JESUS REVEALS HIS AUTHORITY IN VARIOUS WAYS In this chapter Jesus reveals His power and authority, first in His calling of some of His disciples for a life long commitment; then by cleansing a skin diseased man, by touching him and remaining clean; by forgiving the sins of a paralytic as the Son of... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ESTABLISHMENT AND EXPANSION OF JESUS' MESSIANIC MINISTRY (5:1-9:50). In this section we see the see the establishment and growth of Jesus' ministry as Messiah as He manifests Himself to Israel, and then how He goes about establishing the new Israel. This will be revealed as we go along, but not... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS REVEALS HIS AUTHORITY OVER BOTH FISH AND FISHERMEN AND CALLS THE FISHERMEN TO FISH MEN (5:1-11) . The first incident in which Jesus' Messianic authority is revealed is in the calling of fishermen to follow Him in lifetime commitment, with no offer of earthly reward, for the purpose of ‘taking... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets.' So with the crowds pressing Him so hard Jesus looked around Him and saw two boats moored by the shore, but they were empty, for the fishermen had disembarked and some were washing and m... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat.' So He boldly walked over and boarded Simon Peter's boat, and called to him and asked him to launch the boat a little away from the l... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” ' Then when He had finished preaching He turned to Simon Peter and said, “Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” The prophetic command probably made Peter give... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Simon answered and said, “Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at (on the strength of) your word I will let down the nets.” ' He gives the hint to Jesus that it is really a waste of time. As experienced fishermen they have tried and failed, nevertheless if He really wants them to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when they had done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their nets were breaking,' We are probably intended to see that Peter was expecting nothing. He was a skilled fisherman, and he knew his fish. But he also respected Jesus and so he and Andrew, with their men, did as He bad... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they beckoned to those associated with them in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.' Excitedly they beckoned to those associated with them in the other boat, James and John and their crew, for them to come an... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” ' And then Simon Peter looked down on what had happened and the realisation of the enormity of it burst on him. He had seen Jesus perform miracles before, but this was beyond anythi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.' Luke then explains the reason for Peter's words. It was because he, and all who were with him, together with their partn... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be overawed, from now on you will be taking men alive.” ' And Jesus then gently said to Simon Peter. “Do not be overawed, from now on you will be taking men alive.” It was His call to Peter to follow Him, and both knew it, just as both knew that Peter had had a lif... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and followed him.' Notice the ‘they'. It caters for Andrew, James and John as well. Together they left their boats with the servants, and followed Jesus. From now on they would go where He went, learning from Him and preparing to be pro... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And it came about, while he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of skin disease, and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” ' All background information is suppressed in order to focus entirely on the man and his condit... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CLEANSING OF A SKIN DISEASED MAN (5:12-16). The cleansing of a skin diseased man by touching him is something that would have affected the ancient mind like little else. It indicated a mastery over disease and uncleanness that was unique. Skin disease was held in horror by all, and skin disease... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I will, be you made clean.” And immediately the skin disease left him.'. But Jesus had come in order to help those whom other people found disgusting, and to the man's total surprise, He reached out His hand and touched him. It was the first... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he charged him to tell no man: “But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.' Then Jesus bade him not to tell anyone, but to obey the Law of Moses and go on his way to the Temple in Jerusalem, and show himself to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But so much the more went abroad the report concerning him, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities.' But in the face of such an event the publicity was unavoidable. News about Him spread even more, and great crowds came to Him to hear Him, and to be heale... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But he withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed.' While walking in the towns and cities (Luke 5:12) Jesus was constantly open to approaches by needy people, and this made it all the more necessary that at times He withdraw into desert places to meet with His Father (compare Luke 6:12; Luke 9:18;... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And it came about on one of those days, that he was teaching, and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him to heal.' After a vague time note, omitting the mention of Caperna... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS IS THE SON OF MAN WHO CAN FORGIVE SINS (5:17-26). We now commence here a series of five incidents which can be paralleled in Mark, from where Luke probably gained most of his knowledge about them (Luke 5:17 to Luke 6:11). Each except the last, which speaks for itself, depicts Jesus as a fulfi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And behold, men bring on a bed a man who was paralysed, and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before him, and not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the crowd, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles, with his couch, into the midst before Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And seeing their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” ' Jesus was clearly moved by the faith and persistence of these five men (including the paralytic). He ‘saw their faith'. But then He did the unexpected. Turning to the man He said to him, ‘Your sins are forgiven.' This was in the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” The Scribes would probably be mainly the local Scribes, doctors and teachers of the Law (depending on Luke 5:17), supported perhaps by one or two from Judaea and Jer... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Jesus perceiving their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why do you reason in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you', or to say, ‘Arise and walk?' ” Jesus gathered what they were thinking and whispering among themselves (for Jesus' ability to discern thoughts c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins', he said to him who was paralysed, “I say to you, Arise, and take up your couch, and go to your house.” ' Here we have the positive message that this account is all about. The sudden switch in subject in the middle of... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that on which he lay, and departed to his house, glorifying God.' And he did just that. He rose, took up what he was lying on, and went home glorifying God. So having accomplished the harder, Jesus had the right to expect that they would agree ab... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God, and they were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen strange things today.” ' But all the people who saw what had happened were amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with awe. They had no theological problem with it. They declared ri... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And after these things he went forth, and beheld a public servant, named Levi, sitting at the tollbooth, and said to him, “Follow me.” ' The Pharisees and scribes now being against Him Jesus adds to their cause for distress, for He walks past a customs post and tollbooth and calls a public servant... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CALL OF LEVI. JESUS IS THE GREAT PHYSICIAN WHO CAN HEAL THE OUTCAST (5:27-32). A narrative revealing that He had come to forgive sins is now followed by a passage revealing that he has come to call sinners to that forgiveness. Indeed He was going to shock the Pharisees and scribes even more by... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he forsook all, and rose up and followed him.' And in response to Jesus' call Levi forsook all, rose up and followed Him. He was leaving behind a secure government post and the possibility of great wealth, but it counted as nothing to him compared with the privilege that was now his. It was ev... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a great crowd of public servants and of others who were sitting at meat with them.' Levi did not turn his back on his fellow public servants and his friends. He threw a last final great feast and invited them along to it to meet the new p... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the public servants and sinners?” The Pharisees and scribes were wary of approaching Jesus. He had bested them once and they did not want to be bested again. Or it may be that they did not wa... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus answering said to them, “Those who are in health have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Jesus took over the question and gave them His reply. He wanted them and the world to know that He had not come simply to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, But yours eat and drink.” ' The complaint is brought by ‘they' who are unidentified. They may be puzzled onlookers or critical opponents. Their problem is that while both... [ Continue Reading ]
A QUESTION ABOUT FASTING. JESUS HAS COME AS THE PROMISED BRIDEGROOM (5:33-35). The revelation of the glory of Jesus continues. Not only is He the Son of Man Who can forgive sins, and God's Physician Who can restore the outcast, but he is the Promised Bridegroom Who brings rejoicing and a new beginn... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus said to them, “Can you make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?” Jesus therefore points out that such fasting would be inappropriate. The Bridegroom has come. The Kingly Rule of God is at hand. Those therefore who are benefiting from it should not be fa... [ Continue Reading ]
“But the days will come, and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast in those days.” But then Jesus comes in with an ominous warning. The words He has spoken confirm that we are to see in the picture of the Bridegroom something significant concerning Jesus. And this i... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he spoke also a parable to them, “No man tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old.” Jesus is here declaring that He has brought something new which must not be spoiled by mingling i... [ Continue Reading ]
“And no man puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will perish.” The point is emphasised again using the idea of putting new wine into old wineskins. To do so would be to cause the dried out old skins to burst. They are... [ Continue Reading ]
“But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.” Here is the solution, to keep the new wine to new wineskins, and not try to mix it with the old. Everything must be seen anew. Thus must they rejoice in the bridegroom, and not fast over Him, and they must receive His new message (which will be decla... [ Continue Reading ]
“And no man having drunk old wine desires new, for he says, “The old is good.” But there will always be those who cling to the old wine and prefer it to the new, saying the old is better. That is what both the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees are doing. Let all therefore be warn... [ Continue Reading ]