Of Messiahs, Scribes, and Widows

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting December 29 to study Luke 20:41 through 21:4.  This passage has three parts, a theological question Jesus asks, a warning to the disciples by Jesus, and the "widow's mite" story.  It would be a good idea to get some sort of sense of these accounts in Matthew 22 (41-46) and Mark 12 (35-44).  They are differing view points, so add to the overall scene.

Read through the passage several times, since it's short look also at the other Gospel parallels.  Jot down notes of things you notice or wonder about.  Imagine yourself in the temple courts, hearing Jesus, seeing the people and the religious leaders.  Describe the scene with as many senses as you can.  Ask questions of what you hear and see.

Once you have your own notes, look at commentary.  Don't just use "study Bible note", but include other things with such notes.  The Matthew Henry Commentary has a bunch, and can be found on the Blue Letter Bible.

After you have your own notes and have looked at a commentary, go back through with the questions below:

• Why do you think the Messiah was thought to be son of David?  See if you can find a reference for that.
• Read Psalm 110.  What do you think this is Psalm about?  Jesus asks why David calls the referenced "Messiah", "my Lord".  Why do you think David calls the subject of the Psalm his lord?
• It's not wrong to call the Messiah the "son of David", remember the blind man in Luke 19 as Jesus enters Jericho?  So what do you think is Jesus' point?  What concept about the Messiah do you think He is challenging with the question?
• Simply put, what do you think it is about the scribes that Jesus has a problem with?
• Why do you think these scribes will receive a "greater condemnation"?  Read Matthew 23 (all of it).  What does this tell you about why the "greater condemnation"?
• After Jesus says these things, He looks up.  In Mark 12 He intentionally goes and sits where He can see the offerings being given.  Even though Luke leaves this detail out, it's probably what happened.  So why do you think Jesus would want to watch this?
• Jesus points out how the widow puts in more than everyone even though the amount was less.  What character of the widow do you think Jesus is pointing out?

Jesus makes a lot of character of people in this passage, character of teachers and those who give.  So where is the point of application for you?  Think through your own life and character in your relationship with God. 

Taxes and Resurrection

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting December 15 to study Luke 20:20-40. This passage has two challenges/questions posed to Jesus by those seeking to find fault in His teaching.  Luke doesn't tell us when during the week these occur, but is clear that they occur as a direct result of His embarrassment of the leaders when they questioned His authority.

Read through these passages in a few translations (KJV, NIV, ESV, and maybe NLT).  Be looking for differences in word-choice and where the translators seem to explaining something.  Make notes on observations and questions.  At that point consider commentary options you have (Blue Letter Bible, study Bible notes, ones on your shelf, etc.), and revise your notes as needed.

After you have gone through with your own study, go back through with the questions below:

• Why do you think the religious leaders wanted to get Jesus in trouble with the Roman authorities?  If they were trying to prevent a "riot", why involve the Romans?
• The "spies" puff Jesus up a bit, and lower their "boom".  What do you think they hoped to gain by setting Him up this way?  What do you think their introduction had to do with the question?
• Jesus "perceives" their craftiness or trickery.  How do you think this affected Jesus answer?  
• Verse 23 is longer in the King James Version.  This question Jesus asks is found in a few texts dating back to the 4th Century AD, but not very many texts of any period.  So it's not in the earliest texts, but is pretty early, nor is it a common reading, but in a few.  The question does occur in Matthew and Mark.  So, how do you think it might have come to be in a few Luke texts after the 3rd Century?  By the way, it also appears in the Aramaic text, which has early attestation.
• The denarius was a Roman coin used for trade everywhere in the Roman Empire.  Clearly it belonged to Rome.  So what do you think corresponds to "the things that are God's"?
• How do you "give to God the things that are God's"?
• The Sadducees come to test Jesus.  This is possibly a question they have used to test Pharisees and anyone else who claims to believe in any sort of resurrection.  They refer to the Levirate Law (Deuteronomy 25:5-10).  Why do you think they assumed marriage extended to resurrection?
• Jesus says that resurrected ones do not marry.  What clues do you think He could have referenced in the Torah (first 5 books) to support this claim?  (The Sadducees only accepted the Torah)
• But then Jesus supports resurrection in the Torah by citing Moses' claim that Yahweh is the God of the living Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. What do you think might be a problem here? 
• Look at Matthew 22:32 and Mark 12:27, where "for all live to Him" is missing.  If these patriarchs haven't "risen from the dead", how do you think Jesus' point about the resurrection is being made?
• The leaders lack the courage to ask further questions.  Why do you think they were so scared?

That should give us plenty to discuss in the time we have.  Be sure to find those areas where the Holy Spirit is revealing to you an area of your life to change.  

The Authority of the Son

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting December 8 to study Luke 20:1-19.  This is the first second day described by Luke.  He never actually says it's the second day, he doesn't number them as such.  This is simply the next account of Jesus in Jerusalem leading up to His death.

Read through the question and parable a few times.  I believe they are connected in a very important way.  Be sure to jot down questions and observations to bring to the group.  It may help to read an old and new translation as well, though the differences should be slight.  Once you have your own notes, go back through with a commentary or two.  After you have revised your notes and questions, go back through with the questions below:

• Three groups are mentioned in verse one: Scribes, chief priests, and elders.  Why do you think the chief priests are "plural"?  Who do you think the elders are as opposed to the priests and scribes?
• The authority of Jesus is questioned.  In other Gospels, this is done in response to Jesus casting out the money-changers.  What do you think is being questioned here, His authority to do what?
• Their question has two parts, "what authority" and "who gave you authority".  What do you think they meant by the difference, and why do you think they are asking Him?
• Jesus responds with a question about the baptism of John.  Their lack of response is based on their fear that the people will stone them.  What do you think of that fear?  Why do you think the "elders" and "chief priests" would fear such a thing?  If their fear is valid, what does that tell you about the relationship of the elders and chief priests with the people?
• Jesus also refuses to tell them.  What do you think of the possibility that He won't for some of the same reasons they won't?
• Read Isaiah 5:1-7.  Now re-read the parable in 9 through 16.  Considering Isaiah 5, what does the vineyard represent?
• Considering how the characters line up, who do you think the "farmers" represent?
• Who do you think the "servants" represent in the parable?
• The "son" is now obvious.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke all connect this parable with the questioning of Jesus' authority.  So how might this parable actually answer the scribes, chief priests, and elders question about Jesus' authority?
• If it does answer the leaders question, how likely do you think it is that the crowd of people understood it that way?  
• What are some reasons Jesus would say He would not tell the leaders what His authority was or Who it came from, and then tell this parable which serves both purposes?
• Look up Psalm 118 and read through the whole thing.  In what way do you think this line about the corner stone is used in the psalm?
• As Jesus uses it, it refers to Him.  Who do you think are the "builders" in this psalm?  Who are the "builders" in Jesus' day?
• Jesus then adds the line about being crushed and pulverized.  What do you think is the difference between falling on the stone and the stone falling on someone?
• Only Luke and Matthew have the line about crushing and scattering.  Why do you think this was important to them?
• Again the fear of the people keep the leaders from seizing Jesus.  What do you think this says about their authority?  

That should be plenty to chew on for our time together.  Remember to look for lessons for your own life in this passage.  Be asking how you are like the religious and political leaders, how are you like the people, and so on.  What lessons were they supposed to learn, and what are the lessons for you?