Flying Mulberrys, Unworthy Slaves, and Thankfulness Among Lepers

This is the Bible Study Page for the Thursday Night Bible Study meeting September 29 to study Luke 17:5-19.  This will finish out the beginning of chapter 17 and include the healing of 10 lepers. 

Read through the passage a few times, using different translations, noting things that stand out.  You may have notes from the passage we used last time that you didn't get to use since we didn't finish the verses.  We stopped just before where the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith.  Read that with this healing account to see if that changes, modifies, or influences what you learned from just the six verses.  Note details in the healing that jump out at you.  Ask questions as if you were interviewing one of the disciples (or Luke) about what Jesus said and the healing.

Once you have a good sense of the passage yourself, go back through with any commentaries or study guides you find (yours or online).  Revise your notes and questions accordingly.  Then go back through with the questions below:

• The disciples ask for Jesus to "increase their faith".  How does a mustard seed-sized faith "increase" their faith?
• Why do you think Luke uses a "mulberry tree" instead of a mountain, like Matthew?
• Consider verses 7 through 10 very carefully.  Slavery is such a foreign concept to us, this probably sounds very harsh.  Keeping in mind that it didn't sound harsh at all to them, what do you think is Jesus' point?
• How do you see yourself in verses 7 through 10?  We talk so much about Jesus being our "brother" or "friend", we tend to forget His is our Lord first.  What sorts of things do you need to do differently considering these verses?
• How does the flying mulberry tree and being unworthy slaves increase the faith of the disciples?  How does it increase your faith?
• Jesus was between Samaria and Galilee in this healing account.  Look at a map of the region.  How far has Jesus traveled since He "set His face toward Jerusalem" in  9:51?
• The ten lepers are standing far off from the village Jesus' is entering.  Yet they are close enough to recognize Jesus.  How do you imagine this setting?  What do you think the people around Jesus are doing as He enters the village?
• Look at what the lepers cry out in a few translations.  They all have the same word for how they referred to Jesus, "Master".  Click the link to the left and look at the verse references where this word is used.  What do you think of the fact this word is only used by Luke?
• Jesus tells them to go and show themselves to the priests.  Refer back to that map you looked at earlier.  Where would they need to go to do so?  Look up "Levitical Cities" if you have an atlas with an index.  Now how far would they have to travel?  By the days of Jesus, the cities with Levites were probably much more mixed.  What do you think that, regardless of how far they were to travel, they knew exactly where to go, even the Samaritan?
• In just about any translation it says that, "as they went they were healed."  Considering the request of the disciples to increase their faith, how related do you think that question and this account were to Luke?
• One returns "glorifying God."  The man who returns is a Samaritan, and Jesus notices that on sight.  What do you think this might have meant for Luke's audience?  What does that tell you about how lepers regarded each other?
• The thankfulness is acknowledged by Jesus, but what was it that actually "saved" him?
• If thankfulness isn't what saves, faith is, and all ten were cleansed through faith, what do you see as the benefit of "thankfulness" through this account?
• If Jesus told the ten to go show themselves to the priests, why do you think He would be surprised that only one came back to thank Him?  Keep in mind that they weren't healed immediately, but only as they went to go to the priests.

That should keep us busy, especially since there are other questions and issues not in these questions.  Remember as well to be seeking those areas that the Holy Spirit is revealing to you about your own life where you may need to adjust things (i.e. repent).

Rich Man, Poor Man, Forgiveness and Faithful Slaves

This is the Bible Study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting September 22 to study Luke 16:19 through 17:10.  We didn't get through the "Rich Man & Lazarus", so will focus on that for this week.

The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is interesting for lots of reasons.  One of them is the various ways that translations relate the story.  The details are the same, just the word choice was changed.  The real differences between translations is found in the 10 verses of chapter 17.  Be sure to use different translations, I really think it will open up new avenues of understanding; and it's easy to do.

Read through these passages making notes and jotting down questions that occur to you.  The two passages aren't easy to connect, and don't need to be.  They can be, but doing so is an interpretation, not a necessity.  It might be a good exercise though.  See if you can summarize the 10 verses of chapter 17 into a single sentence.  It will be tough, and probably a complex sentence, but give it a try.

Read through some commentaries on the Blue Letter Bible site.  See how they change your comments and questions.  Then go back through the passage with the questions below:

• The parable of the "Rich Man & Lazarus" begins with the setting of the two characters in verses 19 through 21.  What are your first impressions?  Why do you think Jesus made them so incredibly opposite?
• The rich guy ends up in hell, and Lazarus in "heaven".  Why?  What clues do you have for why one went one place and the other to the other?
• The description of the "after-life" is pretty spooky, one side can see the other but neither can get to the other.  What do you think of that?
• Hell (Hades) is "torment" in verse 23, or "agony" due to "flame" in verse 24.  What do you think of this description, in agonizing torment by fire yet able to see the other side where they aren't?
• Notice Lazarus never speaks in this parable.  Why do you think might be important to Jesus' point?
• Abraham has several comments on the rich man's situation (verses 25, 26, and 29), they get progressively more depressing (from irreconcilable agony to it being his own fault).  What do you think of this assessment of the description of this afterlife?
• The rich man constantly wants Lazarus to do this or that, come here, go there.  What does this tell you about the rich man's understanding of himself and Lazarus?  How different do you think this is from when they were both alive?
• Obviously Abraham's final statement relates to Jesus' resurrection and people's persistent unbelief.  Why do you think Jesus would include that to people following Him closely?  What does that tell you about people, even those who follow Him closely?
•  Jesus turns again to His disciples, but remember that this group seems to include some Pharisees.  So, why do you think the topic of "stumbling blocks" is suddenly important, or even in anyway related to the previous parable?
• Jesus refers to "little ones", but who do you think He means?  (hint:  look in parallel verses in Mark and Matthew)
• How do you think verses 3 and 4 apply to our modern approach to "boundaries"?  Is such a person "safe", and how would you relate to such a person having "forgiven" him/her?
• Compare these two verses with Matthew 18:15-17.  What do you make of the differences?
• Compare these two verses with John 20:23.  What do you make of the differences here?
• The disciples ask for Jesus to "increase their faith".  How does a mustard seed-sized faith "increase" their faith?
• Why do you think Luke uses a "mulberry tree" instead of a mountain, like Matthew?
• Consider verses 7 through 10 very carefully.  Slavery is such a foreign concept to us, this probably sounds very harsh.  Keeping in mind that it didn't sound harsh at all to them, what do you think is Jesus' point?
• How do you see yourself in verses 7 through 10?  We talk so much about Jesus being our "brother" or "friend", we tend to forget His is our Lord first.  What sorts of things do you need to do differently considering these verses?

That should be plenty to study Thursday.  We probably won't get beyond the parable, but we're ready if we do.

Some Rich Dude and Lazarus

This is the study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting September 15 to study Luke 16:14-31.  The chances are good we won't get through the whole thing, but it might be possible to do all of it.

This is the completion of Jesus' teachings on wealth from this chapter.  It seems to move the issue to the heart or attitude of people, and for some reason include divorce.  It concludes with the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  The elements of this part of the chapter are hard to follow and the details can be distracting from seeing a main point (sort of like the last one).

Read through the entire chapter at least once to get a sense the overall context.  As you begin to focus on the statements of Jesus in verses 14 through 18, seek the connecting thread.  Break down the parable based on the preceding statements of Jesus and His audience.  As we noticed last week it's good to read the parable in a few translations.  This one may have as many differences as the previous one, but it's still a great exercise.  The NIV with NASB, NLT with ESV, and NRSV with NKJV are good pairings (any of the first suggestions with any of the second will work as well).  Make notes and questions for yourself as you go.  Then see what commentaries have to say.

After you done your own work, go back through with the questions below:

• Once again, the Pharisees are close enough to hear Jesus speaking to His disciples.  So, how likely is it that at least some Pharisees made up the number of Jesus' disciples (not the 12, but followers)?
• These Pharisees scoff at Jesus.  So, following closely enough to hear Him speak to His disciples, they don't necessarily buy in or completely buy in to His views of righteousness.  Why do you think that might be?  How close do you think we need to be to Jesus' views to be considered disciples?
• The Pharisees "justify" themselves, a term which nearly every translation uses, but what do you think this means?  Look at the Greek word on the Blue Letter Bible here.  If you want more information, follow the link to the root word (G1342).  How does this help you understand what the Pharisees were doing?  How does this help you see this activity in yourself?
• The final statement of verse 15 is interesting in that it sounds very much like a blanket statement about everything lifted up among people being detested by God.  Why do you think Jesus put it that way?  What point do you think He's trying to make?
• Jesus uses the word "abomination" or "detestable thing" which is actually a technical theological term in Judaism.  Look at the Greek word on Blue Letter Bible here.  Pay special attention to its usage in other places.  How do you think the Pharisees heard Jesus' statement?  What do you think they thought when He said that?
• In verse 16, we have a really strange statement by Jesus.  This is one verse that really needs several versions, not just one to get a good sense of.  Here again, the Blue Letter Bible will provide an excellent set of parallels.  Pay special attention to the KJV, NIV, NASB, and ESV translations of it.  What do you think Jesus means about John being a "boundary" of some sort?  What do you think Jesus means by people entering the Kingdom of God by force?  What do you think was preached before John if it wasn't the "Kingdom of God"?
• Verse 17 is a well-known statement from Matthew (17:18) as well.  How do you think this statement relates to the two previous verses?
• Verse 18 has parallels in Matthew (5:31-32, 19:9) and Mark (10:11,12).  How do you think this teaching on divorce relates to wealth, the law, and what God finds detestable?  Why do you think Luke put it here?
• The parable of the "Rich Man & Lazarus" begins with the setting of the two characters in verses 19 through 21.  What are your first impressions?  Why do you think Jesus made them so incredibly opposite?
• The rich guy ends up in hell, and Lazarus in "heaven".  Why?  What clues do you have for why one went one place and the other to the other?
• The description of the "after-life" is pretty spooky, one side can see the other but neither can get to the other.  What do you think of that?
• Hell (Hades) is "torment" in verse 23, or "agony" due to "flame" in verse 24.  What do you think of this description, in agonizing torment by fire yet able to see the other side where they aren't?
• Notice Lazarus never speaks in this parable.  Why do you think might be important to Jesus' point?
• Abraham has several comments on the rich man's situation (verses 25, 26, and 29), they get progressively more depressing (from irreconcilable agony to it being his own fault).  What do you think of this assessment of the description of this afterlife?
• The rich man constantly wants Lazarus to do this or that, come here, go there.  What does this tell you about the rich man's understanding of himself and Lazarus?  How different do you think this is from when they were both alive?
• Obviously Abraham's final statement relates to Jesus' resurrection and people's persistent unbelief.  Why do you think Jesus would include that to people following Him closely?  What does that tell you about people, even those who follow Him closely?

That should be plenty to keep us busy, probably for a few weeks.  Consider where you see God seeing you in these passages.  It's easy to see others, but the Holy Spirit desires to awaken you to growth in your relationship with Him, just as Jesus was prodding the Pharisees in much the same way, to be authentic with their belief and pursuit of a relationship with God.

What Are We To Do With The Unrightous Steward?

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting September 8 to study Luke 16:1-13, the parable of the unrighteous steward.  I doubt this parable is all that familiar since most teaching and preaching avoids it like some disease.  But this parable serves to introduce several sayings, teachings, and discourses of Jesus on wealth.  So, to understand this parable, viewing the chapter as a whole is probably necessary. 

To that end, begin by reading all of Chapter 16.  Note the various things Jesus says about wealth throughout.  These things will need to be used in examining this parable.  Once through the chapter, go back and read the parable again with the issues raised in the rest of the chapter also in view.  Try and distill Jesus' point of the parable down to a single sentence.  Make notes as to why you chose that particular sentence and jot down questions that have occurred to you as you study the parable (we'll get to the rest of the chapter in due time...okay this month, I hope).

After you've done your own study, try looking through any commentary you have available and see how that affects your views.  Revise your sentence if you like, and any questions or notes as well.

After you have gone through the chapter yourself, go back through with the questions below:

• Luke has a "scene switch" as he says Jesus switches to talking to His disciples.  Basically, Jesus narrows His audience.  Why do you think this parable would be for just them?
• The characters of the parable are the master, his steward, accusers, and debtors.  Who do you think they correspond to in the application of the parable in Jesus' day?  Who do you think they correspond to in our day?
• The steward is accused of squandering the goods, he is called on the carpet to give an account, and he doesn't know what to do.  So, do you think that means he was squandering the goods, or what do you think?
• The steward reasons himself into a "solution".  How would you describe his goal with his solution?
• The steward summons each of his master's debtors and reduces their debt on the books he's about to return to his master.  Why do you think this is such a good idea?  Does Jesus think it's a good idea?
• The master firing the steward praises him for reducing the debts of those who owed him money.  Why do you think the master would praise the steward for reducing his assets?  How is that a good thing?
• Jesus' explanation is that the "sons of this age are more shrewd than the sons of light in dealing with their own generation."  What do you think this means?
• So how do you think the steward is a good example?
• Jesus says to makes friends for yourself with unrighteous wealth so that these friends will welcome you into eternal dwellings...so what do you think this means?  It seems to be the point of the parable, so it seems to be important.
• We have the "faithful in little, faithful in much" and it's opposite.  And then a further application of being faithful with what isn't yours and perhaps you will have of your own.  Your own what?  What sort of wealth do you think Jesus has in view here?  Earthly, heavenly, monetary, more people "saved", something entirely different?  Cleaner laundry? (may it never be!)
• We stop at Luke's quote of Jesus about servant serving two masters. Matthew uses nearly the exact same statement of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:24).  Look up "mammon" on the Blue Letter Bible (love this site - I keep saying that, don't I?).  What strikes you about the difference between the two conclusions?
• How do you see this truth Jesus about serving two masters as true in your own life?  What have been your two masters?
• Money or wealth seems to be what we spend at least 8 hours a day seeking or trying to obtain.  What do you spend more than 40 hours a week seeking that's not an occupation?
• So, between whatever you used to answer the previous question and a job, how much of your life do you think is available to the Holy Spirit?  How do you think we can make that a trick question?

That should keep us busy for a while.  This is a goofy wonky parable.  It's one of the more difficult to understand, but may not be that difficult to accept once understood (however you understand it).  Be sure to bring your notes and questions, and single-sentence summary to group Thursday!