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!

Re-Focus on Jesus

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting August 13 to study Luke 3:15-38. This picks up from where we left off last week. We will then proceed through the end of the chapter.

The people's response to John and his response is interesting. Read through the passage several times, note interesting details, and jot down questions. You may find it useful to review genealogies in Genesis and Chronicles.

After going through on your own, review some commentaries or study Bible notes. Look online at Blue Letter Bible site, or other Bible site you like. Maybe some brief article on John the Baptist would help as well. Those can be found in a good Bible dictionary or encyclopedia.

• How does John depict Jesus' ministry and purpose?  Is that how you would characterize His ministry and purpose?
• Remember Herod was mentioned in the 'timing' in verse 1.  Where was Herod? And therefore, where along the Jordan was John?At what point in Jesus' baptism does the Holy Spirit appear?
• Read Matthew 3:13-17 and Mark 1:9-11. Now read John 1:32-34. Think through the slight differences in detail. Who heard and saw what?
• What do you think the relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit was before this?
• Why do you think Luke would add that Jesus was praying during the baptism? Or do you think that means it happened afterwards?  Or what do you think Luke is referring to?
• What difference does it make whether the voice speaks to Jesus or those around Him? ('You are' in Luke and Mark versus 'This is' as Matthew has it)
• Go to Matthew 1, and list just the names backwards from Jesus to Zerubbabel.  Then flip back to Luke 3, and list the names forward from Joseph to Zerubbabel.  Considering the numerous differences, just in this section, what do you think might be going on?
• There are fewer differences from Zerubbabel back to David, but still Matthew fairly closely follows the king list of Judah in the line of David.  Where do you think Luke is drawing his from?  If you find more than one commentary, what do they think?
• Considering both lists (Luke and Matthew), what do you think the point of each might be? 

That will probably be more than we can get through once again, but we'll give it a shot.  Who knew genealogies could be fraught with so much controversy?

John The Dipper

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting August 6 to study Luke 3:1-20. This is the ministry of John the Baptist (or Dipper). I didn't realize that Luke goes through the whole thing in 20 verses and then goes back a little for the baptism of Jesus. Why would Luke use the whole of John's ministry as his introduction into who he was?

Read through the verses a few times (yes, over and over) and jot down questions and insights. Use a few translations and note their differences, at least ones that seem to disagree on what something means. After that, use your commentaries or ones you find online, and see what questions are answered, and what additional questions you come up with.

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

• Verses 1 and 2 are about the timing.  Why do you think Luke spends so much time on timing here?
• Consider the list of people Luke chooses to place John's ministry in time.  Why do you think it made sense to use people like that?
• Luke quotes a prophecy of Isaiah (40:3-5a).  Read the rest of the prophecy (40:1-8 perhaps).  How does the coming of Jesus, announced by John fit the depiction in Isaiah?
• Why do you think John would refer to those coming out to him as 'children of vipers'?
• What constitutes repentance for John? Why would that be important?
• Why do you think John would undermine their reliance on Abraham?
• Consider the people's response to John as he lays into them.  Why do you think they would be so receptive to his critique?
• We're not soldiers extorting, or tax collectors, but how do you think we can apply John's word to them?
• How does John depict Jesus' ministry and purpose?  Is that how you would characterize His ministry and purpose?
• Remember Herod was mentioned in the 'timing' in verse 1.  Where was Herod? And therefore, where along the Jordan was John?

That should carry us through an hour anyway.  Blessings upon you all until we see each other Thursday!

And The Mute Will Sing!

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting July 2 to study Luke 1:57-80.  This was a lot of verses but not long ones.  There are several allusions to Psalms, and prophets in the wording, somewhat like Mary's song.

Read through the passage several times making notes on the various things that are interesting to you.  Look for things you might find strange to say at a 'baby shower'.  Jot down your insights and questions.  Then use any commentaries you have about you; study Bible notes, or whatever. 

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

• We noted last week that 6 months and 3 months meant Mary remained until 9, when John would be expected to be born.  Considering the wording of this section, do you think she was there with Elizabeth?  If so, why do you think she wasn't mentioned?
• Their relatives seem very involved with John's birth, celebrating with Zachariah and Elizabeth, why do you think they were so insistent to name him Zachariah?
• Finally Zachariah asks for something to write on, and the people are astonished he writes John.  Why do you think they were astonished at that name, or Zachariah's choice?
• What do you think it was about what Zachariah wrote that indicated he had 'learned his lesson' so to speak (and yes, that's a pun)?  What do you think he had not learned up to that point?  Or what do you think the timing was about?
• The first things out of Zachariah's mouth are praises.  His 'healing' affected everyone in the area around them.  So when do you think Zachariah says his prophesy over his son?
• There are a lot of common prophetic terms in Zachariah's 'song'; horn, visitation, redemption, salvation, and so on, but what do you see as his main theme in verses 68 through 75?
• From verse 76 on, he speaks to John.  This is more than Gabriel told him, so what has happened to Zachariah to reveal this to him?
• As John's father, what do you think Zachariah thinks of his own prophesy over his son?  What parts do you think he might, as a father, find troubling?
• Read verse 78 in as many translations as you have.  How do you imagine the sun rises from a height?  What does that even look like?  What do you think Zachariah is alluding to?
• Does John live with his parents, raised by them, or does he live in the wilderness, 'raised by wolves?'  What do you think verse 80 means for his childhood?

That should keep us busy for an hour or so.  Remember to bring your notes and questions to the group.

Baby Announcement - Take 2

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting June 18 to study Luke 1:26-45.  This is the announcement to Mary, which is different in many ways from the one made to Zachariah previously in this chapter.

This is one of the most familiar passages in Scripture because we spend so much time with it during Christmas.  We like to read how the angel appeared to Mary, as well as Joseph.  So that will make harder to find the things that seem strange.  There are a few though, one of which is the differences between this announcement and the previous one to Zachariah.  Even so, it will be difficult for familiarity to not breed some level of 'contempt'.

Read it through, jot down notes, come up with some questions that occur to you.  Be sure to use several translations and look up differences in word choice.  Then go to commentaries and see what they think.  After having done that, then go back through with the questions below:

• Look up a Jewish calendar, and see when their year started, and see when 'sixth month' would have been.  So what would nine months after that have been?
• The timing of the announcement of John isn't given.  Why do you think it would be important to give the timing of this announcement?  Or do you think this timing is tied to the first?
• What do you think of the difference in greeting between Gabriel to Zachariah and then to Mary?  What sort of 'greeting' was there to Zachariah?
• Mary is startled, but what does it sound like to you that she was most aware of when she sees Gabriel?
• After the greeting and her response, the rest sounds a lot like the announcement to Zachariah (with some obvious necessary differences).  But what do you think about the 'tone' of the two announcements.  Do you think there are or detect any difference in tone between the two?
• Mary asks how these things 'might be' since she's still a virgin.  This question doesn't bring any punishment.  What differences, if any, do you see between her response and Zachariah's?
• The word 'overshadow' is a compound word made up of 'over' and 'darken'; which makes sense. But what do you think of the irony that the coming of the Light of the World at first darkens Mary's?
• Mary doesn't ask for a 'sign' but the angel gives one anyway (Elizabeth), why do you think Zachariah was wrong then to ask for one?
• The angel points out that Elizabeth was in her sixth month, so was the first 'sixth month' the timing within the year, or after the previous events described (i.e. Elizabeth becoming pregnant).  Consider that it may be possible that her husband's temple visitation may have occurred as part of the New Year as well.  What do you think?
• The phrase of verse 37 is '...because every word beside God not powerless." But it could also be, "...because every word not powerless beside God." There is a slight difference in meaning.  Which do you think is intended?
• Consider Mary's response to all that Gabriel said.  How much do you think her response had to do with the last phrase of Gabriel?
• Mary goes to see Elizabeth in Judah.  Find Nazareth on a map, and then trace down to Judah.  We're not told where in Judah they were, but still, Mary is walking.  What does this tell you about how Mary feels about what she was told?
• Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit when she hears Mary.  Previously it was said that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit still in the womb, and he leaps when he hears Mary.  Why would Elizabeth only be filled now, not before when John was filled before?  Or do you think he was?
• Consider what Elizabeth says carefully.  What is it really that makes Mary 'blessed' or 'happy'?  Why do you think that is?  Why wouldn't it be the fact/event itself?

That should keep us going for a bit.  I was going to do fewer questions, but more came to mind, sorry...sort of.  

Fun Times In Ephesus

This is the study page for the Thursday Study Group meeting on February 21.  The passage being studied is Acts 19 where Paul spends two years in Ephesus.  A lot happens in that time.  We also have a picture of the sorts of things that happen around Paul when he's ministering.

Read the chapter through several times.  Note the different events, people, backgrounds, responses, and actions taken.  It gets somewhat muddled when we look at the sequence or timing, Luke doesn't seem to be that concerned about timing until he sets up the riot.  Jot down questions and details you note as you go through the chapter several times.  It may help to continue on into chapter 20 some way for context.

As you go through a last few times, consider the questions below.  Add to or modify any of them with your own observations/questions.

• How does Luke setup Paul's entrance into Ephesus?  Why mention Apollos?
• What does Paul find immediately as he gets to Ephesus?
• This is the second time running across the Baptism of John, where did this one come from?
• Are these Jews or Greeks?  What are the clues?
• After the synagogue refuses to listen, where does Paul go? (sound like a fun school?)
• After two years, how far has the good news of Jesus gone?
• How often do we hear of Paul healing?  So how common might this be?  What does this sound like/remind you of? (remember Acts 5?)
• Without Jesus, how do Jewish Exorcists function?  Why might this work for some?
• Why wouldn't it work for the "Seven Sons of Sceva"?
• Wat is the result of these miracles?
• There are several terms for "magic".  Look up this one at G4021.  It's a compound word, so look at both words  used to make it up.  What English word/phrase does it sound like?  What might characterize this sort of magic?
• How much was the cost of the "burned books"?  Why not sell them and give the money to the church?  What might that tell you about "fund raising"?
• What does Paul decide to do?  Why stay in Ephesus?
• What do these silversmiths do?  Why is business so bad?  What is their answer to the problem?  Where else was this solution attempted?
• Who is this "Artemis of the Ephesians"?  What about the temple is impressive?
• Who do the rioters grab?  Later on, who do the Jews put forward? What are the "Jews" doing there?
• Who calms the rioters down?  What is his reason for there being no reason for the riot?

That should be a good start to this chapter.  Be sure to bring your own observations and questions as well.