Hostess Heartache and Modeling Prayer

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting April 28 to study Luke 10:38 through 11:13.  We are crossing a chapter boundary, which is weird for us, but I think it will work out.

This passage (or these two passages) are probably familiar, but as the characters are available in other Gospels, and the format Jesus gives for prayer has a parallel, we'll be plenty occupied with them.  Be sure to read these through several times.  Also check out references to other passages.  There should be some that refer to John 11, and others that refer you to Matthew 6:9-15.

Read through the passages in several translations.  Be sure to read the parallel passage in Matthew and perhaps John 11 (the raising of Lazarus).  Jot down questions and insights you have from them.  Read a commentary or two (those on Blue Letter Bible are pretty good). Revise your questions and insights, and bring these notes with you Thursday.

After you've gone through that, go back through the questions below:

• In Luke's narrative, Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem.  From John we learn that they live in Bethany, a short distance from Jerusalem.  So where is Jesus and this "village"?
• The word for what Martha is doing before she approaches Jesus is a word "pulled around" like what a rider would do when he wheels a horse around or a formation of soldiers might do to turn around to go the opposite way.  How do you imagine Martha in this scene?  What does what she's doing, look like to you?
• The word for "approached" can imply that she shows up suddenly in a surprising manner.  What do you think this question and request of hers reveals about her motivation for what she was doing?
• Look at Martha's question she begins with in a few different translations.  What do you sense is Martha's attitude here?
• Martha sounds on the surface like she wants Mary to help be a good hostess, in other words, to show hospitality to Jesus.  What do you see in this short dialogue that might argue against that surface meaning?
• Jesus' response is probably the most famous part of this passage.  What do you think Mary has chosen over what Martha has chosen?
• There is a break, and now Jesus is praying.  For Luke this still happens as Jesus has set if face to go to Jerusalem, so it's on the way.  Where is this passage in Matthew?  What do you think is the timing of Jesus' teaching on prayer?
• Matthew's version is longer.  But each has many different variants of this prayer.  Why do you think Jesus' model of prayer might have so many slight differences between editions?
• Luke really seems to have abbreviated his version of the prayer.  Little things on the end of each statement were left off.  Considering the different sources used by Matthew and Luke (see Luke 1:1-4), which do you think might be closer to what Jesus taught? 
• Which do you find more remarkable, the elements that are the same or the differences between Matthew and Luke?
• Considering the elements that are the same between Matthew and Luke, what are the basic, consistent elements to prayer that Jesus provides His disciples?  Why do you think those elements are so important?
• In Matthew 6:14, 15 the point Jesus emphasizes is forgiveness.  What's the emphasis in Luke?  Why do you think they would have different emphases?

This is enough to get us thinking.  Also be thinking about where you have been Martha, and Mary in your relationship with Jesus.  And think through what you say when you pray in relation to the model Jesus provides.

Being A Neighbor

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting April 21 to study Luke 10:25-37 (The Parable of the Good Samaritan).  This is really familiar to nearly everyone, whether they know the Bible or not, they've typically heard of it.  In some ways, this makes it difficult to do what we do.  But in others, it makes it really easy.

Read through the parable in a few translations, looking for differences in word choice and sentence structure.  You will find little change in meaning, but wide variety in choice of words and sentence structure.  Jot down what you notice and questions you have about it.  It is sometimes helpful to look up the different words used for the same thing to see what nuance the translator chose over another.

After you've spent some time doing that, look through some commentaries.  These will answer some of your word-choice and other questions, but will create other questions.  Make more notes to bring to the group.

Once you've been through your own study, go back through with the questions below:

• In that day, a lawyer was one who studied Scripture and debated it.  So, why would this guy "test" Jesus?  What do you think he's up to?
• Jesus throws it back on him asking him what he thinks.  The lawyer gives the answer Jesus gives in Jerusalem when He's tested by the Pharisees.  What does this tell you about what Jews of the day thought about the "Greatest Commandment"? (see also Mark 12:28-34)
• Jesus agrees with the man's answer, so why push on? What was it about which this man needed to "justify himself"?
• Jesus launches into a parable.  In it, a common problem on the road to Jericho, a man is mugged.  Then three people come by.  Why do you think the priest and Levite would decline to help the man?  Keep in mind they are on their way to Jericho, not Jerusalem.
• The two obvious "heroes" aren't, and next comes the Samaritan.  The crowd probably booed at this point.  But he shows compassion.  Now what does the crowd do?  What do you think the Lawyer is feeling?
• Jesus is very detailed about the help the Samaritan gives.  Why do you think it was important to Jesus to be so specific?
• The care the Samaritan gives continues on, it's thorough, it lasts the rest of the day and beyond into the next.  Jesus is not giving any quarter on His definition of neighbor.  Besides the lawyer, what do you think the crowd around Jesus thought when the Samaritan is so thoroughly good?
• Jesus ends by asking the lawyer which of the three was a neighbor to the mugged one.  What do you think is the point of the "neighbor" being a Samaritan?
• The lawyer replies that the neighbor is the one who showed compassion.  But Jesus designed the story so that the lawyer would have to emulate a Samaritan.  Why do you think Jesus would make it more difficult on the lawyer?

After looking through this familiar parable in detail, what do you see as the application for you?  Where are those opportunities to show compassion around you?  And what will you do when you see another of these opportunities?

The Second Wave of Sending Out

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting April 7 to study Luke 10:1-24.  In this passage Jesus sends out 70 (or 72...) to go and minister.  It sounds a lot like and lot different from the previous sending out of twelve in 9:1-10.  You may want to review that passage as we look at this one.  The parallels in Matthew and Mark are really for the sending of the twelve, but some of the comments and instructions are found in the sending of the seventy rather than the twelve.

Read through the passage several times.  Jot down notes and questions as you read.  Use different translations to get a better sense of the passage.  After you have your own notes and questions, refer to commentaries.  Revise your questions and notes as you see fit.

After you've gone through the passage yourself, go back through with the questions below:

• The question about 70 or 72 really is an early textual issue, 70 is more likely what Luke wrote.  Seventy would be like the Scriptures Luke's audience used (the Septuagint, Latin for 70 is what the Greek OT was called).  Seventy-two is more Jewish, like the leading council, the Sanhedrin which had 72 members.  Which makes more sense to you as to the number Jesus sent out?
• Where Jesus sent the 70 is much like where He sent the 12.  Why do you think He would do this again?
• In verse 2, we have a quote paralleled in Matthew, but given a different context.  So which context makes more sense to you, in the midst of Jesus' ministering, or in the context of 70 followers being sent out to minister?
• The pairs are sent out as "lambs among wolves".  How do you think Jesus meant this?
• They are, again, to travel light, but here they are told to "greet no one along the way."  Why do you think Jesus gave this instruction?  Look at Acts 8:26-40.  Do you think Philip followed this command or did it apply to him?
• The instructions on hospitality are like the earlier ones, but what about the response to rejection?  What do you think about the response to villages who reject them?
• The instruction to bring peace to a house is different as is the instructions on eating.  What do you think about the instruction to bring peace to a house?
• Why are the seventy "workmen worthy of wages"?  What do you think this means for ministry today?
• There are two instructions about eating whatever is provided. Why do you think Jesus is repeating Himself?
• They are to do in each village essentially what the twelve did before. Why do you think Luke connects all of those together?  Why don't we? Or do we?
• Instructions about responding to rejection are different or at least more detailed. Why do you think these instructions included a verbal element?
• Why do you think Jesus would pronounce such "woes" on these cities?  What had they witnessed that these Gentile and cursed places had not?
• The rest of this passage is all out of order with the other Gospels.  Why do you think that may be?  Why do you think the Gospel writers would arrange their accounts differently?
• Jesus says that listening or not to those sent out is the same as listening or not to Jesus Himself.  What application can be made of that today?
• Jesus also connects listening to accepting, and not listening to rejecting; not only of those sent out, but of Him.  What application can you make of this today?
• We have no account here of what happened to the seventy, only that they returned with joy.  That sounds positive, but it also sounds different from just previously where a demon wasn't subject to them.  So what do you think changed?
• Commentators disagree a lot about whether Jesus refers to Satan falling from heaven then or before when he rebelled.  If you've read stuff which do you think is a more likely reference?  What do you think of the possibility Jesus is referring to something Satan does not that he did?  Like he rushes back because he realizes he left the garage door open?
• Jesus then refers to the authority to tread on snakes (the colonies used that one for a flag if I'm not mistaken), scorpions, and "over all the power of the enemy".  What do you think of this claim by Jesus?  Is this a promise we can claim?
• How does Jesus' statement that they should be more happy their names are recorded in heaven?  How does that help you apply and make use of these things Jesus has said?
• Jesus praises God.  Can you think of and find another place it specifically says Jesus "rejoiced" and "praised" God?
• Jesus calls the seventy all excited and rejoicing "infants" as opposed to the "wise" and "intelligent".  How do you think this was not an insult?  How do you think they took it?
•  Jesus claims that all things had been handed over to Him by the Father.  Read Philippians 2:9-11.  Do you think this has happened already when Jesus speaks, or does it happen later after the resurrection? (yes, this is a trick question, sort of)
• Jesus then tells the disciples only that they are seeing what prophets and kings wanted to see but didn't.  What do you think that meant to the disciples right then?  What do you think it meant to them later?

That should keep us busy for our time together.  Remember to be looking for application as you read, what these things mean to you, what you may need to do different in response, how this affects your life and behavior.

Remember to bring your notes and questions Thursday!