The Care and Feeding of Dinner Guests

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting February 3 to study Luke 7:36-50. This is one of a couple of dinner parties Jesus is invited to where He winds up embarrassing the host.

As you read through the passage a few times, be sure to look for cultural things that sound strange, customs, word choices; try to imagine what the whole scene looks like.  Make notes of these things, and jot down questions along with observations.  Once you've gone through a few times with your own observations and questions, go back through with some sort of commentary.  Some of your questions will be answered, and other questions will come up.

After you've worked through the passage on your own, go back through with the questions below:

• We're not told where this event happens, but it seems to immediately follow Jesus' statement about the Pharisees and Lawyers disbelief.  How likely do you think it is that this Pharisee, Simon heard and understood Jesus' prior statement about "this generation"?
• The woman is considered a "sinner in the city".  It's not like a secret or anything, so what do you think it would take for her to reach Jesus through the people at or around the dinner party?
• Why do you think she would go through all that to reach Jesus?  To this point, He hasn't done much more than heal, cast out demons, and preach about forgiveness.  Like the Centurion, we're left wondering what she heard about Jesus that prompts this response.  What do you think it is about Jesus at this point in His ministry that prompts this woman to go to Him?
•  The woman has purchased a vial of perfume.  We're not told details about cost here, but that aside, what do you think it took for her to weep, to wipe His feet, and then anoint Jesus' feet with the perfume?  Why do you think she thought to honor Him in this way?
• The Pharisee "said to himself", why not out loud?  What does this tell you about "Simon the Pharisee"?
• Simon the Pharisee thinks of Jesus as a prophet.  Why a prophet?  What sort of "Messiah" do you think this indicates the Pharisee is looking for, or is he looking?
• Jesus calls Simon the Pharisee out on what he's thinking by telling him a "parable" about debtors and forgiveness.  What do you think the Pharisee is thinking about the "rhetorical" question Jesus asks about who "loved" more?
• The city-sinner woman hasn't been forgiven yet so what do you think Jesus is getting at with His comparison of her treatment of Him and the Pharisee's?
• If Jesus' comparison is between two people who have been forgiven, what does that tell you about Simon the Pharisee? Do you think that Jesus considers Simon the Pharisee forgiven?
• Do you think Simon considered himself "forgiven", or would he have understood himself as one of the debtors along with the city-sinner woman?
• Jesus tells the woman that her many sins are forgiven.  What do you think Simon the Pharisee thought of that?
• The others at the table begin "saying among themselves", but the grammatical structure is very similar to Simon the Pharisee's except it's plural not singular.  Do you think they spoke out loud and among each other or silently to themselves?
• These at the table also see the woman touching Jesus and hear His parable with explanation.  So why do you think they focus on Jesus' statement about her sins rather than the love for the "forgiver" which is Jesus' point?
• Jesus sends her away in peace.  What do you think was said after the city-sinner woman leaves?
• There are possible parallel accounts in Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, and John 12:1-8.  How likely do you think it is that all of these are the exact same event or woman?

 Now consider what element of this account of Jesus, whether from what you discovered in the text or from a commentary, woke you up to something in your life that needs to change.  If you're honest about yourself in light of that element, what action is the Holy Spirit leading you to take?  What change needs to happen in you based on what you learn here?

That should do it for this week!

Dead Sons and Doubting Prophets

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting January 28 to study Luke 7:11-35.  This passage connects Jesus' miracles to John the Baptist's questions of Him.  It has a parallel in Matthew 11:2-19 for John's questions but there is no parallel for this miracle.

I'm hopeful you've already been reading through the passage and jotting down notes and questions, perhaps even checking out commentaries, perhaps on Blue Letter Bible.  It's only after all such activity that these questions will be helpful. 

After all that, go back through with the questions below:

• We don't really know where Nain was located, but there are theories.  See what maps you can find think it was.  See if you can find one that puts it near Tyre or Sidon.  Why do you think it would do that?  Why or why do you not think this happened in Phoenicia?
• In commentaries, this miracle of Jesus is connected to Elijah and Elisha.  Look at 1 Kings 17:17-24 and 2 Kings 4:32-37.  What sorts of parallels do you see?
• A consistent word used for resurrection here is "wake".  So Jesus tells the son to "wake up", the people say a prophet has "awaken among us" and Jesus tells the disciples of John that the dead are wakened.  In light of that, what do you think about the people's statement that "a prophet has awakened among us"?  What do you think the people think has happened here?
• Jesus' motivation for this miracle is that He is moved with compassion for a widow loosing her only son.  Why do you think that's important here?
• The people stop when Jesus approaches the "coffin" or funeral bier. What do you think they thought was going to happen? Why stop as Jesus approaches? What do you think they were feeling as He approaches?
• Jesus gives the man back to his mother.  What do you think is significant about that?
• The news about this goes out throughout Judea and the neighboring district.  How does that help you locate Nain?
• It's after hearing about this resurrection account that John sends his disciples to Jesus.  Why do you think it would be at hearing about this event?  What do you think it meant to John?
• Having heard about a resurrection from the dead, why do you think John would ask whether they were to wait for someone else? What more do you think John was looking or waiting for?
• The disciples of John arrive as Jesus is healing up a storm and casting out demons.  What do you think they thought of their question in that context?  How comfortable do you think they were asking their question?
• Jesus' response seems to allude to Isaiah 35.  Read that chapter.  What parallels or connections do you see with that passage and Jesus' ministry? What parallels or connections do you see with that passage and John's ministry (if any)?
• His response also seems to allude to Isaiah 61, which Jesus read in Nazareth before they threw Him out.  What parallels do you see between that passage and this one?
• In verse 23, what do you think Jesus is telling John?
• As Jesus speaks to the crowd about John, he asks them what they expected to see when they went out to see John.  Why do you think He would point that out to them?  What do you think is His point?
• Jesus says John is great, yet winds up with "yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."  What do you think Jesus means there?  Is He slamming John, is John not going to heaven (i.e., is John not saved), is John less than believers?
• Luke seems to have a "parenthetical" comment in verses 29 and 30.  Why do you think he needed to add that detail right there? Did we not already get that from previous elements in Luke's account?
• Jesus calls the "generation" children.  Who does that also include beyond Pharisees and Lawyers?
• Why do you think Jesus means by "children in the market calling"? Who are these "children"?
• The children call out complaining that there was no response to their "songs".  What do you think Jesus is getting at?  What is the "expectation" He is correcting?
• The Pharisees weren't pleased with John and they weren't pleased with Jesus.  What do you think they wanted from either or both?
• Jesus concludes with "But wisdom is vindicated by all her children."  What do you think that means?

 Be sure to note anything that "wakes you up" in this passage.  These awakenings are part of what we're looking for as we study.  If you're honest, what action do you need to take in response to what you've read? (see what I did there?)

Blessings upon you until we meet Thursday!

A Tale Of Two Masters

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting January 21 to study Luke 7:1-10.  This is one of the many accounts involving Roman Centurions.  These characters are almost always portrayed in a positive light by Luke and the other Gospel writers.  Follow the link above to read two short articles on them.

Read through these short verses a few times.  If you can dig below the familiarity, you may remember questions you had the first time you read or heard it.  Try and put yourself alternatively in the sandals of the Centurion, the Jewish elders, Jesus, and then perhaps the sick slave.  From each perspective, ask yourself about the others involved in this story, including the "friends".

Commentators don't spend a lot of time here primarily because the surface meaning really is the primary meaning.  The point in going any deeper is to try and remove the cultural filters so we can get a deeper, more meaningful sense of this obvious meaning.  The point remains the point.  We're only trying to make the point more pragmatic or for our lives, not change the point to fit our culture.

After reading through, making notes, and coming up with questions, go back through with the questions below:

• With all that this particular centurion has done for the Jewish people in Capernaum it's not surprising that he had heard of Jesus.  But having heard, why do you think he would send those who seemed to be turning against Jesus?
• There no explicit answer, but from the rest of his character we learn from this passage, why do you think this centurion was so concerned about a slave?
•  Neither the slave nor the centurion are named.  But the slave is referenced as "some slave" with an indefinite pronoun.  Linguistically, that's not a "flag" for an important or valuable character.  Yet, he is important to this centurion.  What does that tell you about this slave in general? What does that mean for your appraisal of the centurion specifically?
• The centurion isn't a high-ranking officer in the Roman army.  He's more like a "Senior NCO" if we were to use more modern military terms.  In other words, he's not likely to be a landed gentry or noble.  Why do you think a person of such rank has enough influence among the "occupied" people to have their elders do his bidding?
• The elders of the Jews go to Jesus and tell Him that this centurion is "worthy" to have Jesus heal his slave.  Besides the building of the synagogue, what else do the elders use to support this claim?  What does that tell you about this centurion's character?
• Jesus goes with them, but then the "friends" of the centurion come and explain further what the centurion intends.  Why do you think the elders didn't convey this element to the message?
• The friends were likely more Gentiles, like the centurion.  What do you think they thought of being sent to Jesus?  What do you think they thought of the "message" they conveyed?
• The point of the centurion is his understanding of Jesus' authority.  But Jesus focuses on his faith.  What do you think is the relationship between the two characteristics?
• Jesus "marvels" at the centurion.  That essentially means that He "gazes with admiration" or "stopped in His tracks to look at something"; think , "WOW!".  He's still God, so how can that be?  What does that tell you about the centurion?
• The centurion's slave is healed by the time the friends return.  What did Jesus do or say to heal the slave?  If nothing, why do you think He finds it necessary or expedient to do or say stuff in other circumstances?

The application or AHA here I think fits best when we ask ourselves whether Jesus would "marvel" at our faith.  Think through that.  Why or why not, and what "action" needs to accompany what you discover from the "honest" answer?

You Want Me to Do What? Part 2

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting January 14 to study Luke 6:37 through 49 (possibly).  This may finish out the chapter.  It was a good discussion on verses 20-36, so I expect this will be no less challenging.

The two (or three) remaining sections include a call to not judge while providing criteria to do so, and the last section has a dramatic call to obedience.  Keep the previous passages in mind as you study the remaining ones, they are dependent upon each other.

These are the remaining study questions from the previous study page:

• The next section, especially verse 37 is often quoted, but not necessarily understood.  Look up 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 and 1 Corinthians 5:3, 9-13.  Based on Paul's understanding of 'judging others', what do you think Jesus means here?
• Consider the context with verse 37.  The next set of statements has to do with forgiveness and giving.  Why do you think Jesus would connect that with judgement? How does this connection help you better understand judging others?
• Jesus moves through four reciprocating attitudes toward others.  In each case do you view the reciprocation coming from God or other people (in other words, who will be doing to you)?  Why did you choose whichever one you chose?
• Jesus then threads blind leading blind, disciples and teachers, and beams versus splinters in the eye.  We have probably heard a lot of these taken on their own, but what connection do you see between blind leading blind and disciples being above teachers?  How about disciples being above teachers and helping someone with a splinter when you have a beam in your own eye?  What's the connection there?
• Why do you think Jesus is telling them these parables?  Jesus is a power radiating healing machine as He tells them this.  Would they really think that they're smarter than Him?  Who is this for, and why is Jesus telling them?
• Fruit shows the kind of tree...how do you see this related to the blind leading blind, disciples and teachers, and board-eyed splinter helpers?
• From the treasury of the heart the mouth speaks.  This is related to fruit, but also to the previous parables.  Again, what do you see as the connection?
• Jesus wraps up with obedience and what it looks like for disobedience.  How do you see this connected to the previous "fruit/words" point, and the three parables?
• If Jesus is so adamant about obedience at the end, then how should we approach the treatment of the poor versus rich from the beginning?  What about the treatment of enemies?

As I said before, I can't imagine there being no AHA moments from this.  I don't think I even need to list out how to process it as such.  You know what to do...