prophetic (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5); one is historical (Acts 11:16 – 18); one is doctrinal (1 Cor. 12:13).

1:18 No one has seen God. God is Spirit (4:24) and is invisible (Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17) unless God chooses to reveal Himself. Humans cannot look at God and live (Ex. 33:20). However, the Son is in intimate relationship with the Father, face-to-face with God (1:1; 6:46; 1 John 1:2). God became visible to human eyes in the man Jesus. It is through seeing the Son that we see God.1:19 – 20 the Jews. This refers to the Jewish leaders or the council (the Sanhedrin), who would be responsi-ble for examining anyone thought to be a prophet, to see if the person was true or false.1:23 Make straight. When a king traveled, roads were built so that the royal chariot would not have to travel over rough terrain or be stuck in the mud. Isaiah was saying that before God appeared to man-ifest His glory, a voice would be heard, inviting Is-rael to make straight the way by which God Himself would come.1:24 the Pharisees. The Pharisees were an influential

to you, hereafter a you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Water Turned to Wine

2 On the third day there was a wed-ding in Cana of Galilee, and the

mother of Jesus was there. 2Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

5His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

6Now there were set there six water-pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the ser-vants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bride-groom. 10And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

11 This beginning of signs Jesus did

speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.

Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah.a You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

Philip and Nathanael43 The following day Jesus wanted to

go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote— Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.”47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to-

ward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

48Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Be-fore Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

49Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51And He said to him, “Most as sured ly, I say

1482 | JOHN 1:41

1:42 a NU- Text reads John. 1:51 a NU- Text omits hereafter.

were invited because of Mary. Her forwardness in asking Jesus to help when the wine ran out (v. 3) may indicate that she was in some way related to the fam-ily holding the wedding.2:3 They have no wine. Hospitality in the East was a sacred duty. A wedding feast often lasted for a week. To run out of wine at such an important event would have been humiliating for the bride and groom. The family of Jesus was not wealthy, and it is likely their relatives and acquaintances were not either. This may have been a “low-budget” wedding feast.2:6 six waterpots. Each waterpot held 20 – 30 gal-lons, for a total of 120 – 180 gallons of the finest wine (v. 10). manner of purification of the Jews. Jewish tradition required several kinds of ceremonial wash-ings. Strict Jews washed their hands before a meal, between courses, and after the meal. This “purify-ing” extended not only to washing hands, but also to washing cups and vessels (Mark 7:3 – 4).2:11 This beginning of signs. In the Gospel of John, the miracles of Jesus are called signs, indicating

1:42 Cephas. This is the Aramaic word for “rock” (Matt. 16:18).1:45 Nathanael. This name is not mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels. But in every list of the apostles in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the name Bartholomew is listed with Philip, as Nathanael is linked with Philip here. It is likely that Nathanael and Bartholomew were the same person.1:46 Nazareth. Nathanael knew that the Old Testa-ment prophets had predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Furthermore, Nazareth was an obscure village. Nathanael simply could not fathom that such a significant person as the Messiah could come from such an insignificant place as Nazareth.1:48 – 49 under the fig tree. In the Old Testament, this expression often suggests being safe and at lei-sure (1 Kin. 4:25; Mic. 4:4; Zech. 3:10).2:1 – 2 Cana. This city was about four and a half miles northwest of Nazareth. the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited. This suggests that Jesus and His disciples

had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them;a and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

The Discerner of Hearts23Now when He was in Jerusalem at

the Passover, during the feast, many be-lieved in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

The New Birth

3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the

Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most as sured ly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the king-dom of God.”

4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

12After this He went down to Caper-naum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple13Now the Passover of the Jews was

at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusa-lem. 14And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples re-membered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten a Me up.” b

18So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”

19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty- six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

21But He was speaking of the tem-ple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He

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2:17 a NU- Text and M- Text read will eat. b Psalm 69:9 2:22 a NU- Text and M- Text omit to them.

2:19 Destroy this temple. Jesus was not talking about the physical building; He was referring to His body, as John emphasizes in verse 21. Jesus was speaking of His death. I will raise it up. Note that Jesus did not say, “I will build it again.” He was referring to His res-urrection, three days after His death.2:20 Forty-six years. Herod the Great began restor-ing the temple in 20 b.c. The work was not finished at the time of this conversation. In fact, it was not com-pleted until around a.d. 64 under Herod Agrippa.2:23 many believed in His name. This was saving faith. John’s purpose in recording Jesus’ miracles was for people to believe and have eternal life (20:30 – 31).2:24 But Jesus did not commit Himself. This word is the same Greek word translated believe in verse 23. There is a play on words here. These individuals trusted Jesus, but Jesus did not entrust Himself to them.3:2 by night. The fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night may reveal the timidity of his faith (12:42); however, his faith was developing (7:50 – 51; 19:39).3:3 unless one is born again. Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus that there is more to having a right rela-tionship with God than being physically born a Jew. The new birth is not physical; rather, it is spiritual (v. 6). It must come by the Spirit of God if it is a spir-itual birth (v. 5).

that they pointed to His messiahship. This sign sig-nified Christ’s glory — that is, His deity. When Jesus transformed water into wine, He demonstrated His power.2:13 the Passover of the Jews. Every male Jew was required to go to Jerusalem three times a year — for the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Ex. 23:14 – 19; Lev. 23). Jerusa-lem. The Synoptic Gospels concentrate on Jesus’ Galilean ministry. John focuses on Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem.2:14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves. The Synoptic Gospels place the cleansing of the temple at the conclusion of Jesus’ ministry (Matt. 21:12 – 13), whereas John puts it at the beginning. Apparently, Jesus cleansed the temple two different times. The law of Moses required that any animal offered in sacrifice be unblemished and that every Jewish male over 19 years of age pay a temple tax (Lev. 1:3; Deut. 17:1). As a result, tax collectors and inspectors of sacrificial animals were present at the temple. However, these officials would not accept secular coins because they had an image of the Roman emperor. To put such coins into the temple treasury was thought to be an offense. Accordingly, merchants and money chang-ers set up shop and charged high prices for changing currency and for sacrificial animals.

Salvation / Note 2

Salvation Is Possible Only through Jesus ChristJohn 3:16, 17

There is one way, one key, and one entrance to salvation. There is no interpretation, no debate, and no discussion—because only Jesus is God.

Jesus’ arrival on earth was predicted throughout the Old Testament. He is God, so He’s eternal. But at a particular, pre-ordained time in history, He was born to a virgin woman. He lived a perfect life, setting the standard for resisting sin and choosing life. He revealed the power and presence of God through His miracles and teachings and healings and love. He allowed Himself to be killed so His perfect sacrifice would serve as the substitutionary sacrifice for all. He died. He stayed dead three days, and then He was raised, conquering death forever. He empowers us today with the same power

that will allow Him to return to earth, defeat His enemies once and for all, and rule as Sovereign of all.

That’s what brings salvation: receiving Jesus as the only way, and acknowledging that He alone can save you, has saved you, and will save you in the final day.

Jesus said this truth in a variety of ways:

■ “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9).

■ “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

■ “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).

When you believe in His name (John 1:12), you believe all the Bible teaches about Him and all He said about Himself. He is the way— the only way— to salvation.

previous: Matthew 19:25next: Luke 7:50

and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.a 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that who-ever believes in Him should not perish buta have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begot-ten Son, that whoever believes in Him

5 Jesus answered, “Most as sured ly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the king-dom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11Most as sured ly, I say to you, We speak what We know

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3:13 a NU- Text omits who is in heaven. 3:15 a NU- Text omits not perish but.

translated Spirit also means “wind.” As the wind seemingly blows where it wills, so the Holy Spirit sovereignly works. Likewise, no one knows the ori-gin or destination of the wind, but everyone knows it is there. The same is true of the Holy Spirit.3:12 heavenly things. This refers to events like Christ’s ascension (6:61 – 62) and the coming of the Holy Spirit (16:7).3:14 as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. Those who looked at it lived (Num. 21:9). So it is with the Son of Man (1:51). lifted up. Every time these words occur in the Gospel of John, there is a refer-ence to Jesus’ death (8:28; 12:32,34). 3:16 Belief — Belief involves understanding, know -

3:5 born of water and the Spirit. There are several interpretations of this phrase. (1) Jesus was referring to water baptism (Acts 10:43 – 47). (2) Water is to be understood as a symbol for the Holy Spirit. (3) Water is to be understood as a symbol of the Word of God. (4) Jesus used the phrase “born of water” to refer to physical birth. He then used the contrasting phrase “of the Spirit” to refer to spiritual birth. (5) Jesus used the phrase “born of water” to refer to John the Baptist’s baptism. (6) Jesus used the Old Testament imagery of “water” and “wind” to refer to the work of God from above (Is. 44:3 – 5).3:8 The wind. Jesus used the wind as an illustra-tion of the work of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word

People / Note 2

God Loves PeopleJohn 3:16– 21

What do you love? Apples? Your kids? Guitar music? Pasta? Sunsets? Swim-ming? Books?

God loves His creation (see Gen. 1– 2). He had declared it good and then “very good” with people in it. He loved His cre-ation so much, in fact, that He sent Jesus in order to save people.

In John 3:16, the word for “world” re-fers to everything God originally created. Because people are made for creation and creation for people, our sin has brought death and destruction to the cre-ated world. Jesus’ power is not over only human death, but He also has the power to redeem and restore His creation.

Yes, all of creation waits for the full-ness of the promises of God to be fulfilled (Rom. 8:19– 22). Jesus’ salvation not only enables people to be made new but also gives us the promise of a new creation.

Because God loved the world, He came in the person of Jesus Christ to save people. We humans, God’s pinna-cle and prized creation, have a special privilege: God particularly loves people. He showed His love in a variety of ways throughout Scripture: blessings, forgive-ness, joy, revelation, companionship, guidance, wisdom, favor, possessions, and miracles. And though He worked through a particular nation (Israel) to distribute His blessings, He gave any person of any background or heritage opportunity to know Him and be His.

He loves us not only corporately but also individually. This is not a relationship with all of humanity like a person speak-ing to a large auditorium. It’s an individual relationship.

God loves people. All kinds. Every one.

previous: Genesis 1:26– 31next: Matthew 22:36– 40

should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not be-lieve is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

John the Baptist Exalts Christ22After these things Jesus and His

disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23Now John also was baptiz-ing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to

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ing, living, and being committed to a relationship with God. How one does all that is so different from not doing it, it is like being born again to a new life. Nicodemus had a little knowledge. What Nicodemus failed to understand was the nature of spiritual real-ity. He was earthbound and didn’t understand that Jesus and belief are God things. He could not get from where he was to where Jesus was on the road of his understanding. He needed to accept a new road, namely the one Jesus was walking, toward Him. Jesus draws us to that light, His light. We have to respond to it as Nicodemus did over time (7:50; 19:39). Belief involves internalizing these truths with our whole hearts and minds, being born again, let-ting all of ourselves be exposed to, and by, that light.3:20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light. People offer many excuses for not accepting Christ. Some cite the presence of hypocrites in the church. Others claim inability to believe some of the truths about Christ or the gospel. These are merely attempts to conceal a heart in rebellion against God. The ultimate reason people do not come to Christ is that they do not want to.3:26 they came to John. John the Baptist’s disciples were loyal to him. They were deeply concerned that one of his “disciples,” Jesus, was competing with and surpassing him. In their astonishment, they exag-gerated the predicament, saying, “all are coming to Him.” They were concerned that John was losing his audience to another preacher.

Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4But He needed to go through Samaria.

5So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that liv-ing water? 12Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

whom you have testified— behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”

27John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You your-selves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bride-groom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. 31He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

A Samaritan Woman Meets Her Messiah

4 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that

Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2(though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3He left

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Trinity are referred to in this verse; God the Father sent Christ the Son, and gave Him the Holy Spirit without measure.4:1 Therefore, when. This refers the reader back to 3:22 – 36. Christ’s success in winning disciples had cre-ated jealousy among John’s followers and provoked questions among the Pharisees. Since Jesus did not want to be drawn into a controversy over baptism at this stage of His ministry, He left Judea for Galilee (v. 3).4:4 He needed to go through Samaria. The shortest route from Judea in the south to Galilee in the north went through Samaria. The journey took three days if He wanted to travel the direct route. The Jews often avoided Samaria by going around it along the Jor-dan River. The hatred between the Jews and Samar-itans went back to the days of the exile. Samaria was the region between Judea and Galilee. When the northern kingdom was exiled to Assyria, King Sar-gon repopulated the area with captives from other lands. The intermarriage of these foreigners and the Jews who had been left complicated the ancestry of the Samaritans. The Jews hated the Samaritans and considered them to be no longer “pure” Jews.4:14 a fountain of water springing up into ever-lasting life. Jesus desired a drink of water. He then

3:27 John answered. John the Baptist clarified the relationship between himself and Jesus. First, he talked about himself (vv. 27 – 29); then he talked about Jesus (vv. 30 – 36). John explained that he could not accept the position of supremacy that his disciples wanted to thrust upon him because he had not received it from heaven.3:29 friend of the bridegroom. John compared him-self to this person who was generally appointed to arrange the preliminaries of the wedding, to manage the wedding, and to preside at the wedding feast.3:31 He who comes from above. This is a reference to Christ. he who is of the earth. This refers to John the Baptist. John emphasized his earthly origin and its limitations. John proclaimed divine truth on earth; Jesus, on the other hand, is from heaven and above all.3:33 has certified. In a society where many could not read, seals were used to convey a clear message, even to the illiterate. A seal indicated ownership to all and expressed a person’s personal guarantee. To receive Jesus’ testimony is to certify that God is true regarding what He has sealed.3:34 God does not give the Spirit by measure. Unlike human teachers, Jesus was not given the Spirit in a limited way (Is. 11:1 – 2). All three Persons of the

“Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (v.  9). That pretty much summed it up. No self- respecting Jew would have anything to do with a Samaritan. The historical tensions and prejudice between the two groups just went too deep. But Jesus made an exception. Unlike other Jews of His day, He didn’t inten-tionally go around Samaria. And He didn’t just walk through the region as quickly as He could. He stopped to talk— to a woman.

As if tearing down the wall of cultural prejudice wasn’t enough, Jesus also ripped down the barrier between genders. Most scholars agree that the woman at the well was drawing water during the day for a reason. After all, she had been married five times and was living with a man who wasn’t her husband (vv.  16– 18). She likely had a sketchy reputation, but Jesus talked to her anyway. A woman. A Samaritan woman. A Samaritan woman of questionable reputation.

No wonder the disciples were shocked when they came back from buying food (John 4:27). The woman was surprised herself. But her conversation with Jesus changed her life— and in turn the lives of so many in that town.

In many ways, Jesus was countercultural. He didn’t yield to traditions or social norms. He did what was right. He cared for people in the way that showed His care most clearly.

If Jesus needed to tear down some walls to make a difference in someone’s life, that’s exactly what He did.

MORE INSIGHTGenerations earlier, following King Solomon’s reign, the northern tribes of Israel rebelled and created their own kingdom, the capital of which was Samaria. Despite numerous warn-ings to return to God, the people refused. So God acted. He allowed Assyria to overrun the nation in 722 b.c. and take many of the people into captivity (2  Kin. 17:5, 6). The Assyrians also moved captives from other nations into Samaritan territory (2  Kin. 17:24). The Samaritans of Jesus’ day descended from mixed marriages between Jews who were al-lowed to stay in the northern kingdom and the foreigners brought in by the Assyrians. The Jews from the south— who had been exiles in Babylon and returned— had maintained their national and religious heritage. As a result, they considered the Samaritans “half- breeds” who had disqualified themselves as God’s people. But Jesus loved Samaritans and included Samaria as a key target area for the early church (Acts 1:8).

previous: John 1:1– 14next: John 6:22– 37

STUDY THE BOOKJohn 4:1– 26Jesus tears down walls

19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I per-ceive that You are a prophet. 20Our fa-thers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusa-lem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23But the hour is coming, and now is,

15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”

17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”

Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

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4:20 you Jews say that in Jerusalem. The Jews insisted that the exclusive place of worship was Jeru-salem. But the Samaritans had set up a rival worship site on Mount Gerizim, which according to their tra-dition was where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac and where later on he met Melchizedek.

directed the focus of discussion from physical water to spiritual water, pointing out the tremendous advantages of the second kind, which is obtained without cost or effort. This water satisfies completely and eternally.4:16 Go, call your husband. Jesus mentioned the woman’s husband in order to expose her sin (v. 18).

The Savior of the World39And many of the Samaritans of

that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41And many more believed because of His own word.

42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ,a the Savior of the world.”

Welcome at Galilee43Now after the two days He de-

parted from there and went to Galilee. 44For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own coun-try. 45So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.

A Nobleman’s Son Healed46So Jesus came again to Cana of

Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain noble-man whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”

50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51And as he was now

when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”

26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

The Whitened Harvest27And at this point His disciples

came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?”

28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29“Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.

31In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”

32But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”

33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him any-thing to eat?”

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

1488 | JOHN 4:24

4:42 a NU- Text omits the Christ.

4:36 receives wages. The reaper of a spiritual harvest receives wages — that is, fruit which brings joy. In this case, Jesus sowed by giving the message to the woman. The disciples were going to reap the harvest that He had sown.4:42 Savior of the world. This title is used only here and in 1 John 4:14. The Jews of Jesus’ day taught that to approach God, one first had to be a Jew. By includ-ing this incident in the Gospel, John demonstrates that Jesus is for all people of the world.4:46 a certain nobleman. This was probably some-one who was in the service of the king. Herod Anti-pas was technically the “tetrarch” of Galilee, but he was referred to as a king.

4:24 God is Spirit . . . must worship in spirit and truth. God is not limited by time and space. When people are born of the Spirit, they can commune with God anywhere. Spirit is the opposite of what is material and earthly, for example, Mount Gerizim. Christ makes worship a matter of the heart. Truth is what is in harmony with the nature and will of God. The issue is not where a person worships, but how and whom.4:29 all things that I ever did. In her excitement, the woman exaggerated. She did not report what Jesus actually told her, but what He could have told her. Note the woman’s spiritual journey. She first viewed Christ as a Jew (v. 9), then as a prophet (v. 19), and finally as the Messiah.

the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

11He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”

12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”

15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Honor the Father and the Son16For this reason the Jews persecuted

Jesus, and sought to kill Him,a because He had done these things on the Sab-bath. 17But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most as sured ly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Him-self, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in

going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”

52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.

54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda

5 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jeru-

salem. 2Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda,a having f ive porches. 3In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.a 5Now a certain man was there who had an in-firmity thirty- eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9And immediately

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5:2 a NU- Text reads Bethzatha. 5:4 a NU- Text omits waiting for the moving of the water at the end of verse 3, and all of verse 4. 5:16 a NU- Text omits and sought to kill Him.

5:16 the Jews persecuted Jesus. This is the first recorded declaration of open hostility toward Jesus in the Gospel of John.5:17 My Father. Jesus is “the only begotten Son” (1:14,18; 3:16,18) — that is, the unique Son of God. Here He claims not only a unique relationship with God the Father, but also equality with God in nature. Since God continually does good works without allowing Himself to stop on the Sabbath, the Son does likewise, since He is equal with God. Certainly the Jewish leaders understood the implications of Jesus’ claims (v. 18).5:19 the Son can do nothing of Himself. Action by the Son apart from the Father is impossible because of the unity of the Father and the Son (v. 17). whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. Here is a claim of deity and unity with the Father.

5:2 the Sheep Gate. This was a gate in the wall of Jerusalem near the temple, through which sheep were brought for sacrifice.5:9 took up his bed, and walked. Carrying a bed on the Sabbath was considered a violation of the law of Moses (v. 10).5:10 it is not lawful. The law of Moses taught that the Sabbath must be different from other days. On it, neither people nor animals could work. The prophet Jeremiah had prohibited carrying burdens or work-ing on the Sabbath (Jer. 17:21 – 22). Over the years, the Jewish leaders had amassed thousands of rules and regulations concerning the Sabbath. By Jesus’ day, they had 39 different classifications of work. Accord-ing to them, carrying furniture and even providing medical treatment on the Sabbath were forbidden. Jesus did not break the law. He violated the traditions of the Pharisees which had grown up around the law.

The Fourfold Witness31“If I bear witness of Myself, My

witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35He was the burning and shin-ing lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 36But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish— the very works that I do— bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

41“I do not receive honor from men. 42But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not re-ceive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you— Moses, in whom you trust. 46For if you

like manner. 20For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22For the Father judges no one, but has com-mitted all judgment to the Son, 23that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

Life and Judgment Are Through the Son

24“Most as sured ly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has ever last ing life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25Most as-sured ly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29and come forth— those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 30I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

1490 | JOHN 5:20

5:29 resurrection of life . . . resurrection of condem-nation. Two separate resurrections are presented here in the fashion of the Old Testament prophets, who often grouped together events of the future without distinction of the time (Is. 61:2). Jesus was teaching the universality of resurrection, not the timing of it.5:31 – 32 My witness is not true. If Christ were the only one bearing witness of what He was claiming, His witness would not be accepted. According to Jewish legal practice, a person’s testimony about himself was not accepted in court. So, in this case, Jesus offered another witness — John the Baptist (v. 33).5:42 the love of God. This love is not love from God but love for God. Love from God is evidenced in Christ (3:16; Rom. 5:8). Since God loves us, we should love Him (Deut. 6:5; 1 John 4:19).5:45 you trust. Christ will not have to accuse the people on judgment day because the one in whom they place their trust, Moses, will. The people will be condemned by the very law they professed to keep.

5:22 all judgment to the Son. The Jews recognized that God alone had the right to judge humanity. In claiming that the Father committed all judgment to Him, Jesus again claimed equality with God.5:24 Never-Ending Life — One of the primary fea-tures of the new life that we have in Christ is that it is an eternal or everlasting life. This truth completely changes how we look at our present lives and at the future. It needs to be seen as something we possess even now (10:28). We have entered into a new, per-sonal relationship with God that gives us a spiritual vitality and fullness of life that we lacked before (17:3). It will be completely fulfilled in the future when we are bodily redeemed (Rom. 8:23). The greatness of this spiritual reality constitutes a wonderful incentive to vigorously proclaim the gospel to those who are still dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).5:26 For. This indicates that this verse explains the previous verse. Christ can give life because He Him-self possesses life. He not only has a part in giving it, He is the source of it. This is another testimony to Jesus’ deity because only God has life in Himself.

“Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

7Philip answered Him, “Two hun-dred denarii worth of bread is not suf-ficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

8One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the

believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

Feeding the Five Thousand

6 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea

of Tiberias. 2 Then a great multitude fol-lowed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. 3And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

4Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip,

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Gennesaret. The Romans called it Tiberias, after the city built on its western shore by Herod Antipas and named for the Emperor Tiberius.6:7 Two hundred denarii. One denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer or field hand (Matt. 20:2). Two hundred denarii would have been almost two-thirds of a year’s wages.6:9 barley loaves. These were an inexpensive food of the common people and the poor.6:10 – 11 in number about five thousand . . . He dis-tributed . . . those sitting down. This is the only mira-cle of Jesus that is recounted in all four Gospels.

5:46 for he wrote about Me. Moses wrote about Christ in the promises to the patriarchs, in the his-tory of the deliverance from Egypt, in the symbolic institutions of the law, and in the prediction of a Prophet like himself (Luke 24:25 – 26). If the people had believed Moses, they would have received Jesus gladly. Over 300 Old Testament prophecies were specifically fulfilled in the first coming of Christ.6:1 Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. John’s use of the name Tiberias is an indication that his Gos-pel was written for those outside of Palestine. The Jewish people called this body of water the Lake of

Bible / Note 1

The Bible Reveals GodJohn 5:31– 40

The Bible is your source of knowledge about God. How would we know God without the Bible?

How could you have the stories of God’s power like when He parted the Red Sea (Ex. 14), conquered Jericho (Josh. 6), or won a war without even fighting (2 Kin. 19:35)?

How would you know about His merciful sparing of a godly man when the rest of the world had fallen into sin (Gen. 6:5– 8), His for-giveness (Jer. 31:34), His slowness to anger (Ps. 103:8), and His love (1 John 4:8)?

You couldn’t. Some try to hear about God through teachers or other believers, but their understanding is secondhand. God meant for each person to know Him through His Word— through Jesus Christ who is the Word of God, and through the printed Word that points to Jesus (John 1:1, 2). Our relationship

with God is not based on what we know of Him; it’s based on knowing Him through His Word, revealed to us through His Spirit (Deut. 13:3).

One name for Jesus is “the Word” (John 1:1), and it has been rightly said that all of Scripture points to Him. Jesus even explained that “all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” and then He “opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (Luke 24:44, 45). The Spirit testifies to these truths (John 15:26).

So God gave certain writers the divine understanding to know what we would need and the ability to record it as God wanted it recorded. He used those writings to reveal Himself and His Son not just to those who wrote the words but to everyone who would read it and, by faith, come to know Him for themselves.

next: Hebrews 4:12

given thanks— 24when the people there-fore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most as sured ly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you be-lieve in Him whom He sent.”

30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” a

32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most as sured ly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

35And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36But I said to you that

disciples, and the disciplesa to those sit-ting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve bas-kets with the fragments of the five bar-ley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Jesus Walks on the Sea15 Therefore when Jesus perceived

that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He de-parted again to the mountain by Him-self alone.

16Now when evening came, His dis-ciples went down to the sea, 17got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19So when they had rowed about three or four miles,a they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

The Bread from Heaven22On the following day, when the

people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered,a and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— 23however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had

1492 | JOHN 6:12

6:11 a NU- Text omits to the disciples, and the disciples. 6:19 a Literally twenty- five or thirty stadia 6:22 a NU- Text omits that and which His disciples had entered. 6:31 a Exodus 16:4; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 78:24

work for eternal life is quickly corrected when Jesus adds “which the Son of Man will give you.” The Son provides life as a gift (4:10).6:31 He gave them bread from heaven. There was a tradition that said the Messiah would cause manna to fall from heaven as Moses did (Ex. 16:4,15). The people probably also saw this “miracle worker” as the perpetual provider of physical needs rather than spiritual ones.6:32 My Father. The crowd misrepresented the truth, so Jesus corrected them. The manna had not come from Moses; it had been provided by God. Moreover, God still gives “true bread” — that is, eternal life (v. 33).

6:15 to make Him king. Moses had not only mirac-ulously provided food for the Israelites, he had also led them out of bondage in Egypt. Perhaps these men felt that Jesus could lead them out of bondage to the Romans. Christ was at the zenith of His popu-larity, and the temptation to take the kingdom with-out the cross must have been great (Matt. 4:8 – 10).6:19 – 21 they saw Jesus walking on the sea. This miracle, the fifth sign recorded by John, pointed to Jesus’ deity. Only God could walk on water, calm the sea, and supernaturally transport the disciples to their destination.6:27 Do not labor. The impression that one must

Jesus had just fed more than five thousand people with five loaves and two small fish (John 6:1– 14). When the people went looking for Him the next day, they were following their stomachs more than their hearts. Jesus saw beyond their desire for another free meal. He knew that they weren’t interested in following Him for who He was, but for what He could do (v. 26).

Seeing Jesus merely as a source of earthly blessings is never a good reason to follow Him. That’s because while we can buy a loaf of bread at the store, only Jesus can meet our deepest need— our spiritual need for a Savior, for purpose, for daily guidance, for love. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (v. 35). The hunger and thirst He satisfies goes much deeper than the physical hunger that can be satisfied by bread and fish.

MORE INSIGHTWhen Jesus said, “I am the bread of life,” He wasn’t just making a statement about

salvation. He also was making a statement about His deity. When Moses met God at the burning bush, he asked God for a name he could take back to the Israelites in Egypt. God said to tell them “I AM” had sent him (Ex. 3:14). Throughout his Gospel, John pointed to several times when Jesus used the “I am” designation, including the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the Way (John 14:6), and the Vine (John 15:1). The clearest identification Jesus made with “I AM” occurs in John 8. Pressed to compare Himself to Abraham, Jesus replied, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). His listeners understood His reference. Accusing Him of blasphemy, they attempted to stone Him, but He slipped away unharmed (John 8:59).

previous: John 4:1– 26next: John 11:1– 45

STUDY THE BOOKJohn 6:22– 37Jesus is the Bread of Life

Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among your-selves. 44No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ a Therefore everyone who has heard and learnedb from the Father comes to Me. 46Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Fa-ther. 47Most as sured ly, I say to you, he who believes in Mea has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers

you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Rejected by His Own41 The Jews then complained about

Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” 42And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of

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6:45 a Isaiah 54:13 b M- Text reads hears and has learned. 6:47 a NU- Text omits in Me.

6:47 everlasting life. The believer, possessing both peace and purpose, can rejoice even in the midst of fiery trials, knowing that God Himself will arrange the outcome for His glory and the believer’s good (Rom. 8:28).6:48 – 49 I am the bread of life. Those who believe in Him have life (v. 47). The manna in the wilder-ness did not ultimately sustain life. Those who ate

6:39 – 40 the will of the Father. This is twofold: (1) that all who come to the Son will be received and not lost; (2) that all who see and believe on the Son will have eternal life.6:42 the son of Joseph. The religious leaders’ proof that Jesus was not from heaven was that they knew His parents. To them, there was nothing supernatu-ral about Jesus’ origin.

who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

66From that time many of His disci-ples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

68But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” a

70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71He spoke of Judas Iscar-iot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

Jesus’ Brothers Disbelieve

7 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk

in Judea, because the Jewsa sought to kill Him. 2Now the Jews’ Feast of Tab-ernacles was at hand. 3His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your dis-ciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

6 Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is al-ways ready. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to this feast. I am not yeta going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully

ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most as-sured ly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Who-ever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For My flesh is food indeed,a and My blood is drink indeed. 56He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57As the living Father sent Me, and I live be-cause of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven— not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

59 These things He said in the syna-gogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Turn Away60 Therefore many of His disciples,

when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”

61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning

1494 | JOHN 6:50

6:55 a NU- Text reads true food and true drink. 6:69 a NU- Text reads You are the Holy One of God. 7:1 a That is, the ruling authorities 7:8 a NU- Text omits yet.

7:2 Feast of Tabernacles. This was one of the three great Jewish religious festivals (Passover and Pen-tecost were the other two). It was called the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) because for seven days the people lived in makeshift shelters or lean-tos made of branches and leaves. The feast commemorated the days when the Israelites wandered in the wilder-ness and lived in tents (Lev. 23:40 – 43).7:3 – 4 His brothers. Jesus’ brothers argued, “If You are really working miracles and thus claiming to be the Messiah, do not hide in obscure Galilee. If You are doing miracles at all, then do them in Jerusalem at the Feast to convince the whole nation.” These words were sarcastic, as verse 5 explains.

it eventually died because it could not provide eter-nal life.6:53 – 58 eats My flesh and drinks My blood. Jesus had made it abundantly clear in this context that eternal life is gained by believing (vv. 29,35,40,47). These verses teach that the benefits of Jesus’ death must be appropriated, by faith, by each individual.6:60 This is a hard saying. It was hard for the Jewish learners to accept the idea of eating flesh and drink-ing blood. Jews were forbidden to even taste blood.6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life. Jesus was trying to get the religious leaders to see beyond the physical aspects of His teaching to the real issue — namely, that if they believed on Him they would have eternal life.

said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rul-ers know indeed that this is truly a the Christ? 27However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”

28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29Buta I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”

30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”

Jesus and the Religious Leaders32 The Pharisees heard the crowd

murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then Jesus said to them,a “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. 34 You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”

35 Then the Jews said among them-selves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He in-tend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

The Promise of the Holy Spirit37On the last day, that great day of

the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38He who believes in

come.” 9 When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.

The Heavenly Scholar10But when His brothers had gone

up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. 11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” 12And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” 13However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

14Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15And the Jews marveled, say-ing, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”

16 Jesusa answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no un-righteousness is in Him. 19Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”

20 The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”

21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. 22Moses therefore gave you circumci-sion (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23If a man receives cir-cumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Could This Be the Christ?25Now some of them from Jerusalem

JOHN 7:38 | 1495

7:16 a NU- Text and M- Text read So Jesus. 7:26 a NU- Text omits truly. 7:29 a NU- Text and M- Text omit But. 7:33 a NU- Text and M- Text omit to them.

7:28 – 29 You both know Me, and you know where I am from. Jesus reminded the leaders that they knew His origin. Their problem was that they did not know God, who sent Jesus. He explained to them that He knew God, was from God, and was sent by God.7:32 to take Him. The Jewish leaders decided earlier that they wanted to kill Christ (5:16), but this is the first real attempt on His life.7:37 – 39 that great day of the feast. On each day

7:14 the middle of the feast. This would have been the fourth day of the seven-day feast. During the first half of the festival, Jesus remained in seclusion (v. 10). During the second half, He began to teach publicly. This is the first mention in the Gospel of John of Jesus teaching in the temple.7:15 having never studied. Jesus never attended a rabbinical school. Similar bewilderment was later expressed regarding Jesus’ disciples (Acts 4:13).

“Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisena out of Galilee.”

An Adulteress Faces the Light of the World

53And everyone went to his own house.a

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2Now early a in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caughta in adultery, in the very act. 5Now Moses, in the law, commandeda us that such should be stoned.b But what do You say?” c 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His fin-ger, as though He did not hear.a

Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing a in Him would receive; for the Holy b Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Who Is He?40 Therefore many a from the crowd,

when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41Others said, “This is the Christ.”

But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethle-hem, where David was?” 43So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

Rejected by the Authorities45 Then the officers came to the chief

priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”

46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”

47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees be-lieved in Him? 49But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”

50Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night,a being one of them) said to them, 51“Does our law judge a man be-fore it hears him and knows what he is doing?”

52 They answered and said to him,

1496 | JOHN 7:39

7:39 a NU- Text reads who believed. b NU- Text omits Holy. 7:40 a NU- Text reads some. 7:50 a NU- Text reads before. 7:52 a NU- Text reads is to rise. 7:53 a The words And everyone through sin no more (8:11) are bracketed by NU- Text as not original. They are present in over 900 manuscripts. 8:2 a M- Text reads very early. 8:4 a M- Text reads we found this woman. 8:5 a M- Text reads in our law Moses commanded.  b NU- Text and M- Text read to stone such. c M- Text adds about her. 8:6 a NU- Text and M- Text omit as though He did not hear.

that Jesus had been born there. They thought He was from Galilee. They knew the Scripture, but they did not take the time to know the Messiah (5:39).8:2 He sat down. Teachers in ancient Israel sat when they taught. Jesus assumed the position of an authoritative teacher.8:3 a woman caught in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees were not interested in helping the woman, but in using her sinful circumstances to discredit Jesus (v. 6). His refusal to countenance the stoning of the woman does not bring Him into conflict with the law given to Moses, nor does He condone sin. The issue in the encounter was the accusers’ blindness to their own sin.8:4 – 5 commanded us that such should be stoned. Stoning was specified in certain cases of adultery (Deut. 22:23 – 24), though not all. (It is not clear why the authorities intended to punish the woman but not the man.) In the Greek text, the pronoun You is emphatic. The religious leaders were trying to trap Jesus into saying something that was contrary to the law.8:6 testing him. If Jesus had said not to stone her, He

of the feast, the people came with palm branches and marched around the great altar. A priest took a golden pitcher filled with water from the pool of Siloam, carried it to the temple, and poured it on the altar as an offering to God. This dramatic cere-mony was a memorial of the water that flowed from the rock when the Israelites traveled through the wilderness. On the last day of the feast, the people marched seven times around the altar in memory of the seven circuits around the walls of Jericho.7:38 as the Scripture has said. The reference is not to a single passage, but to the general emphasis of such passages as Deuteronomy 18:15, Isaiah 58:11, and Zechariah 14:8. In contrast to the small amount of water poured out each day during the feast, there will be a river of water coming out of those who believe in Christ. Not only will they be satisfied themselves, but they will also become a river so that others may drink and be satisfied (v. 39).7:40 – 42 Christ comes from the seed of David. These people knew that the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2). However, they did not know

20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

Jesus Predicts His Departure21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I

am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

22So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”

23And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”

And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the begin-ning. 26I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”

27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” 30As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

7So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself upa and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience,a went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman stand-ing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her,a “Woman, where are those accusers of yours?b Has no one condemned you?”

11She said, “No one, Lord.”And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I

condemn you; go anda sin no more.”12 Then Jesus spoke to them again,

saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in dark-ness, but have the light of life.”

Jesus Defends His Self- Witness13 The Pharisees therefore said to

Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”

14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”

Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”

JOHN 8:30 | 1497

8:7 a M- Text reads He looked up. 8:9 a NU- Text and M- Text omit being convicted by their conscience. 8:10 a NU- Text omits and saw no one but the woman; M- Text reads He saw her and said. b NU- Text and M- Text omit of yours. 8:11 a NU- Text and M- Text add from now on.

Sometimes, however, an individual is the only one who knows the facts about himself. Thus, self-disclo-sure is the only way to truth (7:29; 13:3).8:15 according to the flesh. This could mean either “according to appearance” or “by human standards.” The religious leaders formed conclusions based on human standards and an imperfect, external, and superficial examination. Jesus did not judge accord-ing to human standards or outward appearances.8:24 I am He. This was God’s designation of Himself (Ex. 3:14). Jesus was claiming to be God. This asser-tion was not understood by the religious leaders at this time. Later, Jesus’ claim to be the “I am” (v. 58) prompted the Jewish leaders to seek His life (v. 59).

would have contradicted Jewish law. If He had said to stone her, He would have run counter to Roman law, which did not permit Jews to carry out their own executions (18:31). What Jesus wrote on the ground is a matter of conjecture.8:13 Your witness is not true. This phrase does not mean “false”; it means “not sufficient.” The Pharisees challenged Jesus on legal grounds because no man on trial in a Jewish court was allowed to testify on his own behalf. Their point was that, if Jesus were the only one testifying as to who He claimed to be, it would not be enough to prove His case.8:14 My witness is true. In 5:31 Jesus argued on the basis of legality and offered other witnesses.

speech? Because you are not able to lis-ten to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Before Abraham Was, I AM48 Then the Jews answered and said

to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51Most as sured ly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abra-ham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”

54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your a God. 55 Yet you have not known

The Truth Shall Make You Free31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who

believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Most as-sured ly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s37“I know that you are Abraham’s

descendants, but you seek to kill Me, be-cause My word has no place in you. 38I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen witha your father.”

39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”

Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.”

Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father— God.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My

1498 | JOHN 8:31

8:38 a NU- Text reads heard from. 8:54 a NU- Text and M- Text read our.

8:33 have never been in bondage to anyone. The Pharisees’ objection is startling. In their past, the Israelites had been in bondage to the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians. At the time they spoke, Israel was under the power of Rome.8:39 Abraham is our father. The Pharisees believed that being a descendant of Abraham guaranteed them a place in heaven.8:41 We were not born of fornication. From ancient times, this has been interpreted as a sneer, as if to say, “We are not illegitimate children, but You are.” Apparently gossip followed Jesus, alleging that He had been conceived out of wedlock.8:53 Are You greater than our father Abraham. Abraham and the prophets kept God’s word and died. Jesus was claiming not that He would prevent physical death, but that He could give eternal life. To the Jewish leaders, this was proof that Jesus was demon-possessed.

8:31 God’s Word Confirms — The Bible establishes the truth in our own hearts in several ways. 1. It confirms our salvation. In Jesus’ own words

in the Gospel of John: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (5:24). Compare 3:16; 6:27,35,37,40; 10:27 – 29; Romans 8:1.

2. It confirms the hand of God in all of life’s bitter disappointments. Romans 8:28 provides reas-surance and comfort in these crucial situations: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

3. It confirms our forgiveness when we sin. Repeat-edly, the Bible assures us that all confessed sin is instantly and eternally forgiven (Ps. 32:5; 103:12; Is. 38:17).

called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool ofa Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”

He said, “I do not know.”

The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man

13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Phar-isees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, be-cause He does not keep the Sabbath.”

Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”18But the Jews did not believe con-

cerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

20His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the

Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

58 Jesus said to them, “Most as-sured ly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple,a going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

9 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2And

His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4Ia must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blinda said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

9Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” a

He said, “I am he.”10 Therefore they said to him, “How

were your eyes opened?”11He answered and said, “A Man

JOHN 9:22 | 1499

8:59 a NU- Text omits the rest of this verse. 9:4 a NU- Text reads We. 9:8 a NU- Text reads a beggar. 9:9 a NU- Text reads “No, but he is like him.” 9:11 a NU- Text omits the pool of.

sickness was a result of sin. It would follow that sin committed by a baby still in the womb or sin committed by parents could result in a baby being born with a disease. Jesus rejected both sugges-tions (v 3).9:7 pool of Siloam. Hezekiah had a tunnel cut through solid rock to transport water from Gihon into the city of Jerusalem, to the pool of Siloam (2 Kin. 20:20; 2 Chr. 32:30). John emphasizes that the name Siloam means “sent,” because Jesus had just announced that He had been sent by God (v. 4).

8:58 – 59 I AM. Jesus was not just claiming to have lived before Abraham; He was claiming eternal exis-tence. He was claiming to be God Himself (Ex. 3:14). This time the Jewish leaders understood that Jesus was claiming to be God, so they took up stones to stone Him for blasphemy (Lev. 24:16).9:1 a man who was blind from birth. Most likely he was a beggar. Beggars waited by the gates of the temple for gifts from worshipers. Therefore, it is likely that this scene took place near the temple.9:2 who sinned. It was commonly supposed that

36He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

37And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

39And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

Jesus the True Shepherd

10 “Most as sured ly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold

by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this il-lustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd7 Then Jesus said to them again,

“Most as sured ly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All who ever came before Mea are thieves and robbers, but

Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”

25He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

27He answered them, “I told you al-ready, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.

True Vision and True Blindness35 Jesus heard that they had cast him

out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” a

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9:35 a NU- Text reads Son of Man. 10:8 a M- Text omits before Me.

(v. 11); then, “a prophet” (v. 17); and finally, he real-ized that Jesus is the Son of God (vv. 35 – 38).10:1 sheepfold. A sheepfold was a walled enclosure or high fence made with stakes and having one door or gate; often the enclosure was a cave. some other way. The Pharisees had secured their power by ille-gitimate means.10:3 the doorkeeper. The doorkeeper was the undershepherd. calls his own sheep by name. The naming of sheep was an ancient practice (Ps. 147:4; Is. 40:26).10:7 I am the door. In verses 1 – 5, Jesus is the shep-herd; here, He is the door. Some shepherds lay down across the entry of the sheepfold at night to sleep. Wild beasts would be discouraged from entering,

9:22 put out of the synagogue. To take this action was a form of excommunication. The Jews had three types of excommunication: one lasting 30 days, during which the person could not come within six feet of anybody else; one for an indefinite time, during which the person was excluded from all fel-lowship and worship; and one that meant absolute expulsion forever. These judgments were very seri-ous because no one could conduct business with a person who was excommunicated.9:30 – 33 unheard of. There is no healing of a blind man recorded anywhere in the Old Testament.9:38 Lord, I believe. Note the progression through-out this chapter of the healed man’s understanding of the person of Christ. First, he called Jesus “a Man”

19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”

21Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

The Shepherd Knows His Sheep22Now it was the Feast of Dedica-

tion in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews sur-rounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear wit-ness of Me. 26But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.a 27My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall any-one snatch them out of My hand. 29My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to

the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come ex-cept to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12But a hireling, he who is not the shep-herd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

17“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

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10:26 a NU- Text omits as I said to you.

resurrection is plentiful: the many separate accounts of post-resurrection appearances, the empty tomb, and the transformed disciples. It is the power of the resurrection that empowers Christians today to live the Christian life (Eph. 1:19 – 20; Phil. 3:10).10:16 other sheep I have. These were not Jews in hea-then lands, but Gentiles. The Jewish people had asked if Jesus would go and teach the Gentiles (7:35). Jesus now declared that He had sheep among the despised heathen. one flock. This anticipates the salvation of the Gentiles and the formation of the church, in which converted Jews and Gentiles would form one spiritual body (Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:16).10:19 – 21 many of them said . . . Others said. After Jesus’ analogy of the good shepherd, the editorial comment by John is fitting. In the analogy, Jesus was the good shepherd whose sheep hear His voice, implying that there are sheep who do not hear His voice. John’s comment indicates that some believe and others do not. This is the same division that occurred in 9:16.10:22 the Feast of Dedication. This festival was cele-brated for eight days. In 167 b.c. Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple in Jerusalem, as prophesied in Daniel 11:31. The Maccabeans restored and puri-fied the temple. In commemoration of the resto-ration, the Feast of Dedication was instituted. Today it is also known as the Feast of Lights or Hanukkah.10:27 – 29 hear . . . follow. The following of the sheep is a metaphor for faith. Other metaphors for faith in this Gospel include drinking water (4:14), eating bread (6:50 – 51), eating flesh, and drinking blood (6:54).

and sheep would not exit. Thus, the shepherd was also the door.10:10 may have it more abundantly. The thieves take life; the shepherd gives it. Abundant life includes sal-vation, nourishment, healing (v. 9), and much more. Life here refers to eternal life, God’s life. It speaks not only of endlessness, but of quality of life. With Christ, life on earth can reach much higher quality, and then in heaven it will be complete and perfect.10:11 The Ministry of Jesus — Jesus’ most impor-tant teachings are: the kingdom of God (Matt. 5 – 7; 24 – 25); His divine authority over men (Matt. 7:28 – 29; Mark 2:10); His own role as God and Messiah dem-onstrated by miracles and signs; the significance of His death and resurrection (Matt. 16:21; Luke 24:26); the relationship which His disciples and subsequent believers are to share with Him (John 13 – 16); and the urgency of His commission to believers to make disciples (Matt. 28:19 – 20). The most significant events of His earthly life, His death and resurrec-tion, are central to the entire Christian faith (1 Cor. 15:14). The death of Christ was a humiliating phys-ical death (John 19:18,33) that constituted a spiri-tual separation from God (Matt. 27:46). Within this moment there occurred the inexplicable mystery of the Father punishing the Son for the sins of the world (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:18). The greatest crime of human history was in the plan of God (Acts 2:23) and became the basis of salvation for sinners (Is. 53:5). The resurrection of Christ demonstrated that His death, by which believing sinners are justified, was valid (1 Cor. 15:12 – 20). The historical evidence for the

3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, say-ing, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10But if one walks in the night, he stum-bles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13How-ever, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

I Am the Resurrection and the Life17So when Jesus came, He found

that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18Now Bethany was near Je-rusalem, about two milesa away. 19And

snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30I and My Father are one.”

Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus31 Then the Jews took up stones

again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’ ?a 35If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blas-pheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and be-lievea that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

The Believers Beyond Jordan40And He went away again beyond

the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42And many believed in Him there.

The Death of Lazarus

11 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of

Mary and her sister Martha. 2It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

1502 | JOHN 10:30

10:34 a Psalm 82:6 10:38 a NU- Text reads understand. 11:18 a Literally fifteen stadia

11:4 not unto death. This phrase means not having death as its final result.11:6 – 8 He stayed two more days. God’s purpose was to glorify His Son (v. 4) and to cause the disci-ples to grow (v. 15). Had Jesus immediately rushed to Lazarus’ bedside and healed him, Lazarus would not have died and Jesus would not have been able to manifest His glory by raising Lazarus.11:16 Let us also go, that we may die with Him. While the Lord saw their development in faith, Thomas saw their deaths. Yet, in his loyalty, he fol-lowed anyway.

10:30 I and My Father are one. The Jewish oppo-nents understood that Jesus was claiming to be God (vv. 31,33).10:34 You are gods. In the Old Testament, judges were called gods. They exercised godlike judicial sov-ereignty. Psalm 82:6, the verse quoted here, refers to judges who violate the law. Jesus’ argument was that, if the divine name had been applied by God to mere men, there could be neither blasphemy nor folly in its application to the incarnate Son of God Himself.11:1 Bethany. This was a small village on the south-east slope of the Mount of Olives. It was located about two miles from Jerusalem.

Mary and Martha had to be confused. Their brother was seriously sick. Jesus could help. Jesus loved Lazarus. Why didn’t He drop what He was doing and rush to be with them? Jesus had healed so many other people, most of them people He didn’t even know. Why would He wait two more days and let Lazarus die?

When He finally arrived, Martha and Mary both had the same response: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died” (vv. 21, 32). Jesus shared their grief, but He showed the watching crowd why He had chosen to wait. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, “many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him” (v. 45).

By demonstrating His power over death, Jesus was preparing His followers to under-stand an astonishing truth: Jesus Himself is the resurrection and the life (v.  25). Through

Him, sin’s power would be broken and rebel-lious people would be able to come to the Father in peace.

MORE INSIGHTAs the story of Lazarus demonstrates, God does things in His own time— and at the right time. The Jews endured four hundred years of silence between Malachi and John the Baptist, but God knew the perfect time to present Jesus on the world stage (Gal. 4:4, 5). The peace that the Roman Empire had established, along with their road projects, made spreading the gospel easier. The fact that so much of the world understood a common Greek language and shared an interest in spiritual things created the perfect environment for the spread of the gospel.

previous: John 6:22– 37next: John 13:1– 20

STUDY THE BOOKJohn 11:1– 45Jesus is the resurrection and the life

things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but wasa in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” a

32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34And He said, “Where have you laid him?”

They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resur-rection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

27She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I be-lieve that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Jesus and Death, the Last Enemy28And when she had said these

JOHN 11:34 | 1503

11:30 a NU- Text adds still. 11:31 a NU- Text reads supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

Mary and indignant at the hypocritical lamentations of His enemies.

11:33 troubled. This word means to be stirred up, disturbed. Jesus was moved by the mourning of

come and take away both our place and nation.”

49And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50nor do you con-sider that it is expedient for usa that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather to-gether in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

53 Then, from that day on, they plot-ted to put Him to death. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.

55And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think— that He will not come to the feast?” 57Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.

The Anointing at Bethany

12 Then, six days before the Pass-over, Jesus came to Bethany,

where Lazarus was who had been dead,a whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was

35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

37And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

Lazarus Raised from the Dead38 Then Jesus, again groaning in

Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.a And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus45 Then many of the Jews who had

come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gath-ered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will

1504 | JOHN 11:35

11:41 a NU- Text omits from the place where the dead man was lying. 11:50 a NU- Text reads you. 12:1 a NU- Text omits who had been dead.

saw in Caiaphas’ words a prophecy that Jesus should die not only for Israel but for the Gentiles as well.11:53 they plotted to put Him to death. Humanly speaking, the resurrection of Lazarus was a major factor that led to the plot by the Jewish religious leaders to kill Christ. At this point the council decided informally, if not formally, to put Jesus to death. It is ironic that these men believed they could put to death permanently One who could raise the dead.12:1 six days before the Passover. If the crucifixion took place on a Friday, this dinner occurred during the evening of the previous Saturday. Verse 12 seems to support this conclusion because the Jerusalem entry took place on Sunday.

11:37 Could not this Man. Some people misinterpreted Jesus’ tears as powerlessness. They complained that He had healed others, but now was impotent.11:43 Lazarus. Augustine once said that, if Jesus had not designated Lazarus by name, all the graves would have been emptied at His command (5:28). Raising Lazarus from the dead is the seventh sign of Jesus’ messiahship, the greatest miracle of all, giving life back to the dead.11:49 – 52 it is expedient. In the opinion of Caiaphas, Jesus should die rather than plunge the nation into destruction. John adds that by virtue of his office Ca -ia phas pronounced a message of God unconsciously. Caiaphas was a prophet in spite of himself. John also

15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;Behold, your King is coming,Sitting on a donkey’s colt.” a

16His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18For this reason the peo-ple also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 The Phar-isees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”

The Fruitful Grain of Wheat20Now there were certain Greeks

among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

22Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

23But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24Most as sured ly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone

one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

4But one of His disciples, Judas Is-cariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denariia and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

7But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kepta this for the day of My burial. 8For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus9Now a great many of the Jews knew

that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry12 The next day a great multitude that

had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

“Hosanna!‘Blessed is He who comes in the

name of the Lord!’ aThe King of Israel!”

14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

JOHN 12:26 | 1505

12:5 a About one year’s wages for a worker 12:7 a NU- Text reads that she may keep. 12:13 a Psalm 118:26 12:15 a Zechariah 9:9

had discouraged expressions of support from the people (6:15; 7:1 – 8). Here, He allowed public enthu-siasm. He entered Jerusalem on the back of a young donkey. This act fulfilled prophecy (Zech. 9:9) and as such was a symbolic proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah.12:20 to worship at the feast. This verse indicates that these Greeks were Jewish proselytes. By record-ing this incident, perhaps John was hinting that the salvation rejected by many of the Jews was already passing to the Gentiles.12:24 unless a grain of wheat . . . dies. When a seed dies, it produces fruit. Life comes by death. This principle is not only true in nature, but it is also true spiritually. Jesus was speaking first and foremost of Himself. He is the grain of wheat. His death would produce much fruit and would result in many living for God.

12:3 very costly oil of spikenard. Judas Iscariot said that this perfume cost 300 denarii (v. 5). One denar-ius was a laborer’s wage for one day. Thus, the per-fume cost approximately a year’s wages. anointed the feet. Mary also anointed Jesus’ head. The cus-tom of that time was to anoint the heads of guests. Anointing Jesus’ head was an act of honor; anointing His feet was a display of devotion.12:10 – 11 the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also. The chief priests were mostly Saddu-cees. They had an additional reason to kill Lazarus. He was a living refutation of their doctrine that there was no resurrection (11:57; Acts 23:8). Yet this was not a meeting of the Jewish council, nor was it a formal sentence of death. The ultimate motivation for wanting to kill Lazarus was that because of him many were believing in Jesus.12:13 – 15 The King of Israel. Until this point, Jesus

39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:40 “He has blinded their eyes and

hardened their hearts,Lest they should see with their eyes,Lest they should understand with

their hearts and turn,So that I should heal them.” a

41 These things Isaiah said whena he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Walk in the Light42Nevertheless even among the rul-

ers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46I have come as a light into the world, that who-ever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47And if anyone hears My words and does not believe,a I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him— the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50And I know that His command is ev-erlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

13 Now before the Feast of the Pass-over, when Jesus knew that His

hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having

serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Jesus Predicts His Death on the Cross

27“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify Your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven, say-ing, “I have both glorified it and will glo-rify it again.”

29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in dark-ness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and de-parted, and was hidden from them.

Who Has Believed Our Report?37But although He had done so many

signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

“Lord, who has believed our report?And to whom has the arm of the

Lord been revealed?” a

1506 | JOHN 12:27

12:38 a Isaiah 53:1 12:40 a Isaiah 6:10 12:41 a NU- Text reads because. 12:47 a NU- Text reads keep them.

12:42 – 43 Nevertheless. This word marks a stark contrast between these believers and the unbelief spoken of in verses 37 – 41. These men were genuine believers. Their problem was that they feared the opinions of their fellow leaders. Such believers will be ashamed at Christ’s return (1 John 2:28).12:47 I do not judge him. Christ will judge, but at His first coming He did not come to judge but to save (3:17).

12:27 Now My soul is troubled. Jesus’ agony over His impending death was not confined to Gethsemane, where He prayed for the cup to pass from Him (Matt. 26:39). He felt the agony and expressed it almost a week before Gethsemane.12:35 – 36 while you have the light. Instead of answering the people’s questions (v. 34), Jesus gave them a warning. Jesus is the light. He wanted the people to believe and abide in Him (v. 46).

A basin. A water pitcher. A towel. Those were three common items around most Jewish households in the first century, but when they were placed in the hands of the Messiah, they became an object lesson in humility and service.

It was common practice at that time for someone— usually a servant—to wash the feet of dinner guests before the meal was served. The unpaved dirt roads of the day made it a necessary form of hospitality. When Jesus and His disciples gathered for the Passover— the most important meal in the life of a first- century Jew— no one bothered to accept the task. So Jesus did (vv. 3– 5).

The Son of God washed and wiped down twenty- four dirty feet. He cleaned twelve pairs of feet attached to twelve men who had not volunteered for the job. He even washed the feet of one man who would deny Him three times (Peter) and another man who would betray Him a few hours later (Judas). In fact, almost all of these disciples would desert Him before the night was over. But He washed their feet anyway.

When Jesus had finished the job, He

taught one final lesson on leadership. True leaders choose humble service. Humility doesn’t demand the spotlight. Humility makes a difference in the lives of others— even if it means getting in the muck and mire of life.

MORE INSIGHTThis wasn’t the first time Jesus had con-nected leadership to humility. His personal mission statement highlighted the role of a servant leader: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus came to save, but to do that He also had to serve. He expected the same from His disciples. Greatness in the kingdom of heaven, He said, requires servanthood (Mark 10:43, 44). The disciples had sought power and authority. Jesus said they needed to become as humble as a little child (Matt. 18:1– 5).

previous: John 11:1– 45next: John 15:1– 11

STUDY THE BOOKJohn 13:1– 20Jesus washes twenty- four feet

“What I am doing you do not under-stand now, but you will know after this.”

8Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”

Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

9Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”

12So when He had washed their

loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

2And supper being ended,a the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”

7 Jesus answered and said to him,

JOHN 13:12 | 1507

13:2 a NU- Text reads And during supper.

13:8 no part with Me. The washing was a symbol of spiritual cleansing (vv. 10 – 11). If Peter did not partic-ipate in the cleansing, he would not enjoy fellowship with Christ (1 John 1:9).

13:1 to the end. This phrase means either “to the last” or “utterly and completely.” What follows in verses 1 – 11 demonstrates Jesus’ complete love. Jesus loved His disciples, even though He knew that one would betray Him, another would deny Him, and all would desert Him for a time.

He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.

30Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.

The New Commandment31So, when he had gone out, Jesus

said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him imme-diately. 33Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial36Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord,

where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am

going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”

37Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”

38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay

feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16Most as sured ly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Jesus Identifies His Betrayer18“I do not speak concerning all of

you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me a has lifted up his heel against Me.’ b 19Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20Most as sured ly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most as sured ly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, per-plexed about whom He spoke.

23Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.

25 Then, leaning backa on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”

26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread,

1508 | JOHN 13:13

13:18 a NU- Text reads My bread. b Psalm 41:9 13:25 a NU- Text and M- Text add thus.

affection used nowhere else in the Gospels. John did not forget the expression; he used it repeatedly in 1 John.13:34 love one another. One of the dominant themes in the apostle John’s writings is love. God loves the whole world (3:16). Jesus repeatedly demonstrates His compassion for people in general and His love for His disciples in particular (10:11; 11:3; 13:1; 15:9).13:35 By this. Unbelievers recognize Jesus’ disciples not by their doctrinal distinctives, nor by dramatic mir-acles, nor even by their love for the lost. They recognize His disciples by their deeds of love for one another.13:36 Lord, where are You going? This question Jesus had already addressed twice before, indicating that Peter completely missed the point of what Jesus said in verses 34 and 35.13:37 I will lay down my life for Your sake. Peter was ready to die for Jesus. Unfortunately, he was not

13:13 Teacher and Lord. These were the ordinary titles of respect given to a rabbi.13:18 has lifted up his heel. Jesus quoted Psalm 41:9 to explain the action of Judas. Lifting up one’s heel was a gesture of insult or a preparation to kick. The blow had not yet been given. This was the attitude of Judas at that moment. He was eating with the disci-ples, but he was ready to strike.13:23 leaning on Jesus’ bosom. At this time people did not generally sit at a table to eat. They reclined on the left side of a low platform, resting on the left elbow and eating with the right hand, their feet extended outward. Reclining in such a way, a man’s head was near the chest of the person on his left. whom Jesus loved. The disciple is never named in Scripture, but the tradition of the early church desig-nates him as John, the author of this Gospel.13:33 Little children is an expression of tender

Faith and Works / Note 5

Show Faith and Works by Caring for PeopleJohn 13:34, 35

Faith is compelling when it is seen in action. When Jesus announced that He would be leaving, He gave one very simple and profound instruction: “Love one another.”

This is harder than it seems. We are prone to argue, hate, and fight. We de-fault to selfishness and wanting to win. Love doesn’t naturally fit.

But we crave it.And love is the mark of Jesus’

followers.Jesus asked His disciples to practice

the love that He modeled. If they reflected the example of Jesus’ love, they would stand out in a world that does not under-stand love.

Jesus explained, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (v. 35).

The distinguishing mark of Jesus followers is how faith influences their daily actions: how they work alongside coworkers, how they solve problems, how they speak to spouses and children, how they work out problems with church members. Jesus’ followers live differ-ently, demonstrating love consistently toward others.

Jesus kept it simple. He taught and demonstrated that love is an action. As John explains, “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

Faith transforms us into people of love who live differently in the world. There are plenty of distinguishing char-acteristics when it comes to the church. Unfortunately, and all too often, outsiders looking into the church see it as a place of hatred and condemnation. Our churches are to be oases of love. In a world where so many people feel beat down, insecure, and worn out, the behavior of a loving Christian is refreshing water for parched and weary souls.

previous: Isaiah 1:12– 17

down your life for My sake? Most as-sured ly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also

in Me. 2In My Father’s house are many mansions;a if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.b 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The Father Revealed7“If you had known Me, you would

have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

8Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own author-ity; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or

JOHN 14:11 | 1509

14:2 a Literally dwellings b NU- Text adds a word which would cause the text to read either if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? or if it were not so I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

ready, at this point, to live for Him. Later Peter would die for Christ (21:18 – 19). Church tradition states that Peter was crucified upside down, at his request, for he felt himself unworthy to be crucified like his Lord.14:3 I will come again and receive you. Peter may have failed Jesus (13:38), but Christ will not fail to return for Peter and for everyone else who has believed in Him (1 Thess. 4:16 – 17).14:6 the way, the truth, and the life. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus is the way to the Father. He is also the truth and the life. As truth, He is the revelation of God. As life, He is the source of our very beings.

Last Things / Note 5

Final DestinationsJohn 14:1– 3

The human race has only two options for the afterlife. On one hand, God offers eternity in His presence through the gift of His death on the cross. On the other hand, eternal punishment awaits those who reject that offer.

God will separate those who receive His gift from those who reject Him (Matt. 25:31– 46). And after that divine judgment, both groups will begin experiencing what theologians call the “final states.”

The Bible describes heaven in vivid terms. Jesus spoke of mansions in John 14:1– 3, likely referring to an eternal dwell-ing place in His presence— a place where He and His followers would no longer be separated. In Revelation, John paints an amazing picture for a sight that likely stretched beyond his capacity for words. The glory of God will light a new city with foundations of precious stones (Rev. 21:9– 27). Jesus will wipe away every tear, and all pain and sorrow will cease (Rev. 21:4). Paul describes our eternal, glorified bodies that will be like Jesus’ body after the resurrection (2 Cor. 5:1– 7).

In contrast, the Bible describes hell in horrible detail. The main characteristics are darkness (Matt. 8:12; 25:30) and fire (Mark 9:42– 48). Those who reject Christ will join Satan and his legion in the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20; 20:10). But the greatest torture for unbelievers will be the com-plete absence of God’s presence.

Receive God’s gift of salvation. Put your faith in the Lamb who was slain, who is also the King who conquers sin and death. Choose to walk with Christ today, and you will find joy and rest in His presence for all eternity.

previous: Revelation 19:6

else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

The Answered Prayer12“Most as sured ly, I say to you, he

who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If you aska anything in My name, I will do it.

Jesus Promises Another Helper15“If you love Me, keepa My com-

mandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you for-ever— 17the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Indwelling of the Father and the Son19“A little while longer and the world

will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Fa-ther, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

22Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

1510 | JOHN 14:12

14:14 a NU- Text adds Me. 14:15 a NU- Text reads you will keep.

14:12 greater works. Jesus had accomplished the greatest works possible, including raising the dead. How could He say that believers would do greater works? The answer is seen in the extent of what the apostles did. Jesus’ work on earth was confined to Palestine; the apostles would preach everywhere and see the conversion of thousands. Peter’s message at Pentecost brought more followers to Jesus than did Jesus’ entire earthly ministry. The disciples were able to do this work because Christ would go to the Father and send the Holy Spirit to empower them.14:17 the Spirit of truth. This is another name for the Holy Spirit because He is truth and guides us into all truth (1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:21).14:18 orphans. He would not abandon them. He would come to them. There are three suggested inter-pretations as to when that statement would be ful-filled: (1) after the resurrection, (2) at Pentecost, in the person of the Holy Spirit, and (3) at the second coming.

Relationships / Note 2

Let Your Relationships Reflect the Father, Son, and SpiritJohn 14:19– 26

You reflect the relationships that shaped you.Sometimes past relationships get reflect-

ed in your present life intentionally. Perhaps you loved your grandmother’s warm gener-osity and you seek to be like her in that way. But sometimes an old relationship’s influence seems to come out of nowhere: you were shocked the first time the words, “Because I said so!” came out of your mouth and you realized you sounded just like your dad.

Through the whole of Scripture, we see the Father, Son, and Spirit work together to reveal God’s will for us and bring about our salvation (see the Trinity concept notes at Genesis 1:26– 28, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 22:37– 40, John 16:12– 15, Galatians 4:1– 7.) As you seek to express the image of God, let your relationships reflect the Trinity.

The Father is in the Son (John 14:20). Because the Father and Son are of one mind and one heart, we see them acting together. As individually we become united with Christ, we become like- minded with other Christ- honoring people, striving for a common goal of glorifying God in things as simple as preparing a meal together.

Love equals obedience (v.  21). Christ was fully obedient to God on earth, proving His love for His Father. Cheerfully obey godly people in authority including police officers, your own parents, supervisors, and directors of your child’s preschool.

The Father and Son speak the same words (v.  24). You can’t separate the words of Jesus from the words of the Father; like-wise, say to people only words Jesus would say. Choose words that promote working together, that attack the problem and not each other, that put people at ease, and that remove all ego or selfishness. Refuse any hints of gossip, slander, or cruelty.

Jesus promised the Father would send the Spirit (v.  26). Jesus came to save; the Spirit came to teach and remind. Just as God has given Himself to us, we should use the gifts God has given us to serve each other. Serve in ways that thoughtfully meet the needs of others: do a spouse’s chore, or stay after an event to help clean up, or listen until your friend solves his own problem, or drop off a meal without insisting you come in and hold the new baby. Let the Spirit work in and through you to minister God’s presence to those around you.

previous: Isaiah 7:14next: 2 Corinthians 6:14

remembrance all things that I said to you. 27Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be trou-bled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said,a ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

29“And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30I will no longer talk

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Fa-ther’s who sent Me.

The Gift of His Peace25“These things I have spoken to

you while being present with you. 26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your

JOHN 14:30 | 1511

14:28 a NU- Text omits I said.

the Lord, he or she will experience fellowship with God.14:24 He who does not love Me. If a person does not love Jesus, he or she will not obey Him. Disobedience is a serious matter, for Jesus’ words are the words of God.

14:23 If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. In response to Judas’ question (v. 22), Jesus explained that His manifestation to the disciples would be in response to their love and obedience. make Our home with him. If a believer loves and obeys

Even the best- looking fruit in the grocery store will go bad in time. The apples will get those soft bad spots. Bananas will turn black and slimy. Oranges will shrink, and grapes will shrivel. Time will suck the life out of any fruit.

That’s because the fruit in the store is no longer connected to its life source. Apples, bananas, and oranges aren’t attached to the trees that provide their nutrients. Grapes are no longer connected to the vine that brings them life and helps them grow. Without the vine, grapes die.

Jesus and His disciples lived in an agri-cultural area, so they understood how vines and branches worked in a vineyard. The branches produced the fruit, but only if they were connected to the vine. Jesus said that the Christian life works the same way. We can thrive in life and make a positive difference for the kingdom, but only if we stay connected to our Source.

If we abide in Him, we will produce fruit for the kingdom. If we unplug from Jesus, we will wither.

MORE INSIGHTThe word abide means more than just hang-ing around like grapes on a vine. It carries the connotation of complete attachment. It’s related to ideas such as dwelling, staying, and settling in. It means sinking deep and growing roots. Jesus wasn’t describing a surface faith. He was talking about a sold- out commitment— a relationship where we depend completely on Him to accomplish His work through us.

previous: John 13:1– 20next: John 18:28– 38

STUDY THE BOOKJohn 15:1– 11We must abide in the vine

it abides in the vine, neither can you, un-less you abide in Me.

5“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you willa ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

The True Vine

15 “I am the true vine, and My Fa-ther is the vinedresser. 2Every

branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;a and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean be-cause of the word which I have spoken to you. 4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless

1512 | JOHN 14:31

15:2 a Or lifts up 15:7 a NU- Text omits you will.

and diseases. The spiritual counterpart is cleansing which is done through the Word (v. 3).15:6 If anyone does not abide. Not abiding in Christ has serious consequences: (1) the person is cast out as a branch, indicating the loss of fellowship; (2) the person is withered, indicating a loss of vitality; (3) the person is burned, indicating a loss of reward.15:8 By this. Notice the striking parallel between this verse and 13:35. fruit. The love of 13:35 is pic-tured here. The text has come full circle in showing how strategic it is for disciples to love each other, as Christ’s method of evangelizing the lost. Where there is good fruit, there are also seeds for propagation.

14:30 has nothing in Me. These words indicate Jesus’ sinlessness. Jesus’ yielding to what was about to happen did not mean that Satan had any power over Him. Jesus would soon voluntarily yield to the death of the cross, in loving obedience to the Father (v. 31).15:2 Every branch in Me. The emphasis of “in Me” in this passage is on deep, abiding fellowship. Jesus’ purpose was to move His disciples from servants to friends (vv. 13 – 15). This would involve a process of discipline in regard to His commandments. prunes. This word means “cleanses.” Once the fruit is on the vine, the vinedresser cleanses the fruit of bugs

spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ a

The Coming Rejection26“But when the Helper comes, whom

I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

16 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made

to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3And these things they will do to youa because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4But these things I have told you, that when thea time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.

“And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

The Work of the Holy Spirit5“But now I go away to Him who sent

Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go

Love and Joy Perfected9“As the Father loved Me, I also

have loved you; abide in My love. 10If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

11“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My com-mandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15No longer do I call you servants, for a ser-vant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Fa-ther I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should re-main, that what ever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

The World’s Hatred18“If the world hates you, you know

that it hated Me before it hated you. 19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his mas-ter.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22If I had not come and

JOHN 16:7 | 1513

15:25 a Psalm 69:4 16:3 a NU- Text and M- Text omit to you. 16:4 a NU- Text reads their.

15:22 – 23 have no sin . . . no excuse for their sin. The world’s hatred of Jesus was a sin against God, for He revealed the Father Himself to them.15:26 – 27 He will testify. As the disciples spoke, the Holy Spirit would bring inner conviction to unbeliev-ers concerning Christ. This in turn would make the disciples witnesses for Jesus.16:2 They will put you out of the synagogues. The persecution that the disciples would face included excommunication and even execution. Excommuni-cation had economic as well as religious implications because much of the life of an ancient Jew revolved around the synagogue.16:7 It is to your advantage. The disciples must have thought, “How can it be advantageous for us to be alone? The Romans hate us because they see us as disturbers of the peace. The Jewish leaders

15:11 that your joy may be full. This phrase is an expression peculiar to John (3:29; 16:24; 17:13; 1 John 1:4; 2 John 12). It describes a believer’s experience of Christ’s love: complete joy.15:14 if you do. Jesus is our model for love (v. 13). Inti-macy with Him is the motive for loving as He loves. If believers obey His command to love, they enjoy the intimacy of His friendship. Not that friendship, unlike sonship, is a once-for-all gift, but develops as the result of obeying Jesus’ command to love.15:15 call you servants. Until this point, Jesus had called His disciples servants (12:26; 13:13 – 16). A ser-vant does what he is told and sees what his master does, but does not necessarily know the meaning or purpose of it. friends. A friend knows what is hap-pening because friends develop deep fellowship by communicating with one another.

God the Holy Spirit / Note 3

The Holy Spirit Helps ContinuallyJohn 16:7– 15

It’s easy to assume nothing would be better than to have lived in Jesus’ time when you could have physically seen Him, touched Him, and talked to Him in person.

But in accord with the human nature that God the Son assumed when He came to earth, Jesus’ presence to us was limited in a sense: He could only be in one place at a time. Jesus said His followers would be better off when He left them and sent the Holy Spirit to be with them. The Holy Spirit indwells each believer permanently (John 14:16, 17), so He is able to be with each of us at all times.

The Holy Spirit within us serves as the guarantee by which believers are sealed for the day of salvation (2  Cor. 1:21, 22). He makes us like Christ by producing in us the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23). And He pre-pares us to serve within the body of Christ, bestowing the gifts of the Spirit for the work of the ministry (1 Cor. 12:4– 27).

Some more of the countless ways the Spirit helps us include convicting us of sin (John 16:8), illuminating Christ’s words and guiding us into truth (John 16:13, 14), making interces-sion for us (Rom. 8:26, 27), bearing witness to the truth about Jesus (John 15:26, 27), and empowering us to share the gospel (Acts 1:8).

In short, He is our Power and Guide for living the Christian life well.

previous: Numbers 27:18– 21next: Acts 1:4– 8

away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

12“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He

will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.a

Sorrow Will Turn to Joy16“A little while, and you will not see

Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”

17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you

1514 | JOHN 16:8

16:15 a NU- Text and M- Text read He takes of Mine and will declare it to you.

hate us because they see us as blasphemers.” Jesus explained the benefits of His departure. When Jesus left, the believers would have (1) the provision of the Holy Spirit (vv. 7 – 15); (2) the potential of full joy (vv. 16 – 24); (3) the possibility of fuller knowledge (vv. 25 – 28); and (4) the privilege of peace (vv. 29 – 33).16:8 convict. The Holy Spirit would demonstrate the truth of Christ beyond the fear of contradiction. The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers through believers who witness about Christ (15:26 – 27). Believers are the mouthpiece for God’s voice.16:11 of judgment. Satan, the ruler of the world, rules in the hearts of unregenerate people and blinds their minds (1 Cor. 2:6 – 8). Satan was judged at the cross, and the Holy Spirit would convince people of the judgment to come. Satan has been judged, so all who side with him will be judged with him.16:12 you. Here, this refers to the apostles. Techni-cally, what the Lord says about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in verses 12 – 15 applies primarily to the

apostles. That ministry was threefold: (1) He would guide them into all truth (v. 13); (2) He would tell them of the future (v. 13); and (3) He would help them glorify Christ (vv. 14 – 15). Jesus’ words were fulfilled in the apostles’ preaching and writings.16:13 Spirit of truth. The phrase means that the Holy Spirit is the source of truth (14:17; 15:26). guide. The Holy Spirit would not compel or carry the dis-ciples into truth. He would lead; their job was to follow.16:14 glorify Me. The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ by declaring Him or making Him known. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to throw light on Jesus Christ, who is the image of the invisible God. Christ is to be on center stage; that is the desire of both the Father and the Spirit. The apostles received truth from the Holy Spirit, truth about things to come, and truth about Christ. Then, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they wrote those truths in documents known today as the New Testament.

Trinity / Note 4

The Harmonious TrinityJohn 16:12– 15

There is unity in the way God offers Himself to us. Jesus described the harmony between the Persons of the Trinity when He said, “[The Spirit] will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you” (vv. 14, 15).

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit relate beautifully with one another. They are interconnected, sharing, working in unity. The three- in- one God gives us a con-sistent message and mission. Consistency is key when we seek to find the truth. With God we find perfect unity and solid truth.

God, in His relational nature, is interested in offering us His best. He personally passes

His truth along to us. Although the Trinitarian God is present in all His fullness whenever He speaks with us, our experiences of God’s presence or work might focus our attention on various aspects of God’s nature and per-sonhood. In encountering the magnificence of the Creator in the cosmos, we come to know ourselves as creatures who belong to a loving Father. We see the life of the Son in Jesus, God with us, who showed us the character of God in terms we can relate to. And we have the supernatural presence of God the Holy Spirit, closer than ever, dwelling within us as we seek to live out our lives as lovers of God and of people.

There is no conflict or division between the three divine Persons— for they are togeth-er the One God. This triune God speaks His consistent and dependable message of life!

previous: Matthew 22:37– 40next: Galatians 4:1– 7

23“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most as sured ly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World

25“These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

29His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and

will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” 18 They said there-fore, “What is this that He says, ‘A lit-tle while’? We do not know what He is saying.”

19Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20Most as sured ly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remem-bers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

JOHN 16:29 | 1515

16:26 I shall pray the Father for you. Because Jesus provides forgiveness of sins through His death and now intercedes for all believers at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 7:25), we have direct access to the Father. We do not need the intercession of a priest, because Jesus acts as our High Priest before God.

16:18 A little while. The biggest question weighing on the disciples’ minds was the time factor. They simply did not understand the strange intervals marked by their separation from Jesus.16:21 A woman, when she is in labor. Jesus used the example of a pregnant woman whose sorrow is transformed into joy in the birth of a child.

which You have given Me are from You. 8For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

9“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Fa-ther, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me,a that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world,a I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept;b and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify them by Your truth.

using no figure of speech! 30Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”

31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scat-tered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you willa have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Jesus Prays for Himself

17 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Fa-

ther, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He shoulda give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4I have glo-rified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5And now, O  Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples6“I have manifested Your name to the

men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7Now they have known that all things

1516 | JOHN 16:30

16:33 a NU- Text and M- Text omit will. 17:2 a M- Text reads shall. 17:11 a NU- Text and M- Text read keep them through Your name which You have given Me. 17:12 a NU- Text omits in the world. b NU- Text reads in Your name which You gave Me. And I guarded them; (or it;).

17:11 keep through Your name. This verse reveals Jesus’ sensitivity to the plight of His disciples brought on by His departure. He was going to the Father, but they would be left behind. Jesus asked the Father to keep them true to the revelation of God that Jesus had given to them while He was with them. The disciples would have a new union with the Father and Son through the future indwelling of the Holy Spirit.17:14 – 16 of the world. This verse has profound implications for discipleship. Our desire should not be to isolate ourselves from the world, but to use Christ’s Word and the Holy Spirit’s power to serve Him while our life lasts. Yet, at the same time, we should not become like the world, succumbing to the evil influences of the world.17:17 Sanctify them. This means “to set apart.” There are two ways to understand this statement: (1) as separate for holiness, or (2) as set apart for service. According to the first view, Jesus was praying not only that the disciples should be kept from evil, but that they should advance in holiness.

16:31 Do you now believe? We continue in the Chris-tian life the same way we begin, by believing in Jesus. The more we learn of Christ, the more we have to believe. The more we place our trust in Jesus, the more we receive. The more we receive, the more we can accomplish for His glory.16:33 tribulation. This is literally “pressure” and figu-ratively means “affliction” or “distress.”17:1 – 2 the hour has come. Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus referred to the cross as His “hour” (2:4; 7:30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1). The time for Him to die had arrived. Glorify Your Son. Jesus was asking that His mission to the world would be made known through the cross. The reasons for this request are twofold: (1) that Your Son also may glorify You. In the cross, Jesus reveals the Father to the world, that is, His love and justice, and (2) that, through Jesus’ death on the cross, God would provide forgiveness of sins and give eternal life to all those who believe in His Son.17:3 that they may know You. Eternal life consists of a growing knowledge of the only true God as opposed to false gods.

4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went for-ward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”

5 They answered Him, “ Jesus of Nazareth.”

Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7 Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?”

And they said, “ Jesus of Nazareth.”8 Jesus answered, “I have told you

that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” 9that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”

10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s ser-vant, and cut off his right ear. The ser-vant’s name was Malchus.

11So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

Before the High Priest12 Then the detachment of troops and

the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. 13And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father- in- law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. 14Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

Peter Denies Jesus15And Simon Peter followed Jesus,

and so did another a disciple. Now that

Your word is truth. 18As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Jesus Prays for All Believers20“I do not pray for these alone, but

also for those who willa believe in Me through their word; 21that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

24“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane

18 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His dis-

ciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. 2And Judas, who be-trayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3 Then Judas, having received a detach-ment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

JOHN 18:15 | 1517

17:20 a NU- Text and M- Text omit will. 18:15 a M- Text reads the other.

18:1 Brook Kidron. A brook was located in a ravine that was between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.18:3 officers. These were members of the temple police under the command of the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin.18:13 Annas. Annas was high priest from a.d. 7 to 14. He was deposed by the Romans. Then Caiaphas, Annas’ son-in-law, was appointed to the position and served from a.d. 18 to 37. However, according to Jewish law the high priest was a lifetime position, so the Jews still considered Annas to be high priest. Therefore, they took Jesus to Annas first.18:15 another disciple. Although this other disciple is never identified, the consensus is that he was John, the author of this Gospel.

17:21 that they all may be one. The present tense of the verb “to be” indicates that Jesus was praying for the unity that takes place through the sanctification of believers. This is what Jesus was commanding in 13:34 – 35.17:22 the glory. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ through His disciples and is the means to unity. Such unity begins with belief and correct thinking about Jesus and God the Father, that is, with doctrine. But correct belief must bear fruit — a life that dem onstrates God’s love and produces unity between all believers.17:23 I in them, and You in me. The mutual indwell-ing of the Father in the Son and the Son in the church is also the means to unity, the ultimate expression of God’s love (13:35; Rom. 8:17).

He denied it and said, “I am not!”26One of the servants of the high

priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27Peter then de-nied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

In Pilate’s Court28 Then they led Jesus from Caia-

phas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Pass-over. 29Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”

30 They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.”

31 Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.”

Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” 32that the saying of Jesus might be ful-filled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.

33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

34 Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

35Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight,

disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. 16But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disci-ple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. 17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?”

He said, “I am not.”18Now the servants and officers who

had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed them-selves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

Jesus Questioned by the High Priest19 The high priest then asked Jesus

about His disciples and His doctrine.20 Jesus answered him, “I spoke

openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet,a and in secret I have said nothing. 21 Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.”

22And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?”

23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spo-ken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?”

24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter Denies Twice More25Now Simon Peter stood and

warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disci-ples, are you?”

1518 | JOHN 18:16

18:20 a NU- Text reads where all the Jews meet.

18:29 – 30 What accusation. Pilate was not ignorant of the accusation. He was merely requesting that it be formally stated.18:31 It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death. The Romans did not allow the Jews to impose capital punishment. These Jewish leaders had no interest in a just trial; they simply wanted permission from Rome to have Jesus executed.18:34 Are you speaking for yourself. In reply to Pilate, Jesus gave no violent protest of innocence, nor was He sullenly defiant. Jesus politely but directly asked whether Pilate was asking on his own initiative or whether the charge was secondhand. If Pilate’s question originated with him, he was using king in the Roman sense of political ruler. If not, then king was being used in the Jewish sense of the mes-sianic king.

18:21 Ask those who have heard. According to the law, the witnesses for the defense had to be called first. Jesus should not have been questioned until witnesses had testified.18:27 Peter then denied again. For the third time, Peter denied the Lord, as Jesus had said he would (13:38). In the upper room, Peter had boasted that he would remain true to the Lord to the end (13:37; Matt. 26:33,35). In the garden he surrendered to the desires of his body by sleeping three times when the Lord had commanded the disciples to stay up in prayer (Mark 14:34 – 42). Now he submitted to the pressure of the world and denied the Lord three times.18:28 the Praetorium. This was probably the Roman governor’s official residence, the Fortress Antonia near the temple.

If you’ve sat in a class where you just couldn’t understand what the teacher was trying to ex-plain, you may have a sense of Pilate’s dilem-ma in John 18. With every other prisoner he’d ever interviewed, Pilate had the advantage. The fate of that individual was in his hands. Jesus was different.

Pilate hadn’t really wanted to have to deal with Jesus from the start (vv.  28– 32). Once the interrogation started, things only got worse. As he talked to Jesus, Pilate must have felt as if he was the one on trial. When Pilate talked about earthly kingdoms, Jesus talked about heavenly thrones. When Pilate tried to assert his authority, Jesus calmly claimed higher authority. And when Jesus talked about truth, Pilate simply threw up his hands in despair: “What is truth?” (v. 38).

Ironically, Pilate would have discovered truth if he had looked a little more closely. Truth was standing right in front of him. Jesus had told His disciples that He is the truth (John 14:6). He embodied truth. Everything about Him was truth.

Pilate probably got a sense of that, which is what frustrated him. When he returned to Jesus’ accusers, he said he found “no fault in Him at all” (John 18:38). Pilate knew the truth, but he just wouldn’t let it sink in deep enough to make a difference in his worldview and in his life.

MORE INSIGHTIn some ways, Pilate’s struggle with identi-fying truth mirrors certain philosophies in our modern world that tell us we can create our own truth, or that there are no absolute standards. According to these philosophies, everyone gets to make up their own rules as long as nobody gets hurt. But this approach to life is unbiblical. God is the absolute standard. And only that which aligns with His character and purpose is truth.

previous: John 15:1– 11next: John 20:30, 31

STUDY THE BOOKJohn 18:28– 38Jesus is the truth

Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

40 Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

19 So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. 2And the soldiers

twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a pur-ple robe. 3 Then they said,a “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.

4Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out

so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

37Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

38Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.

Taking the Place of Barabbas39“But you have a custom that I

should release someone to you at the

JOHN 19:4 | 1519

19:3 a NU- Text reads And they came up to Him and said.

crowd suggested that a prisoner should be released in honor of the Passover (Mark 15:8,11). Pilate jumped at the possible compromise. By promising to release Jesus on account of the custom rather than by pro-claiming Him innocent, Pilate would avoid insulting the Jewish leaders, who had already pronounced Him guilty.19:4 I am bringing Him out to you. Perhaps Pilate

18:38 What is truth? This question has been inter-preted as (1) a cynical denial of the possibility of knowing truth; (2) a contemptuous jest at anything so impractical as abstract truth; and (3) a desire to know what no one had been able to tell him. no fault. This is a legal term meaning that there were no grounds for a criminal charge.18:39 you have a custom. It appears that some in the

about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”

15But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!”

Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”

The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

16 Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away.a

The King on a Cross17And He, bearing His cross, went

out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, 18where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. 19Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was:

JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

20 Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

21 Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.” ’ ”

22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24 They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots

to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”

Pilate’s Decision5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the

crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”

6 Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.”

7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our a law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”

8 Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, 9and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.

10 Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”

11 Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

12From then on Pilate sought to re-lease Him, but the Jews cried out, say-ing, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes him-self a king speaks against Caesar.”

13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and

1520 | JOHN 19:5

19:7 a NU- Text reads the law. 19:16 a NU- Text omits and led Him away.

indefinite sense of right or escaping the danger of an accusation from Rome.19:19 wrote a title. It was a Roman custom to write the name of the condemned person and his crime on a plaque to be placed above his head at execution.19:20 written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Multi-lingual inscriptions were common. The title was written in the local, common, and official languages of the day. Everyone could read the message in his or her own language.19:23 the soldiers. According to Roman law, the gar-ments of a condemned criminal belonged to the exe-cutioners. Jesus had two items of clothing. The cloak was a large, loose garment. The tunic was a close- fitting garment that went from the neck to the knees.19:24 cast lots. The outer garment could be conve-niently divided, but the inner garment could not.

was appealing to the people’s compassion so that he could release Jesus.19:7 We have a law. The Jewish leaders were tell-ing Pilate, “If you are appealing to us, we say that, according to our law, He must die.” As governor, Pilate was bound by Roman custom to respect Jew-ish law. He made Himself the Son of God. The Jewish leaders were accusing Jesus of violating the laws against blasphemy (Lev. 24:16).19:9 Jesus gave him no answer. Three times Pilate had publicly pronounced Jesus innocent (18:38; 19:4,6).19:12 you are not Caesar’s friend. The Jews shifted their focus from the religious charge (v. 7) to the political charge (18:33), which they backed up with an appeal to Caesar’s own political interest. This new plea forced Pilate to choose between yielding to an

His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. 36For these things were done that the Scrip-ture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” a 37And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” a

Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb38After this, Joseph of Arimathea,

being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. 39And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. 40 Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. 41Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

The Empty Tomb

20 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the

tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disci-ple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of

for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scrip-ture might be fulfilled which says:

“They divided My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.” a

Therefore the soldiers did these things.

Behold Your Mother25Now there stood by the cross of

Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sis-ter, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

It Is Finished28After this, Jesus, knowinga that

all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Jesus’ Side Is Pierced31 Therefore, because it was the

Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. 33But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34But one of the soldiers pierced

JOHN 20:2 | 1521

19:24 a Psalm 22:18 19:28 a M- Text reads seeing. 19:36 a Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalm 34:20 19:37 a Zechariah 12:10

avoid breaking the law, the Jews requested that the legs of the condemned be broken so that the men would die quickly and could be removed from their crosses. With his legs broken, a victim could no lon-ger lift his body in order to breathe and would soon suffocate.19:34 one of the soldiers pierced His side. After the soldier did this, blood and water came out, indicat-ing that Jesus was already dead. Only blood would have flowed from a living body.19:35 he who has seen. John’s words can be trusted because he is giving an eyewitness account, so that his readers will believe that Jesus is the Savior.20:2 They have taken away the Lord. Mary Magda-lene jumped to the wrong conclusion.

Thus, the soldiers divided the outer one and cast lots for the inner one. Unknowingly, the soldiers fulfilled David’s prophecy in Psalm 22:18.19:30 It is finished. Having fulfilled every command of the Father and every prophecy of Scripture, Jesus voluntarily died. This was not a cry of exhaustion, but of completion. Jesus had done what He had agreed to do.19:31 the Preparation Day. This day was Friday, the day before the Sabbath. Bodies should not remain on the cross. It is ironic that in the midst of a delib-erate judicial murder the Jews were scrupulous about keeping the ceremonial law. According to Jewish law (Deut. 21:23), it was necessary to remove the bodies of executed criminals before sunset. To

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”She turned and said to Him,a “Rab-

boni!” (which is to say, Teacher).17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to

Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord,a and that He had spoken these things to her.

The Apostles Commissioned19 Then, the same day at evening,

being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled,a for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Seeing and Believing24Now Thomas, called the Twin,

one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and

the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

3Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5And he, stoop-ing down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

11But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

14Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus stand-ing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gar-dener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have car-ried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

1522 | JOHN 20:3

20:16 a NU- Text adds in Hebrew. 20:18 a NU- Text reads disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” . . . . 20:19 a NU- Text omits assembled.

disciples had not understood what He was talking about.20:17 Do not cling to Me. This means “to fasten one-self to” or “to hold.” Mary had grabbed Christ and was holding on to Him as if she would never turn Him loose.20:19 Jesus came and stood in the midst. Christ’s appearance was miraculous because the doors were shut. Jesus, as God, could perform a variety of mir-acles without requiring a change in His humanity. Here Christ’s body was a physical body, the same body in which He died and was buried. The differ-ence is that His flesh had been changed to take on immortality and incorruptibility (1 Cor. 15:53).

20:5 the linen cloths lying. No one who came to steal the body would have taken the time to unwrap it and leave the clothes behind.20:6 saw the linen cloths. The Greek term implies an intense stare, in contrast to the more casual look described in verse 5. Peter went into the tomb to get a good look. He carefully examined the place where Jesus’ body had been.20:9 they did not know the Scripture. The disciples believed because of what they saw in the tomb (v. 8), not because of what they knew from Old Testa-ment passages describing the Savior’s resurrection (Luke 24:25 – 27). Jesus had prophesied His death and resurrection in the disciples’ presence, but the

Why did John put so much time and effort into writing a theological account of Jesus’ life and ministry? Simple: so people would believe and build their life on Jesus.

That was his stated goal, the purpose statement of his Gospel (v.  31). He wanted people to recognize Jesus’ true identity and to accept Him as Savior.

John had plenty of material to work with. He said Jesus did a lot of other things that he didn’t record (v.  30). In fact, Jesus did so much that all the books in the world couldn’t tell the whole story (John 21:25). So, like a mu-seum curator, John chose carefully what to include and how to organize it. Each detail he included served his main purpose of helping people believe in Jesus Christ.

MORE INSIGHTIn what probably was one of his final letters, Paul outlined a ministry plan for his young

friend Timothy. He said, “The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). Just as John had done in his Gospel, Paul wanted Timothy to use the lessons he had learned and the things he had seen to convince others that Jesus was the Messiah. It’s been a tried- and- true method for centuries. One generation teaches the next generation the things that need to be shared with future generations. It’s what eventually got the gospel to all of us. Someone told others what they knew about Jesus. Now it’s our turn.

previous: John 18:28– 38

STUDY THE BOOKJohn 20:30, 31John tells Jesus’ whole story

these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

Breakfast by the Sea

21 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at

the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 2Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immedi-ately a got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know

put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbeliev-ing, but believing.”

28And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas,a be-cause you have seen Me, you have be-lieved. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

That You May Believe30And truly Jesus did many other

signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but

JOHN 21:4 | 1523

20:29 a NU- Text and M- Text omit Thomas. 21:3 a NU- Text omits immediately.

21:4 the disciples did not know. Perhaps the apostles did not recognize Jesus because they were preoccu-pied with their work, as Mary Magdalene had been with her sorrow (20:14). In addition, there was not much light at this time of day.

20:31 that you may believe. John states the purpose of his book, which was to convince his readers that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah who fulfilled God’s promises to Israel. Jesus is the Son of God, God in the flesh. By believing these things, a person obtains eternal life (1:12).

God’s Will / Note 4

God Wills Common Goals for BelieversJohn 21:15– 17

You’ve been searching for God’s will for your life. But have you considered the fact that every believer has several fundamental goals in common?

■ We were all made for God’s glory (Is. 43:7).

■ We serve the same God through faith in Jesus and through working as a body (Eph. 4:5, 6).

■ God designed us to work with purpose and care for the world around us (Gen. 1:26– 28; 2:15).

■ We’re commissioned to make new disciples and show them how to live (Matt. 28:18– 20).

■ We’re designed to love God and to love people (Matt. 22:37– 40).

■ We’re to build wise families and care for our families with both tenderness and discipline, not ugliness (1 Tim. 5:8; Prov. 6:16– 19).

A lovely expression of all of these ele-ments of God’s will is Jesus’ charge to Peter. Jesus gave this charge after Peter had de-nied Jesus, and after Jesus had resurrected from death. Jesus not only reinstated Peter into the Christian family but He gave him a calling. He said it three times: “Feed My lambs,” “Tend My sheep,” and “Feed My sheep” (John 21:15– 17).

The formerly hesitant Peter became a powerhouse of a leader in the early church. Read his story in the Book of Acts to see all the ways he tended Jesus’ sheep, including teaching, confronting wrong, empowering right, preaching, and much more.

It is God’s will that we take care of God’s children. We find ways to meet needs, to en-courage and equip people, to live in harmony on this globe until we head to heaven. We even help each other not get tired of showing care (Gal. 6:2, 5, 9). We truly are made to take care of each other. So find the specific ways God wants you to do that in your work, in your home, in your chores, and as you interact with your community.

previous: Romans 12:1, 2next: Matthew 28:18– 20

the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty- three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the dis-ciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”— knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.

14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Jesus Restores Peter15So when they had eaten breakfast,

Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah,a do you love Me more than these?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”

He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”

They answered Him, “No.”6And He said to them, “Cast the net

on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cu-bits), dragging the net with fish. 9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”

11Simon Peter went up and dragged

1524 | JOHN 21:5

21:15 a NU- Text reads John.

21:7 Peter . . . plunged into the sea. John was the first to recognize the Lord; Peter was the first to act.

the disciple whom Jesus loved follow-ing, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21Peter, see-ing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”

22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he re-main till I come, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

25And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

16He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah,a do you love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”

He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”17He said to him the third time,

“Simon, son of Jonah,a do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”

And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18Most as sured ly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded your-self and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Fol-low Me.”

The Beloved Disciple and His Book20 Then Peter, turning around, saw

JOHN 21:25 | 1525

21:16 a NU- Text reads John. 21:17 a NU- Text reads John.

21:24 This is the disciple. This is basically John’s sig-nature to his Gospel.21:25 there are also many other things that Jesus did. The Gospel of John is truthful (v. 24), but it is not exhaustive.

21:17 You know that I love You. Peter denied the Lord at least three times. Here, he affirmed his love for the third time.21:20 – 21 the disciple whom Jesus loved. This is commonly considered to be John, the author of this Gospel.