Don't Be That Guy

This is the study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting June 2 to study Luke 12:1-12.  This passage is made up of related statements of Jesus which Luke has compiled and placed together here.  I believe he intends them as a commentary on Jesus' immediately preceding dinner discourse.  So, Jesus is explaining to His disciples why and how they shouldn't be like the Pharisees.  Like most of the stuff I suspect, that's not a given, nor is it necessary.

Read through the passage several times.  I have it broken into six small paragraphs.  You can divide it any way you like, but be sure to use at least two translations (one old and one new if possible).  Jot down notes and questions as you read.  Then browse a commentary or two, maybe one of the ones on Blue Letter Bible.  Revise your notes and questions if necessary.

Then go back through with the questions below:

• Why do you think Luke feels it's necessary to include the details of the crowd trampling each other and Jesus speaking to His disciples first?  How do you think they connect?
• Jesus tells the disciples to beware the "leaven" of the Pharisees which He labels hypocrisy.  Look up "leaven" at the Blue Letter Bible site.  What's the danger Jesus is pointing out about the Pharisee's hypocrisy?
• Jesus then goes into a series of short (as I see them) statements that sort of remind me of the Sermon on the Mount. He basically says there are (or will be) no secrets.  What does that mean to you?  How does that affect how you live out your salvation and choices you make?
• Next Jesus speaks of contrasting sorts of fears.  He goes from "Fear Not" to "Fear This" and then back to "Fear Not".  He ends with the statement that God "values" us.  Look up "value" (or "worth more") at the Blue Letter Bible site.  What do you learn from the range of meaning for this word?  Why or how do you think we are valuable to God?
• Next Jesus says that confession and denial of Him before men brings reciprocity in heaven.  What do you think Jesus is saying here in light of what He's just said about the Pharisees?  Which previous statement do you think most closely ties into this one?
• Then Jesus speaks of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.  Matthew has this statement at the point where people thought Jesus cast out demons by the power of their leader, but Luke has it here.  What do you think about this context made this placement make more sense for Luke?
• If Jesus and the Holy Spirit are both part of the Trinity, why do you think blaspheming One is any different than blaspheming the other?
• What does it mean to "blaspheme" the Holy Spirit?
• Finally Jesus winds up with how to respond when the disciples stand before judges for their faith.  How do you feel about such a charge?  How hard would it be for you to simply, peacefully, confidently wait for the Holy Spirit to bring stuff to your mind?  What are somethings you can do beforehand to perhaps give the Holy Spirit "more to work with" in the spur of the moment?

That should give us plenty to discuss this Thursday.  Can you believe it's June already?

This Generation Needs Help

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting May 19 to study Luke 11:29-54 (the end of the chapter).  This is a collection of passages bristling with bristling, insults, condemnation, flagrant offense, and an uncomfortable meal.  Just bristling!  Say the word out loud, you know it's fun.

Reading through these passages, it might be easier to break them up into the smallest cohesive pieces.  Then you perhaps group the pieces.  It's up to you where you think the breaks should be, but breaking them up might make them easier to understand.  If you look at the passages in various translations, you'll see that translators don't even know where to break them up.  The two biggest elements are the condemnation of the ones looking for a sign and the dinner with the Pharisee.  But beyond that, you may find it easier to break into smaller pieces.  It's up to you, you may not find that easier at all.  If not, don't do it.

Once you have the passage grouped in a way that makes sense, focus on the relationships between each element (even if it's only two).  Then look at the elements within each, like the woes on Pharisees versus lawyers.  How do those relate?  And so on, it's like assembling a quilt sort of.  Stepping back gives you the sense of how the whole works together.  Zooming in helps get a sense of how Jesus addresses what problems He sees.  On that note, what problems does He see?  What problems seem to draw most of His attention?

Jot down questions and insights you gain from your own study.  Then look at commentaries or notes, or whatever you have at hand.  Revise your notes and questions.  Bring those to the group, Thursday.  After you have all that, then go back through with the questions below:

• Verse 29 seems to address those mentioned in verse 16 who were demanding a sign.  Jesus says it's wicked to want a sign.  What do you think Jesus and the people mean by "sign"? Sign of or for what?
• In Matthew 12:38-42, we have a parallel to verse 29 through 32, but there Matthew explains how Jonah is a sign to the Ninevites.  So, how do you think Luke understands Jonah as a "sign" to the people of Nineveh?  Is it the time in the fish, or his preaching, or what?  
• The "Queen of the South" came to hear Solomon, and Jonah went to Nineveh.  She desired to hear Solomon's wisdom and the Ninevites needed to hear from God.  How are these two things related to each other?  I think it relates to what the people around Jesus are not doing.  If that is true, what do you think they are not doing?  Do we do these things or are we not doing them either?
• Starting at verse 33, I think we have another separate element that, for Luke, is related to what precedes it.  From 33 to 36, Jesus is referring to "light", but what do you think that "light" is a metaphor for here?  In other places it refers to other things, but what does Jesus use it for here?
• Jesus says that light is meant to be displayed.  How do you think the people around Jesus have been hiding theirs?
• Jesus says that the eye enlightens the body.  How do you think the people around Jesus have been "darkening" their vision?
• From the two elements, about signs and about light, what is Jesus trying to get across to the people around Him?  What do you think is the unifying truth behind both?
• Next, a Pharisee invites Jesus to a meal.  As I've told you in the past, this is always dangerous.  Right away, the Pharisee is surprised Jesus doesn't wash.  The word used is "baptize".  What does that tell you about "baptism"?  So why do you think the King James would not, nor does any other translation, use the word "baptize" for this?
• The Pharisee is "astonished" or "surprised" that Jesus doesn't wash.  There's nothing inherently negative in this word, so what do you think might have been going on in the Pharisee's mind?
• Jesus launches into a condemnation of the Pharisees.  The first condemnation is appearing clean but not being clean on the outside.  But what do you think Jesus means when He says, "But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you."?  How are all things "clean"?  In what way?
• Jesus then goes into tithing every little thing, but not behaving in just and loving ways.  How do you think this is like or unlike us today?
• The Pharisees have come to love the "trappings" of their station.  What do you think is the alternative?  Luke really doesn't say, so what do you think Luke and his hearers have in mind?
• What do you think is the problem depicted in "hidden tombs"?  Why do you think it is a problem to walk over a grave?
• Now a lawyer stands up...again.  And this genius claims that Jesus is also insulting them, as if by accident.  Why do you think the lawyer would exclude his group from the Pharisees?  
• He clearly seems to see some of Jesus' criticisms as applying to lawyers also.  What or which ones of Jesus' woes do you think the lawyer thought applied to him and the other lawyers?
• Jesus takes up the challenge to be more direct toward the lawyers, and so begins His woes on them.  What do you think are these burdens these lawyers are laying on the people they do not lift themselves?  Do you think the lawyers would agree with Jesus assessment of them that they don't lift them either?
• How do you think building the tomb for a prophet makes a person in agreement with those who killed him?
• Literally, the wording of verse 49 says, "Through this also the wisdom of God said..."  The NIV reads "God in His wisdom", the NASB has "the wisdom of God", and the ESV has "the Wisdom of God".  So, which do you think makes more sense here?  Who do you think Jesus thinks said this?
• Why would the blood of Abel be charged to the generation to whom Jesus spoke?
• Why would the blood of Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-22) be charged to them?
• Lawyers were supposed to be making the law clear to people.  So in what way do you think they kept the "key" to it from people?
• Understandably, the lawyers and Pharisees began to plot against Jesus, but what do you think of their "plan"?  Considering how much fun everyone had at the meal, does this sound like a great idea to you?  Why do you think they wanted this approach?

This should be plenty to keep us busy.  See you all Thursday!

Don't Mess With An Exorcist At Work!

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting May 12 to study Luke 11:14-28.  This is a collection of accounts of Jesus that center around demonic activity at first, then ends with Jesus' response to a comment about His mother (it's not as bad as it sounds). 

Per our normal set of instructions, read through the passage in as many different translations as you can, ESV, NIV, KJV, and NRSV are good ones to choose if you're looking at Blue Letter Bible for instance.  Make notes on what's going on, who says what, to whom, when, and so on.  Once you have a good handle on what's happening, see if you can figure out why.  In other words, why would someone accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of their prince?  Why would that make sense then, because it doesn't now.  Stuff like that.

Once you have your notes, then look at other sources, commentaries, and so on.  Again there are several on www.blueletterbible.org to choose from, and they're easy to find.  Revise your notes and questions as you find more stuff.

After you've followed these three steps, go back through with the questions below:

• This charge about Jesus casting out demons through the power of their prince is also found in Matthew 9:32-34, but without Jesus' response.  In Mark12:22-30 we have the unpardonable sin attached to this claim about Jesus, along with His defense.  So, why do you think this claim would seem to make sense to those in that culture?
• Luke has a unique challenge to the people about those among them who cast them out.  Who do you think are their "sons" that Jesus refers to?
• Jesus defends Himself in both Mark and Luke by point out that the devil wouldn't work against himself.  But the most common explanation is that the people are claiming that the devil is "making Jesus look good to deceive people."  What do you think the people accusing Jesus are thinking?
• Why do you think the others were "testing" Jesus seeking a sign from heaven?  What's more of a sign than a demon-possessed mute speaking free of the demon?
• Jesus' description of the "strong man" is much more developed in Luke's account than Mark's.  Why do you think that might be?
• In verse 23, Jesus seems to reverse His position of Luke 9:50. Or does He?  What do you think might be the connection between these two statements?
• The discussion of Jesus about the demon leaving and then returning to the person seems somewhat disjointed with verse 23, and more tightly connected with the preceding passage. Why do you think that might be?
• Jesus gives the warning of verses 24 through 26, but doesn't really provide a solution.  Is this referenced elsewhere where a solution is presented?  What cross references were you able to find that explained this or used it differently?
• Finally, a woman has a really weird comment to make about Jesus, or more specifically, about His mother.  What do you think of her statement?  Look at it in a few other translations.  What about this sounds...left-handed, as compliments go?  Or does it? What do you think?
• Jesus doesn't seem to skip a beat, and fires off a correction of the woman's cry.  Jesus seems to think that those hearing and obeying God's word are blessed rather than His mother.  What does that seem to imply about Mary?  Why do you think He would say that?  Do you think this is really negative toward His mother (look back at 8:19 through 21)?

That should keep us more than busy for the time we have.  Remember to also be thinking in terms of the things that seem to shake you Awake!  If you are Honest, what Action is God leading you to take in response what He's shown you?