Luke 16-20

Luke 16
1-11 - I do not understand this parable! I understand the concept of faithfulness in affairs minor and major, but not the story that teaches that concept. So step by step:

1. The manager (NRSV) was wasting his master's money.
2. He was desperate.
3. He was cunning: What did he have to lose by misrepresenting his master's intentions?
4. His master was impressed by his shrewdness. Why? Because shrewdness impressed him? Because the manager looked out for Number 1?
5. The lesson in Jesus' words: "Make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes."
6. A lesson here? Dishonest wealth (Gr. mammon) is nothing.
7. Lesson? Gain favor – by any means – with the One who can welcome you into His eternal home.
8. Lesson from verse 9? Use money – which is evil – to obtain that which is good – a home in heaven.
9. In the past, I have interpreted verse 8 to mean that Jesus is saying children of light should be shrewd. But later, in verse 15, he says, "What is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God." So maybe that's not what he is saying.

v. 18 - Divorce and remarriage. This seems out of context. Did it have to do with the Pharisees' love for money (v. 14) -- their general disobedience? Was their attitude toward divorce too cavalier? Maybe so, considering the conclusion of the next story, in verse 31: "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."

Observation - The Pharisees (v. 14) were so intent on keeping minute details of the law, they actually became lawbreakers. In essence, they had developed their own law and had closed their minds to truth.

Luke 17
2 - "These little ones" -- were there children present?
1-10 - Random (?) teachings about:

1. Causing little ones to stumble
2. Rebuking another disciple
3. Forgiveness
4. Faith
5. Attitude of servitude

11 - The area between Galilee and Samaria? I thought they bordered on one another.
15 - Story of the grateful Samaritan. What about the other nine? They must have been Jews, because Jesus called the Samaritan a "foreigner." Did Jewish and Samaritan lepers travel together? Or maybe they didn't. Maybe he was outside even that group.
26 - Jesus verifies the stories of the flood and Sodom and Gomorrah.
30 - Need to do more study in corresponding passages in Matthew and Mark about "that day."
37 - Need more study on "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."

Luke 18
18 - Faithful prayer is defined here as "praying always and not losing heart (verse 1). Will Jesus find such faith when he returns?
14 - Humble prayer
17 - Warning against a closed heart
31-34 - Was this hidden to his disciples because he spoke in the 3rd person, as if he were speaking of someone else?
41 - Jesus asked the blind man what he wanted, even though he probably knew already.

Luke 19-20
19:14,24,27 - I didn't remember this being a part of this parable, that the citizens hated the nobleman and sent a delegation after him telling him so. When he returned, he rewarded his servants who had made a profit from the money he had left; he took away the pound from the one who had hidden his; and he executed those who had sent the delegation after him.

So – is he speaking here of those who refused to recognize him as king? This seems to be a lesson not only for his disciples – be productive – but for those also who refuse to follow him.

From glory to sorrow to righteous anger.
19:29-39 - The Triumphal Entry. It always impresses me that as humble as he was, Jesus also knew that he was God, and accepted the praise that was due him as God. It's an amazing scene: The LORD of Lords on a colt, looking like a man, accepting praise as a king.

19:41 - Then as he approaches the city, he weeps over it, because he sees the day coming when it will be destroyed -- because they "did not recognize the time of [their] visitation from God." Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were making it a "den of robbers."

Chapter 20 - Antagonizing the religious leaders
1-8 - Refuses to fall into the trap the chief priests, scribes, and elders are setting for them, when they ask him "by what authority are you doing these things?" Could they be talking about the cleansing of the temple?
9-19 - Parable of the wicked tenants - the scribes and chief priests realized he told the parable against them.
20-26 - They couldn't trap him with the tax question. "Being amazed by his answer, they became silent."
27-40 - Now the Sadducees lay a trap regarding resurrection, which they did not accept. But after his answer, "they no longer dared to ask him another question." Everyone who asked a dishonest question made themselves look foolish.
41-43 - He turns the tables and asks them a question they cannot answer regarding David and the Messiah.
45-47 - He warns the people to beware of the scribes.