Bible Study Thread: Luke

[GordW]

Yes, one of the reasons why trying to conflate 4 different stories of the same person is often misleading.

ALso why a good question to ask is often "why doe Luke (or Matthew or Mark) put this story at this point in the narrative?", along with "Why did _____ choose to tell the sotry this way/include these details?"

 

[Waterfall]

Yes, one of the reasons why trying to conflate 4 different stories of the same person is often misleading.

My bad...wasnt trying to suggest they were the same person just referring to the spit thing.

 

[paradox3]

Yes, one of the reasons why trying to conflate 4 different stories of the same person is often misleading.

I have just started reading Amy-Jill Levine's book about the parables.

She has an interesting take on the lost coin, lost sheep and prodigal son parables. Too bad I didn't have the book yet when we discussed these three parables! We actually touched on some of the points she raises when we discussed them here.

Anyways, she points out the lost sheep story alone appears in Matthew and she compares this account with Luke's. The preambles are very different and so are the gospel writers' concluding remarks. I suspect many of us have conflated the two narratives over the years.

For some of the parables, Levine accepts the words of Jesus as authentic but she thinks even the gospel writers struggled with their meaning.

She also reminds us there is no reason to believe Jesus told any of these stories only once in His ministry. Good story tellers often tell their stories in slightly different ways on different occasions.

The book is a worthwhile read.

 

[paradox3]

My bad...wasnt trying to suggest they were the same person just referring to the spit thing.

No worries! You provided a good example of similar stories which are easy to mix up.

Just flipping back and forth in the bible to compare accounts from the synoptic gospels can get pretty confusing. Today we have mentioned 5 stories in total about Jesus healing the blind. Some with spit, some without.

Are there more of them? I don't even know.

 

[Pontifex Geronimo 13]

I always thought, “Here’s mud in your eye” or “Here’s spit in your eye” came from old Jimmy Stewart westerns but it was probably Jesus.

 

[dreamerman]

Yes, one of the reasons why trying to conflate 4 different stories of the same person is often misleading.

How else could they make it into an Easter movie?

 

[Mendalla]

How else could they make it into an Easter movie?

Do a Rashomon sort of thing, portraying four different perspectives on the same event.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Do a Rashomon sort of thing, portraying four different perspectives on the same event.

Seriously, Tuesday night, we talked about whether it would even be possible to untangle the two birth narratives during Advent. Consensus was that it wouldn't happen without riot.

 

[paradox3]

Summary: Luke 19: 1 - 10

Jesus was passing through Jericho. There was a rich tax collector named named Zacchaeus who was trying to see who Jesus was. He was short in stature and was unable to see. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, because He would be passing that way.

When Jesus arrived at that place, he looked up and asked Zacchaeus to come down, because He needed to stay at his place that night.

All who saw began to grumble about Jesus being the guest of a sinner.

Zacchaeus told Jesus he would give half of his possessions to the poor. And if he had defrauded anyone, he would pay back four times as much.

Jesus replied, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham."

"For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."

 

[paradox3]

Reflection: Luke 19: 1 - 10

This story reminds me of my children's Sunday School days. I remember a piece of artwork coming home, probably from the Whole People of God curriculum. There was a picture of a tree for them to color in and a Zacchaeus for them to color and glue in the tree. I think kids liked the story because they could relate to being too small to see properly.

The rather startling thing about this story is Jesus asking Zacchaeus for accommodation. It has the forgiveness coming first and repentance second. Although I suspect it is significant that Zacchaeus has already made an effort himself to "see" Jesus. And significant that he doesn't just repent, he promises to change his behavior.

The theme of the lost being found continues here, reminding me of the earlier parables in Luke's gospel.

 

[blackbelt1961]

Summary: Luke 19: 1 - 10

Jesus was passing through Jericho. There was a rich tax collector named named Zacchaeus who was trying to see who Jesus was. [/quoet]

he was not only rich But was the Chief tax collector

He was short in stature and was unable to see. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, because He would be passing that way.

he was short in stature and short in morals, yet he had a desire to see this Jesus, his faith causes him to clime a tree for a better look of this prophet they call Jesus.

When Jesus arrived at that place, he looked up and asked Zacchaeus to come down, because He needed to stay at his place that night.

why did Jesus ask this sinner to sleep at His house? did Jesus see a seed of faith in this man? I believe so,

All who saw began to grumble about Jesus being the guest of a sinner.

indeed, Jesus came for the Lost, our own righteousness is garbage before God, self-righteous leads to pride, Gods righteousness leads to humility, yet Jesus knows mans heart, we are a mixture of the two, which one will prevail more depends on our desire.

Zacchaeus climbing a tree showed his desire and Jesus capitalized

Zacchaeus told Jesus he would give half of his possessions to the poor. And if he had defrauded anyone, he would pay back four times as much.

clearly, Zacchaeus reflecting on himself in the Light of Jesus presence has a change of heart.

Is that not the effect when Light shins in the dark? we see truly what we are? and for most, not all, we become humbled.

Jesus replied, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham."

through faith as small as it was, like a mustard seed Zacchaeus became an adopted son of Abraham

"For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."

This is a mega saying of Jesus

who is Jesus seeking out? those with little faith?

we are all lost in the dark if the Light of the Creator does not shine and prove to us that Yahaw is the True light for all to see the way back home, non will be saved, not one. That proof comes via the physical Ressurection and the Holy Spirits witness.

If our spirit & souls are eternal, where will we end up in eternity if Lost?




Thus Jesus said :

John 14:6 I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to Father except through me

 

[Mendalla]

Saving the lost is one of the themes in Jesus' teaching that draws me, and this story is one of the classics. It's another one that feels "real", though I suspect the timeframe is a bit compressed. The idea that Jesus came for the sinners, not the saints (or, more properly I guess, so that the sinners could become saints) is a powerful one. It also, of course, explains some of his conflicts with the religious establishment, whose power was at least partly based on being able to exclude "sinners".

 

[blackbelt1961]

have no clue why the quite functions are adding themselves again to my post again

 

[Carolla]

To me, it seems this story and many others, show that Jesus is out in the neighbourhoods, open to connecting with all people rather than adhering to the usual judgments of others regarding who was worthy or 'a sinner' - going where, conversing with, touching, those whom society often would shun. We in churches today can benefit from this reminder I think, to reassess our own presence in our neighbourhoods - with whom do we connect?

 

[Mendalla]

To me, it seems this story and many others, show that Jesus is out in the neighbourhoods, open to connecting with all people rather than adhering to the usual judgments of others regarding who was worthy or 'a sinner' -

I think it's more than that. I think he was consciously trying to find the ones who were considered "sinners" or somehow being excluded. He made the point at least once that he wasn't there for the righteous. I doubt he gave much thought to the run of the mill. He was on the lookout for the next Zacchaeus.

 

[unsafe]

Todays Scripture

Luke 19:1-10 GW

Zacchaeus Meets Jesus
19 Jesus was passing through Jericho. 2 A man named Zacchaeus was there. He was the director of tax collectors, and he was rich. 3 He tried to see who Jesus was. But Zacchaeus was a small man, and he couldn’t see Jesus because of the crowd. 4 So Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a fig tree to see Jesus, who was coming that way.

5 When Jesus came to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down! I must stay at your house today.”

6 Zacchaeus came down and was glad to welcome Jesus into his home. 7 But the people who saw this began to express disapproval. They said, “He went to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 Later, at dinner, Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Lord, I’ll give half of my property to the poor. I’ll pay four times as much as I owe to those I have cheated in any way.”

9 Then Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “You and your family have been saved today. You’ve shown that you, too, are one of Abraham’s descendants. 10 Indeed, the Son of Man has come to seek and to save people who are lost.”


This is a very powerful piece of scripture ----this actually describes true repentance and regeneration of the Spirit

unsafe says -----Zacchaeus is a perfect example of one who is hungry and thirsty to receive the word of God and have a personal relationship with Him -----Zacchaeus stopped at nothing to get to see and hear Jesus -----he climbed a tree --there was no stopping him from his quest to see Jesus ---by doing this publically he showed that his heart was changed and when Jesus saw him in the tree He called him down and Jesus invited Himself to Zacchaeus's house----whenever Christ comes He opens the heart and inclines it to receive Him ----and Zacchaeus was hungry and thirsty to receive Jesus not reject Him -----Zacchaeus shows that he has repented of his old way of thinking by offering to give to the poor half his property and paying 4 times as much to the people he cheated in his old life ------

This is what Salvation is all about ---this is how you get to have eternal life -----the Old Sin Nature Changed to a Righteous Nature ------this is the Born Again experience right here in this scripture ------

Zacchaeus ---from Sinner to Saint -------Jesus came to save the Sinner ------and when you get this experience ---pure joy and peace comes upon you -----as -----Zacchaeus --clearly shows us here -----

 

[unsafe]

So much appreciate your like here Mendalla ------this means a lot to me thank you so much ---- -----so great to see this -----

 

[Mendalla]

So much appreciate your like here Mendalla ------this means a lot to me thank you so much ---- -----so great to see this -----

Just remember "Like" doesn't necessarily mean agree, just that I liked how you presented your thoughts. Though in this case, I do think you and I have some similar thoughts on the passage, even if my different religious background means I spin a bit differently.

 

[unsafe]

I understand what like means Mendalla -----and I appreciate that you did like how I presented the Spiritual side of this scripture ----what it means is you at least saw what was presented -----your didn't reject it ------that is what is so great ---

 

[Pontifex Geronimo 13]

Just remember "Like" doesn't necessarily mean agree, just that I liked how you presented your thoughts. Though in this case, I do think you and I have some similar thoughts on the passage, even if my different religious background means I spin a bit differently.

My understanding was like 3 unsafe posts = you are now evangelical.